LT v. Chandler

917 So. 2d 753, 2005 WL 3416188
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 14, 2005
Docket40,417-CA
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 917 So. 2d 753 (LT v. Chandler) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
LT v. Chandler, 917 So. 2d 753, 2005 WL 3416188 (La. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

917 So.2d 753 (2005)

L.T., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants
v.
Berry M. CHANDLER, M.D., et al., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 40,417-CA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

December 14, 2005.

*755 Nelson & Hammons, by John L. Hammons, Shreveport, for Appellants.

Hudson, Potts & Bernstein, L.L.P., by Brady D. King, II, Monroe, for Appellee, Louisiana Mutual Medical Insurance Company.

Berry M. Chandler, In Proper Person.

Before GASKINS, MOORE and LOLLEY, JJ.

GASKINS, J.

The plaintiffs, L.T. and her father, appeal a trial court decision granting summary judgment in favor of Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company (LAMMICO), dismissing the plaintiffs' claims for damages arising from an alleged incident occurring during the medical treatment of L.T. For the following reasons, we affirm the trial court judgment.

FACTS

On December 30, 2000, 17-year-old L.T. was ill with vomiting, loss of appetite, sore throat, cough, and fever. Her mother took her to After Hours Urgent Care Clinic (After Hours) for treatment. While her mother filled out paperwork, Dr. Chandler allegedly took L.T. back to an examining room. The plaintiffs claim that he proceeded to examine L.T. without having a *756 nurse present. L.T. asserts that Dr. Chandler asked her about menstrual periods and whether she was pregnant, even though her major complaint was a sore throat. She contends that while listening to her chest with a stethoscope, Dr. Chandler placed his hand inside her bra and on her breast. He then swabbed her throat, left the room, and returned almost immediately. He informed her that she did not have strep throat. L.T. stated that he wrote on a small piece of paper that she had no gag reflex. He showed the paper to her and told her that this was a good thing. He then threw the paper away. According to L.T., Dr. Chandler decided to give her an antibiotic shot. She pulled her pants down just far enough to expose her hip. He instructed her to pull her pants and underwear down to her ankles. He then massaged her buttock, claiming that this would prevent soreness from the shot. During the course of giving the shot, L.T. claimed that the doctor also ogled her private areas. After giving her the shot, he asked her to lift her shirt again. When she refused, he gave her some Tylenol and caressed the palm of her hand while whispering something she could not hear.

After news accounts aired regarding other similar charges against Dr. Chandler, the plaintiffs decided to pursue their claim. They convened a medical review panel (MRP) and in February 2003, the MRP found that the evidence did not support the conclusion that the doctor, his medical practice, or After Hours failed to meet the applicable standard of care insofar as the treatment of a minor for upper respiratory symptoms. With regard to the allegations of sexual exploitation, the panel found that there was a material issue of fact not requiring expert opinion, bearing on liability for consideration by the court.

In April 2003, the plaintiffs filed their petition against Dr. Chandler, his medical practice, After Hours, and LAMMICO, claiming only that Dr. Chandler breached the duties and obligations owed to L.T. by sexually exploiting her during the office visit in December 2000.

They asserted that Dr. Chandler's exploitative conduct resulted in humiliation, mental anguish and distress, embarrassment, a breach of trust and emotional anguish to his patient, L.T., and to her parents for which all are entitled to full and complete compensation.

In May 2003, LAMMICO answered the plaintiffs' petition, denying coverage. LAMMICO argued that the damages claimed were not the result of a medical incident during the rendition of professional services. LAMMICO pointed to "Exclusion (f)" of the policy which provides:

This insurance does not apply to claims made against the insured for:
(f) any liability arising from undue familiarity, sexual intimacy or assault, sexual harassment, or sexual discrimination, whether or not such conduct is under the guise of professional services.

In June 2003, LAMMICO filed a petition for declaratory judgment asking the trial court to declare that LAMMICO's policy excluded coverage. In December 2004, LAMMICO filed a motion for summary judgment claiming that there was no coverage under its policy for the damages claimed.

In April 2005, the trial court entered a "judgment of partial dismissal with full prejudice" granting LAMMICO's motion for summary judgment. The court found that the LAMMICO policy unambiguously excludes coverage for the claims asserted. The claims against LAMMICO were dismissed with full prejudice at the plaintiffs' cost.

*757 The plaintiffs appealed the trial court decision, arguing that the trial court erred in failing to find that LAMMICO waived its right to assert the coverage defense because it had not done so earlier in the proceedings. The plaintiffs also assert that the trial court erred in failing to find that Dr. Chandler's actions did not comply with the standard of care, thus constituting medical negligence. Finally, the plaintiffs contend that the trial court erred in failing to note that Dr. Chandler's credibility is at issue, making the rendition of a motion for summary judgment inappropriate.

WAIVER

The plaintiffs claim that LAMMICO waived its coverage defense by waiting more than two years after the medical malpractice claim was instituted to assert it. This argument is without merit.

Waiver is the relinquishment of a known right, power, or privilege. Waiver occurs when there is an existing right, a knowledge of its existence and an actual intention to relinquish it or conduct so inconsistent with the intent to enforce the right as to induce a reasonable belief that it has been relinquished. Gilbert v. B.D.O.W.S., Inc., 33,006 (La.App.2d Cir.6/23/00), 764 So.2d 313; Maddox v. Keen, 33,072 (La.App.2d Cir.4/7/00), 756 So.2d 1279. A waiver may apply to any provision of an insurance contract, even though this may have the effect of bringing within coverage risks originally excluded or not covered. Maddox v. Keen, supra.

It is well established that an insurer is charged with the knowledge of the contents of its own policy. In addition, notice of facts which would cause a reasonable person to inquire further imposes a duty of investigation upon the insurer, and failure to investigate constitutes a waiver of all powers or privileges which a reasonable search would have uncovered. As to coverage, it is the party who seeks to avoid the application of a policy's provisions who must come forward with evidence sufficient to support a waiver. Maddox v. Keen, supra.

The plaintiffs contend that their claim was initiated on April 3, 2001, by filing a request for formation of a medical review panel. They maintain that the Patients' Compensation Fund (PCF) informed them that the defendants were insured by LAMMICO and were qualified health care providers under the Louisiana Medical Malpractice Act. They assert that by participating in the medical review panel process, LAMMICO acknowledged that the plaintiffs' claims were malpractice claims, subject to the provisions of the medical malpractice act, and that Dr. Chandler was an insured and qualified health care provider under the terms of the act. Therefore, the plaintiffs urge that LAMMICO is estopped from denying coverage.

The plaintiffs cite Case v. Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company, 624 So.2d 1285 (La.App.

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917 So. 2d 753, 2005 WL 3416188, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lt-v-chandler-lactapp-2005.