Final answer:
The physician may be liable under the doctrine of Respondeat superior for the negligence of their medical assistant, as the employer is responsible for the actions of their employees within the scope of their employment. Option B is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a medical assistant makes an error while acting under the direction of a physician, the court may find the physician liable for the medical assistant's negligence under the doctrine of Respondeat superior. This legal principle holds that an employer (in this case, the physician) is responsible for the actions of their employees, performed within the course of their employment.
This is not to be confused with other doctrines such as Locum tenens, which refers to a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another, or Res ipsa loquitur, which allows an inference of negligence when the exact cause of harm is not known.
Contributory negligence refers to a case where the plaintiff may also be partly at fault for their injuries, and Res judicata signifies that a final judgment is conclusive and prevents the same parties from re-litigating the same issue.