Peller v. Harris

464 N.W.2d 590, 1991 Minn. App. LEXIS 6, 1991 WL 490
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedJanuary 8, 1991
DocketC5-90-1016
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 464 N.W.2d 590 (Peller v. Harris) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Peller v. Harris, 464 N.W.2d 590, 1991 Minn. App. LEXIS 6, 1991 WL 490 (Mich. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

OPINION

FOLEY, Judge.

In this medical malpractice action, appellant Jeffrey J. Peller sued Dr. Luigi Tad-deini, Dr. Robert Olson, Ramsey Clinic Associates and respondents Dr. Suzanne B. Harris and St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center for injuries arising out of administration of a chemotherapy drug. The parties stipulated that St. Paul Ramsey was vicariously liable for any negligence of Dr. Harris.

Prior to trial, Peller entered into a Pier-ringer settlement with Dr. Taddeini, Dr. Olson and Ramsey Clinic. Peller’s claims against Dr. Harris and St. Paul Ramsey were tried to a jury. The negligence of Drs. Taddeini and Olson was also submitted to the jury.

The jury rendered a special interrogatory verdict finding that Drs. Harris, Taddeini and Olson were negligent in their medical treatment of Peller and that their negligence was a direct cause of his injuries. The jury apportioned 10% fault to Dr. Harris, 30% fault to Dr. Taddeini and 60% fault to Dr. Olson.

The jury also found Peller’s damages for pain, disfigurement, disability, emotional distress and embarassment to be $2,000, past, and $500, future. The jury found his future medical and surgical costs to be $26,500. On November 13, 1989, the trial court filed an order for judgment in Pel-ler’s favor for $26,500 against Dr. Harris and St. Paul Ramsey.

On January 19, 1990, the trial court filed an order (1) denying Peller’s motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or a new trial; (2) granting Peller’s motion for recovery of costs and disbursements under Minn.Stat. § 549.04; (3) denying Dr. Harris and St. Paul Ramsey’s motion for Rule 68 costs and (4) amending the November 8, 1989 order for judgment to award Peller 10% of $26,500 as a reflection of the comparative fault found by the jury. On March 26, 1990, the trial court filed an order delineating costs and disbursements to be awarded to Peller. Judgment was entered on April 24, 1990 pursuant to the January 19, 1990 and March 26, 1990 orders.

Peller appeals. Dr. Harris and St. Paul Ramsey have filed a notice of review. We affirm in part, reverse in part and remand.

FACTS

Peller was referred to Dr. Taddeini, a staff oncologist at St. Paul Ramsey, for treatment of large cell lymphoma. On August 15, 1986, Dr. Taddeini admitted Peller to St. Paul Ramsey for cancer chemotherapy. The medical team caring for Pel-ler was headed by staff physician Dr. Olson. Dr. Harris, a first year resident, worked on the medical team under the supervision of Dr. Olson.

On August 16, 1989, Dr. Harris administered Adriamycin to Peller intravenously in his right arm. Peller claims the drug ex-travasated, or leaked, into the tissue under his skin and caused the death of portions of that tissue. He alleges he sustained injury to his arm because Dr. Harris did not follow proper procedures when the extravasation occurred.

Dr. Harris reported the possible leakage to Dr. Olson the next day. No further treatment for the extravasation was given, *593 and Peller was discharged. Dr. Taddeini continued outpatient treatment of Peller for his cancer and the extravasation.

Peller underwent physical therapy for over six months. He last saw the physical therapist on March 13, 1987. He did not return for recommended follow-up visits, and was never discharged from physical therapy. In the fall of 1987, Dr. David Larson recommended surgery. Peller said he would have the surgery in March 1988 but never returned to Dr. Larson.

The evidence adduced at trial shows that, prior to the August 1986 extravasation, Peller had decided to get his college degree in music education. He planned to teach elementary or high school. Peller had changed his major to music education from music performance because he knew the performance of music was a very competitive area, and he had earned no income as a pianist prior to August 1986. He also testified the extravasation problem had no effect on the time it took him to get his degree because he would have been out of school for cancer treatment.

ISSUES

1. Did the trial court err in denying Pel-ler’s motion for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence that Dr. Harris and St. Paul Ramsey’s expert had perjured himself as to how many times he took his medical certification examination?

2. Did the trial court err in submitting the negligence of Drs. Olson and Taddeini to the jury because there was no physician expert testimony their negligence was a direct cause of Peller’s injuries?

3. Did the trial court err in denying Pel-ler’s motions for a new trial for insufficient damages?

4. Did the trial court err in its award of costs and disbursements to Peller under Minn.Stat. § 549.04 (1988)?

5. Did the trial court err in finding respondents had not made a proper Minn.R. Civ. P. 68 offer of judgment?

ANALYSIS

1. Peller argues the trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial on the ground of newly-discovered evidence that Dr. Harris and St. Paul Ramsey’s expert had perjured himself as to how many times he took his medical certification examination.

[A] trial court’s decision on a motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence is a matter for the trial court’s discretion.

Disch v. Helary, Inc., 382 N.W.2d 916, 918 (Minn.App.1986) (citing Hertz v. Hertz, 304 Minn. 144, 146, 229 N.W.2d 42, 44 (1975); Lampsen v. Brander, 28 Minn. 526, 530, 11 N.W. 94, 96 (1881)). On review, this court does not decide if a new trial

might properly have been allowed but whether the trial court’s refusal to do so involved the violation of a clear legal right or a manifest abuse of discretion.

Disch, 382 N.W.2d at 918 (citing Minder v. Peterson, 254 Minn. 82, 92, 93 N.W.2d 699, 707 (1958)).

Minn.R.Civ. P. 59.01(d) provides as a ground for a new trial: “Material evidence newly discovered, which with reasonable diligence could not have been found and produced at the trial.” Peller does not dispute he already knew about the evidence at the time of trial. He says he had heard “rumors.” Even if the evidence was not discoverable prior to trial, however, the discovery of it was not grounds for a new trial.

The general rule is that a new trial will not be granted unless the newly discovered evidence is so important “it will probably produce a different result at another trial.”

Disch, 382 N.W.2d at 919 (quoting State v. Jacobson, 326 N.W.2d 663, 666 (Minn.1982)).

Peller argues Dr. Harris and St. Paul Ramsey’s expert was the only expert to testify Dr. Harris was not negligent. The expert also testified the other two doctors were not negligent, however, and the jury found them to be 30% and 60% at fault. Additionally, Dr. Harris and St.

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Bluebook (online)
464 N.W.2d 590, 1991 Minn. App. LEXIS 6, 1991 WL 490, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peller-v-harris-minnctapp-1991.