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Saturday, March 09, 2024

Grant of Summary Judgment Reversed on Appeal Because the Issue It Was Based on Was Not Raised in the Motion

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has released its opinion in Bakker v. Chattanooga-Hamilton County Hospital Authority, No. E2022-00872-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Mar. 5, 2024). The syllabus from the slip opinion reads: 
The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendant hospital in this premises liability case, finding that the defendant had no notice of the alleged dangerous or defective condition on its premises. The plaintiff has appealed. Following our review, we determine that the plaintiff was not provided notice and a reasonable opportunity to respond to all issues to be considered by the trial court at the summary judgment stage. Accordingly, we vacate the trial court's grant of summary judgment.
Here is the link to the opinion: 


NOTE: This is an excellent opinion that addresses when a trial court grants summary judgment on an issue not raised in the motion seeking same and why that is error. This is a must-read opinin for any lawyer who handles civil actions in Tennessee state courts. 

Thursday, January 11, 2024

New Health Care Liability Action: Trial Court's Imposition of Sanctions for Discovery Abuse Upheld on Appeal but Case Is Remanded to Calculate Amount of Sanctions under Applicable Law

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has released its opinion in Salas v. Rosdeutscher, Nos. M2021-00449-COA-R3-CV; M2022-00130-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Jan. 9, 2024). The syllabus reads:

Plaintiff’s attorneys appeal the trial court’s imposition of sanctions against them in the amount of $68,617.28 and the denial of their second motion to disqualify the trial court judge. We affirm the trial court’s discretionary decision to impose sanctions, but we vacate the amount of sanctions awarded and remand for the trial court to calculate the reasonable amount of monetary sanctions in keeping with the procedures and considerations outlined in this opinion. We have determined that Plaintiff’s attorneys’ issue regarding the trial court’s denial of their second motion to recuse is moot. Finally, we decline to award attorney’s fees on appeal.

Here is a link to the slip opinion: Majority Opinion - M2021-00449-COA-R3-CV.pdf (tncourts.gov).

NOTE: This opinion is a good reminder why a lawyer should never misrepresent matters to a court. 



Friday, January 05, 2024

New Case on Pretrial Discovery Abuse and Sanctions: Trial Court's Dismissal of Action Upheld on Appeal.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has released its opinion in Plofchan v. Hughey, No. M2021-00853-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Jan. 5, 2023). The syllabus from the opinion reads:

A man sued his arresting officers and others. He claimed he was neither drunk nor violent when he was arrested and charged with public intoxication, resisting arrest, and assault on an officer. During discovery, the man claimed to have no communications between him and a companion that were not protected by attorney-client privilege or as work product. When such communications were uncovered, the defendants moved for sanctions and attorney’s fees. The trial court awarded attorney’s fees to the defendants and the companion. And it dismissed the case as a sanction. Discerning no abuse of discretion, we affirm.

Here is a link to the slip opinion: E-SIGNED-M2021-0853- COA-PLOFCHAN.pdf (tncourts.gov).

NOTE: This opinion offers a great discussion of discovery sanctions for pretrial discovery abuses, etc. It also notes that Tennessee does not recognize "motions to reconsider," slip. op. at 8. This is a must-read opinion for any Tennessee trial lawyer. 

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

New Premises Liability Case: Summary Judgment for the Defense Upheld on Appeal; Sanctions for Spoliation of Evidence Not Warranted

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has released its opinion in Beasley v. Jae Nails Bar, LLC, No. M2022-01330-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Dec. 11, 2023). The syllabus from the slip opinion reads:

This is a premises liability action in which the plaintiff slipped and fell while she was walking to a pedicure station in a nail salon. Two principal issues are presented. First, the plaintiff contends that the trial court erred by denying her Tenn. R. Civ. P. 34A.02 motion for spoliation of evidence by finding that the defendant was not put on notice that a video recording from a surveillance camera in the nail salon was relevant to pending or reasonably foreseeable litigation. Second, the plaintiff contends that the trial court erred by summarily dismissing her complaint on the basis that there was no proof that the defendant had created the allegedly hazardous condition in the nail salon or that the defendant had actual or constructive notice of the condition. We affirm.

