Taglieri v. Logansport MacH. Co., Inc.

405 A.2d 524, 266 Pa. Super. 458, 1979 Pa. Super. LEXIS 2272

• Court: Superior Court of Pennsylvania
• Decided: May 31, 1979
• Docket: 1204, 1206 and 1207
• Status: Published

Opinions

PER CURIAM:

This is a wrongful death and survival action filed by plaintiff’s decedent. The complaint alleges a products liability claim against Logansport for defective manufacture of a machine which fell on decedent’s left leg and foot while he was operating it at work. Decedent was treated at McKeesport Hospital by Dr. G. Newton Boice and released the same day. Three weeks later, physicians at Braddock General Hospital amputated decedent’s left great toe. Eleven days later he died at Braddock of a massive pulmonary embolism. A year later plaintiff filed this lawsuit against Logansport in common pleas court and a claim against Dr. Boice and the two hospitals in the Arbitration Panels for Health Care pursuant to the Health Care Services and Malpractice Act, 40 P.S. § 1301.101 et seq. Logansport thereafter joined Dr. Boice and the two hospitals as additional defendants in common pleas, claiming indemnity on the basis of the plaintiff’s claim before the Panel. The court below dismissed the additional defendants’ preliminary objections to joinder. This appeal followed.

As we have recently held, when an original defendant who is neither a patient nor his representative brings a medical malpractice claim against a health care provider as an additional defendant, the court of common pleas maintains jurisdiction over the whole civil action. Staub v. Southwest Butler County School District, 263 Pa.Super. 413, 398 A.2d 204 (1979). The fact that plaintiff simultaneously filed, and now has pending, a malpractice claim before the Panel against the additional defendants does not deprive the court of common pleas of its jurisdiction.

Order affirmed.

HOFFMAN, J., files a concurring opinion.