Gracy Woods I Nursing Home v. Martha Mahan, as the Representative of the Estate of Mary Rivera

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided December 21, 2015·No. 03-15-00596-CV·Published

Opinion

ACCEPTED

03-15-00596-CV

8332526

THIRD COURT OF APPEALS

AUSTIN, TEXAS

12/21/2015 4:56:48 PM

JEFFREY D. KYLE

CLERK

NO. 03-15-00596-CV

FILED IN

IN THE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS 3rd COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS AUSTIN, TEXAS 12/21/2015 4:56:48 PM

JEFFREY D. KYLE

Clerk

GRACY WOODS I NURSING HOME APPELLANT

v.

MARTHA MAHAN, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF MARY RIVERA APPELLEE

ON INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL FROM THE 250TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT,' TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS

APPELLEE'S BRIEF

Jack Modesett, III Texas Bar No. 14244337 Walter V. Williatns Texas Bar No. 21584800 MODESETTWILLIAMS, PLLC 515 Congress Avenue, Suite 1650 Austin, Texas 78701 512-472-6097- Telephone 512-481-0130- Telecopier j ack@modesettlaw .cotn ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE

ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED

IDENTITIES OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

Pursuant to Tex. R. App. P. 38.1(a), Appellee cetiifies that the following is a complete list of all parties to this litigation and the names and addresses of all counsel.

Party Appellate Counsel Trial Counsel Grace Woods I E1nily J. Davenpoti Emily J. Davenport Nursing Home, Janice Byington Janice Byington Appellant Reed, Claymon, Meeker & Reed, Claymon, Meeker & Hargett, PLLC Hargett, PLLC 5608 Parkcrest Dr. Suite 5608 Parkcrest Dr. Suite 200 200 Austin, Texas 78731 Austin, Texas 78731 edavenport@rcmhlaw.com edavenport@rcmhlaw.com jbyington@rcmhlaw.com jbyington@rcmhlaw.com

Martha Mahan, as Jack Modesett, III Jack Modesett, III the Representative Walter V. Williams Walter V. Williams of the Estate of ModesettWilliams, PLLC ModesettWilliams, PLLC Mary Rivera, 515 Congress Ave., 515 Congress Ave., Appellee Suite 1650 Suite 1650 Austin, Texas 78701 Austin, Texas 78701 jack@modesettlaw.com j ack@modesettlaw.com walter@modwill.com walter@modwill.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL .................................................... i

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................ ii

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ......................................................... .iv

ABBREVIATIONS OF RECORD REFERENCES ......................................... vi

APPENDIX ..................................................................................................... vii

STATEMENT OF THE CASE ....................................................................... viii

COURSE OF PROCEEDINGS AND DISPOSITION ................................... viii

STATEMENTREGARDINGORALARGUMENT........................................ 1

STATEMENT OF JURISDICTION ................................................................. 1

ISSUES PRESENTED ...................................................................................... 1

STATEMENT OF FACTS ................................................................................ 2

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT ......................................................................... 4

ARGUMENT AND AUTHORITIES ................................................................ 5

I. STANDARD OF REVIEW ................................................................. 5

II. DR. LIPSON IS QUALIFIED ............................................................. 5

A. Summary ofDr. Lipson's Qualifications ............................... 6

B. Dr. Lipson is Qualified to Offer Causation Opinion ............. 9

C. Dr. Lipson is Qualified to Offer Opinions on Standard of Care and Breach ................................................ 18

III. THE REPORT IS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO COMPLY WITH CHAPTER 74 ................................................. 21

A. Summary of Dr. Lipson's Report ........................................ 21

B. The Report is Sufficient as to Breach and Causation ......... 28

CONCLUSION AND PRAYER ..................................................................... 32

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE ....................................................................... 33

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE .............................................................. 34

NO. 03-15-00596-CV

IN THE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS

GRACY WOODS I NURSING HOME APPELLANT

v.

MARTHA MAHAN, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF MARY RIVERA APPELLEE

ON INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL FROM THE 250TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS

APPELLEE'S BRIEF

Jack Modesett, III Texas Bar No. 14244337 Walter V. Williatns Texas Bar No. 21584800 MODESETTWILLIAMS, PLLC 515 Congress Avenue, Suite 1650 Austin, Texas 78701 512-4 72-6097- Telephone 512-481-0130- Telecopier jack@tnodesettlaw.cotn ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE

ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED

whether S.B. had been raped. Timberlawn's arguments are best summarized in the conclusion and prayer set forth in its brief:

[Levine] did not and/ or could not express an opinion, based on his education, training or experience, that [S.B.] was sexually assaulted or raped. [S.B.' s] expert did not nor could not articulate facts to support any opinion that [Timberlawn' s] alleged breaches in the standard of care proximately caused [S.B. 's] alleged sexual assault or rape. [S.B. 's] expert has not shown himself to be qualified to render an opinion that [S.B.] was sexually assaulted or raped or that the alleged breaches in the standard of care proximately caused [S.B. 's] sexual assault or rape.

Thus, the premise of Timberlawn's arguments is that unless S.B. can present the report of a qualified expert opining that S.B. was actually raped, her expert report( s) cannot identify the alleged causal relationship between Timberlawn' s actions or omissions and S.B.' s alleged injuries, as required by section 74.351(r)(6). We reject this premise.

In some healthcare liability claims, the ((injury, harm, or damages claimed" flow from the existence of a medical condition that itself resulted from the breach of the applicable standard of care. In such cases, identifying the causal relationship between the alleged breach of the standard of care and the resulting harm involves not only an explanation as to how the standard of care was breached, but also how the breach gave rise to the new, deleterious medical condition. Similarly, other healthcare liability claims may allege that a breach of the applicable standard of care exacerbated a pre-existing medical condition, or hindered or prevented the effective treatment of such a condition. Identifying the ((breach/injury" causal relationship in these cases may well require an expert to opine as to the existence, extent, and prognosis of the pre-existing medical condition, as well as how the alleged breach of the standard of care aggravated such a condition, impeded or prohibited its treatment, and otherwise affected the patient's prognosis.

However, S.B. 's claim is different. S.B. alleges that, as a result of Timberlawn's failure to meet the applicable standards of care

ABBREVIATIONS AND RECORD REFERENCES

Abbreviations:

Appellee will be referred to as "Appellee", "Mahan" or "Ms. Rivera."

Appellant, Gracy Woods I Nursing Home will be referred to as "Appellant" or "Gracy Woods."

Record References:

References to the Clerk's Record are in the form of "CR "

References to the Clerk's Supplemental Record are in the form of"Supp. CR_."

References to the Reporter's Record are in the form of"RR_."

References to the Appendix items attached to the Brief are in the form of "App._."

Vl

APPENDIX

Report of Loren Lipson, M.D. with exhibits 1 .......................................... Appendix 1

1 Appellant's Appendix 5, "Report of Loren Lipson, M.D." does not contain all of Dr. Lipson's referenced exhibits.

Vll

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Appellee is satisfied with Appellant's statement of the case. Tex. R. App. P.

38.2(a)(l )(B).

COURSE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND DISPOSITION

Appellee is satisfied with Appellant's Course of Proceedings. Tex. R. App.

P. 38.2(a)(l)(B).

Vlll

NO. 03-15-00596-CV

IN THE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS AUSTIN, TEXAS

GRACY WOODS I NURSING HOME APPELLANT

v.

MARTHA MAHAN, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF MARY RIVERA APPELLEE

ON INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL FROM THE 250TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS

APPELLEE'S BRIEF

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