Court Opinion

ID: 9678141
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 06:12:26.401139+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:26:26.059638
License: Public Domain

Krivosha, C. J.,
dissenting.
I specifically dissent because I believe that the majority has misinterpreted the provisions of Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-2844 (Reissue 1978). The majority declares that under the provisions of § 44-2844 the running of the statute of limitations is interrupted during the time the claim is before the medical review panel and begins to run again 90 days after the medical review panel issues its opinion. In my view, the plain language of the statute does not support that conclusion. As noted by the majority, the statute provides that “[t]he filing of ... a claim shall toll the... statute of limitations for a period of ninety days following the issuance of the opinion by the medical review panel.” (Emphasis supplied.) The tolling referred to in § 44-2844 is not set in motion by the filing of the claim but, rather, by the issuance of the opinion by the medical review panel.
Furthermore, § 44-2844 does not provide that the “running“ of the statute of limitations is tolled as in the cases cited by the majority, but only that the statute is tolled.
The majority seems to be of the opinion that if the running of the time to commence an action is completed so as to bar the filing of an action, the bar cannot thereafter be “tolled.” I am not aware of any rule to that effect. “To toll the statute of limitations means to show facts which remove its bar of the action.” (Emphasis supplied.) Black’s Law Dictionary 1658 (4th *294ed. 1957). The general rule, supported by the great preponderance of the authorities, is to the effect that the running of the time to bring an action merely bars the bringing of the action but does not extinguish the substantive right. See 51 Am. Jur. 2d Limitation of Actions § 22 (1970). In Stock v. Meissner, 217 Neb. 56, 59, 348 N.W.2d 426, 428 (1984), we observed: “Statutes of limitations are statutes of repose [citation omitted], and generally they do not impair existing substantive rights, but merely affect the procedure by which such rights may be enforced, Cedars Corp. v. Swoboda, 210 Neb. 180, 313 N.W.2d 276 (1981).” Therefore, even though the statute of limitations “bars” the bringing of the action, the cause of action continues to exist. As such, its bar to an action can be “removed” by providing that its effect may be “suspended” or “stopped temporarily” so as to allow the filing of an action.
Unlike the cases cited by the majority, nothing in § 44-2844 provides that the filing of the claim tolls the “running” of the statute of limitations. All of the cases cited by the majority for the proposition that the statute of limitations is tolled during the time the matter is being considered by the review panel involve statutes which specifically provide that the filing of the claim tolls the “running” of the statute from the time of filing.
Farmers & Merchants Bank v. Merryman, 126 Neb. 684, 254 N.W. 428 (1934), cited by the majority, involved a Nebraska statute (Comp. Stat. § 20-214 (1929)) which specifically tolled the “running” of the statute. The statute in question provided:
If, when a cause of action accrues against a person, he be out of the state, or shall have absconded or concealed himself, the period limited for the commencement of the action shall not begin to run until he come into the state, or while he is absconded or concealed; and if, after the cause of action accrues, he depart from the state, or abscond or conceal himself, the time of his absence or concealment shall not be computed as any part of the period within which the action must be brought.
That language is not at all similar to § 44-2844.
Likewise, in Baker v. Zirkle, 226 Va. 7, 307 S.E.2d 234 (1983), the Virginia statute (Va. Code § 8.01-581.9 (repl. 1977)) provided: “The giving of notice of a claim pursuant to *295§ 8.01-581.2 shall toll the applicable statute of limitations for and including a period of one hundred twenty days following the notice... or sixty days following issuance of any opinion by the medical review panel, whichever is later.” (Emphasis supplied.) And in Phillips v. Sharpstown General Hosp., 664 S.W.2d 162 (Tex. App. 1983), the Texas Court of Appeals dealt with a statute (Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann. art. 4590i, § 401(c) (Vernon Cum. Supp. 1982-1983)) which specifically provided that the giving of the notice interrupted the running of the statute of limitations. The Texas statute read: “Notice given as provided in this Act shall toll the applicable statute of limitations to and including a period of 75 days following the giving of the notice ...” (Emphasis supplied.) And the Wisconsin statute (Wis. Stat. Ann. § 655.04(6) (West 1980)), cited in Tamminen v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co., 109 Wis. 2d 536, 327 N.W.2d 55 (1982), and Stappas v. Kagen, 109 Wis. 2d 528, 326 N.W.2d 757 (1982), likewise dealt with a statute which specifically provided that the filing of the claim interrupted the running of the statute of limitations. The Wisconsin statute provided: “The filing of the submission of controversy shall toll any applicable statute of limitations, and such statute of limitations shall remain tolled until 30 days after the hearing panel issues its written decision ....”
In my view, that is not the same as a statute which provides for the tolling of a statute of limitations for a period of 90 days following the issuance of the opinion by the medical review panel but makes no reference to tolling before the issuance of the opinion. The majority, in effect, reads the statute as though the word “running” and the word “and” are a part of the statute so that it would read: “The filing of the request for review of a claim shall toll the running of the applicable statute of limitations and for a period of ninety days following the issuance of the opinion by the medical review panel.” While it is true that the Legislature could have so written the statute, the fact is that it did not.
Nor am I unmindful of the fact that this court in Prendergast v. Nelson, 199 Neb. 97, 106, 256 N.W.2d 657, 664 (1977), said: “The law specifically provides that the statute of limitations is tolled during the period the matter is subject to consideration by the medical review panel and for a period of 90 days following *296its opinion.” (Emphasis supplied.) That language is, at best, dicta to the case and is made without benefit of citation. The law, § 44-2844, does not specifically provide that the statute of limitations is tolled during the period the matter is subject to consideration.
In my view, it was not the intention of the Legislature to extend the statute of limitations by enacting § 44-2844 but, rather, to ensure that if one filed a claim with the medical review panel, the individual had a reasonable time thereafter to file suit even if the action was already barred by the statute of limitations. The majority, in effect, suggests that if a claim is filed with the medical review panel on the first day that it could be filed, the individual thereby has 2 years and 89 days after the review panel renders its decision in which to file suit. I see no legislative intent to that effect. Rather, I believe that the statute should be read to mean that in no event can an individual who files a claim with the medical review panel have less than 90 days following the issuance of the medical review panel’s decision in which to file suit. I would have so held and therefore would have affirmed the decision of the district court.