Yarrow v. United States

309 F. Supp. 922, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12780
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedFebruary 20, 1970
DocketNo. 65 Civ. 2873
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 309 F. Supp. 922 (Yarrow v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Yarrow v. United States, 309 F. Supp. 922, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12780 (S.D.N.Y. 1970).

Opinion

OPINION, FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW.

LEVET, District Judge.

This is an action by plaintiff, Grace Yarrow, against the United States of America for damages allegedly sustained by her on February 25, 1965, when an automobile in which she was a passenger was involved in a collision with a vehicle owned and operated by an agency of defendant at the intersection of Canal and West Streets, Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York.

The defendant conceded liability and negligence with respect to its ownership and operation of its automobile (3).1 The question of damages was tried to the court without a jury.

After hearing the testimony of the parties, examining the exhibits, the pleadings and the Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law submitted by counsel, this court makes the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law:

FINDINGS OF FACT HOSPITALIZATION AND INJURIES

1. On February 25, 1965, while a passenger in a vehicle driven by her father, plaintiff was injured when this vehicle and another vehicle, owned and operated by a federal governmental agency, were involved in a collision at the intersection of Canal and West Streets, Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York (5-6).

2. At the time of impact of the vehicles, plaintiff was thrown about in the front seat, striking her head and face on a hard, solid surface (7-9). Plaintiff, in a dazed condition with certain pains and numbness in her body, was taken by ambulance to the emergency room of the Beekman-Downtown Hospital and examined by several physicians (10, 12, 15, 16). She had pains in her foot, head, face, chest and body (17, 18, 19). The injuries to her eye and nose were sutured in the emergency room by Dr. Suitor; her head, face, neck, legs and feet were X-rayed; and she was taken to a hospital bed (20-23).

3. On the date of the accident, the diagnosis of the Chief Resident at Beekman-Downtown Hospital was:

(a) Le Fort nasal maxillary fracture of zygoma.
(b) Cerebral concussion.
(c) Lacerations of the left eyebrow and nose.
(d) Fracture of the left second metatarsal base.
(e) Abrasions of the legs.

The Resident’s notes also indicated that plaintiff’s upper right incisor had been knocked out (Ex. 2, p. 7).

4. At least three examiners — the Chief Resident and two other medical staff members — checked plaintiff’s condition on the date of the accident, February 25, 1965 (185; Ex. 2, pp. 4-7). One of the medical staff members reported “no definite history of loss of conscious [sic],” “slightly to moderately distress,” “cooperative,” “alert and oriented” (Ex. 2, pp. 4, 5). A second staff member indicated that plaintiff “was dazed but apparently not unconscious” (Ex. 2, p. 6).

Although the Chief Resident noted that plaintiff “was not unconscious,” he diagnosed “cerebral concussion.” Neither of the other two examiners reported a diagnosis of any concussion. The diagnoses of the Chief Resident and the two medical staff members are substantially similar in other respects.2

[924]*924It should be noted that the final hospital diagnosis prepared on March 24, 1965 omitted any reference to concussion and stated specifically that there was “no history of loss of consciousness” (see Finding of Fact 7).

5. The hospital record of X-rays taken February 25, 1965 failed to demonstrate any fracture involving the tables of the cranial vault. The X-ray record also revealed that the sella turcica appeared normal; the pineal gland was calcified; and the facial bones showed fractures of both maxillary bones, a fracture of the left zygomatic arch, and evidence of a diastasis fracture of the left zygomaticofrontal suture (Ex. 2, p. 21; 309-313). The accident was a competent producing cause of the above injuries (319) and could have caused pain (318).3

6. On February 26, 1965, physicians placed a pillow splint on plaintiff’s left foot and leg and treated her cuts (24-25; Ex. 2, p. 26). The following day a nose specialist, Dr. Broones, set the fractures of plaintiff’s nose (26-28; Ex. 2, p. 28). Dr. Anthony E, Bedrick, a specialist in oral and dental surgery, examined her on March 1, 1965 and made a diagnosis that plaintiff had a bilateral fracture of the maxilla or upper jaw running through the sinuses on each side, and a fracture of the left zygomatic arch (a combination of two bones that gives contour to the cheekbone) (289-290). Dr. Bedrick’s treatment consisted of constructing and applying a headcap to reduce and fix the jaw fracture and hold it in place by means of elastic traction (289-290; Ex. 2, p. 11). The cap was tightened on March 2, 1965, at which time there was a “tremendous amount of edema or swelling” (292-293). The cap was again tightened on March 3 and March 4, and was adjusted on March 6 (293-295; Ex. 2, p. 11). The plaintiff was examined but no adjustments were made on March 5, 7 and 8 (295-296). On March 9, Dr. Bedrick removed the headcap and replaced it; there was some movement of the upper jaw (296-298).

By March 10, the edema and ecchymosis had subsided but plaintiff complained of some pain in her left ear (298-299); by March 11, the jaw fracture had been maintained in a good position and the edema had subsided, but plaintiff was still complaining of intermittent ear pains (299). Dr. Bedrick stated that he removed the headcap on March 15 (Ex. 2, p. 16; 300-301). At that time, March 15, plaintiff was fed by liquid and soft diet taken with a spoon (301, 302). On March 16, Dr. Bedrick found no complaints of any pain and said plaintiff had freedom of movement in the lower jaw but not in the upper jaw and there were signs that the fracture had healed (302). On March 19, when he examined plaintiff’s teeth, he found that a portion of a molar tooth on the left side was fractured. The fractures of the maxilla and the zygoma showed satisfactory healing without functional disabilities and there was good occlusion (Ex. 2, pp. 2, 3, 31). The healing of these fractures did, however, result in a minimal flattening of the left cheek, which flattening has no functional effect and is not sufficiently marked to warrant plastic or other surgery (Ex. 2,p. 31; 314,336-337).

7. The final hospital diagnosis, prepared March 24, 1965, reported the following injuries:

“1. Type II Le Fort fracture of the facial bones
“2. Fracture of the nasal bones, com-minuted
“3. Fracture, second metatarsal bone, left
“4. Laceration of the left eyebrow and nose” (Ex. 2, pp. 2, 3).

[925]*925This final diagnostic summary differed from the initial diagnosis of the Chief Resident on February 25, 1965 in that the later diagnosis omitted any reference to concussion. The final report also noted “no history of loss of consciousness” (Ex. 2, pp. 2, 3; 205-206).

8. Plaintiff was discharged from the Beekman-Downtown Hospital on March 22, 1965 and referred to the outpatient clinic (Ex. 2, p. 2; 47). After she left the hospital, Dr. Bedriek saw plaintiff on March 29, 1965 and noted that she complained of pain in her left ear, but had no difficulty in talking. When he saw her April 12, 1965, she made no complaints of pain (304-305).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
309 F. Supp. 922, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12780, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/yarrow-v-united-states-nysd-1970.