Estate of Savino v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hosp. Auth.

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF NORTH CAROLINA
No. COA17-1335
Filed: 4 December 2018
Cabarrus County, No. 16 CVS 303
THE ESTATE OF ANTHONY LAWRENCE SAVINO, Plaintiff,
v.
THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, a North Carolina
Hospital Authority, d/b/a CAROLINAS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM and CMC-
NORTHEAST, Defendant.
Appeal by defendant from judgment entered 8 December 2016 and orders
entered 19 January 2017 by Judge Julia Lynn Gullett in Cabarrus County Superior
Court. Heard in the Court of Appeals 5 June 2018.
Zaytoun Law Firm, PLLC, by Matthew D. Ballew, Robert E. Zaytoun, and John
R. Taylor, and Brown, Moore & Associates, PLLC, by R. Kent Brown, Jon R.
Moore, and Paige L. Pahlke, for plaintiff-appellee.
Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, by Matthew Nis Leerberg, Robert R. Marcus,
and Matthew W. Krueger-Andes, and Horack, Talley, Pharr & Lowndes, P.A.,
by Kimberly Sullivan, for defendant-appellant.
ARROWOOD, Judge.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority (“defendant”), d/b/a Carolinas
Healthcare System and CMC-Northeast, appeals from judgment in favor of the
Estate of Anthony Lawrence Savino (“plaintiff”) and orders denying motions for a
judgment notwithstanding the verdict (“JNOV”) or for a new trial. For the following
SAVINO V. THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG HOSP. AUTH.
Opinion of the Court
reasons, we reverse in part, vacate in part, and grant a new trial on non-economic
damages.
I. Background
Anthony Lawrence Savino (“decedent”) died on the evening of 30 April 2012
after receiving medical treatment at CMC-Northeast earlier that afternoon in
response to complaints of chest pain, a headache, dizziness, and numbness and
tingling in his arms and hands.
Specifically, Cabarrus County EMS responded to an emergency call regarding
decedent’s report of chest pain at approximately 1:32 p.m. on 30 April 2012. While
transporting decedent to CMC-Northeast, EMS treated decedent with aspirin and a
nitroglycerin tablet to relieve his chest pain. Decedent arrived at CMC-Northeast at
approximately 2:22 p.m. The admitting nurse at CMC-Northeast was told verbally
by the EMT of EMS’s treatment and the admitting nurse signed an “EMS Snapshot”
that detailed EMS’s treatment. The admitting nurse recorded decedent’s complaints
into his medical chart. Decedent was then examined by an emergency department
physician who reviewed decedent’s medical chart. The admitting nurse did not relay
to the emergency department physician the information provided by the EMT or
included in the “EMS Snapshot.” The emergency room physician documented
decedent’s complaints and ordered diagnostic tests. Results of decedent’s lab work
were not unusual, leading the physician to report a “negative cardiac work-up.”
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Decedent was discharged at approximately 5:31 p.m. with instructions to follow-up
with his primary care physician. Hours later, at approximately 10:58 p.m., decedent’s
widow found him unresponsive and immediately called EMS. Resuscitation efforts
were unsuccessful and decedent was pronounced dead at the scene.
Almost two years after decedent’s death, plaintiff and decedent’s widow filed
an initial “Complaint for Medical Negligence” on 23 April 2014 against defendant,
the attending emergency room physician, and the attending emergency room
physician’s practice (the “2014 Complaint”). Defendant filed an answer with
affirmative defenses and a declaration not to arbitrate on 3 July 2014.
On 6 January 2016, plaintiff filed a motion for leave to amend the 2014
Complaint “to conform to the evidence presented to date” “out of an abundance of
caution[.]” Plaintiff then filed a withdrawal of the motion for leave to amend the
complaint on 15 January 2016, followed by a notice of voluntary dismissal as to all
parties without prejudice to refile against defendant only on 19 January 2016.
Plaintiff and decedent’s widow refiled a “Complaint for Medical Negligence” against
defendant on 1 February 2016 (the “2016 Complaint”); the attending emergency room
physician and the physician’s practice were no longer named as defendants.1
Defendant filed an answer with affirmative defenses and a declaration not to
arbitrate on 5 April 2016.
1 It appears that, at some point prior to the case being tried, decedent’s widow was dismissed
from the action as her name does not appear on the judgment or orders.
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The case was tried before a jury in Cabarrus County Superior Court, the
Honorable Julia Lynn Gullett presiding, between 24 October 2016 and
15 November 2016.
A disagreement between the parties arose during the trial court’s
consideration of pretrial motions when plaintiff asserted that “obviously this is a
medical negligence case” and explained that “there’s basically two contentions of
negligence in this case[.]” Plaintiff then asserted that it was proceeding on both
theories–negligence in the provision of medical care and negligence in the
performance of administrative duties. Defendant disagreed that there were two
theories of negligence in this case, asserting “[t]he complaint only alleges one theory
of negligence.”
The parties continued to argue over this issue throughout the hearing of
pretrial motions and the trial. Defendant consistently maintained that plaintiff did
not plead a claim for administrative negligence. Plaintiff argued its general
negligence allegations pleaded in the 2016 Complaint were sufficient to assert both
theories of negligence and that defendant was on notice of the administrative
negligence claim from plaintiff’s designation of experts. The trial court allowed
plaintiff to proceed on both negligence theories.
At the close of plaintiff’s evidence, defendant moved for a directed verdict.
Among the grounds argued, defendant claimed plaintiff did not plead an
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administrative negligence claim and that, to the extent the paragraphs added to the
2016 Complaint alleged administrative negligence, those portions were barred by the
statute of limitations. The trial court denied defendant’s motion for a directed verdict
without hearing argument from the plaintiff. Defendant later filed a renewed motion
for a directed verdict at the close of all the evidence on 10 November 2016. In the
motion, defendant asserted there was insufficient evidence and that any claim for
administrative negligence should be dismissed because it is barred by the statute of
limitations. The trial court again denied defendant’s motion.
On 15 November 2016, the jury returned verdicts finding decedent’s death was
caused by defendant’s negligent provision of medical care and defendant’s negligent
performance of administrative duties. The jury found that plaintiff was entitled to
$680,000.00 in economic damages and $5,500,000.00 in non-economic damages. The
jury also found that defendant’s provision of medical care and defendant’s
performance of administrative duties were both in reckless disregard to the rights
and safety of others.
On 8 December 2016, the trial court entered judgment on the jury verdicts
awarding plaintiff $6,130,000.00 in total damages, plus pre- and post-judgment
interest as allowed by law. On 12 December 2016, the trial court entered an
additional order for costs awarding plaintiff $417,847.15 in pre-judgment interest and
$15,571.35 in costs.
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Following the entry of judgment, on 16 December 2016, defendant filed a
motion for a “JNOV” or for a new trial pursuant to Rule 50(b)(1) and Rule 59 of the
North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure. Defendant moved the court to
set aside the Verdict of the Jury and the Judgment entered
thereon and to enter Judgment in accordance with the
Defendant’s Motion for Directed Verdict submitted and
argued by the Defendant at the close of the evidence offered
by the Plaintiff and renewed at the close of all the evidence,
or in the alternative, for a new trial on all issues, or in the
alternative, for remittitur.
The motions were heard before Judge Gullett in Cabarrus County Superior Court on
19 January 2017 and the trial court entered separate orders denying defendant’s
motions for a JNOV and a new trial that same day.
On 7 February 2017, defendant filed notice of appeal to this Court from the
8 December 2016 judgment and the 19 January 2017 orders.
II. Discussion
Defendant’s primary arguments on appeal concern the trial court’s denial of
its motion for a JNOV on the administrative negligence and medical negligence
claims. Alternatively, defendant argues the trial court erred in allowing the jury to
award damages for pain and suffering and in granting plaintiff’s motion for a directed
verdict on defendant’s contributory negligence defense.
1. JNOV
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Defendant contends the trial court erred in denying its motion for a JNOV
because (1) plaintiff failed to plead a claim for administrative negligence, (2) any
claim pleaded in the 2016 Complaint for administrative negligence was barred by the
applicable statute of limitations, and (3) plaintiff did not present sufficient evidence
of either administrative negligence or medical negligence.
