Court Opinion

ID: 9789094
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 01:27:55.611561+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:19.490000
License: Public Domain

Shearing, Sr. J.,
concurring:
I concur completely with the views expressed in the majority opinion. However, I would go further and maintain that no expert medical opinion is necessary to establish negligence under the circumstances of this case. The negligence alleged is not of the type that is peculiarly within the knowledge of medical experts. The patient told the nurse that he is afraid of needles and warned that he would pass out if given an injection. Nevertheless, the nurse proceeded to give the patient an injection in a standing position. As predicted, the patient lost consciousness, fell, and struck his head. A juror would not need a medical expert to understand that the nurse was negligent in failing to heed a clear warning that the patient would fall if given an injection in a standing position.1 The resulting injury to the patient was foreseeable.

 See Krause Inc. v. Little, 117 Nev. 929, 938-39, 34 P.3d 566, 572 (2001) (concluding that a jury did not require a medical expert’s testimony to appreciate the extent to which a broken bone causes pain and suffering and what amount of future damages would be appropriate).