Opinion ID: 2094758
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶ 3 On July 23-24, 2003, Robert underwent surgery to have an ulcer repaired. The surgery appeared to have been successfully completed. However, Robert soon developed a fever and his white blood cell count became elevated, suggesting an infection. On August 8, 2003, it was determined that a sponge had been left inside Robert's abdominal cavity at the conclusion of the surgery on July 24, 2003, and that the sponge probably was the source of the infection. That same day, a second surgery was performed and the sponge was removed. Unfortunately, in the days following the second surgery, Robert's health did not improve, and on August 11, 2003, he died from sepsis allegedly associated with the retained sponge. ¶ 4 On August 9, 2006, the estate and Kathy filed suit against the doctors and support staff involved in Robert's surgery, as well as OHIC Insurance Company and others. The estate alleged medical negligence in Robert's care and treatment, and made claims for damages. Kathy sued for wrongful death, also based on alleged medical negligence in Robert's care and treatment. OHIC moved for summary judgment, arguing that both the estate's and Kathy's claims were barred by the medical negligence statute of limitations, Wis. Stat. § 893.55(1m)(a). Section 893.55(1m) provides: [A]n action to recover damages for injury arising from any treatment or operation performed by, or from any omission by, a person who is a health care provider, regardless of the theory on which the action is based, shall be commenced within the later of: (a) Three years from the date of the injury, or (b) One year from the date the injury was discovered or, in the exercise of reasonable diligence should have been discovered, except that an action may not be commenced under this paragraph more than 5 years from the date of the act or omission. [4] ¶ 5 The estate and Kathy countered OHIC's motion by arguing that (1) under Paul v. Skemp, 2001 WI 42, 242 Wis.2d 507, 625 N.W.2d 860, Robert's injury did not occur until on or after August 9, 2003, because his condition did not become irreversible until at least that date, and the claims were therefore timely, having been filed within three years of such injury; (2) under Miller v. Luther, 170 Wis.2d 429, 489 N.W.2d 651 (Ct.App.1992), even if the estate's survival action was time-barred, the statute of limitations on Kathy's wrongful death claim did not start to run until the date of Robert's death, August 11, 2003, and her claim was therefore timely, having been filed within three years of Robert's death; and (3) even if either or both of the claims were not timely asserted, the defendants were estopped from raising the statute of limitations because an OHIC claims adjuster had told their attorney that the claims would not expire until August 13, 2006. ¶ 6 The circuit court granted OHIC's motion, concluding that, under Fojut v. Stafl, 212 Wis.2d 827, 569 N.W.2d 737 (Ct. App.1997), Robert suffered an injury triggering the statute of limitations no later than August 8, 2003, when the second surgery to remove the sponge occurred. As a result, the circuit court dismissed the estate's claim, filed on August 9, 2006, as untimely under Wis. Stat. § 893.55(1m)(a). ¶ 7 The circuit court also rejected Kathy's argument that her wrongful death claim accrued on the date of Robert's death. Instead, the court concluded that Estate of Hegarty v. Beauchaine, 2001 WI App 300, 249 Wis.2d 142, 638 N.W.2d 355, had decided that Wis. Stat. § 893.55(1m)(a) was the operative statute of limitations for wrongful death claims based on medical negligence, and that those claims run from the date of the underlying injury. As a result, because Kathy's claim was filed more than three years after Robert's injury, her claim was time-barred by § 893.55(1m)(a). ¶ 8 Finally, the circuit court rejected the plaintiffs' estoppel argument. The court concluded that the plaintiffs' reliance on the statements of an insurance claims adjuster, in deciding not to file earlier, was not reasonable. The court of appeals affirmed the circuit court's decision for largely the same reasons expressed by the circuit court. [5] ¶ 9 We granted review and now affirm.