Opinion ID: 1421852
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Medical Malpractice/Medical Battery

Text: South Carolina recognizes a medical malpractice cause of action stemming from a lack of informed consent. Hook v. Rothstein, supra . Similarly, we have recognized that there may be a viable cause of action for medical battery as the result of failing to obtain proper consent. Banks v. Medical Univ. of South Carolina, supra . We find the trial court erred in granting Dr. Strickland a directed verdict as to these causes of action. Harvey presented expert testimony that his hemoglobin level was not critical at the time of the transfusion, and that there was not really an emergency situation. The expert also opined that Harvey did not really need a transfusion, and that alternative bloodless procedures were available. Given this testimony, we find the issues of medical battery and medical malpractice were for the jury.