Court Opinion

ID: 9665492
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 00:49:48.285199+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:16.096309
License: Public Domain

Darrell Hickman, Justice, dissenting. The majority has given the statute in question a most liberal interpretation. It is my judgment that we should strictly construe the statute. The facts are fairly set out by the majority and the question is whether Walter Sexton, an elderly man, suffered a “medical injury” when he fell out of bed fracturing his hip and shoulder. For at least two days prior to this time, the medical records indicated that he had been falling, was in danger, and needed special care and attention. A physician gave permission, if necessary, to put the patient in a posey vest for his protection. The nurse in charge failed to put him in that vest and the majority finds that her decision was a professional one. I seriously disagree with that judgment. It does not take any special knowledge or skill to know that in a case like this the patient needed restraint. It was a common sense judgment that any mature adult could have made. If there was a professional decision involved, it had already been made by the doctor. Expert testimony should not have been required of the plaintiff. At issue here is what advantage is to be granted to a special segment of our society; in this particular case, a hospital. The Act in question places a burden on a plaintiff that does not exist in other negligence cases; that is, an expert witness must be called by the plaintiff to show the degree of skill ordinarily possessed by a hospital in the locality regarding the care of patients. The majority bases its decision on cases from California and New York; those decisions in my judgment severely limit one’s right to sue a hospital or member of the medical profession for any injury that occurs in the hospital. For example, in the case of Carrigan v. Sacred Heart Hospital, 104 N.H. 73, 178 A. 2d 502 (1962), it was determined that it was a “professional” judgment whether to raise the bedrails on a bed. I would hardly call that a decision requiring special knowledge or skill. The reason I would strictly construe this Act is because I consider such legislation to be in the same category as that in derogation of common law, or that of a special grant, privilege or immunity, or an exemption from taxation. In all of these instances we strictly construe the legislation. In Hackney v. Southwest Hotels,Inc., 210 Ark. 234, 195 S.W. 2d 55 (1946), we strictly construed a statute that limited the liability of a hotel keeper. Sutherland in his work on statutory construction recognizes as an established principle of law that legislative grants of rights, powers, privileges, immunities or benefits should be strictly construed against the claims of the grantees. In a significant observation he says: In a manner of speaking, all legislation which undertakes to change the existing law must have an effect to redetermine legal relationships between and among people, and can therefore be said to grant rights, powers, privileges or immunities to the advantaged parties as against the disadvantaged ones who are subjected to corelative duties, disabilities or liabilities. SUTHERLAND, STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION, Vol. 3, § 63.02 (4th ed. 1974). We routinely hold that one claiming an exception from taxation because of a statutory grant has the burden of clearly establishing the exception beyond a reasonable doubt, and the statute will be strictly construed against the exception, and “to doubt is to deny the exemption.” S. H. & J. Drilling Corp. v. Qualls, 268 Ark. 1, 593 S.W. 2d 178 (1980). Should not liability for a life be at least as important as accountability for a tax? Furthermore, we should consider the actual intent of the legislature. I cannot believe the legislature meant that an injury caused by such a negligent act as that in this case would be considered a “medical injury.” After all, we are expected to use common sense in construing legislation. Shinn v. Heath, 259 Ark. 577, 535 S.W. 2d 57 (1976). I am afraid the majority decision means that any injury occurring in a hospital will be deemed a “medical injury” and, therefore, shielded to a degree from liability. There are already enough restrictions that make an injured person’s recovery difficult in a medical malpractice case. For example, the medical profession enjoys a special statute of limitations of two years, whereas other defendants in negligence cases are liable to suit for three years. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 34-2616 (Supp. 1981); Ark. Stat. Ann. § 37-206 (Repl. 1962); Midwest Mutual Ins. Co. v. Ark. Nat’l Co., 260 Ark. 352, 538 S.W. 2d 574 (1976). The Act in question requires a plaintiff to provide testimony that the treatment given was not the kind customarily afforded a patient by medical care providers with similar training in the locality. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 34-2614 (Supp. 1981). Such testimony would necessarily have to come from one qualified as an expert. Furthermore, the plaintiff is required by this same Act to give two months notice to a defendant before suit is filed, Ark. Stat. Ann. § 34-2617 (Supp. 1981), for what reason I cannot imagine. If there is one basic principle that runs throughout our law it is that equality of treatment is to be the rule. Art. 2, Sec. 18 of the Arkansas Constitution states: The General Assembly shall not grant to any citizen or class of citizens privileges or immunities which upon the same terms shall not equally belong to all citizens. Art. 2, Sec. 13 reads: Every person is entitled to a certain remedy in the laws for all injuries or wrongs he may receive in his person, property or character; he ought to obtain justice freely, and without purchase, completely, and without denial, promptly and without delay, conformable to the laws. Art. 2, Sec. 3 reads: The equality of all persons before the law is recognized, and shall ever remain inviolate; nor shall any citizen ever be deprived of any right, privilege or immunity, nor exempted from any burden or duty, on account of race, color or previous condition. By an initiative petition the people amended the Arkansas Constitution to prohibit the legislature from passing any local or special act. Amend. 14, Ark. CONST. And the list could go on of the attitude of the law regarding grants of special privileges. These principles alone are enough to warrant strict construction of the statute in question. The medical profession no doubt deserves some privileges because of its service to mankind. But it does not deserve a form of immunity from accountability for its negligent acts which are not caused by any lapse of professional, technical or skilled judgment. That profession should be accountable for its ordinary acts of negligence just like the rest of us. The issue is not before us as to whether the legislature has the authority to decide procedural matters. Purtle, J., and Hays, J., join in this dissent.