Opinion ID: 1818626
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Barnes v. Singing River Hospital.

Text: ¶ 44. Nine years ago, without citation of any authority to do so, this Court incorporated a discovery rule into the MTCA, stating simply that we choose to incorporate a discovery rule in actions brought under the [MTCA] involving latent injuries. Particularly considering the short, one-year statute of limitations period in § 11-46-11(3), we find that justice is best served by applying a discovery standard to such cases. Barnes v. Singing River Hosp., 733 So.2d 199, 205 (Miss.1999). ¶ 45. Following Barnes, this Court continued to apply its judicially-created discovery rule to claims filed under the MTCA. See Wayne Gen. Hosp. v. Hayes, 868 So.2d 997, 1000-1001 (Miss.2004) ([t]he discovery rule applies to the one-year MTCA statute of limitations); Wright v. Quesnel, 876 So.2d 362, 366 (Miss.2004) (MTCA's statute of limitations is subject to a discovery rule); Moore v. Mem'l Hosp., 825 So.2d 658, 667 (Miss. 2002) ([w]e have held that the discovery rule applies to the MTCA's statute of limitations); Henderson v. Un-Named Emergency Room, 758 So.2d 422, 427 (Miss. 2000) (this Court incorporated a discovery rule in actions brought under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act). ¶ 46. Although the MTCA's discovery rule was judicially created, Mrs. Caves argues in her brief that, subsequent to this Court's incorrect interpretation in Barnes, Section 11-46-11(3) has been brought forward in legislation and re-enacted by the legislature at least three times.... In accord with familiar rules of construction, the legislature by re-enactment of a statute which has been construed by the highest court of the state, adopts the construction placed upon the statute by the Court. ¶ 47. We agree, and hold today that by reenacting Section 11-46-11(3) without addressing or countermanding this Court's decision in Barnes, the Legislature acquiesced and tacitly approved and incorporated into the statute a discovery rule as announced in Barnes. Pursuant to the doctrine of stare decisis, we therefore shall continue to recognize a discovery rule with respect to Section 11-46-11(3). Having held that a discovery rule applies to claims under the MTCA, we must now proceed to discuss its effect on the case before us today.