Urban ex rel. Urban v. King

995 F. Supp. 1251, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2533, 1998 WL 93271
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedFebruary 12, 1998
DocketNo. CIV.A. 95-1438-MLB
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 995 F. Supp. 1251 (Urban ex rel. Urban v. King) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Urban ex rel. Urban v. King, 995 F. Supp. 1251, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2533, 1998 WL 93271 (D. Kan. 1998).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

BELOT, District Judge.

Before the court is Defendant Carolyn Ann Wilson’s motion for summary judgment (Doe. 30). The parties have filed several other documents in support or opposition (Does. 31, 42 & 45). For the reasons stated below, the court denies the motion.

I. NATURE OF THE CASE

This diversity action is a medical malpractice case relating to prenatal care provided by defendants to Rosalind Marie Urban on November 24, 1989. The court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a).

II. STANDARDS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(c) directs the entry of summary judgment in favor of a party who “shows that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). The moving party bears the initial burden of demonstrating the absence of genuine issues of material fact. Martin v. Nannie & the Newborns, Inc., 3 F.3d 1410, 1414 (10th Cir.1993). “A fact is ‘material’ only if it might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law.” MacDonald v. Delta Air Lines, Inc., 94 F.3d 1437, 1440 (10th Cir.1996) (quoting other sources). In appropriate circumstances, the movant may be able to meet this burden by informing the court of the basis for its motion, Martin, 3 F.3d at 1414, but without supporting “its motion with affidavits or other similar materials negating the opponent’s claim,” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2553, 91 L.Ed.2d 265, 274 (1986).

Once the moving party properly supports its motion, the non-moving party “may not rest upon the mere allegation or denials of his pleading, but must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Muck v. United States, 3 F.3d 1378, 1380 (10th Cir.1993). “Entry of summary judgment is mandated, after an adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who ‘fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.’ ” Aldrich Enters., Inc. v. United States, 938 F.2d 1134, 1138 (10th Cir.1991) (quoting Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322, 106 S.Ct. at 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d at 273).

Summary judgment proceedings aim “to isolate and dispose of factually unsupported claims or defenses.” Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323-24, 106 S.Ct. at 2553, 91 L.Ed.2d at 274. The court’s task is to determine “whether there is the need for a trial—whether, in other words, there are any genuine factual issues that properly can be resolved only by a finder of fact because they may reasonably be resolved in favor of either party.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 250, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511, 91 L.Ed.2d 202, 213 (1986). This requires the court to view the evidence in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. See Thrasher v. B & B Chem. Co., 2 F.3d 995, 996 (10th Cir. 1993). Summary judgment is inappropriate if there is sufficient evidence on which a trier of fact could reasonably find for the non-moving party. Prenalta Corp. v. Colorado Interstate Gas Co., 944 F.2d 677, 684 (1991). These same standards must be applied individually to each motion for summary judgment facing the court. Howell v. United States, No. 95-5093, 1996 WL 153890, at *3, 81 F.3d 172 (10th Cir. Apr.3, 1996) (unpublished).

III. SUMMARY OF FACTS

The court recites only those facts that have been admitted, uncontroverted, controverted without factual or legal basis, or controverted but supported by Urban’s evidence. Inferences reasonably supported by these facts shall be drawn in the analysis section. The court has numbered the paragraphs to correspond to the fact paragraphs of the parties. When the court has included no citation to [1253]*1253the record, it has relied upon the citations used by the parties in their briefs.

Procedural History of Prior Litigation

1. On August 22, 1991, Urban and his parents filed an action in this court entitled' Urban, et al. v. King, et al., 783 F.Supp. 560 (D.Kan.1992). The Urbans brought the suit against King, Schukman, Wilson’s employer (Central Kansas Medical Center (“CKMC”)), and several others who provided care to Urban’s mother during the same pregnancy, labor, and delivery at issue in this case. Jurisdiction was predicated solely upon 42 U.S.C. § 1395dd, also known as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (“EMTALA”).

2. According to the Complaint in the earlier litigation (Doc. 32, Ex. A), the Urbans asserted claims against CKMC under two theories. First, they alleged that CKMC violated its statutory duties under 42 U.S.C. § 1395dd. Second, they asserted state law claims of medical and hospital malpractice against CKMC based on the negligent conduct of staff employees, principally Wilson. They asserted no claims directly against Wilson, however. The Urbans’ claims against Jay S. Schukman, M.D., were based on violations of 42 U.S.C. § 1395dd, medical negligence, and vicarious liability for the negligence of others under his control.

3. Schukman filed a Rule 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. Urban v. King, 783 F.Supp. 560, 561 (D.Kan.1992). Judge Van Bebber agreed with Schukman’s contention that EMTALA created liability solely against hospitals and not against staff physicians, granting Sehukman’s motion on that point. Id. at 563. The court then decided to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the Urbans’ remaining claims against Schukman, “because of the nature of the alleged injuries, that plaintiffs would be expected to try all of their claims together. When several causes combine to cause a harm, as they are alleged to have done here, the causes are part of the same controversy, and the court finds that supplemental jurisdiction is properly exercised.” Id.

4. The Urbans did not include their state law medical malpractice claims against CKMC in the final pretrial order (Doe. 32, Ex. B).

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Bluebook (online)
995 F. Supp. 1251, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2533, 1998 WL 93271, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/urban-ex-rel-urban-v-king-ksd-1998.