Case Name: Kyle, Admx., Appellant, v. Fok et al., Appellees
Court: Supreme Court of Ohio
Jurisdiction: Ohio
Decision Date: 1969-05-07
Citations: 18 Ohio St. 2d 70
Docket Number: No. 68-596
Parties: Kyle, Admx., Appellant, v. Fok et al., Appellees.
Judges: Matthias, Leach, Herbert and Duncan, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Ohio State Reports, Second Series
Volume: 18
Pages: 70–70

Head Matter:
Kyle, Admx., Appellant, v. Fok et al., Appellees.
(No. 68-596
Decided May 7, 1969.)
Mr. Martin S. Goldberg, for appellant.
Messrs. Harrington, Huxley & Smith and Mr. Eldon S. Wright, for appellees.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
In this action for wrongful death as the result of alleged medical malpractice, the trial court, in special instructions before argument, employed the phrase "guilty of malpractice." The motion to certify was allowed because a majority of the court is of the opinion that such use of the word "guilty" in civil damage actions is reversible error. Cf. Bahm v. Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Rd. Co. (1966), 6 Ohio St. 2d 192; Reep v. Greyhound Corp. (1960), 171 Ohio St. 199.
In considering the cause upon the record before us, however, we are compelled to find that no objection to the prejudicial term was made. For this reason, the appeal is dismissed as having been improvidently allowed.
Appeal dismissed.
Matthias, Leach, Herbert and Duncan, JJ., concur.
Tapt, C. J., and O'Neill, J., concur in the judgment.
Leach, J., of the Tenth Appellate District, sitting for Schneider, J.