Generally, a motion for a directed verdict or for a JNOV raises the issue of the
legal sufficiency of the evidence. Thus, our appellate courts have explained that, “[o]n
appeal the standard of review for a JNOV is the same as that for a directed verdict,
that is whether the evidence was sufficient to go to the jury.” Tomika Invs., Inc. v.
Macedonia True Vine Pentecostal Holiness Church of God, Inc., 136 N.C. App. 493,
498-99, 524 S.E.2d 591, 595 (2000).
In determining the sufficiency of the evidence to withstand
a motion for a directed verdict, all of the evidence which
supports the non-movant’s claim must be taken as true and
considered in the light most favorable to the non-movant,
giving the non-movant the benefit of every reasonable
inference which may legitimately be drawn therefrom and
resolving contradictions, conflicts, and inconsistencies in
the non-movant’s favor.
Turner v. Duke Univ., 325 N.C. 152, 158, 381 S.E.2d 706, 710 (1989). Because of this
high standard, “[our Supreme Court] has . . . held that a motion for judgment
notwithstanding the verdict is cautiously and sparingly granted.” Bryant v.
Nationwide Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 313 N.C. 362, 369, 329 S.E.2d 333, 338 (1985).
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“[Q]uestions concerning the sufficiency of the evidence to withstand a Rule 50
motion for directed verdict or judgment notwithstanding the verdict present an issue
of law[.] On appeal, this Court thus reviews an order ruling on a motion for directed
verdict or judgment notwithstanding the verdict de novo.” Austin v. Bald II, L.L.C.,
189 N.C. App. 338, 341-42, 658 S.E.2d 1, 4 (internal quotation marks and citation
omitted), disc. review denied, 362 N.C. 469, 665 S.E.2d 737 (2008). “Therefore, we
consider the matter anew and . . . freely substitute our judgment for that of the trial
court regardless of whether the trial court made findings of fact and conclusions of
law.” Hodgson Const., Inc. v. Howard, 187 N.C. App. 408, 412, 654 S.E.2d 7, 11 (2007)
(internal quotation marks and citation omitted), disc. review denied, 362 N.C. 509,
668 S.E.2d 28 (2008).
A directed verdict or a JNOV is also appropriate if an affirmative defense is
established as a matter of law and there are no issues to be decided by the jury. See
Munie v. Tangle Oaks Corp., 109 N.C. App. 336, 341, 427 S.E.2d 149, 152 (1993)
(addressing a statute of limitations argument in a breach of contract case). We review
those questions of law which establish bases for a directed verdict or a JNOV de novo.
A. Administrative Negligence
Defendant’s first argument on appeal is that the trial court erred in denying
its motion for a JNOV on the administrative negligence claim because the claim was
not pleaded in plaintiff’s complaint. Consequently, defendant contends the trial court
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should not have allowed plaintiff to proceed on the administrative negligence claim
at trial. Plaintiff contends “corporate negligence” was pleaded all along.
Rule 8 of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure outlines the general rules
of pleadings. It provides as follows:
A pleading which sets forth a claim for relief . . . shall
contain
(1) A short and plain statement of the claim sufficiently
particular to give the court and the parties notice of
the transactions, occurrences, or series of
transactions or occurrences, intended to be proved
showing that the pleader is entitled to relief, and
(2) A demand for judgment for the relief to which he
deems himself entitled. . . .
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 8(a) (2017). Rule 8 further provides that “[n]o technical
forms of pleading . . . are required” and that “[e]ach averment of a pleading shall be
simple, concise, and direct.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 8(e)(1). Lastly, “[a]ll
pleadings shall be so construed as to do substantial justice.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1,
Rule 8(f).
This Court has described the general standard for civil pleadings under Rule 8
as “notice pleading.” That is, “[p]leadings should be construed liberally and are
sufficient if they give notice of the events and transactions and allow the adverse
party to understand the nature of the claim and to prepare for trial.” Haynie v. Cobb,
207 N.C. App. 143, 148-49, 698 S.E.2d 194, 198 (2010) (internal quotation marks and
citation omitted). “As we have consistently held, the policy behind notice pleading is
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to resolve controversies on the merits, after an opportunity for discovery, instead of
resolving them based on the technicalities of pleading.” Ellison v. Ramos, 130 N.C.
App. 389, 395, 502 S.E.2d 891, 895, disc. review denied, 349 N.C. 356, 517 S.E.2d 891(1998). “While the concept of notice pleading is liberal in nature, a complaint must
nonetheless state enough to give the substantive elements of a legally recognized
claim . . . .” Highland Paving Co., LLC v. First Bank, 227 N.C. App. 36, 44, 742 S.E.2d
287, 293 (2013) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
The question raised by defendant’s first argument on appeal is whether
plaintiff sufficiently pleaded a medical malpractice claim for administrative
negligence to put defendant on notice of the claim. We hold plaintiff did not
sufficiently plead administrative negligence.
As detailed above, two complaints were filed in this case. For purposes of
addressing the sufficiency of the pleadings, it is plaintiff’s 2016 Complaint that is
relevant to our analysis. The parties, however, also refer to both the 2014 Complaint
and plaintiff’s motion to amend the 2014 Complaint in support of their respective
arguments regarding whether the 2016 Complaint sufficiently pleaded
administrative negligence. Specifically, defendant contends that all of the allegations
of negligence pleaded in the 2016 Complaint and the 2014 Complaint focused
exclusively on the clinical care provided by defendant to decedent. Consequently,
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defendant contends plaintiff asserted a medical negligence claim but not an
administrative negligence claim.
Instead of responding to defendant’s distinction between medical negligence
claims and administrative negligence claims, plaintiff spends the majority of its
response asserting that both the 2016 Complaint and 2014 Complaint sufficiently
allege “corporate negligence.” Citing Estate of Ray v. Forgy, 227 N.C. App. 24, 744
S.E.2d 468, disc. review denied, 367 N.C. 271, 752 S.E.2d 475 (2013), plaintiff
acknowledges that “ ‘[t]here are fundamentally two kinds of [corporate negligence]
claims: (1) those relating to negligence in clinical care provided by the hospital
directly to the patient, and (2) those relating to negligence in the administration or
management of the hospital.’ ” 227 N.C. App. at 29, 744 S.E.2d at 471 (quoting Estate
of Waters v. Jarman, 144 N.C. App. 98, 101, 547 S.E.2d 142, 144, disc. review denied,
354 N.C. 68, 553 S.E.2d 213 (2001)). Nevertheless, plaintiff’s argument does not focus
on whether it has pleaded a claim for administrative negligence. Plaintiff instead
argues that, “under North Carolina law, to state a valid claim for corporate
negligence, a plaintiff need only allege the hospital breached the applicable standard
of care based on any one of the many clinical or administrative duties owed by the
hospital.” (Emphasis in plaintiff’s argument). During oral argument before this
Court, plaintiff consistently repeated its argument that it sufficiently pleaded
“corporate negligence.”
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It is not clear from plaintiff’s argument on appeal whether plaintiff fully
comprehends defendant’s argument or the distinction between types of medical
malpractice actions in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11.
Prior to 2011, “medical malpractice action” was defined in our General Statutes
as a “civil action for damages for personal injury or death arising out of the furnishing
or failure to furnish professional services in the performance of medical, dental or
other health care by a health care provider.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11 (2009). The
term “health care provider” was defined to include a hospital. Id. Applying these
definitions, this Court recognized that a hospital could be held liable for medical
malpractice where claims of corporate negligence arose out of clinical care provided
by the hospital to a patient. Estate of Waters, 144 N.C. App. at 101, 547 S.E.2d at
144-45.
