Rhodes v. Lamar

1930 OK 391, 292 P. 335, 145 Okla. 223, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 208
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 9, 1930
Docket19112
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 1930 OK 391 (Rhodes v. Lamar) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rhodes v. Lamar, 1930 OK 391, 292 P. 335, 145 Okla. 223, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 208 (Okla. 1930).

Opinion

BENNETT, C.

Francis C. Lamar, age 25, and by occupation a stenographer and clerk, sued R. E. L. Rhodes and P. C. Geiss-ler, physicians and surgeons, to recover damages upon the theory that they, while removing plaintiff’s tonsils, negligently per *225 mitted a glass light globe to find its way into plaintiff’s lung by which he was gravely injured. The jury found against the defendants, and R. E. Rhodes alone appealed.

. The-petition is in the usual form, alleging that plaintiff employed defendants, duly licensed physicians in Tulsa, to remove his tonsils ; that defendants placed plaintiff under an anaesthetic and negligently permitted an electric light bulb used by them in the operation to become unfastened from the instrument to which it was attached and pass into plaintiff’s lung; that the defendants so negligently manipulated said device in the mouth and throat of plaintiff as to cause same to . come loose; that after the bulb became detached, they negligently failed to discover and properly remove same, and that defendants 'also negligently failed to advise plaintiff after they knew the bulb had passed down his throat, but wrongfully denied knowledge thereof; that after its escape into plaintiff’s lung, the glass bulb became broken into many pieces, set up extreme inflammation resulting in continuous coughing and expectoration of blood and sputum; that defendants advised plaintiff that these sym-toms indicated that plaintiff’s uvula was enlarged and advised its amputation, and this plaintiff had done without benefit; that, on November 20, 1926, an X-ray disclosed the glass in the lung, and plaintiff, under advice of defendants, went to Mayo’s Hospital at Rochester, Minn., for treatment, and there underwent two operations, one in November, •the other in December, 1926, at which time the discoverable portions of the glass were removed; that prior to the removal of plaintiff’s tonsils, he was a strong robust man, but by reason of the foregoing his left lung became highly inflamed, lacerated, and torn, and its functions greatly and severely impaired, and that he has suffered continuous and excruciating pain, and that his general health has been substantially undermined ; that he has expended in necessary physicians’ fees, railroad transportation for himself and attendant, and hospital fees, the sum of $727; that his damage is $30,-727.

The answers of defendants set up general denial coupled with an admission that they are practicing physicians.

Twenty-six assignments of error are made. These are presented under eight propositions ;

1. It is contended that the trial court erred in overruling the motion of defendants to require plaintiff to make his petition more definite and certain. This motion sought to require plaintiff to set out whether he had a joint or separate contract as to the operation with defendants and the terms thereof. In answer plaintiff contends with force that there is no proper record showing the overruling of defendants’ motion; that same is evidenced only by minutes of the clerk, citing Apple v. American National Bank, 104 Okla. 69, 231 Pac. 79; Randall v. Wadsworth (Ala.) 31 So. 555; Courtney v. Moore, 51 Okla. 628, 151 Pac. 1178; Jackson v. Fennimore, 104 Okla. 134, 230 Pac. 689 ; and Lillard v. Meisberger, 133 Okla. 228, 240 Pac. 1069.

Our decision adverse to defendants on this point is sustainable upon the broader ground that this is not an action upon breach of contract, but is essentially one in tort based upon negligence in the performance of a medical operation. Goble v. Dillon, 86 Ind. 328, 44 Am. Rep. 308; Wetzel v. Pius (Cal.) 248 Pac. 288; Krebenios v. Lindauer, 175 Cal. 431, 166 Pac. 17; Lotten v. O’Brien (Wis.) 131 N. W. 361; Spears v. McKinnon (Ark.) 270 S. W. 524; Jueschke v. Seeley, 98 Okla. 133, 224 Pac. 341; Wood v. Milwaukee & St. Paul R. Co., 32 Wis. 398; Morey v. Thybo, 199 Fed. 760. Under these authorities we conclude that the action was one in tort, and that defendants, under the allegations, could have been sued either' separately or jointly.

It is argued also that the exact amount of medical and hospital fees should have been itemized. Ten Cate v. Fansler, 10 Okla. 7, 65 Pac. 375, Traction Co. v. Fore, 77 Okla. 234, 188 Pac. 327. The medical bill at Mayo’s was $350, hospital $12, railroad fare $125, aggregating much less than the sum pleaded to cover these items. There is no counterproof. The evidence as to part only of these items was objected to and only upon the statutory ground, not upon the ground that same were not within the issues. No effort was made, or could have been made, it seems to us, to show defendants were either surprised or prejudiced by this proof. The defendants advised and made arrangements for this trip and treatment.

2. Defendant says the court erred in overruling- Rhodes’ demurrer to plaintiff’s petition for that there was a misjoinder of causes of action; that one cause of action was against Rhodes and one against Geiss-ler. Upon a careful examination of the petition, we conclude, as indicated above, that this is an action of tort and not one upon contract. Of course, many torts arise out of Contracts and they are pleaded oftentimes as matters of inducement, or as show *226 ing the relation of the parties, and their duties one towards the other, but in such cases the rights of the parties are not to he measured under the contract. It is true that a contract, either express or implied, lies back of and is the foundation for practically all tort actions, but this is a very general statement of the rule, and not to be accepted as the criterion for the purpose of determining whether a certain action is one in tort or upon contract.

The purpose of pleading the contract here must be obvious to show the relation of the parties, their duties with respect to each other, preliminary to the allegation that the defendants by negligent conduct injured the plaintiff. It will be noted that the acts of negligence of defendants complained of were represented to have been simultaneous and concurring, and all to have contributed to plaintiff’s injury.

3.Complaint is made that the court permitted plaintiff to ask a prospective juror on voir dire, if he were chosen, if he would be willing to award plaintiff compensation adequate to cover the damage shown by the evidence. Several authorities are cited in support of defendant’s contention from beyond the state, and, also, Jones v. State, 20 Okla. Cr. 154, 201 Pac. 664. The ground for this objection is that it was hot a proper basis for examination, was prejudicial, calling in advance for the action of a juror on a hypothetical question, and stating a case which does not now exist and never did exist. This objection, we think, borders very closely upon the frivolous. There are no fixed rules as to the extent to which prospective jurors may be examined with reference to their qualifications, but it is regarded as fundamental that such examination is under the direction and control of the trial court, and that the extent to which the examination may be pursued is in a large measure within the sound discretion of such court, and that its action, except in clear case of abuse, will not be disturbed. The case of Jones v. State, supra, relied on by defendant, sets out clearly this rule, Oases supporting the contention of plaintiff here include Rice v. Ragan (Tex. Civ. App.) 129 S. W. 1148, wherein it was said:

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Bluebook (online)
1930 OK 391, 292 P. 335, 145 Okla. 223, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 208, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rhodes-v-lamar-okla-1930.