Court Opinion

ID: 9772179
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 17:09:37.912367+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:42.414329
License: Public Domain

BURGESS, Justice,
concurring.
I wholeheartedly concur with the Chief Justice’s reversal and downheartedly concur in the affirmance. I write only to lament the sorry state of our jurisprudence as evidenced by Kramer v. Lewisville Memorial Hospital, 858 S.W.2d 397 (Tex.1993), wherein a majority of our supreme court denies a remedy to the family of Sandra Jean Parrott. While each of the survivors suffered a unique loss through the death of a wife and mother, the loss suffered by Rhonda Lynn Parrott is particularly poignant. In August of 1984, when Sandra Parrott first sought medical treatment and advice from Dr. Caskey, Rhonda Lynn was just beginning her senior year of high school. Sandra Parrott died in February 1985, leaving Rhonda Lynn motherless three months before high school graduation and all the functions and events surrounding such a momentous occasion in a young girl’s life. All of Chief Justice Phillips’ justifications for failing to adopt the “loss of chance” doctrine, Kramer, 858 S.W.2d at 405-406, pale in light of Rhonda Lynn’s loss.1
On September 10, 1993, the family of Jennie Kramer lost their day in court forever. If the voters of this state become incensed enough about that injustice, perhaps the family of Sandra Jean Parrott will not suffer the same injustice.2

. Particularly galling is the reference to legal malpractice. Loss of a case simply does not equate to loss of life. As pointed out by Justice Hightower in his dissent, other states have limited the cause of action to medical malpractice. Kramer, 858 S.W.2d at 410.

. Two members of the 6-3 majority, Justice Gonzalez and Justice Hecht, face opposition in the general election of 1994.