In 2011, the General Assembly expanded the definition of “medical malpractice
action” in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11 to include civil actions against a hospital for
damages for personal injury or death arising out of the hospital’s breach of
administrative or corporate duties to patients. See 2011 N.C. Sess. Laws ch. 400, § 5
(retaining the previous definition outlining medical negligence claims as subdivision
(a) and adding subdivision (b) to incorporate administrative negligence claims). In
full, the definition of “medical malpractice action” in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11 now
includes either of the following:
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a. A civil action for damages for personal injury or death
arising out of the furnishing or failure to furnish
professional services in the performance of medical,
dental, or other health care by a health care provider.
b. A civil action against a hospital, a nursing home
licensed under Chapter 131E of the General Statutes,
or an adult care home licensed under Chapter 131D of
the General Statutes for damages for personal injury or
death, when the civil action (i) alleges a breach of
administrative or corporate duties to the patient,
including, but not limited to, allegations of negligent
credentialing or negligent monitoring and supervision
and (ii) arises from the same facts or circumstances as
a claim under sub-subdivision a. of this subdivision.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11(2) (2017). The term “health care provider” continues to
include a hospital following the amendments. See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11(1)(b).
This appears to be the first case deciding the pleading requirements for
administrative negligence as a malpractice action following the 2011 amendments to
the statute. However, we do not perceive that the legislature intended to create a new
cause of action by the 2011 amendment, but rather intended to re-classify
administrative negligence claims against a hospital as a medical malpractice action
so that they must meet the pleading requirements of a medical malpractice action
rather than under a general negligence theory.
Upon review of the amended N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11, we now reiterate what
plaintiff has acknowledged this Court explained in Estate of Ray, “[t]here are
fundamentally two kinds of [corporate negligence] claims: (1) those relating to
negligence in clinical care provided by the hospital directly to the patient, and (2)
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those relating to negligence in the administration or management of the hospital.”
227 N.C. App. at 29, 744 S.E.2d at 471 (internal quotation marks and citations
omitted). Following the 2011 amendments to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11, both types
of corporate negligence claims are considered medical malpractice actions.
In this case, defendant’s argument is not that plaintiff failed to allege corporate
negligence, as plaintiff frames the issue in its response. Defendant contends only
that plaintiff failed to allege breaches of administrative duties necessary to plead an
administrative negligence claim under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11(2)(b).
This Court has explained that
[a] plaintiff in a medical malpractice action may proceed
against a hospital . . . under two separate and distinct
theories-respondeat superior (charging it with vicarious
liability for the negligence of its employees, servants or
agents), or corporate negligence (charging the hospital with
liability for its employees’ violations of duties owed directly
from the hospital to the patient).”
Clark v. Perry, 114 N.C. App. 297, 311-12, 442 S.E.2d 57, 65 (1994) (internal citations
omitted) (emphasis in original). In the 2016 Complaint, plaintiff makes clear in
paragraph 3 that
[a]ll allegations contained herein against said corporation
also refer to and include the principals, agents, employees
and/or servants of said corporation, either directly or
vicariously, under the principles of corporate liability,
apparent authority, agency, ostensible agency and/or
respondeat superior and that all acts, practices and
omissions of [d]efendant’s employees are imputed to their
employer, [defendant].
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Plaintiff then summarizes the “medical events occasioning [the] Complaint” in
paragraph 6 and specifically identifies the following alleged negligent acts of
defendant in paragraph 7:
Defendant, including by and through its agents, servants
and assigns, including its nursing staff, was negligent in
its care of [decedent] in that it, among other things:
a. Failed to timely and adequately assess, diagnose,
monitor and treat the conditions of [decedent] so as
to render appropriate medical diagnosis and
treatment of his symptoms;
b. Failed to properly advise [decedent] of additional
medical and pharmaceutical courses that were
appropriate and should have been considered,
utilized, and employed to treat [decedent’s] medical
condition prior to discharge;
c. Failed to timely obtain, utilize and employ proper,
complete and thorough diagnostic procedures in the
delivery of appropriate medical care to [decedent];
d. Failed to exercise due care, caution and
circumspection in the diagnosis of the problems
presented by [decedent];
e. Failed to exercise due care, caution and
circumspection in the delivery of medical and
nursing care to [decedent];
f. Failed to adequately evaluate [decedent’s]
response/lack of response to treatment and report
findings;
g. Failed to follow accepted standards of medical care
in the delivery of care to [decedent];
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h. Failed to use their best judgment in the care and
treatment of [decedent];
i. Failed to exercise reasonable care and diligence in
the application of his/her/their knowledge and skill
to [decedent’s] care;
j. Failed to recognize, appreciate and/or react to the
medical status of [decedent] and to initiate timely
and appropriate intervention, including but not
limited to medical testing, physical examination
and/or appropriate medical consultation;
k. Failed to use their best judgment in the care and
treatment of [decedent];
l. Failed to provide health care in accordance with the
standards of practice among members of the same
health care professions with similar training and
experience situated in the same or similar
communities at the time the health care was
rendered to [decedent.]
These allegation of negligent acts mirror the allegations in the 2014 Complaint.
It is evident from a review of these allegations that the allegations identify
failures in the clinical care, either diagnosis or treatment, provided to decedent by
defendant by and thru its employees. The allegations do not implicate defendant’s
administrative duties.
In addition to arguing that the above allegations put defendant on notice of
“corporate negligence” claims, plaintiff contends the 2016 Complaint “went further”
than the 2014 Complaint “by alleging [d]efendant had Chest Pain Center protocols
reflecting the standard of care that were not followed[.]” The three factual allegations
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included in paragraph 6 of the 2016 Complaint that were absent from the
corresponding section of the 2014 Complaint are as follows:
l. Prior to the above events, [defendant] had submitted an
application to the Society of Chest Pain Centers (a/k/a
the Society for Cardiovascular Patient Care) for CMC-
Northeast to gain for [sic] accreditation as a Chest Pain
Center and was approved for such accreditation at the
time of the events complained of.
m. As part of the Society of Chest Pain Centers
accreditation process [defendant] had submitted an
application to the Society of Chest Pain Centers that it
employed certain protocols, clinical practice guidelines
and procedures in the care of patients presenting with
chest pain complaints.
n. The protocols, clinical practice guidelines and
procedures contained in the CMC-North[e]ast
accreditation application replicated the existing
standards of practice for medical providers and
hospitals in the same care profession with similar
training and experience situated in the same or similar
communities with similar resources at the time of the
alleged events giving rise to this cause of action.
Although the development, implementation, and review of protocols, practice
guidelines, and procedures for purposes of accreditation implicate defendant’s
administrative duties, plaintiff did not include any allegations of negligence
associated with those duties in the 2016 Complaint. As stated above, the negligent
acts alleged in the 2016 Complaint are the same as those included in the 2014
Complaint, which did not include the factual allegations regarding defendant’s
administrative duties related to accreditation as a Chest Pain Center.
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Plaintiff asserts that the negligence allegation in paragraph 7(l) of the 2016
Complaint, when read in conjunction with the factual allegations about the Chest
Pain Center application and accreditation, is sufficient to put defendant on notice of
any corporate negligence claims. Again, we disagree. Something more specific is
necessary to put defendant on notice of an administrative negligence claim.
Paragraph 7(l) is a general allegation that defendant failed to provide health
care in accordance with the standards of practice. The failure to follow protocols in
this instance goes to the clinical care provided to decedent. The standards of health
care for medical negligence and administrative negligence claims are set forth in N.C.
Gen. Stat. § 90-21.12(a). Although the standards outlined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-
21.12(a) for medical negligence claims under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11(2)(a) (“the
care of such health care provider was not in accordance with the standards of practice
among members of the same health care profession with similar training and
experience situated in the same or similar communities under the same or similar
circumstances at the time of the alleged act giving rise to the cause of action”) and
administrative negligence claims under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11(2)(b) (“the action
or inaction of such health care provider was not in accordance with the standards of
practice among similar health care providers situated in the same or similar
communities under the same or similar circumstances at the time of the alleged act
giving rise to the cause of action”) are similar, there are differences. (Emphasis on
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differences added). Paragraph 7(l) refers to care provided by defendant falling below
“the standards of practice among members of the same health care professions with
similar training and experience[,]” in keeping with the standard of health care for
medical negligence provided in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.12(a).
