Opinion ID: 1802251
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Members of the SRH Board of Trustees

Text: With respect to governmental immunity, the appellants incorporate all of their arguments regarding waiver of immunity by the hospital against the individual members of the board of trustees. First, it should be noted that suing public officials in their official capacities is tantamount to suing the State or its affiliated entities themselves, and any immunities protecting such State entities will likewise shield the public officials affiliated with them when they are sued in their official capacities. Winters v. Lumley, 557 So.2d 1175, 1177 (Miss. 1989). The Winters Court went on to hold that where a statutory provision clearly and unambiguously waives immunity for a State entity under a specified set of circumstances, that waiver applies equally as well under those circumstances to public officials affiliated with that entity who are sued in their official capacities. Id. at 1178. In Winters, the Court was dealing with a claim that the governmental immunity for members of the County Board of Supervisors of Washington County was waived to the extent of the liability insurance that had been taken out on their behalf where § 19-7-8(2) of the Mississippi Code provided: If liability insurance is in effect in such county, such county may be sued by anyone affected to the extent of such insurance carried; provided, however, that immunity from suit is only waived to the extent of such liability insurance carried and a judgment creditor shall have recourse only to the proceeds or right to proceeds of such liability insurance. Id. at 1177; Miss. Code Ann. § 19-7-8(2) (Supp. 1992). In the instant case, the only statutory waiver of immunity we have for community hospitals  § 41-13-11(2)  is a mirror image of § 19-7-8(2). It provides in relevant part: If liability insurance is in effect ... suit may be maintained by anyone affected to the extent of such insurance available to satisfy any judgment rendered. However, immunity from suit is only waived to the extent of such liability insurance available to satisfy any judgment rendered, and a judgment creditor shall have recourse only to the proceeds or right to proceeds of such liability insurance. Miss. Code Ann. § 41-13-11(2) (Supp. 1991). Unlike in Winters, however, there was no liability insurance purchased by SRH either for itself or for members of the board of trustees. Thus, there can be no waiver under § 41-13-11(2). Appellants also seek to incorporate each of the remaining claims of waiver noted above against the members of the board of trustees. Those claims are again rejected for the same reasons that they are rejected above. Appellants also argue that the board members are not protected by the common law shield of qualified immunity for public officials. Since we have concluded that members of the board of trustees are immunized from suit by § 41-13-11's shield of governmental immunity, it is not necessary to address this argument.