Case Name: BROWN v. CITY OF DETROIT
Court: Michigan Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1978-05-10
Citations: 83 Mich. App. 342
Docket Number: Docket No. 77-2552
Parties: BROWN v CITY OF DETROIT
Judges: Before: T. M. Burns, P. J., and M. F. Cavanagh and D. C. Riley, JJ.
Reporter: Michigan appeals reports; cases decided in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Volume: 83
Pages: 342–345

Head Matter:
BROWN v CITY OF DETROIT
Docket No. 77-2552.
Submitted January 16, 1978, at Detroit.
Decided May 10, 1978.
Leave to appeal applied for.
Offie Brown presented himself at the Detroit General Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained from a gunshot wound to the head. He was examined and sent home to return at a later date. After at least one more visit to the hospital Mr. Brown filed suit in the Wayne Circuit Court against the hospital and the City of Detroit, alleging medical malpractice in the treatment of his injuries. The trial court, Joseph G. Rashid, J., granted defendant’s motion for accelerated judgment on the basis of governmental immunity and subsequently denied plaintiffs motions for rehearing. Plaintiff appeals. Held:
The operation of a municipality-owned hospital is a governmental function immune from tort liability.
Affirmed.
T. M. Burns, P. J., dissents. He would hold that a community is liable for medical malpractice in operating a community hospital.
Opinion op the Court
1. Municipal Corporations—Negligence—Governmental Immunity—Municipality-Owned Hospital—Governmental Function.
The operation of a municipality-owned hospital is a governmental function and, therefore, the municipality is immune from tort liability in connection with its operation.
Dissent by T. M. Burns, P. J.
2. Municipal Corporations—Negligence—Governmental Immunity—Municipality-Owned Hospital—Medical Malpractice —Governmental Function.
It is not a governmental function subject to immunity from tort liability for a municipality-owned hospital, through its employees, to commit medical malpractice.
References for Points in Headnotes
40 Am Jur 2d, Hospitals and Asylums §§ 20, 22.
Immunity from liability for damages in tort of state or governmental unit or agency in operating hospital. 25 ALR2d 203.
Lopatin, Miller, Bindes, Freedman & Bluestone (by Michael Gagleard), for plaintiff.
Sommers, Schwartz, Silver, Schwartz & Tyler, P. C. (by James S. Goulding), for defendant.
Before: T. M. Burns, P. J., and M. F. Cavanagh and D. C. Riley, JJ.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
The plaintiff contends that the operation of a community owned hospital is not a governmental function which is immune from tort liability. This precise question was recently decided against the plaintiff in White v Detroit, 74 Mich App 545; 254 NW2d 572 (1977).
"While other areas may require us to use our 'creative genius' to resolve the issue of 'governmental function', Thomas v Department of State Highways, [398 Mich 1, 11; 247 NW2d 530, 533 (1976)] an unbroken line of Michigan authority holds that operation of a community owned hospital is a governmental function. Martinson v Alpena, 328 Mich 595; 44 NW2d 148 (1950), Nicholson v Detroit, 129 Mich 246; 88 NW 695 (1902), Knight v City of Tecumseh, [63 Mich App 215; 234 NW2d 457 (1975)], Lockaby v Wayne County, 63 Mich App 185, 190-191; 234 NW2d 444, 446 (1975), Snow v Freeman, [55 Mich App 84; 222 NW2d 43 (1974)]. We are compelled to agree that the treatment of plaintiff by Detroit General Hospital was a governmental function, rendering the City of Detroit immune from liability." White, supra, at 548.
The trial court's decision is affirmed. Costs to appellees.