Norton v. Scot. Mem'l Hosp., Inc.

793 S.E.2d 703, 250 N.C. App. 392, 2016 N.C. App. LEXIS 1162
CourtCourt of Appeals of North Carolina
DecidedNovember 15, 2016
Docket16-530
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 793 S.E.2d 703 (Norton v. Scot. Mem'l Hosp., Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Norton v. Scot. Mem'l Hosp., Inc., 793 S.E.2d 703, 250 N.C. App. 392, 2016 N.C. App. LEXIS 1162 (N.C. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

TYSON, Judge.

*393 Plaintiffs appeal from the trial court's order dismissing their complaint under Rules 9(j) and 12(b)(6) of the Rules of Civil Procedure against defendants, Scotland Memorial Hospital, Inc. ("Scotland Memorial") and Duke University Health System, Inc. ("Duke Hospital"). We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand.

*394 I. Background

Norman Christopher Norton was admitted to Scotland Memorial in Laurinburg, North Carolina on 9 July 2012 with complaints of abdominal pain. Mr. Norton was married to plaintiff Jessie Norton, and is the father of the couple's two children, also plaintiffs. Mr. Norton was fairly active and in good health.

*706 While a patient at Scotland Memorial, Mr. Norton's condition worsened. He was transferred to the intensive care unit, placed on a ventilator, and subsequently died. It is unclear from the face of the complaint whether Mr. Norton died at Scotland Memorial or after he was transferred to Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Duke Hospital's responsive pleading states Mr. Norton's deceased body was transferred to Duke Hospital on 11 July 2012. Scotland Memorial's responsive pleading states Mr. Norton's body was transferred to Duke Hospital on 12 July 2012.

Plaintiffs filed a complaint against Scotland Memorial and Duke Hospital on 10 July 2015. Plaintiffs allege Mr. Norton screamed and cried out several times for his wife and children, but Scotland Memorial staff refused to allow Mr. Norton's wife or family to see him.

The complaint alleges Mr. Norton's cries were so loud and adamant that other visitors in the waiting room commented. Mrs. Norton informed staff that she had waited an excessive amount of time to see her husband. Staff members sat beside her in the waiting room, but refused to allow her to see her husband. The complaint further alleges that neither Mr. Norton nor Mrs. Norton gave permission for Mr. Norton to be removed from the ventilator.

The complaint further alleges Duke Hospital staff asked Mrs. Norton if she wished for an autopsy to be performed, and she responded in the affirmative. The complaint alleges Mrs. Norton requested for Mr. Norton's head not to be cut during the autopsy. She had previously discussed this issue with Mr. Norton, and he had indicated it was important to him. Duke Hospital staff informed Mrs. Norton they were required to cut Mr. Norton's head based upon the orders received from Scotland Memorial.

The complaint also alleges Mr. Norton had previously agreed to be an organ donor, but declined to remain an organ donor when he renewed his driver's license. He had also discussed this issue with Mrs. Norton. Mrs. Norton was informed by the funeral home that Mr. Norton's organs and eyes had been removed from his body.

*395 Plaintiffs' complaint alleges five causes of action against both defendants: (1) negligent infliction of emotional distress; (2) intentional infliction of emotional distress; (3) loss of consortium; (4) negligence; and (5) wrongful death. Both defendants filed motions to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted and under Rule 9(j) for failure to plead that a qualified expert had reviewed the medical care and records prior to filing the complaint.

On 23 February 2016, the trial court dismissed Plaintiffs' claims against both defendants with prejudice for failure to comply with the requirements of Rule 9(j). The court also concluded Plaintiffs' wrongful death claims against the defendants were barred by the statute of limitations, and dismissed those claims under Rule 12(b)(6). The trial court also dismissed Plaintiffs' remaining claims under 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. Plaintiffs appeal.

II. Dismissal of Plaintiffs' Claims

The trial court dismissed Plaintiffs' claims under three separate grounds: (1) failure to meet the requirements of Rule 9(j) for the medical malpractice claims; (2) failure to file the complaint within the applicable statute of limitations for the wrongful death and loss of consortium claims; and (3) failure to state a claim under Rule 12(b)(6).

A. Standards of Review

A trial court's order dismissing a complaint pursuant to Rule 9(j) presents a question of law, and is therefore reviewed de novo on appeal. Barringer v. Wake Forest Univ. Baptist Med. Ctr. , 197 N.C.App. 238 , 256, 677 S.E.2d 465 , 477, disc. review denied , 363 N.C. 651 , 684 S.E.2d 690 (2009).

On appeal from a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), this Court reviews de novo "whether, as a matter of law, the allegations of the complaint ... are sufficient to state a claim upon which relief may be granted [.]" We consider the allegations in the complaint true, construe the complaint liberally, and only reverse the trial court's denial of a motion to dismiss if plaintiff is entitled to no relief under any set of facts *707 which could be proven in support of the claim.

Christmas v. Cabarrus Cty. , 192 N.C.App. 227 , 231, 664 S.E.2d 649 , 652 (2008) (quoting Harris v. NCNB , 85 N.C.App. 669 , 670, 355 S.E.2d 838 , 840 (1987) ), disc. review denied , 363 N.C. 372 ,

Related

Untitled Case
E.D. North Carolina, 2026
Moore v. Brooks
2026 NCBC 6 (North Carolina Business Court, 2026)
Carolina Med. Partners, Pllc v. Shah
2025 NCBC 52 (North Carolina Business Court, 2025)
TERRY v. LAFAVE
M.D. North Carolina, 2024
Turpin v. Charlotte Latin Sch.
Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2024
CHICAS LOVO v. United States
M.D. North Carolina, 2024
Russe v. United States
W.D. North Carolina, 2023
Moschos v. Moschos
Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2022
Rovnyak v. City of Charlotte
W.D. North Carolina, 2022
Clark v. Clark
Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2021
SMITH v. CITY OF GREENSBORO
M.D. North Carolina, 2020
Locklear v. Cummings
822 S.E.2d 587 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2018)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
793 S.E.2d 703, 250 N.C. App. 392, 2016 N.C. App. LEXIS 1162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/norton-v-scot-meml-hosp-inc-ncctapp-2016.