We further note that this is not a case where it appears plaintiff did not
understand how to plead an administrative negligence claim. It is clear from
plaintiff’s motion for leave to amend the 2014 Complaint and the attached proposed
amended complaint filed on 6 January 2016 that plaintiff knew how to plead an
administrative negligence claim. In those filings, plaintiff sought to add the following
allegations to the negligent acts already listed in the 2014 Complaint:
m. Failed to provide and/or require adequate training,
instruction, monitoring, compliance, coordination
among providers, and supervision of its employees and
contracted medical staff members concerning
utilization, implementation, and compliance with its
written protocols, standing orders, guidelines,
procedures, and/or policies.
n. Failed to enforce and/or follow its written protocols,
standing orders, guidelines, procedures and/or policies.
o. Failed to establish, design, and implement clear,
explicit and effective protocols, standing orders,
guidelines, procedures and/or policies relating to
communication among employees, contracted medical
staff members, and EMS personnel.
p. Failed to properly train, supervise, restrict, and monitor
emergency department personnel with known
impairments critical to job performance and patient
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care.
q. Failed to establish, design, and implement clear,
explicit, and effective written protocols, standing
orders, guidelines, procedures and/or policies to ensure
immediate collection, transfer to treating medical
providers, availability, and retention of verbal and
written information provided by EMS personnel.
r. Misled the consuming public and EMS personnel thus
causing injury to . . . decedent by holding itself out to be
a chest pain center and failing to follow its stated ACS
protocol for patients in the emergency department.
These proposed amendments to plaintiff’s 2014 Complaint clearly allege
administrative negligence by defendant and are the type of allegations necessary to
plead an administrative negligence claim. However, plaintiff withdrew the motion
for leave to amend the 2014 Complaint, took a voluntary dismissal on the 2014
Complaint, and did not plead any of these allegations of administrative negligence in
the 2016 Complaint.
Plaintiff also asserts that, apart from the 2016 Complaint, discovery requests
served after the 2014 Complaint and a supplemental designation of experts put
defendant on notice of the administrative negligence claim. While those documents
do indicate there may be evidence pertinent to administrative negligence, they do not
take the place of a pleading. The discovery requests and the supplemental
designation of experts were filed prior to the 2016 Complaint. Thus, if plaintiff was
aware of evidence of administrative negligence and wanted to proceed on that theory,
it could have included specific allegations in the 2016 Complaint. On appeal, our
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Opinion of the Court
Courts have refused to allow plaintiffs to assert negligence claims not pleaded in the
complaint, holding that “pleadings have a binding effect as to the underlying theory
of plaintiff’s negligence claim.” Anderson v. Assimos, 356 N.C. 415, 417, 572 S.E.2d
101, 102 (2002); see also Sturgill v. Ashe Mem’l Hosp., Inc., 186 N.C. App. 624, 630,
652 S.E.2d 302, 306-307 (2007), disc. review denied, 362 N.C. 180, 658 S.E.2d 662(2008). The same holds true at the trial court level under Rule 8.
While labels of legal theories do not control, see Haynie, 207 N.C. App. at 149,
698 S.E.2d at 198, the 2016 Complaint, labeled “Complaint for Medical Negligence,”
included only allegations of medical negligence. Those negligence allegations were
not sufficient to put defendant on notice of a claim of administrative negligence.
Thus, we hold the trial court erred in allowing plaintiff to proceed on an
administrative negligence theory in the medical malpractice action.
B. Statute of Limitations
Defendant also argues that the trial court erred in denying its motion for JNOV
on the administrative negligence claim because it was barred by the statute of
limitations. Assuming arguendo plaintiff sufficiently pleaded an administrative
negligence claim in the 2016 Complaint, we agree the claim was time barred.
Generally, there is a three-year statute of limitations period for any medical
malpractice action. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-15(c) (2017). Defendant, however, argues the
applicable statute of limitations in this case is the two-year limitations period for
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Opinion of the Court
bringing a wrongful death claim based on negligence. See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-53(4)
(2017). This Court has held that a wrongful death action based on medical
malpractice must be brought within two years of a decedent’s death. See King v. Cape
Fear Mem’l Hosp., Inc., 96 N.C. App. 338, 341, 385 S.E.2d 812, 814 (1989) (holding
discovery exception for latent injuries contained in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-15(c) did not
apply to a wrongful death action based upon medical malpractice), disc. review
denied, 326 N.C. 265, 389 S.E.2d 114 (1990). Regardless of whether defendant
pleaded a wrongful death claim in addition to a medical malpractice claim in this
case, see Udzinski v. Lovin, 159 N.C. App. 272, 275, 583 S.E.2d 648, 650-51 (2003)
(explaining that although not perfectly worded, the plaintiff had sufficiently alleged
a wrongful death claim in addition to and based on the underlying medical
malpractice claim), both limitations periods expired prior to plaintiff’s filing of the
2016 Complaint on 1 February 2016, almost four years after decedent’s death on
30 April 2012. That, however, does not end our inquiry.
Rule 41(a) of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure provides that “[i]f an
action commenced within the time prescribed therefor, or any claim therein, is
dismissed without prejudice . . . a new action based on the same claim may be
commenced within one year after such dismissal . . . .” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule
41(a)(1) (2017). This Court has explained that “the relation-back provision in Rule
41(a)(1) only applies to those claims in the second complaint that were included in
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Opinion of the Court
the voluntarily-dismissed first complaint.” Williams v. Lynch, 225 N.C. App. 522,
526, 741 S.E.2d 373, 376 (2013).
Plaintiff filed the 2014 Complaint on 23 April 2014, less than two years after
decedent’s death and within any applicable statute of limitations. Plaintiff then took
a voluntary dismissal of the 2014 Complaint on 19 January 2016, just weeks before
filing the 2016 Complaint. The timing of plaintiff’s filing of the 2014 Complaint and
plaintiff’s subsequent voluntary dismissal and filing of the 2016 Complaint allows for
the possibility that an administrative negligence claim in the 2016 Complaint is
timely if it relates back to the 2014 Complaint.
However, assuming arguendo the 2016 Complaint pleads an administrative
negligence claim, that claim does not relate back to the 2014 Complaint. As detailed
above, this Court made clear in Estate of Ray that medical negligence and
administrative negligence are distinct claims. 227 N.C. App. at 29, 744 S.E.2d at 471
(“[t]here are fundamentally two kinds of [corporate negligence] claims: (1) those
relating to negligence in clinical care provided by the hospital directly to the patient,
and (2) those relating to negligence in the administration or management of the
hospital.”). All of the factual and negligence allegations pleaded in the 2014
Complaint relate to the medical care provided by defendant to decedent. There are
no allegations of breaches of defendant’s administrative duties.
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Opinion of the Court
Apart from the 2014 Complaint, plaintiff’s own statements show that it could
not have pleaded administrative negligence in the 2014 Complaint. As noted above,
plaintiff’s motion for leave to amend the complaint and the attached proposed
amended complaint filed on 6 January 2016 include the necessary allegations to
plead a claim of administrative negligence. In the motion, plaintiff admits that it
had no way of knowing about the manner in which [CMC-
Northeast’s] emergency department operated, [CMC-
Northeast’s] failure to provide and/or require adequate
training, instruction, monitoring, compliance, coordination
among providers, and supervision of its employees and
contracted medical staff members concerning utilization,
implementation, and compliance with its written protocols,
standing orders, guidelines, procedures, and/or policies,
and the issues concerning [the nurse who received
defendant at the hospital].
Plaintiff further states in the motion that it sought to continue the case in
November 2015 “to explore ‘. . . new areas of negligence not previously known to
[p]laintiff . . .’ and to perhaps seek ‘amendment to [p]laintiff’s [c]omplaint.’ ”
These statements by plaintiff in the motion for leave to amend the 2014
Complaint are noteworthy because they indicate plaintiff did not have enough
information to plead an administrative negligence claim at the time plaintiff filed the
2014 Complaint. Since plaintiff did not plead an administrative negligence claim in
the 2014 Complaint, any administrative negligence claim in the 2016 Complaint did
not relate back to the 2014 Complaint and, therefore, is time barred.
