Opinion ID: 2300624
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Plaintiffs' Complaint

Text: On September 4, 2003, plaintiffs filed a complaint in the Superior Court against defendants, Rita S. Kurl, M.D., and St. Joseph Hospital. [7] In their complaint, plaintiffs stated that they were the family of Peter Almonte, who committed suicide on September 5, 2000. The plaintiff Sherry Almonte was the decedent's wife; and Nicole, Michael, [8] and Michelle were their children and are also plaintiffs in this case. The plaintiffs alleged that, on or about September 4, 2000, Mr. Almonte had experienced a severe psychological episode, which resulted in a confrontation at his home and his expression of a wish to die. The plaintiffs further alleged that, as a result, officers of the Cranston Police Department brought Mr. Almonte to Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, a unit of St. Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island, Inc. (hereinafter Fatima Hospital), so that he might undergo a psychological evaluation. According to plaintiffs' complaint, after approximately one hour and forty minutes, the hospital personnel decided to honor [Mr. Almonte's] demand to be discharged, by discharging him into the care of Cranston Police Officers. In their complaint, plaintiffs alleged that Mr. Almonte's treating physician (Dr. Rita S. Kurl, one of the defendants) breached the duty that she owed to him pursuant to the physician/patient relationship. They further contended that, as a direct and approximate [ sic ] result of Dr. Kurl's breach of that duty, Mr. Almonte suffered severe personal injuries resulting in his death and also resulting in damages to plaintiffs. Accordingly, plaintiffs brought wrongful death actions pursuant to chapter 7 of title 10 against Dr. Kurl and St. Joseph Hospital. The claims brought against St. Joseph Hospital, which was Dr. Kurl's employer, were premised on a respondeat superior theory. C