Court Opinion

ID: 9778364
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 21:01:24.212449+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:07.785800
License: Public Domain

FINCH, Senior Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
Taormina sued LaMantia on March 19, 1972, for damages alleged to have resulted from the negligence of LaMantia in an accident which occurred October 29, 1970. That case was settled on August 22, 1972, for $9,000.00 and the case was dismissed with prejudice pursuant to a stipulation which recited that the case had been “fully and satisfactorily compromised and settled.” Taormina also executed a release which stated, “This is a Release in Full.” It recited that it fully relieved LaMantia “from any and all liability now accrued or hereafter to accrue on account of any and all claims or causes of action which First Party (Taormina) * * * now has or may hereafter have against Second Party (LaMantia) * * * in any way arising from or out of any and all injuries, losses and damages now known or that may hereafter develop * * *
It is well established that one whose negligence causes injuries to another can be held liable for damages caused by malpractice in connection with the medical treatment of said injuries. State ex rel. Blond v. Stubbs, 485 S.W.2d 152, 154 [2, 3, 4] (Mo.App.1972). In the petition which Taormina filed against LaMantia he took cognizance of both the injuries he received *835and the treatment which he had received therefor, alleging, as the principal opinion recognizes, that because of LaMantia’s negligence “plaintiff sustained a fracture * * of the left femur; * * * [and] was obligated to submit to an open reduction of said fracture in an operative procedure whereby a nail was inserted down the shaft of the femur * * * [and] he has been caused to become permanently lame, and that his ability to ambulate, walk, work and labor in the future have been seriously impaired.” The condition for which he sought recovery was the result of the actual injuries plus the treatment therefor.
The stipulation for dismissal with prejudice of the foregoing petition plus the clear and unambiguous language of the release signed by Taormina released LaMantia for all liability growing out of the accident in which Taormina was injured, including liability of LaMantia for any aggravation of those injuries arising out of malpractice in the medical, surgical or hospital services rendered in the treatment thereof. That being true, it follows, I submit, that the release also discharges the relators herein. The clear and unambiguous language of the release so states. In addition to releasing LaMantia and his heirs it goes on to release “a 11 other persons, firms and/or corporations whomsoever in any way arising from or out of any and all injuries, losses and damages now known or that may hereafter develop from an auto accident at 1-70 and St. Charles Rock Road wherein first party (Taormina) was a passenger in an auto driven by second party (LaMantia) occurring on or about the 29th day of October, 1970.” (emphasis supplied). It contains no limiting or qualifying language of any kind. In Liberty v. J. A. Tobin Construction Company, Inc., 512 S.W.2d 886 (Mo.App.1974), the court, speaking of a settlement wherein a release is not intended to release others than those specifically named, said at 890:
“This result may be accomplished only by specific and clear limitation of the intended scope of the settlement where such consideration is described as partial, rights reserved as to remaining tort-feasors, or other appropriate language.
“Such reservation or limitation must be expressed clearly and unmistakably ‡ ‡ ⅛ JJ
Instead of so interpreting and applying the release and stipulation for dismissal in this case, the principal opinion holds “that a release purporting to comprehend any and all claims arising from a particular incident, including claims against unspecified strangers to the agreement, does not necessarily bar subsequent suits against an unspecified third party.” In other words, it holds that a release necessarily bars only those persons specifically named in the release. Under the principal opinion clear and unambiguous language in the release which purports to release other unnamed persons as a class will not necessarily be effective to bar subsequent claims against those unnamed persons who are members of the class specifically mentioned in the release. Instead, whether they are released will depend upon a subsequent factual determination as to whether the one executing the release intended thereby to release these unnamed persons and the burden will be on those seeking to be released to show that such was the intention of the one executing the release.