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Opinion of the Court
Plaintiff argues this case is similar to Haynie, in which this Court rejected the
defendant’s argument that a negligent entrustment claim, which was pleaded in a
second complaint filed after a voluntary dismissal of the original complaint, should
be dismissed because it was not based on the claims in the original complaint. 207
N.C. App. at 149, 698 S.E.2d at 199. Plaintiff contends that defendant has asked this
Court to do what it refused to do in Haynie–to ignore the original complaint and to
instead focus on proposed amendments to the complaint. Id. at 150, 698 S.E.2d at
199. The present case is distinguishable. In Haynie, this Court held “[the] plaintiff
did allege the necessary elements to put [the] defendant . . . on notice of the claim of
negligent entrustment, even if plaintiff mislabeled or failed to label the claim.” Id. at
149-50, 698 S.E.2d at 199. A review of plaintiff’s motion to amend and the attached
proposed amended complaint in this case only highlights what is evident from a
review of the 2014 Complaint—there are no allegations of breaches of defendant’s
administrative duties in the 2014 Complaint to put defendant on notice of an
administrative negligence claim.
C. Sufficiency of the Evidence
Defendant next argues that even if an administrative negligence claim was
properly pleaded and timely, the trial court erred in denying its motion for a JNOV
on both the administrative negligence claim and the medical negligence claim
because plaintiff failed to present sufficient evidence to submit the claims to the jury.
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Opinion of the Court
Having determined the administrative negligence claim was not properly pleaded, we
only address defendant’s argument as it relates to medical negligence.
As stated above, “[a] civil action for damages for personal injury or death
arising out of the furnishing or failure to furnish professional services in the
performance of medical . . . care by a health care provider” is defined as a medical
malpractice action in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.11(2)(a). “In [such] a medical
malpractice action, a plaintiff has the burden of showing ‘(1) the applicable standard
of care; (2) a breach of such standard of care by the defendant; (3) the injuries suffered
by the plaintiff were proximately caused by such breach; and (4) the damages
resulting to the plaintiff.’ ” Purvis v. Moses H. Cone Mem’l Hosp. Serv. Corp., 175
N.C. App. 474, 477, 624 S.E.2d 380, 383 (2006) (quoting Weatherford v. Glassman,
129 N.C. App. 618, 621, 500 S.E.2d 466, 468 (1998)). Here, defendant only challenges
the sufficiency of the evidence to establish the standard of care for medical negligence.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.12 sets forth the appropriate standards of care in
medical malpractice actions. Pertinent to claims of medical negligence, the statute
provides:
in any medical malpractice action as defined in [N.C. Gen.
Stat. §] 90-21.11(2)(a), the defendant health care provider
shall not be liable for the payment of damages unless the
trier of fact finds by the greater weight of the evidence that
the care of such health care provider was not in accordance
with the standards of practice among members of the same
health care profession with similar training and experience
situated in the same or similar communities under the same
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Opinion of the Court
or similar circumstances at the time of the alleged act giving
rise to the cause of action[.]
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.12(a) (emphasis added). “Because questions regarding the
standard of care for health care professionals ordinarily require highly specialized
knowledge, the plaintiff must establish the relevant standard of care through expert
testimony.” Smith v. Whitmer, 159 N.C. App. 192, 195, 582 S.E.2d 669, 671-72 (2003).
In this case, plaintiff presented Dr. Dan Michael Mayer as an expert to testify
regarding the standard of care for medical negligence. Defendant contends that “Dr.
Mayer’s demonstrated lack of familiarity with the community standard of care
rendered him unqualified to testify regarding the standard of care for the medical
negligence claim.” We disagree with defendant’s characterization of Dr. Mayer’s
familiarity with the community standard of care.
This Court has applied a highly deferential standard of review to evidentiary
rulings on expert testimony, explaining that
[t]rial courts are afforded a wide latitude of discretion when
making a determination about the admissibility of expert
testimony. The trial court’s ruling on the qualifications of
an expert or the admissibility of an expert’s opinion will not
be reversed on appeal absent a showing of abuse of
discretion. A trial court’s evidentiary ruling is not an abuse
of discretion unless it was so arbitrary that it could not
have been the result of a reasoned decision.
Kearney v. Bolling, 242 N.C. App. 67, 76, 774 S.E.2d 841, 848 (2015) (internal
quotation marks and citations omitted), disc. review denied, __ N.C. __, 783 S.E.2d
497 (2016).
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Opinion of the Court
This Court has explained that
[a]n expert witness “testifying as to the standard of care” is
not required “to have actually practiced in the same
community as the defendant,” but “the witness must
demonstrate that he is familiar with the standard of care
in the community where the injury occurred, or the
standard of care in similar communities.”
Id. (quoting Smith, 159 N.C. App. at 196, 582 S.E.2d at 672). “ ‘[O]ur law does not
prescribe any particular method by which a medical doctor must become familiar with
a given community. Book or Internet research may be a perfectly acceptable method
of educating oneself regarding the standard of medical care applicable in a particular
community.’ ” Robinson v. Duke Univ. Health Sys., Inc., 229 N.C. App. 215, 236, 747
S.E.2d 321, 336 (2013) (quoting Grantham v. Crawford, 204 N.C. App. 115, 119, 693
S.E.2d 245, 248-49 (2010)), disc. review denied, 367 N.C. 328, 755 S.E.2d 618 (2014).
The “critical inquiry” in determining whether a medical
expert’s testimony is admissible under the requirements of
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-21.12 is “whether the doctor’s
testimony, taken as a whole” establishes that he “is
familiar with a community that is similar to a defendant's
community in regard to physician skill and training,
facilities, equipment, funding, and also the physical and
financial environment of a particular medical community.”
Kearney, 242 N.C. App. at 76, 774 S.E.2d at 848 (quoting Pitts v. Nash Day Hosp.,
Inc., 167 N.C. App. 194, 197, 605 S.E.2d 154, 156 (2004), aff’d per curiam, 359 N.C.
626, 614 S.E.2d 267 (2005)). “According to our Supreme Court, ‘[a]ssuming expert
testimony is properly qualified and placed before the trier of fact, [N.C. Gen. Stat. §]
90-21.12 reserves a role for the jury in determining whether an expert is sufficiently
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Opinion of the Court
familiar with the prevailing standard of medical care in the community.’ ” Grantham,
204 N.C. App. at 119, 693 S.E.2d at 248 (quoting Crocker v. Roethling, 363 N.C. 140,
150, 675 S.E.2d 625, 633 (2009) (Martin, J., concurring) (citing N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-
21.12 (2007))).
As stated above, plaintiff presented Dr. Mayer to testify as an expert about the
community standard of care for purposes of medical negligence. Dr. Mayer was
accepted by the trial court as an expert in emergency medicine in a hospital setting,
emergency nursing services, and chest pain protocols. While giving his background
in emergency medicine, Dr. Mayer testified that he most recently practiced
emergency medicine at Albany Medical Center and taught at Albany Medical College,
an accredited medical school, until he retired in 2014. Dr. Mayer further explained
that he continues to be involved in the field of emergency medicine by regularly
teaching in the emergency medicine residency program at Albany Medical College
and by teaching medical students at Albany Medical College.
Regarding the standard of care, Dr. Mayer testified that he was familiar with
the standard of care at CMC-Northeast. Dr. Mayer explained that he “found . . .
[CMC-Northeast] was in many ways very similar to Albany Medical Center” because
they have “pretty much the same types of specialists for general specialty medical
problems[.]” Dr. Mayer opined that the community standard of care in Albany was
the same or very similar to the community standard of care expected in Concord and
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Opinion of the Court
explained “[t]here would only be a small minority of patients, none of whom would fit
the characteristics of [decedent], that would be treated differently at [CMC-
Northeast] than would be treated at Albany Medical Center.” Dr. Mayer added that
he was familiar with the standard of care that applies to nurses in the emergency
department at CMC-Northeast because “[t]he types of duties that nurses have at
CMC[-]Northeast is exactly the same as the role of nurses at Albany Medical Center.”
To establish a basis for Dr. Mayer’s familiarity with the standard of care and
to support his conclusions in this case, plaintiff questioned Dr. Mayer about the
materials he reviewed in preparation for the case. Dr. Mayer testified that he first
reviewed the record in this case which included decedent’s medical records from
30 April 2012 and the depositions of the attending emergency department physician,
the emergency department nurse who attended to decedent, the paramedic who
responded to the emergency calls, and other hospital employees and administrators.
