Court Opinion

ID: 9707301
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 02:07:59.220561+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:30.694477
License: Public Domain

SHARPNACK, Chief Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
Although I concur with the majority in affirming the summary judgments as to Dr. Raney and the hospital, I cannot agree as to Dr. Star and, as to his summary judgment, I dissent and would reverse.
My disagreement with the majority concerns what reasonably may be inferred from Dr. Barnes' affidavit on the issue of a causal link between Dr. Star's failure to obtain a surgical consult immediately upon seeing Mrs. Weaver and her injuries.
Dr. Barnes without question tells us that Dr. Cochran "handled the situation appropriately" when, after being called in for consult twelve hours after admission, he waited before employing surgery. It does not follow necessarily, however, that Dr. Star's failure to obtain a surgical consult immediately upon admission had no causal connection to Mrs. Weaver's injuries. Dr. Barnes' affidavit continues from his approval of Dr. Cochran's conduct:
"It is my opinion that had he been called earlier for the purpose of evaluating [Mrs. Weaver] when the perforation was early, the bowel could have been handled primarily and the need for a colostomy may well have been avoided. In fact, there is a very good probability that that colostomy could have been avoided. All the additional morbidity that this woman suffered was caused by the delay in obtaining a proper consultation."
I cannot read that language to mean other than that at least the colostomy very probably would have been avoided if Dr. Star had gotten a consult from Dr. Cochran, or some general surgeon, when Dr. Star first began to follow Mrs. Weaver. The fact that twelve hours later waiting was appropriate does not alter the clear import of the quoted portion of Dr. Barnes' affidavit.
The affidavit of Dr. Barnes would support an inference that as a matter of fact the failure of Dr. Star to obtain an immediate surgical consult caused Mrs. Weaver to suffer injuries greater than she would have otherwise suffered. That is enough to get past a summary judgment motion and get to trial.
I would reverse as to Dr. Star.