Opinion ID: 1458154
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Summary and Remand Instructions

Text: The district court properly instructed the jury to find for the plaintiffs on their intentional and negligent misrepresentation claims if the jury concluded that the defendants' letters to Kadlec were intentionally and negligently misleading in a manner that caused injury to the plaintiffs. But the district court's instructions also improperly enabled the jury to find for the plaintiffs on these claims if the defendants intentionally and negligently did not disclose their knowledge of Dr. Berry's drug problems, irrespective of whether the letters to Kadlec were false or misleading. Because the verdict form only inquired as to whether the plaintiffs' claims for intentional and negligent misrepresentation, in separate interrogatories, were met as to each defendant, but did not request special findings of fact as to each of the separate possible theories, we cannot know whether the jury's verdict was based on the proper or improper theory. But the fact that the jury instructions stated both a valid and invalid theory of recovery for plaintiffs' claims does not require a new trial because the error here was harmless. The letters from Dr. Dennis and Dr. Preau were false on their face and patently misleading. There is no question about the purpose or effect of the letters. Because no reasonable juror could find otherwise, we uphold the finding of liability against Dr. Dennis and Dr. Preau. [42] But because Lakeview Medical's letter was not materially misleading, and because the hospital did not have a legal duty to disclose its investigation of Dr. Berry and its knowledge of his drug problems, the judgment against Lakeview Medical must be reversed. The district court entered judgment consistent with how the jury allocated fault among the entities it found to be legally responsible for the plaintiffs' injuries. The jury's allocation was as follows: Dr. Dennis 20%; Dr. Preau 5%; Lakeview Medical 25%; Kadlec 17%; and Dr. Berry 33%. We have affirmed the liability finding of the jury against the LAA defendants. But now that we have reversed the judgment against Lakeview Medical, the question arises whether there must be a reapportionment of fault with a corresponding change to damages assessed against the LAA defendants. It is possible that this is unnecessary, if under Louisiana law we can simply compare the fault percentages of the remaining parties. But Louisiana law might also require a reapportionment of fault and, therefore, a fresh determination of damages. Because there was no briefing on this issue, we vacate the judgment against the LAA defendants and remand the case to the district court to determine what, if anything, needs to be redone on the apportionment and damages issues, and then to enter judgment against the LAA defendants accordingly.