Opinion ID: 1290968
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Settlement of Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

Text: Union Supply contends that the trial court erroneously excluded all evidence of the settlement of Pust's Montana lawsuit for medical malpractice against the treating physician and hospital. Union Supply sought to introduce copies of: (1) Pust's complaint in that action; (2) the Motion and Order for Dismissal; and (3) the Agreement and Covenant Not to Sue. [10] We hold that the trial court properly excluded this evidence. In his complaint against the physician and hospital, Pust claimed:    [t]hat as a direct and proximate result of the joint and concurring negligence of the Defendants, Plaintiff sustained the loss of his right arm above the shoulder.    Apparently, Union Supply is contending that Pust originally claimed that the treating physician and hospital were the cause of his injuries, but now inconsistently asserts that Union Supply is the cause. First, these statements are not necessarily inconsistent because an injury can have many causes. Second, a plaintiff is permitted in his complaints to allege alternative and inconsistent claims for relief. C.R.C.P. 8(e). Thus, this evidence is inadmissible to impeach Pust on the basis of prior inconsistent allegation. Contrary to Union Supply's argument, the settlement of the malpractice action is irrelevant to any other issue in the case. It is not relevant to damages because of a pretrial stipulation that any jury award to Pust would be reduced by the $67,000 he received in settlement of the malpractice lawsuit. The evidence is also not relevant to the issue of causation. An original tort-feasor is liable for any additional injury suffered by a plaintiff due to the negligence of any person who renders aid reasonably required by the original injury. Powell v. Brady, 30 Colo.App. 406, 496 P.2d 328, aff'd (on another issue only), 181 Colo. 218, 508 P.2d 1254. See Restatement ( Second ) of Torts § 457.