New Health Care Liability Action Opinion: Court of Appeals Reverses Grant of Summary Judgment to Defense; Extraordinary Cause Found to Exist, Which Excused Compliance with Tennessee Code Annotated section 29-26-121(b)

The Tennessee Court of Appeals just issued its opinion in Kirby v. Sumner County Regional Medical Center, No. M2015-01181-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. Jul. 12, 2016).  The summary from the slip opinion states as follows:

This is a health care liability action.  The plaintiff suffered permanent damage after receiving medical treatment from the defendant hospital. The plaintiff filed suit exactly one year after her hospital stay. The defendant hospital moved to dismiss, arguing that the plaintiff failed to comply with the pre-suit notice and good faith requirements applicable to health care liability actions. The plaintiff later argued that the failure to comply with the necessary requirements should be excused for extraordinary cause as evidenced by the passing of her legal counsel‟s son four days prior to the filing of the complaint. The trial court granted summary judgment, finding that no extraordinary cause existed. The plaintiff appeals. We reverse the judgment of the trial court.

(Footnote omitted.)

Here is a link to the opinion:

 http://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/kirbybetty.opn.pdf

NOTE: If EVER there was a case where "extraordinary cause" existed, which would excuse compliance with Tenn. Code Ann. sec. 29-26-121(b), it is this case.  Plaintiff's counsel's infant son passed away, which prevented Plaintiff's counsel from complying with -121(b).