Troxel v. A.I. DuPont Institute

19 Pa. D. & C.4th 423, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 175
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Delaware County
DecidedJune 22, 1993
Docketno. 89-17128
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 19 Pa. D. & C.4th 423 (Troxel v. A.I. DuPont Institute) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Delaware County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Troxel v. A.I. DuPont Institute, 19 Pa. D. & C.4th 423, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 175 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1993).

Opinion

HAZEL, J.,

This opinion is written in response to the appeals of plaintiffs, defendant Kevin Browngoehl, M.D., and defendant Ches-Penn Health [424]*424Services Inc., from the court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of defendant A.I. DuPont Institute.

Summary judgment, which is governed by Pa.R.C.P. 1035, is appropriately granted where:

“[T]he pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

“Further, the deciding court must view all of the evidence in a light most favorable to the non-moving party, Rossi v. Pennsylvania State University, 340 Pa. Super. 39, 48, 489 A.2d 828, 833 (1985), and draw all reasonable inferences in favor of the non-moving party. Helinek v. Helinek, 337 Pa. Super. 497, 502, 487 A.2d 369, 372 (1985). Finally, summary judgment may be rendered only in cases that are free from doubt. Huffman v. Aetna Life and Casualty Co., 337 Pa. Super. 274, 277, 486 A.2d 1330, 1331 (1984).” Stephenson v. Greenberg, 421 Pa. Super. 1, 617 A.2d 364 (1992).

Plaintiffs, the parents of Trevor Robert Troxel, brought this action as administrators of his estate and in their own right. The well-pleaded facts, when viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving parties, are as follows.

Grace Troxel was a long-time friend of one Mary Siple, who is not a party to this action. In December 1986, Siple became pregnant. During the course of the pregnancy, she exhibited symptomology of cytomegalovirus (CMV). On October 30, 1987, Siple gave birth to a daughter, Ashley Smith. In November 1987, Ashley came under the care of Ches-Penn and Browngoehl. On November 30, 1987, Ashley was referred to DuPont for the purpose of treating her club-toeing and microcephaly. On January 21,1988, DuPont [425]*425received test results for Siple, which ultimately led to a provisional diagnosis of intrauterine CMV infection for Ashley. Defendants did not advise Siple to avoid close contact with pregnant women.

Plaintiff Grace Troxel became pregnant in November 1987 and was in frequent contact with Siple throughout the latter’s pregnancy and following the birth of Ashley. Further, Troxel held, bathed, fed and diapered Ashley from the time of her birth. In June 1988, Siple learned from one Dr. Kaplan (not a party herein) of the contagious nature of CMV. Siple advised Troxel that she and Ashley had CMV, and that Troxel, too, might have contracted the virus. Troxel was then tested for CMV and was advised that she had the virus and that the child in útero could be infected.

On August 19, 1988, Troxel gave birth to a son, Trevor, who died three months later as a result of generalized septicemia secondary to CMV.

At all relevant times, the Troxels were citizens and residents of Pennsylvania, as were Siple and Ashley Smith. Ashley, who was treated by Dr. Browngoehl at the Ches-Penn Clinic in Chester, Pa., was referred by him to DuPont and was seen for various problems by a number of their physicians in Delaware.

DuPont is incorporated and has its principal place of business in Delaware. Dr. Borkowski, a neurologist with DuPont who treated Ashley, is a resident of Delaware, is licensed to practice in that state, and at all material times, was not licensed to practice in Pennsylvania. The alleged injury to Grace and Trevor Troxel (i.e. the contraction of CMV) occurred either in Pennsylvania or Maryland.

Following the close of pleadings, and after extensive discovery, DuPont filed its motion for summary judgment. A response thereto was filed by plaintiffs and [426]*426Browngoehl. Ches-Penn did not file a response in opposition to that motion. The court heard argument and subsequently entered an order dismissing DuPont from the case.

On appeal, appellants assert that this court erred in concluding that Delaware law, rather than Pennsylvania law, should apply to the issue of DuPont’s liability, and in concluding that Delaware would not recognize a cause of action under the circumstances as set forth in DiMarco v. Lynch Homes, 525 Pa. 558, 583 A.2d 422 (1990).

CHOICE OF LAW

In the case at bar, DuPont, unlike the other parties, is a citizen of Delaware, and Ashley Smith was treated at DuPont’s facilities in that state. Therefore, it is necessary to determine which law should apply to this case. As was stated in Tyson v. Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc., 812 F. Supp. 63 (E.D. Pa. 1993), “[I]n diversity actions, the choice rules of the forum state govern any conflicts of law issues.”

Both sides cite Griffith v. United Airlines Inc., 416 Pa. 1, 203 A.2d 796 (1964). In Griffith, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected the strict lex loci delicti rule which required that the law of the place where the injury occurred was applied. Rather, the Griffith court held that an interest analysis rule would apply, wherein the law of the state that had the more qualitatively significant contacts, would apply to the substantive issues of the case. Id. at 65.

The Restatement (Second) of Conflicts §379(2), while not adopted explicitly in Griffith, served as a model for the new choice of law rules.

[427]*427“The Restatement suggests that torts should be governed by the local law of the state which has the most significant contacts to the parties and the accident. Vital contacts include the place of the injury, the place of the conduct, the domicile of the parties, and the place where the relationship between the parties is centered.” Griffith v. United, 203 A.2d at 802, citing the Restatement (Second) of Conflicts §379(2).

An analysis of the contacts in the instant case discloses the following. Pennsylvania is the residence of plaintiffs and, at relevant times, of Mary Siple and Ashley Smith. The disease was contracted either in Pennsylvania or Maryland. During 1988, Dr. Borkowski treated other patients referred to him at DuPont from Ches-Penn and/or Dr. Browngoehl. Also during that time period, 1,752 Pennsylvania residents travelled to Delaware to be treated at DuPont. Telephone calls and/or reports were made or sent by DuPont to Siple at her residence and to Browngoehl at his office in Chester. At the time of plaintiff’s injury, DuPont was engaged in discussion with Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia regarding a joint teaching program.

The Delaware contacts are as follows. DuPont is a resident of Delaware, being incorporated and having its principal place of business there. Treatment of Ashley Smith took place in Delaware. Dr. Borkowski is a resident of Delaware; at all material times, he was licensed to practice and practiced in Delaware, not Pennsylvania.

In Cipolla v. Shaposka,

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Bluebook (online)
19 Pa. D. & C.4th 423, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 175, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/troxel-v-ai-dupont-institute-pactcompldelawa-1993.