Davis v. All Care Medical, Inc.

986 S.W.2d 902, 1999 WL 163412
CourtKentucky Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 25, 1999
DocketNos. 97-SC-614-DG, 98-SC-247-DG
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 986 S.W.2d 902 (Davis v. All Care Medical, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Kentucky Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. All Care Medical, Inc., 986 S.W.2d 902, 1999 WL 163412 (Ky. 1999).

Opinion

THOMAS N. KERRICK, Special Justice.

We granted discretionary review of the Court of Appeals’ opinion affirming a summary judgment dismissing Plaintiffs complaint for failing to file suit within the one year personal injury statute of limitations; but reversing and remanding for trial of any tort actions of the Defendant which occurred within one year of the filing of the complaint.

FACTS

The Plaintiff, George Davis, is a paraplegic and has been confined to a wheelchair since being struck by an automobile in 1968, when he was 7 years old. The Defendant, All Care Medical, Inc., sells durable medical equipment and supplied a wheelchair to Mr. Davis on May 4, 1990, at which time he was 29 years of age. Prior to All Care providing Mr. Davis with a wheelchair, he, had owned 10-12 wheelchairs and had not experienced any problems with decubitus ulcers, a type of pressure sore, other than one at age 9, prior to being instructed on how to care for himself in a wheelchair.

After receiving All Care’s wheelchair on May 4, 1990, Mr. Davis began developing decubitus ulcers on his toes and heel within two months. Over the next few months, he developed a sore behind his knee and ultimately on his low back or sacrum. Plaintiff received treatment for these decubitus ulcers at least by September 28, 1990, from Dr. Patrick Sheridan, an internist with the Franklin Medical Center in Frankfort. In October of 1990, plaintiffs condition had deteriorated to the point that he quit his job as a computer operator for the IRS.

Although the ulcers on Mr. Davis’ feet and knee had healed, on February 28, 1991, he saw Dr. Harry Derderian, an orthopedic specialist at the Lexington Clinic, at which time the decubitus ulcer on his back had progress[904]*904ed to the point that bone was exposed. On March 7,1991, All Care picked up Mr. Davis’ wheelchair and provided him with a loaner until April 10, 1991, at which time All Care returned Mr. Davis’ original wheelchair after having shortened the seat.

On June 28, 1991, Mr. Davis saw Dr. Wilson, a plastic surgeon at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, for the continuing problem with the decubitus ulcer on his low back. Dr. Wilson apparently told him that the wheelchair was causing this problem. Dr. Wilson has not testified by deposition nor are his records in the court file; however, there does not appear to be a genuine issue as to this fact since the Plaintiff admits it in his deposition. Further, attached as Exhibit 1 to Dr. Sheridan’s deposition is a copy of Dr. Sheridan’s office note for June 29, 1991, in which Mr. Davis advised Dr. Sheridan that Dr. Wilson had “... indicated to him the decubitus ulcer probably was caused, or certainly a contributing factor was, the wheelchair ...” Dr. Sheridan’s office note of August 10, 1991, states that “George is here for a long discussion on the problems he is having with his wheelchair. He was evaluated by Lexington Clinic, but does not have his wheelchair yet. I think he is waiting for further evaluation.”

On October 1, 1991, All Care began keeping a record or log on the Plaintiff. On October 30, 1991, All Care sent a fitter to Mr. Davis’ house to measure him. A new chair was recommended for Mr. Davis in November of 1991, but due to Mr. Davis switching to a different insurance company in January of 1992, he obtained a new chair from a different supplier, Lovejoy, in March of 1992, ending his dealings with All Care.

A summary of Plaintiff’s legal representation and lawsuit is also helpful. In October of 1991, Mr. Davis retained the Becker Law Firm to represent his interest on this claim. On December 16, 1991, the Becker Law Office sent a demand letter to All Care identifying the injury date as September 1, 1991. On September 2, 1992, suit was filed by attorneys Becker and Galle (an attorney in the Becker Law Firm) on behalf of Mr. Davis against Plaintiffs insurance company, Huma-na, and All Care. Humana filed a motion for summary judgment but was dismissed by agreed order dated March 16,1993.

On August 20, 1993, Mr. Davis filed a civil action in the same circuit court against attorneys Becker and Galle alleging legal malpractice. The malpractice action was held in abeyance pending resolution of Mr. Davis’ underlying personal injury claim. On August 24, 1993, Mr. Davis gave notice that he had changed attorneys in the personal injury action and an entry of appearance was filed on behalf of Melbourne Mills, Jr., of Versailles.

Attorneys Becker and Galle were allowed to intervene in this personal injury action by order of the Franklin Circuit Court dated November 3,1993, for the purposes of litigating the statute of limitations issue. On or about February 21, 1996, All Care filed a motion for summary judgment on the basis that Plaintiffs cause of action was barred by KRS 413.140, the one year personal injury statute of limitation. Attorneys Becker and Galle filed a response to All Care’s motion for summary judgment. By order of the Franklin Circuit Court dated August 16, 1996, the trial court granted All Care’s motion for summary judgment and dismissed Davis’ cause of action.

On July 3, 1997, the Court of Appeals affirmed the summary judgment in part and reversed and remanded in part, allowing the Plaintiff to proceed against All Care for any acts of negligence that occurred within one year of the filing of the complaint on September 2, 1992. Plaintiff then filed a motion for discretionary review with this Court and All Care filed a cross-motion for discretionary review. Both motions for discretionary review were granted.

Mr. Davis argues that the Court should adopt the doctrine of continuing negligence or wrong and allow the Plaintiff to recover for all improper actions by All Care. In the alternative, the Plaintiff argues that the limitations period should be tolled due to the doctrine of estoppel based on KRS 413.190(2) and further argues that if the discovery rule applies, then an issue of fact exists as to when Davis “knew or reasonably should have known” that All Care was responsible for his [905]*905injury. All Care argues that the entire complaint should be dismissed and any actions by All Care after September 1, 1991, could, at best, only be considered failed attempts to correct a wrong.

CONTINUING NEGLIGENCE THEORY

Kentucky has not adopted the continuing negligence theory. This theory provides that where a tort involves a continuing or repeated injury, then the cause of action does not accrue and the limitations period begin to run until the date of the last injury.

The .Court of Appeals accurately set forth the policy considerations for this doctrine. The advantage to the continuing negligence theory is that it reduces litigation by encouraging potential litigants to continue their relationship which would hopefully resolve the issue without one party filing a lawsuit. The disadvantage to the continuing negligence theory is that potential claims which clearly exist could be put off for an indefinite period of time.

The continuing negligence theory has been applied in other jurisdictions in various cases and Plaintiffs most appropriate example or analogy appears to be in the medical malpractice area; however, two problems arise with this analogy. First, this is not a medical malpractice action but a purchase of a wheelchair from a medical supply company.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
986 S.W.2d 902, 1999 WL 163412, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-all-care-medical-inc-ky-1999.