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HRS §671-16.5

Choosing court instead of arbitration after a medical claim

This section lets a person with a medical claim, or a health care provider being questioned, choose to go to court instead of the required arbitration program. They can do this after the medical panel process ends or is not finished in time. They must have taken part in the panel or other dispute process.

everyone

The statute, as written — Arbitration; subsequent litigation

Any person or the person's representative claiming that a medical tort has been committed or any health care provider against whom an inquiry has been made may elect to bypass the court annexed arbitration program under section 601-20 after the inquiry has been submitted to the medical inquiry and conciliation panel and the panel has been terminated pursuant to section 671-15 if the party meaningfully participated in panel proceedings, an alternative dispute resolution process has been terminated pursuant to section 671-16.6, or the panel or alternative dispute resolution process has not completed proceedings within the tolling period of the statute of limitations under section 671-18.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§601-20 Court-run arbitration for smaller injury lawsuits

§671-15 Notice when medical claim panel ends

§671-16.6 Moving a medical complaint to alternative dispute resolution

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.