Opinion ID: 625289
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of the kind of injury Huffman suffered

Text: It was uncontested that Huffman had osteoarthritis of the knees. Dr. Alan Smith, Huffman's treating physician, testified regarding Huffman's medical history. He had treated Huffman since 1992. In 1993, Huffman was diagnosed with patellar tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon, and received two injections in his left knee. Dr. Smith testified that tendonitis is not the same as osteoarthritis. In September 1997, Huffman again saw Dr. Smith due to pain in his left knee. Dr. Smith believed the pain to be secondary to a misuse injury caused by Huffman's walking differently after an ankle injury. Dr. Smith stated that he first connected Huffman's knee pain to osteoarthritis in December 2005, which was after Huffman's retirement. In August 2007, Huffman received an injection in both knees as treatment for osteoarthritis. The injection was to reduce inflammation and to cushion the knee by increasing the amount and viscosity of the joint fluid. A year later, Huffman returned to Dr. Smith and complained of knee pain. Because the injections commonly last for about a year to a year-and-a-half, Huffman began a second round of injections in November 2008. Dr. Smith testified that if Huffman returns with knee pain within six months from the time of his last injection, he will recommend knee replacement surgery. During oral argument, this court was informed that Huffman will have a total knee replacement. Based on the foregoing evidence, osteoarthritis is the only injury at issue in this case, because no evidence of any other injury was presented to the jury. Even though the jury instructions were broad and did not limit the injury to osteoarthritis, the jury could not consider an injury for which no evidence was produced. Further, the jury instructions with respect to the statute of limitations refer to the relevant injury as a knee-related injury.