Here is a link to the slip opinion: UNSIGNED-M2022-1330-COA-BEASLEY.pdf (tncourts.gov).

NOTE: In reverse order to that addressed by the court, this opinion offers a great analysis of the elements of a premises liability case and of what constitutes spoliation of evidence worthy of sanctions. 

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

New Health Care Liability Action Opinion: Trial Court's Dismissal of Complaint Upheld in Part and Reversed in Part Due to the Application of the Healthcare Operations Exception to the General Requirement That a HIPAA-compliant Authorization for the Release of Medical Records Be Included with the Presuit Notices Served on Potential Defendants

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has released its opinion in Christie v. Baptist Memorial Hospital, No. W2022-01296-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Nov. 15. 2023). 

Plaintiffs appeal the dismissal of their health care liability claims against a hospital and two doctors who treated their daughter on the day of her birth and tragic death. The trial court reluctantly ruled that the plaintiffs failed to substantially comply with Tennessee Code Annotated section 29-26-121(a)(2)(E) and dismissed the claims as untimely. We conclude that the plaintiffs met their burden to show substantial compliance with section 29-26-121(a)(2)(E) as to the defendant hospital, but not the defendant doctors. We therefore affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings.

Here is a link to the slip opinion: ChristieLauraSOPN.pdf (tncourts.gov).

NOTE: This opinion does a good job of explaining the healthcare operations exception to the general requirement that presuit notice be accompanied by a HIPAA-complaint medical records authorization under Tenn. Code Ann. sec. 29-26-121. That exception is what saved the claim against the hospital because it allowed the Tennessee Court of Appeals to find that there had been substantial complaint with section 29-16-121(a)(2)(E). 



Saturday, October 28, 2023

New Health Care Liability Action Opinion: Trial Court's Ruling Allowing Plaintiffs to Obtain Surveillance Videos Taken by Defense of a Plaintiff Upheld on Appeal

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has released its opinion in Locke v. Aston, No. M2022-01820-COA-R9-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Sept. 25, 2023). The syllabus from the slip opinion reads:
This is a health care liability action filed by a patient and her husband alleging serious injury as a result of surgery. The plaintiffs learned that the defendants had taken surveillance videos and sought discovery of those videos. The trial court allowed discovery of only the videos that the defendants intended to use at trial for impeachment purposes. The trial court gave the plaintiffs permission to seek an appeal under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 9. This Court granted the appeal. We affirm the trial court’s decision.

NOTE: While this is a health care liability action (f/k/a a medical malpractice case), this opinion offers a much-needed discussion of the discoverability of surveillance video taken in conjunction with a Tennessee state court lawsuit. This is one every lawyer who practices civil law in Tennessee must read. 

Thursday, October 26, 2023

New Health Care Liability Action Opinion: Trial Court's Grant of Summary Judgment to the Defense Reversed on Appeal Because There Are Genuine Issues of Material Fact as to When This Cause of Action Accrued, the Propriety of the Presuit Notice, and Causation and Damages

The Tennessee Court of Appeals released its opinion in Vilas v. Love, No. W2022-01071-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Oct. 26, 2023). The syllabus from the slip opinion reads:

In this health care liability action, the trial court granted summary judgment to the appellee surgeon based on the expiration of the statute of limitations and the appellant patient’s failure to show evidence of causation and damages. On appeal, we conclude that (1) there is a genuine dispute of material fact as to when the appellant’s cause of action accrued; (2) the trial court did not specifically rule on the propriety of appellant’s pre-suit notice; and (3) there are genuine disputes of material facts as to the causation and damages elements of the appellant’s claim. Accordingly, we reverse in part, vacate in part, and remand for further proceedings. 

Here is a link to the opinion: VilasJamesMiguelOPN.pdf (tncourts.gov).

NOTE: This is a great read because it offers excellent analysis of accrual of claims, presuit notice, and causation and damages in health care liability actions (f/k/a medical malpractice cases).