Dr. Mayer also reviewed CMC-Northeast’s policies and procedures, including the
hospital’s application to become certified as a Chest Pain Center. Dr. Mayer
explained that he reviews these types of materials before he discusses the case with
the attorneys so that he “can give as objective a review of the care that was provided
as possible.” Dr. Mayer then advises whether there is a case or not based on the
standard of care, which Dr. Mayer further explained is “not perfect care,” but “what
a reasonably prudent physician under the same circumstances would do.”
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Opinion of the Court
Pertaining to the community standard of care in this case, Dr. Mayer testified
that he reviewed a lengthy demographics package, which he explained contained
information about “the characteristics of Cabarrus County and of Concord and of the
-- both the general demographics and also the medical issues, you know, what types
of physicians practice here, what are the different hospitals, how big are the hospitals,
how many patients do they see.” Dr. Mayer stated that it was important for him to
review this information because “I want to make sure that in fact what I’m testifying
to about the standard of practice in Cabarrus County, and specifically at [CMC-
Northeast], is something that I’m familiar with and that I can then testify truthfully
would be appropriate care and reasonable care.” Dr. Mayer acknowledged that there
are community standards of care and explained that the purpose of reading the
demographics package was to determine whether there were extenuating
circumstances that were relevant to the standard of care in Concord. Dr. Mayer also
indicated that he reviewed websites for Carolinas Healthcare System.
Based on the information reviewed by Dr. Mayer about Concord and CMC-
Northeast, Dr. Mayer testified the community standard of care in this case was
similar to Albany Medical Center, where he worked and with which he was familiar.
Citing this Court’s decision in Smith, 159 N.C. App. 192, 582 S.E.2d 669 (2003),
defendant contends Dr. Mayer’s testimony was insufficient to establish that he was
familiar with the relevant community standard of care because Dr. Mayer had never
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Opinion of the Court
been to the area prior to offering testimony in this case; Dr. Mayer had never
practiced medicine in North Carolina, held a medical license in North Carolina, or
previously testified in North Carolina; Dr. Mayer’s familiarity was based on the
demographics package received for purposes of testifying; and because Dr. Mayer
noted differences between CMC-Northeast and Albany Medical Center and
unjustifiably compared the two. Defendant asserts the above argument in reference
to the community standard of care for administrative negligence, but subsequently
asserts that “[t]he same holds true with respect to [plaintiff’s] medical negligence
claim: Dr. Mayer’s demonstrated lack of familiarity with the community standard of
care rendered him unqualified to testify regarding the standard of care for the
medical negligence claim.” We are not convinced.
In Smith, this Court held the trial court properly excluded testimony of the
plaintiff’s expert witness because the witness’ testimony was devoid of support for his
assertion that he was sufficiently familiar with the applicable standard of care. 159
N.C. App. at 196-97, 582 S.E.2d at 672-73. This Court explained that the witness
stated that the sole information he received or reviewed
concerning the relevant standard of care . . . was verbal
information from [the] plaintiff’s attorney regarding “the
approximate size of the community and what goes on
there.” [The witness] could offer no further details . . .
concerning the medical community, nor could he actually
remember what plaintiff’s counsel had purportedly told
him.
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Opinion of the Court
Id. at 196-97, 582 S.E.2d at 672. Furthermore, the witness stated there was a
national standard of care and “that he could ‘comment on the standard of care as far
as a reasonably prudent orthopedic surgeon anywhere in the country regardless of
what [this particular] medical community . . . might do.’ ” Id. at 197, 582 S.E.2d at
672.2
Unlike in Smith, Dr. Mayer’s testimony in this case was based on his review of
a lengthy demographics package, internet research conducted by Dr. Mayer on CMC-
Northeast, and Dr. Mayer’s comparison of the community to Albany Medical Center.
Plaintiff has cited many cases in which this Court has determined similar bases were
sufficient to demonstrate familiarity with the community standard of care. See i.e.
Kearney, 242 N.C. App. at 76-78, 774 S.E.2d at 848-49; Robinson, 229 N.C. App. at
235-36, 747 S.E.2d at 335-36; Day v. Brant, 218 N.C. App. 1, 6-7, 721 S.E.2d 238, 243-
44, disc. review denied, 366 N.C. 219, 726 S.E.2d 179 (2012).
We agree the present case is governed by those cases cited by plaintiff and hold
the trial court did not abuse its discretion in determining Dr. Mayer was qualified to
testify as an expert to the community standard of care for medical negligence.
2. New Trial
2 Defendant also cites this Court’s unpublished decision in Barbee v. WHAP, P.A., __ N.C. App.
__, 803 S.E.2d 701, COA16-1154 (2017) (unpub.), available at 2017 WL 3481038, *7-11 (holding that
the plaintiff’s expert witness failed to demonstrate familiarity with the relevant community standard
of care after the witness testified during a deposition that he had never been to the area, knew nothing
about the hospital, knew nothing about the training and experience of the doctors at the hospital, and
did not know any doctors in the State).
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Opinion of the Court
In the event the trial court erred in denying its motion for a JNOV on
administrative negligence, but the trial court did not err in denying its motion for a
JNOV on medical negligence, defendant asserts a new trial is required on medical
negligence. Defendant argues that the evidence and the jury instructions for
administrative negligence and medical negligence were so “intermingled” that “the
jury’s determination on the medical negligence claim . . . was tainted by the trial
court’s error in allowing the administrative negligence claim to proceed at trial at
all.” We are not convinced a new trial is required.
Defendant first takes issue with the inclusion of “implement” in the jury
instructions for medical negligence by arguing its inclusion “suggested to the jury
that it could find [defendant] liable for medical negligence based on administrative
negligence-related principles.” This is defendant’s only challenge to the jury
instructions.
“[T]he trial court has wide discretion in presenting the issues to the jury . . . .”
Murrow v. Daniels, 321 N.C. 494, 499, 364 S.E.2d 392, 396 (1988). On appeal,
this Court considers a jury charge contextually and in its
entirety. The charge will be held to be sufficient if it
presents the law of the case in such manner as to leave no
reasonable cause to believe the jury was misled or
misinformed. The party asserting error bears the burden
of showing that the jury was misled or that the verdict was
affected by an omitted instruction. Under such a standard
of review, it is not enough for the appealing party to show
that error occurred in the jury instructions; rather, it must
be demonstrated that such error was likely, in light of the
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Opinion of the Court
entire charge, to mislead the jury.
Hammel v. USF Dugan, Inc., 178 N.C. App. 344, 347, 631 S.E.2d 174, 177 (2006)
(citations and quotation marks omitted).
A review of the jury instructions shows that the trial court used “implement”
three times in the instructions for medical negligence, each time in a similar fashion.
The relevant portions of the trial court’s instructions are as follows:
With respect to the first issue in this case, the plaintiff
contends and the defendant denies that the defendant was
negligent in one or more of the following ways. The first
contention is that the hospital did not use its best judgment
in the treatment and care of its patient in that the
defendant did not adequately implement and/or follow
protocols, processes, procedures and/or policies for the
evaluation and management of chest pain patients in the
emergency room on April 30th of 2012, in accordance with
the standard of care. The second contention is that the
hospital did not use its best judgment in the treatment and
care of its patient, in that its employee, [the attending
nurse], did not adequately collect and/or communicate to
other health care providers pertinent medical information
necessary for the care and treatment of [decedent] on April
30th of 2012.
The third contention is that the hospital did not use
reasonable care and diligence in the application of its
knowledge and skill to its patient’s care in that Carolinas
Healthcare System did not adequately implement and/or
follow the protocols, processes, procedures and/or policies
for the evaluation and management of chest pain patients
in the emergency room or emergency department on April
30th of 2012. The fourth contention is that the hospital did
not use reasonable care and diligence and the application
of its knowledge and skill to its patient’s care in that its
employee, [the attending nurse], did not adequately collect
and/or communicate to other health care providers
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Opinion of the Court
pertinent medical information necessary for the treatment
and care of [decedent] on April 30th of 2012.
The fifth contention is that the hospital did not provide
health care in accordance with the standards of practice
among similar health care providers situated in the same
or similar communities under the same or similar
circumstances at the time the health care was rendered,
and that the defendant did not adequately implement
and/or follow the protocols, processes, procedures and/or
policies in place in the emergency department on April
30th of 2012.
