continuous treatment rule
A common law liability doctrine stating that if a physician has treated a
patient over a period of time, only one policy limit applies—the one in force
at the time the claim is made. This rule prevents a "stacking of limits" situation
where the total policy limits (that were available during the entire course
of treatment) could otherwise be applied to a claim of this type. The continuous
treatment rule can also be applied to other professionals, most frequently to
lawyers and accountants, whose services for a given case or engagement sometimes
take place over several years.
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