Saade v. Villarreal

280 S.W.3d 511, 2009 Tex. App. LEXIS 5125, 2009 WL 975912
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 26, 2009
DocketNos. 14-07-00736-CV, 14-07-00926-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 280 S.W.3d 511 (Saade v. Villarreal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Saade v. Villarreal, 280 S.W.3d 511, 2009 Tex. App. LEXIS 5125, 2009 WL 975912 (Tex. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinions

MAJORITY OPINION

ADELE HEDGES, Chief Justice.

We withdraw our opinion of December 23, 2008, issue the following opinion on rehearing, and overrule appellants’ motion for rehearing.

These consolidated interlocutory appeals stem from a medical malpractice lawsuit filed by appellee, Mercedes Villarreal, as next friend of Juan Pablo Elizondo, a minor, against appellants, George Saade, Michael Belfort, Rakesh Mangal, and Charles [515]*515Moniak. In cause number 14-07-00736-CV, all of the appellants challenge the trial court’s order denying their motion to dismiss based on Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 101.106(f), requiring dismissal of a lawsuit against a governmental employee under certain circumstances. In cause number 14-07-00926-CV, appellants Saade, Belfort, and Mangal challenge the trial court’s order denying their motion for summary judgment based on common law official immunity. We affirm both orders.

I. Background

In late 1994, near the end of her pregnancy, Mercedes Villarreal was referred to the High Risk Obstetric Clinic at Ben Taub General Hospital. The Harris County Hospital District owns and operates Ben Taub, and the hospital is staffed largely by faculty and students from Baylor College of Medicine. On April 12, 1995, Villarreal presented at the clinic complaining of no fetal movement. Upon examination, the fetus was found to be in a breech position. After external manipulation failed to remedy the problem and Villarreal declined a trial of labor, delivery by caesarean section became the most promising option. Based on this determination and a diagnosis of gestational diabetes, which can compromise fetal lung maturity, Villarreal was advised to undergo a third-trimester amniocentesis to make sure the baby’s lungs had matured sufficiently. After attending physicians Dr. Michael Belfort and Dr. George Saade approved the procedure, Dr. Amy Plummer, a third-year resident, performed the amniocentesis on April 20, 1995. Plummer then monitored the baby for five to ten minutes using ultrasound equipment but did not use a fetal heart monitor. Because no complications were detected, Villarreal was released and told to return in a week.

Three days later, Villarreal again presented at Ben Taub complaining of a lack of fetal movement. She was placed on a fetal heart monitor, which revealed that the baby’s heart rate was minimally reactive. First-year resident Dr. Charles Moniak evaluated Villarreal and determined that a biophysical profile (“BPP”) was in order. He began the BPP, discovered no evidence of fetal movement, and called upon third-year resident Dr. Daniel Hersh to complete the evaluation. The results apparently showed that the baby had been motionless for the entire examination. According to Hersh, this necessitated an “urgent” caesarean section. He consulted with his supervising resident, Dr. Frank Mussemann, who concurred in the assessment.

During preparations for the operation, Villarreal experienced a contraction, and the fetal heart rate further decreased. Based on this development, Mussemann decided that a “stat” or “emergency” caesarean section was required. Dr. Rakesh Mangal was the attending physician in the obstetric unit at the time of delivery, although it is disputed to what degree he supervised or participated in the delivery. The infant Juan Pablo Elizondo was delivered by caesarean section; tests administered soon thereafter revealed that he had severe anemia due to a massive fetal-maternal hemorrhage, i.e., loss of the child’s blood into the mother’s system. Later, Elizondo was diagnosed with severe global developmental delay and mental retardation.

As next friend of Elizondo, Villarreal filed a series of lawsuits against their health care providers, alleging that the care providers’ conduct caused, exacerbated, or failed to prevent Elizondo’s injuries. In one lawsuit, Villarreal alleged medical malpractice against Drs. Plummer, Hersch, and Mussemann. See Mussem[516]*516ann v. Villarreal, 178 S.W.3d 319 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2005, pet. denied).1 In the present lawsuit, she alleges medical malpractice against Drs. Saade, Belfort, Mangal, and Moniak.

In the court below, appellants filed a motion to dismiss the present lawsuit based on Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 101.106(f), contending that because appellants were acting within the scope of their duties as state employees, the only proper defendant was their employer, Baylor College of Medicine. Certain appellants also filed a motion for summary judgment, asserting common law official immunity. The trial court denied both motions, and the current appeals ensued.

II. Dismissal Under Section 101.106(f)

A. Appellants’ Contentions

Appellants challenge the trial court’s denial of their motion to dismiss based on Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 101.106(f). That section provides:

If a suit is filed against an employee of a governmental unit based on conduct within the general scope of that employee’s employment and if it could have been brought under this chapter against the governmental unit, the suit is considered to be against the employee in the employee’s official capacity only. On the employee’s motion, the suit against the employee shall be dismissed unless the plaintiff files amended pleadings dismissing the employee and naming the governmental unit as defendant on or before the 30th day after the date the motion is filed.

Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem.Code § 101.106(f). As appellants correctly recognize, in order to be entitled to dismissal under this provision, they had to demonstrate that (1) they were employees of a governmental unit at the time of the conduct forming the basis of Villarreal’s lawsuit; (2) said conduct was within the general scope of that employment; and (3) the lawsuit could have been brought against Baylor under the Texas Tort Claims Act (“TTCA”). See id.; Phillips v. Dafonte, 187 S.W.3d 669, 675 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2006, no pet.).

It is uncontested that appellants were all Baylor employees during the relevant time period and that the conduct at issue fell within the scope of that employment. The key issues in dispute are (1) whether Baylor should be considered a governmental unit, and (2) if so, whether Villarreal could have brought suit against Baylor under the TTCA. In its order, the trial court specifically found against appellants on both issues.

We begin by addressing the question of whether Baylor should be considered a governmental unit in this context. Appellants contend that under the TTCA, all entities classified as “state agencies” also constitute “governmental units,” citing Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 101.001(3)(A)-(D).2 They further con[517]*517tend that Baylor is a “supported medical school” under Texas Health and Safety Code § 312.002(6), and that when operating as a supported medical school, Baylor is a state agency and, thus, a governmental unit. Tex. Health & Safety Code § 312.002(6).3 Appellants presented evidence in support of their motion to dismiss showing that Baylor meets the criteria for being a supported medical school; neither Villarreal nor the trial court has suggested otherwise.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
280 S.W.3d 511, 2009 Tex. App. LEXIS 5125, 2009 WL 975912, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/saade-v-villarreal-texapp-2009.