This ruling, as the principal opinion recognizes, is contrary to numerous earlier decisions in this state, some of which it states are no longer to be followed. It is contrary to the well established rule that plain and unambiguous language in a contract shall be given effect and that it is not subject to variance on the basis of parol evidence. The principal opinion states that it does not accept the idea that the affidavits by Taor-mina and his attorney will alter or vary the terms of the release. However, it does not demonstrate in any way that the language releasing “all other persons, firms and/or corporations whomsoever” as to all injuries, losses and damages is ambiguous. It does not suggest what those words might mean or to whom they might refer if they do not mean precisely what they say. It speaks of ambiguities but lists none. It is true, as the opinion states, that the lodestar of construe*836tion is to determine the intention of the parties which shall then govern, but it is equally true that when language in a contract is clear and unambiguous the intention of the parties is to be determined from the language used and parol evidence is not admissable to vary that language.
The effect of the change made by the principal opinion is to substitute uncertainty as to the meaning of plain and unambiguous contractual language and to require additional litigation to establish the meaning thereof. Under the previously existing rule when a release or stipulation specifies that LaMantia and all others are released from any and all liability in any way arising from or out of injuries, losses and damages in connection with an automobile accident occurring on a specified date and no exceptions or exclusions or limitations are recited, and there is no claim of fraud or overreaching, the instrument means what it says and it operates as a general release. Under the rule announced in the principal opinion there is uncertainty as to the effect of an instrument which purports to be a full general release of certain named persons plus “all other persons, firms and/or corporations.” Whether the instrument effectively releases the latter group can be ascertained only after a second judicial hearing to determine the intention of the one executing the release. In that hearing those persons falling within the group of “all other persons, firms and/or corporations” have the burden of showing that the one giving the release intended to release those persons designated by class as well as those specifically named.
There is no claim in this case of fraud, misrepresentation or overreaching of Taor-mina. He was represented by counsel who filed suit and then represented him in settlement of the case. He and his attorney were cognizant of the treatment received for his injuries, including placement of the nail in the fractured femur. As previously demonstrated, the allegations of the plaintiff’s petition so show. When the case was settled, after all the treatment had been concluded, Taormina stipulated that the case should be dismissed with prejudice and he gave a general release which recited that he released LaMantia and all others for claims and liability which had or thereafter might occur in any way arising out of his injuries, losses and damages. If Taormina and his attorney had wanted to limit their settlement to claims against LaMantia and wanted to reserve his claim for malpractice against the doctors, they could have specifically so stated in the release and in the stipulation for dismissal. They did not do that. There was no reference to § 537.060, RSMo 1969, and the reservations it permits. Instead, Taormina gave an unqualified general release to Taormina and all others. Its language is clear and unambiguous.
The principal opinion seeks to justify a different result in this case from that reached in earlier Missouri cases on the basis that by affidavits filed by Taormina and his attorney they offered evidence to show that Taormina did not intend to release the doctors. That is not a valid distinction. There is nothmg to demonstrate that the language of the release and stipulation for dismissal were ambiguous and evidence such as that in the affidavits is inadmissible to alter or vary the terms of unambiguous instruments.
Our presently existing rule is sound and adequate. It provides both certainty and flexibility. If, as in this instance, it states that it is releasing specially named persons and all others from any and all liability in any way arising out from or out of a particular automobile accident, it means what it says and releases those specified by class as well as by name. On the other hand, if it is desired to release only a portion of those against whom a claim may exist, such limitation or reservation may be made by specifically so reciting.
The law should not be static and when reason for changing an existing rule of law is clearly demonstrated, a court should make needed changes and should not blindly follow the rule of stare decisis. However, such a need had not been demonstrated and is not present in this case. The principal opinion cites and relies on deci*837sions in other states which have adopted a rule similar to that stated in the principal opinion. It is true that some states have so held but it also is true that many states have retained the rule, previously in effect in this state, that a general unambiguous release such as that given by Taormina has the effect of releasing other tortfeasors who have or might have any liability for damages resulting from injuries received. Annot., 39 A.L.R.3d 260 (1971). In my judgment, our present rule .is sound and should be retained.