Opinion ID: 2185314
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Mercy HospitalInstructions.

Text: In its instruction to the jury upon the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, the court stated: Sharalan J. Welte must also prove that the occurrence would not have happened if ordinary care had been used. Proof of this requirement rests on common experience as experienced by health care professionals. Welte objected to the instruction requiring proof of the common experience as experienced by health care professionals. We find this instruction effectively denied Welte of the benefit of the res ipsa inference of negligence and required her to establish the common experience of the health care professional. See Sammons, 353 N.W.2d at 384-85. Because of the faulty instruction, the general negligence claim against Mercy must be retried. On retrial the jury must be instructed that proof of the second foundational element rests on common experience. If expert medical evidence is offered and received upon this element, the uniform instruction may be tailored to provide that proof of the second foundation of fact rests on common experience or the common experience of the health care provider.