Holland v. Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace

522 P.2d 208, 270 Or. 129, 1974 Ore. LEXIS 284
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedMay 16, 1974
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 522 P.2d 208 (Holland v. Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holland v. Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace, 522 P.2d 208, 270 Or. 129, 1974 Ore. LEXIS 284 (Or. 1974).

Opinions

HOWELL, J.

This is a malpractice case against defendant Sacred Heart General Hospital and the defendant doctors [131]*131who are doing business as a partnership specializing in radiology. The trial court granted an involuntary nonsuit in favor of the hospital, and the jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendant doctors. The plaintiff’s appeal only as to the defendant doctors is based on alleged errors in the court’s instructions.

The plaintiff suffered from cancer of the cervix and was treated by the defendant doctors, McMahan and Wilken. The diagnosis showed a large cancerous tumor affecting the vaginal area and the uterus. Dr. McMahan decided to treat plaintiff with radiation because he believed that alternative methods of treatment, such as surgery or chemotherapy, would be inappropriate in plaintiff’s case. He did so treat her, using a cobalt treatment and placing radium capsules in her body for a period of time. Thereafter severe complications arose. Plaintiff went to the University of Oregon Medical Center where her condition was diagnosed and treated by a Dr. Benson, who discovered that she had an intestinal obstruction of both the large and small bowel and that the vault of the vagina, around the cervix, was scarred and very hard. Dr. Benson testified that plaintiff’s condition was caused by excessive irradiation received by the plaintiff when she was being treated for the cancer.

Dr. Benson treated the plaintiff by performing a permanent colostomy.

The plaintiff contends that the doses of radiation were excessive and that the defendants should have used smaller doses of radiation over a longer period of time. Plaintiff argues that she was not informed of the dangers to healthy organs which could result from excessive radiation, and if she had been so [132]*132informed she would have chosen the alternative treatment of lesser doses over a longer period of time.

The duty of a physician to inform his patient of the risks involved in a certain type of treatment and the availability of feasible alternatives was discussed by this court in Getchell v. Mansfield, 260 Or 174, 489 P2d 953 (1971). We stated the following regarding the physician’s duty:

“* * * correct test would be to require the disclosure of all the ‘material’ risks, results that might well occur, not dangers that are extremely remote; risks that are of serious consequences, not unexpected results that are of little consequence.” 260 Or at 180.

We also stated when medical testimony has been introduced showing that the risk is material, that alternatives are feasible, and that disclosure of the risk will not be detrimental to the patient, the duty to warn and advise of alternatives is not based upon the custom of physicians in the locality.

“# * # rppg warn and to advise of alternatives does not arise from and is not limited by the custom of physicians in the locality. Rather, it exists as a matter of law if (1) the risk of injury inherent in the treatment is material; (2) there are feasible alternative courses available; and (3) the plaintiff can be advised of the risks and alternatives without detriment to his well-being. If there is evidence tending to prove all these elements, the plaintiff is entitled to have his case submitted to the jury under proper instructions. * * *” 260 Or at 183.

The plaintiff contends that the trial court erred in giving the following instruction:

“I instruct you it’s a question for you to determine whether Doctor McMahan explained those [133]*133risks and advised of those feasible alternative courses of treatment which a reasonably prudent and skillful physician specialising in radiology would have explained under the same or similar circumstances.” (Emphasis supplied.)

Under our decision in Oetchell the instruction was erroneous because the duty to inform follows as a matter of law and does not depend upon what a “reasonably prudent and skillful physician” would have explained under the circumstances.

The more serious question is whether the error is properly before us. The plaintiff’s exception to the instruction did not point out the error. However, the plaintiff did request an instruction which correctly stated the law by providing that the physician must advise the patient of all material risks and of feasible alternatives, and that the failure to do so will render the physician liable.

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Holland v. Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace
522 P.2d 208 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1974)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
522 P.2d 208, 270 Or. 129, 1974 Ore. LEXIS 284, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holland-v-sisters-of-saint-joseph-of-peace-or-1974.