Haswell v. Kramer

659 N.E.2d 146, 1995 Ind. App. LEXIS 1607, 1995 WL 726563
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 11, 1995
DocketNo. 49A02-9503-CV-140
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 659 N.E.2d 146 (Haswell v. Kramer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Haswell v. Kramer, 659 N.E.2d 146, 1995 Ind. App. LEXIS 1607, 1995 WL 726563 (Ind. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinions

OPINION

FRIEDLANDER, Judge.

Dr. John N. Haswell is before this court on a permissive interlocutory appeal in which he argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion for summary judgment as to a medical malpractice claim action brought against him and other health care providers by Donna J. and Brian L. Kramer (collectively referred to as the Kramers).

We affirm.

The relevant facts reveal that the Kramers were residents of Vincennes. Dr. Haswell was Donna's obstetrician/gynecologist who rendered prenatal care and delivered the Kramers first two children. Dr. Haswell continued to give Donna medical advice in 1987, when she became pregnant with Dennis, the Kramers third child. Dr. Haswell encouraged Donna to have a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and referred her to Dr. Mary Soper, an Indianapolis physician to perform the procedure. Dr. Haswell promised to remain as Donna's physician in Vin-cennes and agreed to render emergency assistance if necessary.

On April 17, 1988, five days prior to Donna's estimated due date, the Kramers conferred with Dr. Haswell. They discussed Donna's physical condition and discovered that Donna had been two centimeters dilated for the past two weeks. Emergency procedures were also discussed where it was decided that Donna was to go to Good Samaritan Hospital (Good Samaritan) in Vincennes in the event labor progressed too rapidly.

On April 30, 1988, Donna experienced a sharp pain and became unsure of her labor. Brian telephoned Dr. Haswell and was only able to reach his answering machine. Brian left a message explaining that they were on their way to Good Samaritan. Dr. Haswell was out of town and had not made arrangements for an "on call" physician. At the emergency admissions desk, the Kramers informed hospital personnel that Dr. Soper was Donna's obstetrician and that Dr. Has-well was her secondary local physician. Dr. Ralph J. Jaeqmain was on call and he did not perform cesarean section births or VBAC's. While Donna was at Good Samaritan, it was discovered that neither Dr. Soper nor any other Indianapolis physician had privileges at that hospital. A patient could not be admitted to Good Samaritan without an attending physician. Donna was then taken to India[148]*148napolis by ambulance. It was discovered that Donna's uterus was ruptured beyond repair. Shortly after birth, Dennis died and a hysterectomy had to be performed in order to save Donna's life.

On April 30, 1990, the Kramers filed a proposed complaint for medical malpractice with the Indiana Department of Insurance against Good Samaritan, Dr. Jacqmain, Dr. Soper, Dr. Haswell, and Dr. Scott Deasy, a physician who practiced with Dr. Soper. While this claim was pending, Dr. Haswell interjected a motion for summary judgment in Greene Superior Court. The motion was denied, and the trial court determined that issues remained for the jury as to whether Haswell should have provided Donna with care that would have prevented the rupture of her uterus.

On February 9, 1998, the medical review panel issued an opinion which provided in relevant part as follows:

"1. With respect to the defendants, J. Seott Deasy, M.D., Mary Soper, M.D., and John N Haswell, M.D., the evidence does not support the conclusion that the defendants failed to meet the applicable standard of care as charged in the Complaint.
2. With respect to the defendant, Good Samaritan Hospital, the evidence supports the conclusion that the defendant failed to comply with the appropriate standard of care as charged in the Complaint. However, the panel finds that there is a material issue of fact, not requiring expert opinion, bearing on Hability for consideration by the court or jury as to the information given to the Kramers concerning the availability of a Cesarean section within a reasonable time frame.
3. With respect to the defendant, Ralph J. Jacqmain, M.D., the evidence supports the conclusions that the defendant failed to comply with the appropriate standard of care as charged in the complaint."

Record at 18 (emphasis in original).

On May 19, 1993, the Kramers filed a complaint in Marion Superior Court Room 5 (Superior 5) against the above-named defendants for medical malpractice. Count one was for the alleged injuries and damages Donna and Dennis suffered, and count two involved Brian's damages for loss of consortium, medical expenses, and lost income. A settlement agreement was executed in June, 1993, as to all parties involved in the litigation except Dr. Haswell. As part of the agreement, the Kramers reserved the right to proceed against the Patient Compensation of Indiana (the Fund) to collect additional compensation. The Kramers subsequently executed a release and entered into a settlement agreement with the Fund. This agreement pertained to the incident involving Dennis's death and was filed as part of a separate action in Marion Superior Court Room 2. The trial court approved this settlement agreement and authorized payment in the amount of $325,000 to the Kramers from the Fund. On July 28, 1993, Superior 5 entered an order dismissing all defendants except Dr. Haswell.

On January 4, 1994, Dr. Haswell filed a motion for summary judgment maintaining that all of the Kramers' claims for medical malpractice had been satisfied and paid through the Fund and that any additional payments would constitute double recovery for the Kramers. Dr. Haswell's motion was denied on January 25, 1995.

Dr. Haswell appeals and presents several issues which we have consolidated as one:

Did the trial court err in denying Dr. Haswell's motion for summary judgment?

Oral argument was held in Indianapolis on September 28, 1995.

Inasmuch as Dr. Haswell is appealing from the denial of his motion for summary judgment, he bears the burden of demonstrating that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that he is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Jordan v. Deery (1993), Ind., 609 N.E.2d 1104; Lexington Ins. Co. v. American Healthcare Providers (1993), Ind.App., 621 N.E.2d 382, trans. denied. When reviewing the trial court's ruling on a motion for summary judgment, we consider the evidence designated to the trial court by the parties in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Lexington Ins. Co., supra.

[149]*149The extent of the Kramers' ability to recover from Dr. Haswell is defined by Indiana's Medical Malpractice Act (the Act)1 Dr. Haswell contends that under the Act, an occurrence includes all alleged acts of malpractice resulting from, or contributing to, an injury or death and that the Kramers have received full recovery for their injuries. Dr. Haswell points to the language of IC 27-12-14-3(a) in support of his position:

"(a) The total amount recoverable for an injury or death of a patient may not exeeed five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) except that, as to an act of malpractice that occurs on or after January 1, 1990, the total amount recovered for an injury or death may not exceed seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000).
(b) A health care provider qualified under this article is not liable for an amount in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for an occurrence of malpractice.

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Bluebook (online)
659 N.E.2d 146, 1995 Ind. App. LEXIS 1607, 1995 WL 726563, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/haswell-v-kramer-indctapp-1995.