Court Opinion

ID: 9850794
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 05:03:02.727701+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:43.514072
License: Public Domain

BOYLE, Justice
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion. In my view an analysis of the record satisfies me that adequate foundation as to the applicable standard of health care in Pocatello was laid by the combined testimony of the defendant physician and the expert witness. When the testimony and evidence in the record is considered as a whole and in its entirety, adequate foundational evidence was presented to establish a prima facie case as to the applicable standard of health care.
Although there is substantial evidence in the record to support this premise, none is more direct and poignant than the following dialogue from the testimony of the defendant physician:
Q. In fact, if a physician in this community saw that lab result on a three-and-a-half-month-old baby, the standard of care would have required that he investigate the cause of that, correct?
A. Yes.
Q. If you had investigated the cause of Jake’s elevated BUN and creatinine in November and found that it was due to *320posterior urethral valves, what would you have done?
A. I would have sent the baby to Salt Lake City for further evaluation and treatment.
In my view the foundational requirements of I.C. §§ 6-1012 and 6-1013 and our case law as to establishment of the standard of health care had been satisfied and the expert witness should have been allowed to express an opinion as to the defendant physician’s alleged failure to meet that standard.
Accordingly, I respectfully dissent.
BISTLINE, J., concurs.
APPENDIX A
From Fitzgerald v. Walker, 113 Idaho 730, 747 P.2d 752 (1987).
Order of Dismissal with Prejudice
Trial of this case commenced on July 16, 1986. During voir dire examination of the jury the Court was advised that the Plaintiffs did not have an expert to testify regarding the claimed attorney malpractice in this case. The court finds as follows:
1. All parties had informed this Court that they were ready to proceed with trial as scheduled.
2. The Court was ready to proceed with trial. Jury selection had in fact commenced.
3. The trial date had been set for almost a year.
4. The Court recognizes the emotional strain involved in preparing for trial and the impact on the parties and witnesses involved.
5. The Court recognizes that when one party is given the chance to have its matter tried other litigants do not have the benefit of the Court’s time.
6. It would be unfair to postpone the trial because there are other proceedings set to commence on Monday, July 21, 1986, involving persons in custody and a trial involving the death of seven persons and numerous out of state witnesses set to begin July 22, 1986, backed up by a dental malpractice case involving out of state witnesses.
7. There has been no excuse or compelling circumstance why the matter could not be tried now, such as any sickness, accident or unavoidable difficulty that would make it unjust to dispose of the case at this time.
8. On July 18, 1985, this Court filed and served on the parties a Notice of Jury Trial and Order Governing Further Proceedings to control the course of trial preparation. The Court has not been advised of any good cause or compelling reason why this Order should not be enforced and complied with.
9. Any continuation of this case would mean discovery would be reopened when the time for discovery has clearly passed, and would mean that there would possibly be new witnesses, depositions and rebuttal evidence and new issues brought up.
10. Plaintiffs have made a judicial admission that they do not have a prima facie case at this time against Defendant since they have no expert opinion that the Defendant’s conduct fell below the standard of practice or that the Defendant’s conduct caused any damage.
Based on the above findings, and the matters discussed in open court, and in the interest of justice IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED that the Plaintiffs’ action against the Defendant is dismissed with prejudice. Costs to the defendants.
Fitzgerald v. Walker, 113 Idaho at 731 n. 1, 747 P.2d at 753 n. 1.