Opinion ID: 1058945
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Motion to Alter or Amend

Text: The plaintiff filed a motion to alter or amend the trial court's ruling granting summary judgment to Dr. Clarke and Dr. McCain. See Tenn. R. Civ. P. 59.04. The motion to alter or amend was supported by affidavits from Dr. Lawrence Golusinski, Dr. Krone, and Dr. Peter Tuteur. Dr. Golusinski, a physician licensed in Georgia and North Carolina, stated that he was familiar with medical practice in Franklin, Tennessee, based upon statistical information he had reviewed. He believed that Dr. Clarke did not satisfy the standard of care because she failed to investigate the decedent's progressively abnormal EKG results, failed to investigate the decedent's elevated lipids, and failed to investigate symptoms highly suggestive of congestive heart failure. Dr. Golusinski stated that compliance with the applicable standard of care would have led to a proper diagnosis of the decedent and probable coronary bypass surgery. Dr. Krone's affidavit once again stated that he was familiar with the applicable standard of care for family practitioners in Franklin, Tennessee, and that Dr. Clarke failed to satisfy this standard. Dr. Krone stated: Based on the information that was available to Dr. Clarke, she had a duty to appropriately investigate the signs and symptoms, which were highly suggestive, of congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction, or ischemia. In the alternative, she could have fulfilled her duty to investigate by appropriately referring [the decedent] to a cardiologist for investigation and evaluation. Dr. Krone concluded that Dr. Clarke's compliance with the standard of care would have led to probable coronary bypass and that the decedent would have survived. Dr. Tuteur, a pulmonologist in Missouri, stated that he had reviewed statistical information about Franklin, Tennessee, and he considered it to be similar to the medical community in which he practiced. He stated that Dr. McCain failed to take a detailed and meaningful medical history, failed to investigate other causes for the decedent's shortness of breath and cough, and failed to consider coronary artery disease as a potential cause of Stovall's symptoms. Dr. Tuteur believed that Dr. McCain's compliance with the applicable standard of care in February of 1997 would have led to a correct diagnosis and the proper medical or surgical treatment of Gerald Stovall's heart condition. The trial court considered the affidavits in support of the plaintiff's motion to alter or amend over the defendants' objections that they had not been timely filed. The trial court nonetheless concluded that summary judgment had been properly granted to Dr. Clarke and Dr. McCain, and it denied the motion to alter or amend.