Gardner v. Holifield

639 So. 2d 652, 1994 WL 313696
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedJuly 5, 1994
Docket93-746
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 639 So. 2d 652 (Gardner v. Holifield) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gardner v. Holifield, 639 So. 2d 652, 1994 WL 313696 (Fla. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

639 So.2d 652 (1994)

Gladys GARDNER, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Roosevelt Gardner, Appellant,
v.
Edward W. HOLIFIELD, M.D., Appellee.

No. 93-746.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.

July 5, 1994.

*653 Robert L. Hinkle and David P. Healy of Aurell, Radey, Hinkle, Thomas & Beranek and Tari Rossitto-Van Winkle, Tallahassee, for appellant.

Gary A. Shipman and C. Timothy Gray of Collins & Truett, Tallahassee, for appellee.

KAHN, Judge.

This is a medical malpractice action brought by Gladys Gardner, Roosevelt Gardner's surviving mother and the personal representative of his estate, against Edward W. Holifield, a Tallahassee physician. Mrs. Gardner alleges that one or more acts of negligence committed by Dr. Holifield in his capacity as a private physician contributed to Roosevelt Gardner's death from Marfan's Syndrome at the age of eighteen. Acting upon Dr. Holifield's motion, the trial court entered summary judgment in favor of Dr. Holifield and against Gardner. Because we agree with Mrs. Gardner that the trial judge erroneously resolved disputed issues of fact against her as the nonmoving party, we reverse and do not reach Gardner's remaining issue.

Roosevelt Gardner entered Florida A & M University (FAMU) in the fall of 1988 on a basketball scholarship. On September 6th of that year, Roosevelt went to the FAMU clinic for a basketball physical. Dr. Holifield, employed at that time as the medical director of FAMU Student Health Center, performed the physical examination. Dr. Holifield diagnosed Roosevelt as possibly suffering from Marfan's Syndrome, a potentially lethal connective tissue disorder often characterized by cardiovascular irregularities. Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 1294 (26th Ed.). In order to confirm the diagnosis, Dr. Holifield referred Roosevelt to radiologists for chest x-rays and to an ophthalmologist to check for an eye condition that frequently accompanies Marfan's. Dr. Holifield ordered two echocardiograms, the first performed on September 6, 1988, and the second performed on September 22, 1988. The echocardiograms were done at Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center (TMRMC). Dr. Holifield read the echocardiogram tapes, issued interpretive reports on TMRMC letterhead, and received compensation personally through a services contract with TMRMC. Six months after being initially seen by Dr. Holifield, 18-year-old Roosevelt Gardner collapsed at a service station and died.

In her suit, Mrs. Gardner alleges that Dr. Holifield failed to properly identify the extent of Roosevelt's illness or to implement an appropriate course of treatment. Mrs. Gardner supports the specific allegations of negligence by affidavits submitted by medical experts. These affidavits corroborate Mrs. Gardner's contentions that Dr. Holifield failed to advise Roosevelt of the gravity of his condition, the attendant risks, and need for prompt medical treatment and surgical evaluation. Gardner's experts further contend that Dr. Holifield improperly allowed Roosevelt to continue with weight training *654 and other activities inappropriate to his physical condition.

Mrs. Gardner initially brought this wrongful death action against Dr. Holifield, individually, in his capacity as a private physician treating Roosevelt, and against FAMU, where Dr. Holifield served as Director of Student Health Services. FAMU sought summary judgment and advanced the position that any actions taken by Dr. Holifield "following the diagnosis of a potential heart problem and advising Gardner of same ... were not done in his capacity as Director of Florida A & M Student Health Services." FAMU filed the affidavit of Dr. Richard Flamer, Vice President for Student Affairs, dated April 3, 1992. Dr. Flamer stated under oath: 1) the FAMU Health Center was not properly equipped nor intended to diagnose or treat any serious injury or medical condition, such as Marfan's Syndrome; 2) Dr. Holifield's sole responsibility "within his position at the Health Center" was to refer Roosevelt Gardner to an appropriate medical specialist outside of the university, to advise Roosevelt Gardner of the confirmed diagnosis of Marfan's Syndrome, and to inform the FAMU athletic department that Roosevelt had not been medically cleared to participate in basketball. Dr. Flamer stated further, still under oath, "any additional diagnostic or evaluative cardiology services for Mr. Gardner outside the University Health Center, or any other medical services which were beyond the designated capabilities of the Health Center ... were outside the scope of Dr. Holifield's employment as Medical Director of the University Health Center."

Dr. Holifield filed his own motion for summary judgment, supported by his sworn affidavit, and contended: 1) Dr. Holifield had never seen Roosevelt Gardner in private practice; 2) Dr. Holifield's sole physician/patient relationship with Roosevelt Gardner was for the purpose of performing an athletic physical as Director of the University Student Health Center; and 3) all evaluations and examinations of Mr. Gardner were done in Dr. Holifield's capacity as Medical Director. The trial judge, specifically referencing Dr. Flamer's April 3, 1992 affidavit, denied Dr. Holifield's motion for summary judgment on the issue of scope of employment. Mrs. Gardner then settled her case against FAMU and proceeded solely against Dr. Holifield individually.

After the settlement, Dr. Holifield renewed his motion for summary judgment. In support of this motion, Dr. Holifield obtained a new affidavit from Dr. Flamer. Flamer executed the second affidavit on September 2, 1992, approximately five months after his initial affidavit tendered in support of FAMU's motion for summary judgment, and four years after the time Dr. Holifield saw Roosevelt Gardner as a patient. In this sworn document, Flamer indicated, "Since executing an affidavit dated April 3, 1992, I have had the opportunity to review the Florida A & M University Student Health Center records on Roosevelt Gardner, the complaint against Dr. Holifield, and the transcript of the deposition of Dr. Holifield." Dr. Flamer then, without mention of his April 3, 1992 conclusions, stated:

1) It is my belief that all the activities performed by Dr. Holifield in this case with the exception of reading the echocardiogram at Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center, fell under the course and scope of his duties as Director of Florida A & M University Health Center;
2) Dr. Holifield's activities in his position as Director of the Student Health Center would have included the examination of Mr. Gardner, referral of Mr. Gardner for outside studies, such as the chest film, echocardiogram and eye examination, [and] informing Mr. Gardner of the results of any studies and physical exams; and
3) It is my affirmative belief that every accusation against Dr. Holifield alleged in the complaint falls under the course, scope and duties as the Director of the Student Health Center at Florida A & M University.

Opposing the motion, Mrs. Gardner referenced the affidavits she obtained from her experts, Dr. Reid Pyeritz, Dr. Barry Maron and Dr. Allan March. Mrs. Gardner also relied upon deposition testimony presented by Philip Horton, the athletic trainer at FAMU, and the original affidavit of Dr. Richard Flamer. The sole issue raised by Dr. *655 Holifield's motion concerned whether any of the acts of medical negligence alleged by Mrs. Gardner occurred in Dr. Holifield's capacity as a private physician. Dr.

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Bluebook (online)
639 So. 2d 652, 1994 WL 313696, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gardner-v-holifield-fladistctapp-1994.