Laverick v. Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron, Inc.

540 N.E.2d 305, 43 Ohio App. 3d 201, 1988 Ohio App. LEXIS 234
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 27, 1988
Docket13008 and 13078
StatusPublished
Cited by43 cases

This text of 540 N.E.2d 305 (Laverick v. Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Laverick v. Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron, Inc., 540 N.E.2d 305, 43 Ohio App. 3d 201, 1988 Ohio App. LEXIS 234 (Ohio Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

Cacioppo, J.

On March 23, 1984, Clarissa Laverick was taken to surgery at Children’s Hospital Medical Center (“Children’s Hospital”) for a routine tonsillectomy and adenoidec-tomy. During the surgery, an overdose of Forane gas was administered, resulting in Clarissa’s cardiac arrest. Although Clarissa was resuscitated, she failed to recover and died on April 5, 1984.

In March 1985, Clarissa’s mother, Kathleen Laverick, the appellee, filed suit individually and as administratrix of Clarissa’s estate against Children’s Hospital, Ohio Valley Hospital Association (“OVHA”), Dr. Anton P. Milo, and the appellants, Anesthesia for Children, Inc. (“AFC”), Kwangshin Lee, M.D., William Sturniolo, and Cynthia Mawer. The complaint alleged wrongful death, a survival action for pain and suffering, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The appellants filed an answer and a cross-claim against OVHA for indemnification. The court granted OVHA’s motion for summary judgment on the appellants’ cross-claim. In March 1986, OVHA and Children’s Hospital reached a settlement with the plaintiff and were dismissed from the action. Liability was admitted by all remaining parties except Milo. No settlement was reached with the remaining parties, *202 and the matter went to trial. At trial, the appellee voluntarily dismissed her claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress. The jury returned a verdict for defendant Milo on both causes of action; for plaintiff Kathleen Laverick, administratrix, against the appellants, in the amount of $688,000 and $1,678.10 for funeral expenses; and for plaintiff Kathleen Laverick, individually, against the appellants, in the amount of $125,000 for Clarissa’s conscious pain and suffering. The judgment order reflecting the verdict was filed January 21, 1987. On February 10, 1987, the appellee filed a motion for prejudgment interest. On March 10, 1987, the court denied the motion without comment. The appellants appeal from the judgment and the granting of OVHA’s summary judgment against their cross-claim. The appellee appeals the trial court’s decision on the motion for prejudgment interest.

Assignment of Error I

“Appellant is entitled to a new trial because various trial court errors, both separately and in combination, left the jurors so confused that they were unable to come to an ascertainable verdict.”

First, the appellants contend that the court’s instructions and comments in regard to the verdict form in the name of Kathleen Laverick, individually, confused the jury to the prejudice of the appellants. Generally, error in the instructions given in a civil case is not grounds for reversal unless it is calculated to mislead the jury to the prejudice of the party seeking reversal. 5 Ohio Jurisprudence 3d (1978) 301, Appellate Review, Section 646. Instructions must be viewed in their totality, and if the law is clearly and fairly expressed, no reversal will be predicated upon error in a portion of the charge. Yeager v. Riverside Methodist Hosp. (1985), 24 Ohio App. 3d 54, 24 OBR 107, 493 N.E. 2d 559, paragraph one of the syllabus. In the case at bar, the court’s instructions to the jury gave a clear and fair expression of the law. The court’s instructions were not misleading to the jury nor were they prejudicial to the appellants.

Second, the appellants contend that the court committed prejudicial error in instructing the jury on Clarissa’s survival claim and not granting the appellants’ motion for directed verdict on that claim. A decedent may not recover for pain and suffering when it is shown that the decedent was rendered unconscious at the instant of the injury and died of such injuries without ever having regained consciousness. Lorain Times-Herald Co. v. Del Boccio (App. 1933), 15 Ohio Law Abs. 735. However, one may recover for the pain and suffering endured when there is affirmative evidence to show that the decedent was not completely unconscious during the interval between the injury and death. Flory v. New York Cent. Rd. Co. (1959), 170 Ohio St. 185, 189, 10 O.O. 2d 126, 128, 163 N.E. 2d 902, 905. A motion for directed verdict must be denied if there is substantial competent evidence to support the party against whom the motion was made, and from which reasonable minds might reach different conclusions. Strother v. Hutchinson (1981), 67 Ohio St. 2d 282, 284-285, 21 O.O. 3d 177, 178-179, 423 N.E. 2d 467, 469-470. In the case at bar, there was testimony regarding Clarissa’s reactions and movements, and reasonable minds might reach different conclusions as to whether Clarissa was unconscious. Therefore, the court did not err in overruling the appellants’ motion for directed verdict and instructing the jury on Clarissa’s conscious pain and suffering.

Third, the appellants contend that the judge committed prejudicial error *203 by refusing their request to question the jury on their finding in regard to pain and suffering. The alleged error involves a verdict form that was submitted to the jury. The form for Clarissa’s survival action provided for the recovery of plaintiff Kathleen Laverick, individually. The court, in its instructions, differentiated between the two causes of action for the jury by emphasizing the different captions on the forms:

“It is important that you examine the caption to determine which cause of action you are finding for; either as administratrix on the wrongful death claim or individually on the survival claim. * * *”

The alleged error does not relate to the substance of the verdict but is one of form. Upon the return of the verdicts, the court did poll the jury on the verdict for pain and suffering. Therefore, the judge did not err in refusing the appellants’ request to question the jury on their findings.

Fourth, the appellants contend that the court erred by refusing to certify that the jury deducted the $145,000 settlement from their assessment of total damages. The court’s instructions stated:

“Therefore, in the event you find for the Plaintiff, the Defendant is entitled to a credit of $145,000 previously received by the Plaintiff from Ohio Valley Hospital and Akron Children’s Hospital.
“If you find for the Plaintiff, you will determine the extent of the Plaintiff’s damage. You will determine the full amount which the evidence shows she is justly entitled to receive. And from this amount you will deduct $145,000 which Plaintiff previously received, and you will then proceed to insert the difference in your verdict.

The instructions were clear, and there is no basis in the appellants’ contention that the jury did not follow the instructions. The court did not err in refusing to certify that the jury deducted the $145,000 settlement from its assessment of total damages.

Finally, the appellants contend that the court committed error by failing to allow the appellants’ counsel to make his objection to the jury charge on the record. We find nothing in the record that prevented appellants from putting objections on the record. Therefore, the appellants’ first assignment of error is not well-taken.

Assignment of Error II

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Bluebook (online)
540 N.E.2d 305, 43 Ohio App. 3d 201, 1988 Ohio App. LEXIS 234, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/laverick-v-childrens-hospital-medical-center-of-akron-inc-ohioctapp-1988.