Court Opinion

ID: 4869902
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2021-08-26 02:38:17.426869+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:12:16.139448
License: Public Domain

MAY, C.J.,
specially concurring.
I concur in the majority opinion and write to express my concern about the proverbial slippery slope we have travelled down when we began to dissect every minute of a medical procedure to determine if something that occurs during the procedure is medical negligence or general negligence. Not surprisingly, this issue most often arises when someone has missed the two-year statute of limitations or failed to comply with the pre-suit screening process for a medical negligence claim. When that happens, lawyers creatively argue that, notwithstanding the plaintiff was a patient undergoing a medical procedure, the moment in time when the plaintiff was injured involved general negligence. In my view, once a medical procedure has begun, whatever happens during that procedure should be subject to the requirements for filing a medical negligence action if the allegations are directed at medical personnel.