Opinion ID: 1990116
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: indian magic and patricia gold claims

Text: The allegations in the Facklers' petition, construed liberally, state a professional negligence cause of action against Genetzky. This court has previously applied the standards of professional negligence to a malpractice action involving a veterinarian. Barney v. Pinkham, 29 Neb. 350, 45 N.W. 694 (1890). This is the rule in other jurisdictions as well. See, e.g., Price v. Brown, 545 Pa. 216, 680 A.2d 1149 (1996); Downing v. Gully, 915 S.W.2d 181 (Tex.App.1996); Restrepo v. State, 146 Misc.2d 349, 550 N.Y.S.2d 536 (1989), aff'd. 179 A.D.2d 804, 580 N.Y.S.2d 874 (1992); Turner v. Sinha, 65 Ohio App.3d 30, 582 N.E.2d 1018 (1989); Bartlett v. MacRae, 54 Or.App. 516, 635 P.2d 666 (1981). As stated by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, As to a cause of action based on the negligence of a veterinarian in the performance of his/her professional duties or services, we note at the outset that malpractice claims have traditionally arisen in the context of services provided by the legal and medical professions. Similar to the practice of law or medicine, the vocation of veterinary medicine involves specialized education, knowledge, and skills. We conclude, therefore, that professional negligence concepts also extend to veterinary medicine. Price v. Brown, 545 Pa. at 222, 680 A.2d at 1152. We agree. In a malpractice action involving professional negligence, the burden of proof is upon the plaintiff to demonstrate the generally recognized professional standard of care, that there was a deviation from that standard by the defendant, and that the deviation was the proximate cause of the plaintiff's alleged injuries. See Doe v. Zedek, 255 Neb. 963, 587 N.W.2d 885 (1999). Although Genetzky disputes the amount of damages claimed in the Facklers' petition, he does not dispute that the Facklers could show some damages from the professional malpractice claims. Genetzky argues that he was entitled to summary judgment because the evidence presented a prima facie case that Genetzky had not deviated from the generally recognized standard of care and that the Facklers failed to rebut his prima facie showing. A movant for summary judgment makes a prima facie case by producing enough evidence to demonstrate that the movant is entitled to a judgment if the evidence were uncontroverted at trial. Boyle v. Welsh, 256 Neb. 118, 589 N.W.2d 118 (1999). In the absence of a prima facie showing by the movant that he or she is entitled to summary judgment, the opposing party is not required to reveal evidence which he or she expects to produce at trial to prove the allegations contained in his or her petition. Id. In the present case, Genetzky has offered no evidence in support of his motion for summary judgment that establishes the professional standard of care for a veterinarian under these circumstances nor any evidence establishing that his actions comported with such standard of care. Such evidence is necessary for Genetzky to have made a prima facie showing for summary judgment. A similar situation was presented in Hanzlik v. Paustian, 211 Neb. 322, 318 N.W.2d 712 (1982), disapproved on other grounds, Anderson v. Service Merchandise Co., 240 Neb. 873, 485 N.W.2d 170 (1992). In Hanzlik v. Paustian, supra , the defendant physician in a medical malpractice action successfully moved for summary judgment based upon answers to interrogatories and the depositions of the parties. The defendant's deposition explained the procedures he had followed and the possible consequences of those procedures, but the record contained no evidence that the procedures met the accepted standards of reasonable medical care. Id. Based on that record, we determined that [t]he defendant failed to make a prima facie showing of the absence of negligence on his part, and therefore no burden of producing evidence shifted to the plaintiff. Id. at 328, 318 N.W.2d at 716. Consequently, we determined that the defendant was not entitled to summary judgment. In Black v. Schmitz, 211 Neb. 378, 318 N.W.2d 746 (1982), this court reversed a summary judgment granted in a medical malpractice action. In that case, the defendant physician alleged in his answer that he had acted in accordance with the appropriate standard of care. The only evidence entered in support of the summary judgment, however, was the court file and the deposition of the plaintiff's medical expert. Id. We determined that [i]n the absence of any affidavit or deposition of a medical expert witness for the defendants establishing the facts alleged in the answer, there was no evidence upon which the trial court could enter a summary judgment. Id. at 380, 318 N.W.2d at 747. Our decisions in Hanzlik v. Paustian, supra , and Black v. Schmitz, supra , are controlling in the present case. Genetzky provided no evidence in support of his motion for summary judgment establishing either the appropriate standard of care or that his actions met such standard of care. Because Genetzky failed to make a prima facie showing of the absence of negligence on his part regarding the Indian Magic and Patricia Gold claims, no burden of producing evidence shifted to the Facklers. We, therefore, conclude that Genetzky was not entitled to summary judgment on the Indian Magic and Patricia Gold claims.