DocketNumber: No. 2005 CA 00099.
Citation Numbers: 2007 Ohio 3256
Judges: EDWARDS, J.
Filed Date: 6/22/2007
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 7/6/2016
{¶ 3} Appellant called 911, and the local EMS squad responded. The EMS squad attempted to resuscitate Mr. Frazier at home, and then transported him to Hocking Valley Community Hospital in Logan, Ohio, where he was pronounced dead at 8:38 p.m.
{¶ 4} On March 18, 2004, appellant filed a complaint for wrongful death, naming as defendants Dr. Pruitt, Fairfield Emergency Medical Physicians, Inc. as employer of Dr. Pruitt, and Fairfield Medical Center. On March 24, 2005, Fairfield Medical Center and appellant filed a Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal Without Prejudice. Appellant's complaint against Dr. Pruitt and the Fairfield Emergency Medical Physicians, Inc. remained pending. Various pretrial motions and briefs were filed, including appellant's motion to exclude the opinions of Dr. Cummin, in his capacity as *Page 3 the Hocking County Coroner, regarding the issues of standard of care and "coumadin resistance", and appellant's objection to the appellees' proposed jury instruction regarding the coroner's opinion. Both the motion to exclude and objection to the proposed jury instruction were overruled by the trial court. Trial commenced on September 13, 2005, and concluded on September 21, 2005. In addition to her pretrial objection to the proposed jury instruction, appellant objected on the record during trial to the jury instruction regarding the coroner's opinion. The objection was once again overruled by the trial court. The jury returned a defense verdict on September 22, 2005. The appellant filed a timely appeal in which she set forth the following assignments of error:
{¶ 5} "I. THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED PREJUDICIAL ERROR IN GIVING A JURY INSTRUCTION BASED ON VARGO V. TRAVELERS INS. CO. IN A MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE CASE, AND IN ALLOWING DR. CUMMIN TO TESTIFY — AS CORONER — ON STANDARD OF CARE ISSUES, BECAUSE A COUNTY CORONER HAS NO STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE A THIRD PERSON'S CRIMINAL OR CIVIL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEATH.
{¶ 6} "II. THE TRIAL COURT COMMITTED PREJUDICIAL ERROR IN HAVING THE JURY DECIDE WHETHER PLAINTIFF HAD PRESENTED ANY COMPETENT, CREDIBLE EVIDENCE CONTRARY TO THE CORONER'S FINDINGS, AND WHETHER THEVARGO INSTRUCTION SHOULD APPLY."
{¶ 8} R.C.
{¶ 9} The Ohio Supreme Court, in the case of Vargo, supra, held: "Further, it must be noted that while the coroner's factual findings are not conclusive, neither are they a nullity. The coroner is a medical expert rendering an expert opinion on a medical question. . . .Therefore, to rebut the coroner's determination, as expressed in the coroner's report and the death certificate, competent credible evidence must be presented." Id. at 30.
{¶ 10} In the case sub judice, the appellees introduced the opinion of Dr. David Cummin. Based upon Dr. Cummin's status as Hocking County Coroner, appellees sought an instruction based upon R.C.
{¶ 11} However, a transcript of the jury instructions as read to the jury by the trial court has not been furnished to this court. The record transmitted by the clerk of *Page 5 courts contains a document entitled "jury instructions", but the document appears to be incomplete. The "Charge to the Jury" portion of the document consists of pages fifteen through twenty-two, has two paragraphs under "Duty of Patient" and does not include the allegedly erroneous charge. A copy of a document entitled "Charge to the Jury" is attached to appellees' brief, but it differs from the document included in the record transmitted by the clerk of courts. The document attached to appellee's brief consists of pages fifteen though twenty-seven, has one paragraph under "Duty of Patient" and includes the allegedly erroneous charge on pages twenty-two and twenty-three. In short, we have no way to determine what charge was read to the jury, and are thus unable to make a determination as to appellant's assignment of error concerning the Vargo instruction.
{¶ 12} App. R. 9(B) provides: "At the time of filing the notice of appeal the appellant, in writing, shall order from the reporter a complete transcript or a transcript of the parts of the proceedings not already on file as the appellant considers necessary for inclusion in the record and file a copy of the order with the clerk. . . ." The appellant bears the burden of showing error by reference to matters in the record. Further, the appellant bears the responsibility of providing a reviewing court with an appropriate transcript for appellate review. See, Knapp v. Edwards Laboratories (1981),
{¶ 13} In addition, the Ohio Supreme Court has held that a jury instruction must be reviewed in its entirety. See, Sech v. Rogers
(1983),
{¶ 14} We find that the failure to provide this Court with a complete transcript of the jury instructions on the record is dispositive. We have an insufficient record upon which to pass on the assignment of error concerning the Vargo instruction, and must presume the regularity of the trial court proceedings in this regard. See, Knapp, supra. Thus, this portion of the appellant's first assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 15} Appellant also argues in her first assignment of error that the trial court erred in allowing Dr. Cummin to testify — as coroner — on standard of care issues. Assuming, arguendo, that we agree with the appellant, we can not determine from the portions of the record provided to us that such error was prejudicial.
{¶ 16} R.C.
{¶ 17} The determination regarding whether the standard of care was met in a medical malpractice cause of action is a question of fact for the finder of fact to decide. The trial court's decision to allow Dr. Cummin to testify, in his capacity as coroner, that Dr. Pruitt was not negligent and that Dr. Pruitt performed his examination and assessment of Mr. Frazier according to the relevant standards of care was arguably error.
{¶ 18} It should be noted here that this Court was not provided with a complete transcript of the trial testimony. We were provided with only bits and pieces of that testimony. The transcript we received consisted of: a) In chambers conference and portion of defense counsel's opening statement (30 pgs.), b) cross-examination of Dr. Pruitt done in plaintiff's case (85 pgs.), c) portion of Dr. Vajen's testimony (26 pgs.), d) portion of Dr. Sperry's testimony (25 pgs.), e) portion of Dr. Breall's testimony (81 pgs.), f) portion of Dr. Cummin's testimony (166 pgs.) and g) discussion regarding Dr. Baker's deposition, snippets of closing argument, and discussion on jury instruction (39 pgs.). We do not know who else testified and we do not know what exhibits were accepted into evidence.
{¶ 19} The admission or exclusion of evidence by the trial court will not be reversed unless there has been a clear and prejudicial abuse of discretion. O'Brien v. Angley (1980),
{¶ 20} Finally, appellant argues that the Vargo instruction, which was given to the jury by the trial court, served to elevate the status of Dr. Cummin's opinion above the opinions of the other medical expert witnesses whose opinions were not rebuttably presumed to be "the legally accepted cause of death." This alleged elevation in Dr. Cummin's status, combined with the fact that the trial court allowed Dr. Cummin to testify as to standard of care issues, was, according to the appellant, unfairly prejudicial. However, as we were unable to rule on the issue of the jury instruction regarding the *Page 9 legal status of the corner's verdict, any alleged elevation in the status of Dr. Cummin's testimony is not properly before us. In other words, we can not determine if the jury was instructed that Dr. Cummin's opinion on cause of death was rebuttably presumed to be correct.
{¶ 21} Accordingly, appellant's first assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 23} The appellant's assignments or error are overruled, and the decision of the trial court is affirmed.
*Page 11Edwards, J. Wise, P.J. and Boggins, J. concur.