Opinion ID: 1807321
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence on the proper standard of care.

Text: The defendant requested, and the court gave, Wis J ICivil, Part I, 1385, with respect to the hospital's negligence. No reference is made in the instruction, nor did the defendant make any request, that there be added language to the effect that the standards are based upon care and skill used by hospitals and nurses in the same or similar communities. We do not think that new counsel on appeal can now complain that defendant's trial counsel's requested instruction with respect to the hospital's duty was used. Any objection to the propriety of the instruction was waived. Grinley v. Eau Galle (1956), 274 Wis. 177, 79 N. W. 2d 797. Appeal counsel contends that there was error in the trial of this case when the plaintiffs were allowed to introduce expert testimony on the issue of negligence. We think that the admission of expert testimony was permissible under the circumstances. Jurors are not familiar with the weakening physiological effects of acute urinary retention and jurors are not familiar with the relative potency of enemas. The act of escorting is obviously one which the jurors could understand from their own common knowledge, but a decision as to whether or not such act was necessary, under the circumstances, is a question which would require the aid of expert testimony. The defendant did not object to any expert testimony on the basis that expert testimony was improper.  Objection was made to the introduction of plaintiffs' evidence as it related to the standard of care. The defendant offered its own expert, Dr. William C. Curtis. Dr. Curtis responded to defendant's trial counsel's hypothetical question that he did not think John Tills had to be accompanied. No motion was made after verdict that the admission of expert testimony was improper. Under the circumstances, the plaintiffs contend that the court should not consider the issue on the admission of expert testimony. We agree with plaintiffs' position. In Wells v. Dairyland Mut. Ins. Co., supra, at page 518, we pointed out that where there was a trial by jury: ... no error of the court should be reviewable as a matter of right on appeal without first moving in the trial court for a new trial bottomed on such error, if the error is of a category that a trial court could correct by granting a new trial.... We find no compelling circumstances in this case that would warrant this court to exercise its discretion to review the claimed error.