Opinion ID: 1817624
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Dr Calvin Ramsey

Text: ¶ 50. Two physicians testified concerning the stroke. The first physician was Mrs. Stewart's family physician, Dr. Calvin Ramsey, who had treated her for numerous ailments since 1985. Dr. Ramsey saw Mrs. Stewart eight days following the fall in the parking lot at the day care center. During that eight-day period, Mrs. Stewart had another fall in the rest room at the day care center. ¶ 51. Dr. Ramsey, board certified in internal medicine, described Mrs. Stewart as a darling patient who he had been taking care of for some 20 years or so. He testified that Mrs. Stewart suffered a stroke in 1977 and had experienced numerous medical problems. He further testified that, in his opinion, Mrs. Stewart suffered an extension of the 1977 stroke following the fall at the day care center on August 11, 1997. [4] When asked when the stroke occurred, Dr. Ramsey testified, And all I can tell you is that sometime between the 11th and the 19th, she had the stroke. Dr. Ramsey later admitted that it was possible that she had a stroke on the 11th and then fell. When asked, How do you know that she didn't have a stroke on the 11th, and that caused her to fall? He replied, Well, Counsel, I don't think we're disagreeing about that. She could have had a stroke on the 11th, and I don't know that. He further testified that Mrs. Stewart's stroke could have been caused by the fall or it could have been caused by stress. ¶ 52. Dr. Ramsey acknowledged that medical records from Mrs. Stewart's visit to St. Dominic's emergency room on the 11th established that her blood pressure was normal. Although referencing an MRI from August 19, 1997, Dr. Ramsey admitted he never personally reviewed the scan. In reference to Mrs. Stewart's numerous hospital admissions for various treatments since August 1997, he testified that the stroke caused her pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and every single hospitalization. ¶ 53. Dr. Ramsey summed up his opinion in the following statement: The issue is that she fell and struck her head, it caused a lump, contusions, ended up with a stroke, which changed her whole life. And generalized ability and all the other things that we have talked about, all attest to the fact that she should have been handled with a little bit more care when she was getting off that bus. Louise wasn't there to help her off the bus that day; there was a substitute there. And it's unfortunate that that happened, but if Louise or someone was paying more attention to Ms. Stewart, then she would not have fallen. That's the issue. ¶ 54. In discussing Mrs. Stewart's condition prior to her fall on August 11, 1997, Dr. Ramsey was asked whether she required assistance to walk. He testified, No sir. She was using a quad cane and... [her daughter] would help her in getting up to the exam table, but as she ambulated down the hall, she was able to walk on her own with no assistance.... She would need assistance in getting from Point A to Point B, but once she was up on her feet, she was able to walk without any assistance. He later confirmed that Mrs. Stewart could walk on her own, but if she has to go up an incline, down an incline, getting from a seated position, getting from a whatever position, to get up to stand to walk, she certainly needs assistance. ¶ 55. Although Dr. Ramsey offered a great deal of testimony concerning whether the fall on the 11th caused the stroke, [5] and whether the stroke caused Mrs. Stewart's numerous maladies, he offered no testimony which sheds light on the question of whether stroke was a foreseeable risk or expected consequence of the fall.