Court Opinion

ID: 9788860
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 01:20:50.231136+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:16.846060
License: Public Domain

Pierron, J.,
dissenting: I respectfully dissent from the portions of the majority decision that call for a new trial because the trial court gave certain standard jury instructions.
PIK Civ. 4th 123.01 and PIK Civ. 4th 123.12 were given over the plaintiffs’ objection, although they alleged the giving of PIK Civ. 4th 123.01, which could be called the general standard of medical negligence, might confuse the jury. They contended that PIK Civ. 4th 123.12 is the only proper instruction that should have been given because the case involved the standard of care for specialists, which is the focus of PIK Civ. 4th 123.12.
A reading of PIK Civ. 4th 123.01 in no way could cause a jury to ignore or misinterpret the importance of PIK Civ. 4th 123.12. At worst it is surplusage. The two have been given together in other cases involving specialist care and have been approved, as set out in the majority opinion. The giving of PIK Civ. 4th 123.01 in addition to PIK Civ. 4th 123.12 was not reversible error, if it was error at all.
The majority would also have the case retried because of the use of PIK Civ. 4th 123.11, the best judgment instruction. This instruction sets out the law for situations described in the instruction. The majority cites Kansas cases that have found this instruction to be appropriate. Although other states may find some fault with some form of this instruction, as set out by the majority, there is nothing *692to indicate that Kansas appellate court approval for this Pattern Instruction has waned.
I would affirm.