Opinion ID: 853638
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Exacerbation or Aggravation of JoAnn's Injuries

Text: The Alexanders allege that the Court of Appeals erred in failing to address whether JoAnn suffered injuries proximately caused by Scheid and Orthopaedics and whether, as a result of the failure to follow up on her chest x-ray in June of 1993, she sustained an aggravation or exacerbation of her injury. In discussing this claim, the Alexanders speak primarily in terms of the injuries JoAnn incurred between the two x-rays. Defendants respond that, given JoAnn's concession that she seeks neither past medical expenses nor loss of earnings, the Court of Appeals did not err in failing to address this issue. The Alexanders correctly note that ordinarily a defendant is liable for the aggravation or exacerbation of a current injury, to the extent that the defendant's conduct has resulted in an aggravation of the pre-existing condition, [but] not for the condition as it was. Dunn v. Cadiente, 516 N.E.2d 52, 56 (Ind.1987) (citing William L. Prosser, Law of Torts 262 (4th ed.)). Scheid's and Orthopaedics' contention that JoAnn has been unharmed runs contrary to the record. If nothing else, the past injuries JoAnn sustained are substantial. During the time JoAnn's cancer remained undiagnosed, she incurred the destruction of healthy lung tissue, the growth of a cancerous tumor, and the collapse of a lung. Thus, JoAnn could conceivably maintain a cause of action for the aggravation of her pre-existing condition. Given that these injuries are injuries for which JoAnn seeks no compensation, however, we agree with Scheid and Orthopaedics that the Court of Appeals did not err in failing to address JoAnn's argument for recovering for aggravation of injury as formulated.