The sixth contention is that the hospital did not provide
health care in accordance with the standards of practice
among similar health care providers situated in the same
or similar communities under the same or similar
circumstances at the time the health care was rendered,
and that its employee, [the attending nurse], did not
adequately collect and/or communicate to other medical
providers pertinent medical information necessary for the
treatment and care of [decedent] on April 30th of 2012.
(Emphasis added).
The trial court then went on to instruct as follows:
With respect to the plaintiff’s first contention, a hospital
has a duty to use its best judgment in the treatment and
care of its patient. A violation of this duty is negligence.
With respect to the plaintiff’s second contention, a nurse
has a duty to use her best judgment in the treatment and
care of her patient. A violation of this duty is negligence.
With respect to the plaintiff’s third contention, a hospital
has a duty to use reasonable care and diligence in the
application of its knowledge and skill to its patient’s care.
A violation of this duty is negligence.
With respect to the plaintiff’s fourth contention, a nurse
has a duty to use reasonable care and diligence and the
application of her knowledge and skill to her patient’s care.
A violation of this duty is negligence. With respect to the
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Opinion of the Court
plaintiff’s fifth contention, a hospital has a duty to provide
health care in accordance with the standards of practice
among similar health care providers situated in the same
or similar communities under the same or similar
circumstances at the time the health care is rendered. In
order for you to find that the hospital did not meet this
duty, the plaintiff must satisfy you by the greater weight of
the evidence, first, what the standards of practice were
among hospitals with similar resources and personnel in
the same or similar communities at the time the defendant
cared for [decedent], and, second, that the defendant did
not act in accordance with those standards of practice. . . .
A violation of this duty is negligence.
With respect to the defendant’s sixth contention, a nurse
has a duty to provide health care in accordance with the
standards of practice among members of the same health
care profession with similar training and experience
situated in the same or similar communities at the time the
health care is rendered. In order for you to find that the
defendant’s employee, [the attending nurse], did not meet
this duty, the plaintiff must satisfy you by the greater
weight of the evidence, first, what the standards of practice
were among members of the same health care profession
with similar training and experience situated in the same
or similar communities at the time [the attending nurse]
cared for [decedent]. And, second, that [the attending
nurse] did not act in accordance with those standards of
practice. . . . A violation of this duty is negligence.
In response to defendant’s argument that the inclusion of “implement”
intermingled the administrative negligence and medical negligence claims, plaintiff
cites Merriam-Webster in support of its’ contention that “implement” and “follow” are
nearly synonymous in meaning. Therefore, plaintiff asserts the trial court did not err
in using both terms in the jury instructions. Plaintiff also claims that Blanton v.
Moses H. Cone Mem’l Hosp., Inc., 319 N.C. 372, 376, 354 S.E.2d 455, 458 (1987),
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Opinion of the Court
directly supports inclusion of “implement” in the instructions. We are not convinced
the inclusion of “implement” in the instructions for medical negligence was not error.
First, “implement” is never mentioned in Blanton. Second, while “implement” and
“follow” may be used similarly in some circumstances, they may also be used
differently. It is evident from the use of both “implement” and “follow” in the
instructions above in the alternative that the terms are not synonymous in this
instance.
Nevertheless, when these instructions are considered in their entirety, it is
clear that the medical negligence instructions directed the jury to consider the
treatment and care provided by defendant to decedent. Although defendant is correct
that implementation of protocols, processes, procedures and/or policies is usually an
administrative duty, the use of “implement” three times in the above instructions in
the alternative to “follow” was not likely to mislead the jury when the instructions
are considered in their entirety. Defendant has failed to show that the trial court’s
error in allowing the administrative negligence claim to proceed impacted the jury
instructions to its detriment where ample evidence was presented that defendant
failed to follow its policies and that the attending emergency department nurse did
not collect or communicate pertinent medical information for decedent’s care.
In regards to the evidence at trial, defendant contends the admission of
documents related to defendant’s application for accreditation as a Chest Pain Center
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Opinion of the Court
and other evidence of policies and protocols was only relevant to the administrative
negligence claim, if at all, and would not have been admitted if plaintiff’s action was
only for medical negligence. Defendant asserts that this improper evidence “inflamed
and prejudiced the jury against the hospital, ultimately impacting the jury’s
determination on both negligence claims.”
While evidence of policies and protocols may not necessarily establish the
standard of care, see O’Mara v. Wake Forest Univ. Health Sciences, 184 N.C. App. 428,
439, 646 S.E.2d 400, 406 (2007) (explaining that “violation of a hospital’s policy is not
necessarily a violation of the applicable standard of care, because the hospital’s rules
and policies may reflect a standard that is above or below what is generally
considered by experts to be the relevant standard”), evidence of the defendant’s
policies and protocols, or its purported policies and protocols, is certainly relevant and
properly considered alongside expert testimony to establish the standard of care for
medical negligence. As defendant points out, expert testimony in this case clarified
which policies and protocols were in place at CMC-Northeast.
Although not all evidence of policies and protocols related to the defendant’s
application for accreditation as a Chest Pain Center may have been admitted into
evidence absent the trial court allowing the administrative negligence claim to
proceed, defendant has not shown that the evidence impacted the jury’s verdict on
medical negligence. This Court has long recognized that “[e]videntiary errors are
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Opinion of the Court
harmless unless a defendant proves that absent the error a different result would
have been reached at trial.” State v. Ferguson, 145 N.C. App. 302, 307, 549 S.E.2d
889, 893, disc. review denied, 354 N.C. 223, 554 S.E.2d 650 (2001). Defendant’s
assertion that “the inflammatory nature of the evidence relating to the Chest Pain
Center application was palpable and highly prejudicial” is not sufficient proof.
Defendant summarily claims that “absent this evidence . . . no rational jury
would have returned a $6.13 million verdict against the hospital based solely on [the
nurses] alleged negligence in communicating the decedent’s information to [the
attending physician].” We are not convinced.
3. Pain and Suffering
In the event we did not reverse outright or grant a new trial, defendant
alternatively asserts the trial court erred in allowing the jury to award damages for
pain and suffering because there was insufficient evidence of pain and suffering.
The issue of pain and suffering was argued numerous times during trial before
the trial court allowed the issue to go to the jury. Defendant first moved for a directed
verdict on damages for “conscious pain and suffering” after it reviewed plaintiff’s
proposed jury instruction. Defendant argued “there was no evidence put on as to any
conscious pain and suffering of [decedent].” The trial court asked if either party
would like to be heard and both responded in the negative. The trial court then stated
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Opinion of the Court
that it “would grant [a] directed verdict on that issue because there has been no
evidence as to pain and suffering of [decedent] . . . .”
Immediately thereafter, plaintiff indicated that it would like to be heard on the
issue of pain and suffering, and the trial court obliged. Plaintiff admitted that no one
was around decedent to observe pain and suffering, but argued that does not mean it
didn’t happen. Plaintiff pointed out that one doctor testified decedent could have
experienced pain for an hour prior to his death, a second doctor testified decedent
could have experienced pain for 20 minutes prior to his death, and a third doctor
testified he didn’t know one way or the other. Plaintiff then concluded its argument
stating:
So there is evidence of conscious pain and suffering. Well,
there’s evidence that it could have existed, but I don't think
that the jury should be precluded from considering that
because there was evidence that -- nobody really knows
because nobody observed it, but there certainly is evidence
that it could have occurred from defendant’s witnesses and
also for plaintiff’s witnesses.
In response, defendant argued “possibly or could have . . . does not meet the burden
of proof in terms of more likely than not [decedent] had conscious pain and
suffering[,]” adding that evidence of “more likely than not” is “what they would need
to submit to support any jury award for that element. A mere possibility or that it
could have happened would not meet the burden of proof.” Upon consideration of the
arguments, the trial court “once again [found] that there has not been sufficient
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Opinion of the Court
evidence of conscious pain and suffering to meet the legal standard” and granted
defendant’s motion for a directed verdict on damages for pain and suffering.
