Berman v. Laboratory Corp. of America

**Berman v. Laboratory Corp. of America** This case involved a dispute over DNA testing services provided by Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp). The plaintiff, Berman, sued LabCorp for negligence, claiming the company failed to properly perform DNA testing services. LabCorp had argued they were protected from the lawsuit under Oklahoma's litigation privilege law, which shields certain communications made during legal proceedings. The trial court initially sided with LabCorp and dismissed the case without a trial. However, the Oklahoma Supreme Court disagreed and overturned this decision. The court ruled that the litigation privilege law does not protect companies from negligence claims when they provide DNA testing services. The court also determined that LabCorp had a legal duty to provide competent care when performing these tests. As a result, the case was sent back to the lower court for a full trial. This ruling matters for workers because it establishes that companies providing specialized services like DNA testing cannot hide behind legal immunity shields when they allegedly perform their work carelessly. It ensures that businesses must maintain professional standards and can be held accountable when their negligence potentially harms clients or affects legal proceedings.