Morningstar v. Jones

31 Ohio Law. Abs. 440, 1940 Ohio App. LEXIS 1253
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 6, 1940
DocketNo. 778
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 31 Ohio Law. Abs. 440 (Morningstar v. Jones) 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
Morningstar v. Jones, 31 Ohio Law. Abs. 440, 1940 Ohio App. LEXIS 1253 (Ohio Ct. App. 1940).

Opinion

OPINION

By GUERNSEY, J.

This is an appeal on questions of law from a judgment of the Common Pleas Court of Allen County, in an action pending therein wherein the appellee, Maurine Morningstar was plaintiff, and the appellant, Dr. G. E. Jones was defendant.

The action was filed in the Common Pleas Court of Allen County on June 23, 1938, and is one for damages for alleged malpractice. It was tried on the issues raised by the amended petition of the plaintiff, answer of the defendant thereto, and the reply of the plaintiff to the answer.

Upon the trial the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff in the sum of $11,182.35.

With the general verdict, the jury, in answer to interrogatories submitted to them by the defendant, returned findings of fact as follows:

1. Upon what date did the relationship of physician and patient between the plaintiff, Maurine Morningstar, and the defendant Dr. G. E. Jones, cease as to her treatment by the defendant for obesity?

A, Upon the 3rd day of August, 1937.

2. Upon what date did the plaintiff, Maurine Morningstar, last consult with the defendant, Dr. G. E. Jones, as her physician relative to her obesity?

A. Upon the 3rd day of August, 1937.

3. When did the relationship of patient and physician between Maurine Morningstar and . Dr. G. E. Jones end?

These findings of fact were concurred in and signed by nine of the jurors.

A motion for a new trial and a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict were filed by the defendant, which motions were overruled, and judgment was then entered on the verdict. It is from this judgment this appeal is taken.

The allegations of the amended petition are as follows:

“That the defendant, Dr. G. E. Jones, is and for many years last past has been a physician and surgeon practicing as such in the City of Lima, Allen County, Ohio.

“That on or about the 15th day of April, 1936, the said plaintiff at the special instance and request of the defendant, Dr. G. E. Jones, employed and retained the said defendant for a reasonable fee to be paid therefor as such physician and surgeon for professional treatment to effect a reduction in her body weight;

“That said defendant carelessly, negligently and unskillfully gave, furnished, prescribed, and supplied plaintiff with a certain harmful, poisonous, dangerous and unofficial drug which said defendant represented to be harmless [442]*442and entirely safe and that said defendant knew or ought to have known said drug to be harmful, poisonous, dangerous and unofficial;

“That said plaintiff took and administered to herself said harmful, poisonous, dangerous and unofficial drug under the direction and orders of the defendant not knowing it to be harmful, poisonous, dangerous or unofficial.

“That after having taken said harmful, poisonous, dangerous and unofficial drug for several weeks, said plaintiff complained to the defendant that she was experiencing numbness in her lower extremeties, a high fever and a feeling of great debility ana that said defendant carelessly, negligently and unskillfully directed, ordered and prescribed that plaintiff continue the use of said harmful, poisonous, dangerous and unofficial drug and that said plaintiff relying upon the advice of the defendant did continue the use of said drug.

“That as the direct and proximate result of the defendant’s careless, negligent, and unskillful prescription and treatment cataracts developed in both of plaintiff’s eyes and destroyed her vision and that eight operations were performed in an attempt to effect a cure and to restore normal vision.

“That said. defendant negligently, carelessly and unskillfully on numerous occasions and especially on or about August 9, 1937 refused and neglected to inform the eye specialist who performed the several operations aforesaid, although often requested to do so, as to the name of the drug that he had prescribed, supplied and administered to effect a reduction in plaintiff’s bodny weight and as the direct and proximate cause of said failure, the said eye specialist was unable to give adequate and timely treatment to the great damage of this plaintiff as aforesaid.

“Plaintiff further says that she frequently consulted with said defendant relative to her condition aforesaid and especially on August 3, 1937, and was advised not to worry about her condition or the treatment being given and that she relied upon said advise until the filing of this action.

“Plaintiff further says that she has been put to great expense to wit: the sum of $1118.06 in and about endeavoring to restore and improve her vision and that her vision is still impaired, damaged and destroyed whereby plaintiff has been greatly and permanently injured, that she is rendered unfit and unable to perform her usual duties as a house wife, that she has experienced great physical and mental pain and suffering to the damage of said plaintiff in the sum of $50,000.00.”

The answer of the defendant thereto, is as follows:

“Now comes the defendant, Dr. G. E Jones, and for his answer to the amended petition of the plaintiff herein says that he admits that he is and for many years last past has been a practicing physician and surgeon in the city of Lima, Allen County, Ohio; admits that on or about the 15th day of April, 1936, he entered into a relationship of physician and patient with the plaintiff herein, Maurine Morningstar.

“For further answer this defendant absolutely and specifically denies each and every, all and singular the other allegations and averments in said amended petition of the plaintiff contained.

“Second Defense.

For a second and further defense herein this defendant, Dr. G. E. Jones, hereby adopts and reavers all the allegations of his foregoing first defense as though herein fully set forth and rewritten and says that this action was commenced in the Common Pleas Court of Allen County, Ohio, more than one year after his relationship with the plaintiff as physician and surgeon had terminated.

“Wherefore, having fully answered, this defendant prays that he may go hence with his costs.”

The reply of the plaintiff to the answer is in substance a general denial [443]*443of the new matter pleaded in the answer.

The record in the case is so long and involved that it is impracticable to give a detailed statement of the facts, so at this point we will only make a statement of the ultimate facts in evidence, some of the conflicts in evidence, and some of the details necessary to an understanding of the case as presented, and will discuss some of the details and *some of the conflicts in connection ■with the various assignments of error ¡based thereon.

The plaintiff, on or about the 15th day tof April, 1936, employed and retained the defendant, Dr. G. E. Jones, in the capacity of physician and surgeon to administer to her professional treatment comprehending the taking internally by her of drugs to effect a reduction in her body weight. Such employment contemplated the payment by plaintiff to defendant of a reasonable fee, which was afterwards paid.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Hammonds v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Company
237 F. Supp. 96 (N.D. Ohio, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
31 Ohio Law. Abs. 440, 1940 Ohio App. LEXIS 1253, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/morningstar-v-jones-ohioctapp-1940.