DocketNumber: No. 86262.
Citation Numbers: 2006 Ohio 445
Judges: COLLEEN CONWAY COONEY, J.:
Filed Date: 2/2/2006
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 4/18/2021
{¶ 2} In June 2003, Kiefer filed a dental malpractice claim against Domo. During the pendency of the case, Domo moved for summary judgment, which was denied. Kiefer then dismissed her complaint in April 2004. In May 2004, she refiled her claim against Domo alleging that in 2001 he negligently performed a dental procedure which constituted malpractice. Domo again moved for summary judgment, arguing that the action was time-barred because Kiefer did not file her complaint within the applicable one-year statute of limitations. The trial court agreed and granted Domo's motion.
{¶ 3} Kiefer appeals, raising as her sole assignment of error that the trial court was collaterally estopped from granting Domo's motion for summary judgment.
{¶ 4} Appellate review of summary judgment is de novo.Grafton v. Ohio Edison Co.,
"Pursuant to Civ.R. 56, summary judgment is appropriate when (1) there is no genuine issue of material fact, (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, and (3) reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to the nonmoving party, said party being entitled to have the evidence construed most strongly in his favor. Horton v. Harwick Chem. Corp.,
{¶ 5} Once the moving party satisfies its burden, the nonmoving party "may not rest upon the mere allegations or denials of the party's pleadings, but the party's response, by affidavit or as otherwise provided in this rule, must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial." Civ.R. 56(E); Mootispaw v. Eckstein,
{¶ 6} Kiefer argues that because Domo's motion for summary judgment was denied in the first case, collateral estoppel precluded the trial court in the instant case from granting Domo's motion for summary judgment. We disagree.
{¶ 7} Collateral estoppel, also known as issue preclusion, bars the relitigation of an issue or fact that was previously determined in a prior action between the same parties or their privies. State ex rel. Stacy v. Batavia Local School Dist. Bd.of Edn.,
{¶ 8} We find that the trial court was not collaterally estopped from granting Domo's motion for summary judgment because no adjudication of any issues occurred when the trial court denied Domo's summary judgment motion in the first case. We take judicial notice that the entry denying Domo's summary judgment in the first case indicated that "material issues of fact exist as to the date plaintiff discovered or should have discovered the injury in question." The denial of summary judgment is not an adjudication of the merits, rather it is an interlocutory order demonstrating that material issues of fact remain which preclude judgment as a matter of law. See, Stevens v. Ackman,
{¶ 9} Moreover, we find that the trial court did not err in granting Domo's motion for summary judgment. Former R.C.
{¶ 10} In the instant case, it is undisputed that Kiefer did not bring her dental malpractice claim within one year from the date the physician-patient relationship terminated. However, Kiefer maintains that her claim is timely under the discovery rule.
{¶ 11} In Hershberger v. Akron City Hosp. (1987),
{¶ 12} This discovery rule requires the occurrence of a "cognizable event" which leads or should lead the plaintiff to believe that her condition is related to a medical diagnosis, treatment, or procedure which she previously received, and places (or should place) the plaintiff on notice of the need to pursue her remedies. Olszewski v. Blankfield, Cuyahoga App. No. 83172,
{¶ 13} Kiefer contends that the "cognizable event" did not occur until October 2003, when her neurologist, Dr. Kosmides, informed her that she had extensive and permanent nerve damage that was caused by the wisdom tooth extraction performed by Dr. Domo in November 2001. She argues that until October 2003 she did not discover that the nerve damage would be permanent. Therefore, she claims, her cause of action filed in June 2003 was timely.
{¶ 14} The "cognizable event" which started the statute of limitations in this case is not the doctor's informing Kiefer that the nerve damage would be permanent or that the injury was caused by the wisdom tooth extraction. "Constructive knowledge of facts, rather than actual knowledge of their legal significance, is enough to start the statute of limitations running under the discovery rule." Flowers, supra at 549. (Emphasis omitted). A "cognizable event" is one "which does or should alert a reasonable person-patient that an improper medical procedure, treatment or diagnosis has taken place." Allenius v. Thomas
(1989),
{¶ 15} In the instant case, Keifer's deposition testimony clearly shows that she had constructive knowledge of facts that would alert a reasonable person that an improper medical procedure had taken place as early as the date of the tooth extraction, November 2001, or as late as May 2002, when Dr. Hausser, an oral surgeon, performed surgery on the extraction area.
{¶ 16} Kiefer admitted that she knew something was wrong when Domo pulled her lower right tooth because only the lower left tooth was to be extracted. After the extraction, Kiefer stated she was in severe pain, which worsened over time. Kiefer followed up with Domo four times after the extraction because of continued pain and numbness. According to Kiefer, Domo advised her during her last visit that she would "get used to" numbness and, when she asked whether she should see someone else, Domo replied, "No. Don't go anywhere else. Nobody could help you." This information would be sufficient to alert Kiefer to investigate the cause of her pain and numbness. In fact, she contacted an attorney in November 2001, who referred her to another dentist.
{¶ 17} In March 2002, Kiefer began treatment with Dr. Hausser, who advised her that she suffered nerve damage because of the wisdom tooth extraction. (Depo. Tr. 45). Kiefer stated that in May 2002, Dr. Hausser performed oral surgery to possibly "fix" the nerve damage and at that time she learned that her lingual nerve had been damaged. (Depo. Tr. 45-46). During the surgery, Dr. Hausser removed scar tissue surrounding the nerve and removed "a piece of filling that was stuck in the tooth socket." (Depo. Tr. 46). Her testimony shows that, as late as May 2002, she should have been aware that the wisdom tooth extraction performed by Domo had caused nerve damage, which resulted in severe pain and numbness. This knowledge was sufficient to start the statute of limitations running under the discovery rule. Accordingly, Kiefer's complaint, dated June 23, 2003, was outside the one-year statute of limitations.
{¶ 18} Therefore, we find that Domo's motion for summary judgment was properly granted because Kiefer's complaint was not filed within the applicable one-year statute of limitations.
{¶ 19} Accordingly, the assignment of error is overruled.
Judgment affirmed.
It is ordered that appellees recover of appellant the costs herein taxed.
The court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal. It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this court directing the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to carry this judgment into execution.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Sweeney, P.J. and Corrigan, J. concur.