Court Opinion

ID: 9730662
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 15:20:12.740911+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:08.393817
License: Public Domain

V. J. Brennan, J.
(dissenting). I respectfully dissent. A wrongful death action, where the alleged wrong is grounded in medical malpractice, must be brought within two years of the date of last treatment or within six months after a person discovers or should have discovered the existence of his claim, whichever is later. MCL 600.5805(3); MSA 27A.5805(3), MCL 600.5838; MSA 27A.5838.
*689In Weiss v Bigman, 84 Mich App 487, 492-493; 270 NW2d 5 (1978), lv den 405 Mich 820 (1979), the majority, under similar facts, rejected the notion that either the medical malpractice two-year statute of limitations or the accrual thereof was circumvented because the action was brought under the wrongful death act.
"After examining the plaintiffs complaint in the instant case, we conclude that the allegations contained therein were 'drafted solely with the intent to allege malpractice’. * * * Therefore, the medical malpractice statute of limitations, MCL 600.5805(3); MSA 27A.5805(3), is applicable. This statute of limitations begins to run from the date of last treatment, or from the date when the asserted malpractice is or should have been discovered, whichever is later.” (Citation omitted.)
In the instant case, MCL 600.5838; MSA 27A.5838, as amended, is applicable. Plaintiffs allegations of medical malpractice are barred unless the action was brought two years after the date of "last treatment” or within six months after "discovery”, whichever was later. The "last treatment” was January 28, 1976, and "discovery” was March 5, 1976. Hence, January 28, 1978, was the latest date on which plaintiff could have commenced the action. Plaintiffs complaint was untimely as it was not filed until September 28, 1978. I would affirm the trial court’s grant of partial accelerated judgment.