Plaintiff then changed its argument and sought for a third time to address the
issue of pain and suffering, arguing that decedent experienced pain and suffering
from the time he was first admitted to the emergency department and as a result of
anxiety from being discharged without answers. For a third time, the trial court
granted defendant’s motion for a directed verdict on damages for pain and suffering.
Following the weekend recess, plaintiff again raised the issue by objecting to
the trial court’s prior rulings when the proceedings reconvened. At that point,
plaintiff had revisited the testimony of Dr. Andrew Selwyn and was able to direct the
court to the doctor’s testimony that it was more likely than not that decedent would
have experienced chest pain. Defendant simply responded that there was no evidence
of actual chest pain. Based on the plaintiff’s argument, the trial court changed its
ruling, explaining that “there is some evidence so . . . it is a factual issue. . . . [W]e’ll
need to put the pain and suffering back in the instructions . . . for the jury to make
that determination.”
Now on appeal, defendant contends the only relevant evidence, Dr. Selwyn’s
testimony, amounts to speculation. Defendant therefore claims the evidence failed to
meet plaintiff’s burden to support an award of damages for pain and suffering.
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“The law disfavors-and in fact prohibits-recovery for damages based on sheer
speculation.” DiDonato v. Wortman, 320 N.C. 423, 430, 358 S.E.2d 489, 493 (1987)
(internal citations omitted). Both plaintiff and defendant acknowledge that
“[d]amages must be proved to a reasonable level of certainty, and may not be based
on pure conjecture.” Id. at 431, 358 S.E.2d at 493. In DiDonato, the Court relied on
its much earlier decision in Norwood v. Carter, 242 N.C. 152, 87 S.E.2d 2 (1955), in
which the Court held, “[n]o substantial recovery may be based on mere guesswork or
inference . . . without evidence of facts, circumstances, and data justifying an
inference that the damages awarded are just and reasonable compensation for the
injury suffered.” Id. at 156, 87 S.E.2d at 5. Based on this reasoning, the Court held
in DiDonato that “damages for the pain and suffering of a decedent fetus are
recoverable if they can be reasonably established.” 320 N.C. at 432, 358 S.E.2d at
494.
In this case, the only testimony identified by plaintiff as supporting the award
damages for pain and suffering was as follows:
Q. Is there any relevance to the fact that [decedent] had
presented with chest pain earlier that day as to whether
that same chest pain would have arisen before he really
got in trouble with this event?
A. Yes, it’s relevant.
Q. And tell us why that’s relevant.
A. Well, he presented with a fairly typical picture of chest
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pain radiating to the stomach, up into the neck, to the
hands, which went away with nitroglycerin. So that’s
the way this man presents. So somewhere around 8, 9
or 9, 10, 11 o’clock that night, more likely than not he
would have got chest pain again and manifested
ischemia, which would have been treated.
Unfortunately, he was at home, it wasn’t treated, and it
just progressed and he died.
Q. So because he had previously presented with chest
pains from ischemia, more likely than not that would
have occurred again giving warning to the staff, if he
was at the hospital, if that situation arose?
A. Yes.
Defendant contends this testimony was insufficient because it is speculative.
Defendant also points to conflicting testimony. Plaintiff contends this testimony was
sufficient proof to a reasonably degree of certainty because Dr. Selwyn testified that
it was “more likely than not.”
Although we agree with plaintiff that testimony that something “is more likely
than not” is generally sufficient proof that something occurred, Dr. Selwyn’s
testimony, standing alone, is insufficient to support proof of damages for pain and
suffering to a reasonable degree of certainty where there was no further evidence for
the jury to consider. And while it is not this Court’s job to reweigh the evidence, we
do note that ample other evidence was presented to show that plaintiff may not have
experienced any further chest pain. Dr. Selwyn even testified that there was “no
direct evidence” of chest pain following decedent’s discharge from the emergency
department. Where the only evidence is that it was likely decedent experienced chest
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Opinion of the Court
pain because he had previously experienced chest pain, we hold the evidence was
insufficient to establish damages for pain and suffering to a reasonable degree of
certainty.
The trial court instructed the jury that “[n]oneconomic damages are damages
to compensate for pain, suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium,
inconvenience and any other non-pecuniary compensatory damage.” The trial court
then instructed the jury that it may consider the following categories of non-economic
damages in this case: “[p]ain and suffering and the present monetary value of
[decedent] to his next of kin from his society, companionship, comfort, guidance,
kindly offices, advice, protection, care or assistance from the services that he provided
for which you do not find a market value.” Defendant has only challenged the
sufficiency of the evidence for pain and suffering.
Because the jury verdict in this case only separated the damages into economic
damages and non-economic damages and did not further break down the non-
economic damages by categories, it is impossible to determine what portion of the
jury’s award of non-economic damages was for pain and suffering. As a result, this
Court cannot just vacate the award of damages for pain and suffering, but instead
must remand for a new trial on the issue of non-economic damages.
4. Contributory Negligence
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Lastly, defendant argues in the alternative that if it is not entitled to an
outright reversal or a new trial, the trial court erred in granting plaintiff’s motion for
a directed verdict on defendant’s contributory negligence defense. Plaintiff moved for
a directed verdict on contributory negligence at the close of all the evidence and the
trial granted plaintiff’s motion, finding that no evidence of contributory negligence by
the decedent had been presented.
“[C]ontributory negligence is negligence on the part of the plaintiff which joins,
simultaneously or successively, with the negligence of the defendant alleged in the
complaint to produce the injury of which the plaintiff complains.” Watson v. Storie,
60 N.C. App. 736, 738, 300 S.E.2d 55, 57 (1983) (internal quotation marks and
citations omitted). Our Supreme Court has explained that
[i]n this state, a plaintiff’s right to recover . . . is barred
upon a finding of contributory negligence. The trial court
must consider any evidence tending to establish plaintiff’s
contributory negligence in the light most favorable to the
defendant, and if diverse inferences can be drawn from it,
the issue must be submitted to the jury. If there is more
than a scintilla of evidence that plaintiff is contributorily
negligent, the issue is a matter for the jury, not for the trial
court.
Cobo v. Raba, 347 N.C. 541, 545, 495 S.E.2d 362, 365 (1998) (internal citations
omitted).
In this case, defendant contends there was substantial evidence from which
the jury could reasonably find that decedent was contributorily negligent. Defendant
then identifies decedent’s failure to report to the attending nurse and the attending
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Opinion of the Court
physician that he was given aspirin and nitroglycerin for his chest pain by EMS prior
to this arrival at the emergency department. Defendant compares this case to cases
in which patients failed to report their symptoms, or the worsening of symptoms, to
their healthcare providers. See Cobo, 347 N.C. at 546, 495 S.E.2d at 366; McGill v.
French, 333 N.C. 209, 220-21, 424 S.E.2d 108, 114-15 (1993); Katy v. Capriola, 226
N.C. App. 470, 478, 742 S.E.2d 247, 253-54 (2013). Under these precedents,
defendant contends decedent had an affirmative duty to report that EMS gave him
medication in the ambulance.
We are not convinced that this case is similar to those cases cited by defendant.
There is no indication that decedent in this case failed to report his symptoms to
medical personnel. In fact, the evidence shows that decedent was involved in his
treatment and sought answers for his continuing discomfort. Moreover, we are not
convinced that the failure to report symptoms is analogous to decedent not reporting
that EMS gave him medication to relieve his chest pain in route to the hospital. We
agree with the trial court that there was no evidence of contributory negligence on
the part of decedent in this case. Thus, the trial court did not err in granting
plaintiff’s motion for a directed verdict on the issue.
III. Conclusion
For the reasons stated, we hold the trial court erred in allowing plaintiff to
proceed at trial on a theory of administrative negligence. That error, however, did
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Opinion of the Court
not prejudice the jury verdict on plaintiff’s medical negligence claim. The trial court
also erred in allowing the jury to award damages for pain and suffering and,
therefore, a new trial is required on non-economic damages only. The trial court did
not err in granting plaintiff’s motion for a directed verdict on the issue of contributory
negligence.
REVERSE IN PART, VACATE IN PART, NEW TRIAL IN PART.
Judge INMAN concurs.
Judge MURPHY concurs in result only.
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