Court Opinion

ID: 9741439
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:55:41.607345+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:24.066776
License: Public Domain

YETKA, Justice
(dissenting).
As far as the strength of the plaintiffs’ case is concerned, it can be debated whether they will prevail even on a retrial. That is, however, beside the point. The trial court made three errors in this case, and I think the cumulative effect of these errors is to deny the plaintiffs a fair trial. First, the trial court erred when it failed to instruct the jury on a claim of battery. Second, it erred when it did not define the term “malpractice” used in the special verdict form. The court’s third error was in not distinguishing between negligent nondisclosure and negligent care and treatment in the special verdict form. I agree with the appellate court that these errors were prejudicial and a new trial should be ordered.
It is admitted that the plaintiffs asked for, but never received, an instruction on battery. There was strong evidence here that the patient was under intense pressure to agree to induce labor, and the trial court should, therefore, have given instruction on battery. She was in the hospital because Dr. Wall, who treated her throughout the pregnancy, convinced her that her baby was long overdue and that it would be safer to deliver the baby by cesarean section. The surgeon had already been selected. The patient was in the hospital the night before and was to be examined by Dr. Hafner since, under hospital policy, a second opinion was necessary for such surgery. Upon examination, the patient was told that she had already commenced natural labor and the doctor recommended that labor be induced by drugs. The patient wanted her husband, her doctor or the surgeon to be present. Her husband was due to arrive sometime within the hour, Dr. Wall was out of town, and she was told the surgeon was bowling. Much is made by the defense that the plaintiff, at that point, did not object to induced labor. She did not, of course, verbally protest or get her*303self out of bed. One cannot imagine a more coercive atmosphere or expect someone to do more to object than did this patient.
There is no separate cause of action for malpractice, for it is a form of negligence. See, e.g., Manion v. Tweedy, 257 Minn. 59, 100 N.W.2d 124 (1959); W. Prosser, Handbook of the Law of Torts § 32, at 161-66 (1971). The cause of action in this case was either for negligence or for battery. Yet, the jury verdict form only presented a question as to whether the doctors were guilty of “malpractice.”
Furthermore, there was no distinction made in the court’s special verdict form between negligent non-disclosure and negligent care and treatment. Such distinction was necessary under the facts of this case, and use of the general term “malpractice” was not sufficient.
The lack of proper instructions is demonstrated by the fact that the jury was confused and came back for additional instructions on the issue of consent. It appears that the jury wanted all the court’s instructions, but the judge refused to allow the jury to take them into the jury room. The judge, rather than giving them all of his instructions, merely repeated that form of instructions dealing with consent. Who can say what the effect would have been on the jury if it had been properly instructed on battery versus negligence and if proper interrogatories had been presented on each of two issues?
It is not for an appellate court to decide whether plaintiffs ought to prevail, but it is our duty to see that the plaintiffs get a fair trial. I think the court of appeals was correct in ordering a new trial. Accordingly, I would affirm.