New Health Care Liability Action: Trial Court's Denial of Dismissal Upheld on Appeal Due to the Application of the Discovery Rule

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has released its decision in Archer v. Sodexo Operations, LLC, No. W2020-01176-COA-R9-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. May 25, 2022). The opinion's syllabus reads:

This interlocutory appeal arises from a health care liability action. The defendant filed a motion to dismiss based on the statute of limitations. In response, the plaintiff invoked the discovery rule and argued that his claim was timely filed after he learned the identity of the defendant. The plaintiff submitted an affidavit of counsel in an effort to detail the due diligence undertaken by the plaintiff to ascertain the identity of the defendant. Upon considering the affidavit, the trial court denied the defendant’s motion to dismiss. However, the trial court granted permission for the defendant to seek an interlocutory appeal. This Court granted the defendant’s application. We now affirm the trial court’s order and remand for further proceedings. 

Here is a link to the slip opinion:

https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/archerstevenopn_0.pdf.

NOTE: This decision offers up a great explanation of the current state of the discovery rule in health care liability actions (HCLA)  (f/k/a medical malpractice cases). It is a must-read case for any lawyer who handles HCLAs under Tennessee substantive law. 

New Health Care Liability Action: Trial Court's Dismissal of the Lawsuit as a Nullity Upheld on Appeal Because Suit Was Filed in the Name of the Deceased Plaintiff

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has released its opinion in Owen v. Grinspun, No. M2021-00681-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. May 25, 2022). The syllabus from the opinion reads:

Appellant appeals the trial court’s dismissal of this cause of action on the basis that it was filed by a deceased plaintiff and therefore a nullity that could not be corrected via amendment. We affirm.

Here is a link to the slip opinion:  

https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/dennis.owen_.opn_.pdf.

NOTE: To boil this opinion down to its essence, a personal injury lawsuit (not a wrongful death suit) that is filed on behalf of a deceased plaintiff is a nullity and void ab initio; it is of no consequence and that error cannot be remedied via substitution of a proper representative plaintiff after the statute of limitations has run.

New Health Care Liability Action: Trial Court's Dismissal of Plaintiffs' Claims Upheld on Appeal Due to Statutorily Defective Presuit Notice Given to Defendant

Today, the Tennessee Court of Appeals issued its decision in Breithaupt v. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, No. M2021-00314-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. May 24, 2022). The syllabus from the slip opinion reads:

This appeal is a health care liability case involving issues of pre-suit notice and the statutory requirements under Tennessee Code Annotated section 29-26-121. The trial court denied the plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment; granted the defendant’s motion for summary judgment; and dismissed the plaintiff’s claims with prejudice after determining she failed to give the defendant pre-suit notice in compliance with Tennessee Code Annotated section 29-26-121. The plaintiff appeals. We affirm.

Here is a link to the opinion:

https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/jack.breithaupt.opn_.pdf.

NOTE: This opinion demonstrates the harsh and unfair effects of noncompliance with the statutory presuit notice requirements. 

Trial Court's Denial of Leave to Amend a Defendant's Pleading to Add a Cross-claim Reversed on Appeal

The Tennessee Court of Appeals has issued its opinion in Roach v. