Hartdegen v. Berger

839 A.2d 1100, 2003 Pa. Super. 490, 2003 Pa. Super. LEXIS 4528
CourtSuperior Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedDecember 15, 2003
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 839 A.2d 1100 (Hartdegen v. Berger) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hartdegen v. Berger, 839 A.2d 1100, 2003 Pa. Super. 490, 2003 Pa. Super. LEXIS 4528 (Pa. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

GRACI, J.

¶ 1 Antoinette Hartdegen, Appellant, (“Hartdegen”) appeals from the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County’s January 9, 2003, entry of Judgment in favor of Appellee, Bruce Berger, M.D. (“Berger”). The entry of judgment followed the trial court’s December 5, 2002, denial of Hartdegen’s post trial motion requesting a new trial. After careful review, we affirm.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶2 On December 29, 1999, Hartdegen filed a medical malpractice action against Appellee, Bruce Berger, M.D. (“Berger”) 1 claiming that Berger failed to obtain her informed consent before performing a tubal ligation/sterilization procedure. Hart-degen further averred that as a result of this procedure, she suffered complications, including a lacerated colon and permanent disfigurement.

¶3 The factual and procedural history was aptly provided by the trial court in its March 17, 2003, opinion as follows:

According to Plaintiff’s own testimony, at the time in question, Plaintiff was a 36-year old female with a history of suffering schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and mild retardation. As a child and adolescent, Plaintiff attended an alternative school for the mentally disabled. Although she has *1102 had sporadic employment, Plaintiff receives social security benefits. Despite her diagnoses and limitations, Plaintiff is self-sufficient in that she has lived independently, maintains her own bank account, purchases groceries and clothing, takes public transportation on her own, prepares meals for herself, and sees numerous health providers.
In the fall of 1997, Plaintiff was allegedly raped and became pregnant. Plaintiff stated that she was advised by her friends and neighbors to terminate the pregnancy. Although she felt pressured by this advice, Plaintiff sought assistance from her health insurance carrier, Keystone Mercy Insurance, which referred her to Defendant Berger. On November 24, 1997, Plaintiff, then fourteen (14) weeks pregnant and accompanied by a neighbor, went to Defendant Berger’s office for a consultation and examination in anticipation of a therapeutic abortion. Defendant Berger explained the procedure to Plaintiff, including the risks and complications associated with an abortion. Twenty-four hours later, on November 25, 1997, Plaintiff returned and Dr. Berger performed the abortion as an outpatient. Following the procedure and before leaving the office, Plaintiff and Defendant Berger discussed the different birth control methods, including tubal ligation. Plaintiff expressed an interest to undergo a tubal ligation. Defendant Berger advised her that there was a thirty-day waiting period and that the earliest she could have the procedure would be after December 25, 1997. Defendant Berger testified that he then informed Plaintiff of the complications and risks of the tubal ligation procedure, provided a consent form to take with her, and advised her to call his office for an appointment should she decide to undergo the procedure.
Apparently, Plaintiff called for an appointment, and on December 29, 1997, Plaintiff was examined by Defendant Berger, at which time he again explained the tubal ligation procedure, including the risks, complications and alternatives, had her sign the consent form, and referred her to Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) for pre-op procedures. On December 30, 1997, pri- or to the procedure, Defendant Berger consulted with Plaintiff and was assured that Plaintiff wanted to undergo the tubal ligation. Thereafter, Defendant Berger performed a laparoscopic tubal ligation.
Unfortunately, complications developed after Plaintiff was released from the hospital. On December 31, 1997, Plaintiff reported to the AEMC emergency room with complaints of pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Plaintiff was diagnosed with post-operative pain status post tubal ligation, and released. On January 3, 1998, Plaintiff was seen by Defendant Berger at his office with complaints of continuous and increased pain. He immediately referred her to AEMC, where she underwent an emergency bowel repair, which had perforated during the December 30,1997, tubal ligation procedure.
As the result of the perforation and subsequent bowel repair surgery, Plaintiff has a distended abdomen and numerous deforming scars. In addition, Plaintiff complains of experiencing difficulty in lifting, bending, squatting, twisting, and bouts of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding.

Opinion, 3/17/03, at 2-4 (footnotes omitted).

¶ 4 This evidence was presented during a five day trial to a twelve person jury. On October 17, 2002, the jury rendered a verdict in favor of Berger. Subsequently, Hartdegen filed a timely post-trial motion *1103 requesting a new trial. On December 5, 2002, the trial judge denied Hartdegen’s post-trial motion. Hartdegen filed this timely appeal and raises the following issues for our consideration:

1. Whether the trial court erred by permitting Antoinette Hartdegen to testify without first conducting a colloquy to determine whether she understood the witness oath and had the capacity to perceive, remember and communicate pertinent facts. Syno v. Snyno[Syno], [406 Pa.Super. 218] 594 A.2d 307 (Pa.Super.1991), Pa.R.C.P.2051.
2. Whether the trial court erred by sustaining appellee’s objection to the introduction of the guardian ad li-tem, Lewis Walder, Esquire to the jury and in refusing to permit Mr. Walder to be introduced to the jury when the trial court had previously stated that Mr. Walder would be allowed to be introduced to the jury, thus precluding Appellant’s guardian ad litem from effectively performing his duties, and denying due process to Appellant since Mr. Walder was the real party in interest, and severely prejudiced Appellant’s case, making it appear she did not need a guardian ad litem. Appellant took exception to the trial court’s ruling on this issue.
3. Whether the trial court erred by permitting and/or failing to limit the testimony of Timothy Michal’s M.D[.], Appellee’s psychiatric expert. Appellant had filed a motion in limine in this regard based upon the appellee’s violation of the case management order and pre-trial order. Appellant also submits the trial court erred in overruling Appellant’s counsel’s objection to Dr. Michal’s testimony regarding Appellant’s ability to understand the notion of relative risk, as no such opinion was contained within the reports of said psychiatrist. Appellant took exception to the trial court’s ruling on this issue.
4. Whether the trial court erred in sustaining objections to questions posed by Appellant’s counsel to appellee Dr. Berger about his use of Albert Einstein Medical Center (“AEMC”) consent forms and short stay forms which were used in this case as well, allegedly utilized by the appellee without permission of AEMC or anyone in authority at AEMC. Appellant took exception to the trial court’s rulings on these issues.
5. Whether the trial court erred in sustaining objections to questions posed by Appellant’s counsel to appellee Dr.

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Bluebook (online)
839 A.2d 1100, 2003 Pa. Super. 490, 2003 Pa. Super. LEXIS 4528, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hartdegen-v-berger-pasuperct-2003.