Opinion ID: 1679366
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Formulation and Application of Precepts

Text: After considering the foregoing rules and policy considerations, we conclude that as a general principle that the same criterion of foreseeability and risk of harm which determined whether a physician in this kind of situation was negligent in the first instance should determine the extent of his liability for that negligence; and that the doctor should not be held liable for consequences which no reasonable practitioner would expect to follow from the conduct. In accordance with the almost universal rule, however, the physician shall be liable for all resulting harm to the person caused by a negligent physical impact upon the person of the plaintiff. Likewise, in accordance with the general rule, and by analogy to our civil code articles governing contractual damages, a physician who intentionally, recklessly or in bad faith violates his legal duty shall be liable for all damages, foreseeable or not, that are a direct consequence of his breach of obligation. We reject as a general rule the test of foreseeability in the sense of hindsight, not foresight, as being inappropriate when the doctor has been guilty only of ordinary negligence in this kind of medical malpractice case. If the trier of fact is required to attribute the knowledge of hindsight to the practitioner, the doctor may be held unfairly to a standard of knowledge or information impossible in daily practice and attainable only by the research scientist or the analytical pathologist looking backward reflectively at the particular case. [T]o one gifted with ominisence as to all existing circumstances, no result could appear remarkable, or indeed anything but inevitable, as a matter of hindsight. Prosser & Keeton, supra, § 43. Applying these precepts to the facts alleged in the petition, we conclude that the parents upon proper proof may recover for the expenses incurred during pregnancy and delivery, the mother's pain and suffering, the father's loss of consortium, service and society, and their emotional and mental distress associated with the birth of an unplanned and unwanted child and the unexpected restriction upon their freedom to plan their family. These damages were foreseeable consequences of the doctor's alleged negligent acts and omissions. The parents may not recover for the special expenses regarding the child's deformity, or for emotional and mental distress associated with the child's deformity. These are not consequences which were caused by an impact on the person of the mother or which a reasonable practitioner would expect to follow from the conduct as alleged in the petition. Based on our present knowledge of the congenital disorder of albinism and methods of predicting its occurrence we cannot infer that the doctor reasonably could have foreseen an unreasonable risk of a birth defect in this case. As in the child's action, however, the parents will be permitted to amend their petition in good faith to remove this deficiency. The plaintiffs cannot recover for the economic costs of rearing an unplanned and unwanted child, expenses of the change in family status, including extra money to compensate for the fact that the mother must spread her society, comfort, care, protection and support over a larger group, money to replenish the family exchequer so that the child will not deprive the other family members. These are the ordinary vicissitudes that befall any family with the birth of a healthy, normal child. Absent unusual circumstances, a child is presumed to be a blessing not offset by the inconvenience of redistributing the family income and patrimony which he or she may occasion. Unfortunately, the child in this case may represent a greater burden than a healthy offspring but that is a result of her albinism which we have determined is not a legal consequence of the conduct alleged. Therefore, proof of the ordinary economic impact of an additional child would not constitute proof of a loss to the parents or the family.