Court Opinion

ID: 9765653
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 04:12:16.582645+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:54:09.288853
License: Public Domain

BARAJAS, Justice,
concurring.
I approve of the majority’s holding; however, I would additionally affirm on procedural grounds.
Rule 166a(c) of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure provides in pertinent part:
A summary judgment may be based on uncontroverted testimonial evidence of an interested witness, or of an expert witness as to subject matter concerning which the trier of fact must be guided solely by the opinion testimony of experts, if the evidence is clear, positive and direct, otherwise credible and free from contradictions and inconsistencies, and could have been readily controverted.
A Motion for Summary Judgment is properly granted only if the motion and its supporting affidavits show that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Anderson v. Snider, 808 S.W.2d 54, 55 (Tex.1991); Mayo v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company of Boston, Mass., 711 S.W.2d 5, 6 (Tex.1986).
In a medical malpractice cause of action, the plaintiff must prove by competent testimony that the defendant’s negligence proximately caused the plaintiff’s injury. The majority correctly states that in order to do so, the plaintiff must prove four elements:
• a duty by the physician to act according to a certain standard;
• a breach of the applicable standard of care;
• an injury; and
• a causal connection between the breach of care and injury.
Thus, in order to succeed on summary judgment as a defendant, Dr. Canessa must disprove as a matter of law, one or more of the elements of the claim being asserted by Hicks. Anderson, 808 S.W.2d *545at 55; Rosas v. Buddies Food Store, 518 S.W.2d 534, 537 (Tex.1975).
As noted in the majority opinion, Dr. Canessa, in his affidavit in support of summary judgment, stated that to exercise the proper standard of care for an anesthesiologist under the circumstances in the instant case, it is necessary to constantly monitor the patient’s vital signs and administrate the anesthetic apparatus. Such affidavit, which goes to an essential element in proving a medical malpractice case, constitutes competent summary judgment proof, subject to being readily controverted by the non-movant. Tex.R.Civ.P. 166a(c).
If the movant presents legally sufficient evidence from an expert witness in support of a motion for summary judgment, the non-movant must produce other expert testimony to controvert the claims. Anderson, 808 S.W.2d at 55. Conclusions of a lay witness are not competent evidence to controvert expert opinion evidence. Nicholson v. Memorial Hospital System, 722 S.W.2d 746, 751 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1986, writ ref’d n.r.e.).
Instead of relying on expert testimony as to the proper standard of care for an anesthesiologist under the circumstances in the instant case, the Appellant relies upon the conclusions of lay witnesses and counsel, possibilities and inferences, all of which are incompetent summary judgment evidence to counter expert testimony given by Dr. Canessa in his supporting affidavit. White v. Wah, 789 S.W.2d 312 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1990, no writ); Tilotta v. Goodall, 752 S.W.2d 160, 161 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1988, writ denied); Shook v. Herman, 759 S.W.2d 743 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1988, writ denied); Pinckley v. Gallegos, 740 S.W.2d 529 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1987, writ denied). The issue pertaining to the proper standard of care for an anesthesiologist under the circumstances in the instant case is one which could have been readily controverted. The Appellant, in his response to the Appellee’s Motion for Summary Judgment, failed to present competent evidence.
For these reasons, as well as those expressed by the majority, I would affirm the judgment of the trial court.