Opinion ID: 1897190
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: statement of the cases on appeal

Text: Because these appeals are unusual and complicated (made so primarily because of consolidation), a brief recitation of certain background facts (dealing essentially with the procedural posture of each case) may facilitate an understanding of our approach in resolving the issues. Three hospitals, located in south Alabama, are involved. Larrimore and Anderson are based on alleged tortious acts at Monroe County Hospital in Monroeville. Long is a wrongful death claim involving Flowers Hospital in Dothan. Both the Monroe County hospital and the Dothan hospital are managed by HMC. Black involves L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital in Greenville. All of this hospital's stock is owned by HCA. On June 1, 1983, Gene Larrimore was admitted to Monroe County Hospital. He was given a prescription drug known as Desyrel, which later caused him to develop priapism, a persistent, abnormal erection of the penis without sexual desire. Mr. Larrimore's condition required surgical intervention. He commenced this negligence action on December 13, 1984, in Mobile County Circuit Court against HCA, HMC, and Dr. J.T. Jones. On February 12, 1983, Aubrey Lee Anderson was admitted to Monroe County Hospital's emergency room for treatment of influenza, accompanied by nausea, weakness, and vomiting. His attending physician prescribed intravenous fluids and then left the patient to get the fluids. While the physician was out of the room, Mr. Anderson fell or rolled off the examining table and sustained a fracture to his left clavicle. His negligence action was brought on April 18, 1984, in Mobile County Circuit Court against HCA, HMC, and the Monroe County Hospital Board. On August 20, 1983, Christopher Eugene Long, 11, was admitted to Flowers Hospital in Dothan to undergo surgery, based upon a presumptive diagnosis of appendicitis. The boy did poorly postoperatively and suffered cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated but sustained considerable brain damage and died on August 29. On December 22, 1983, a wrongful death action was brought in Mobile County Circuit Court by his estate against Flowers Hospital, HCA, and the surgeon, Dr. Richard McClintock. On December 24, 1983, Harry Timothy Black was admitted to L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital in Greenville to have a pacemaker implanted. During this procedure, Mr. Black alleged, he suffered injury to the ulnar nerve in his right elbow and subsequently lost the use of his right arm. On December 19, 1984, he brought a negligence action in Mobile County Circuit Court against HCA and the surgeon, Dr. Edward F. McCraw. After consolidation of the cases, the trial court entered its final order granting HCA's and HMC's motions for summary judgment and granting motions of all the defendants for transfer of venue, sending Larrimore and Anderson to Monroe County Circuit Court, Black to Butler County Circuit Court, and Long to Houston County Circuit Court.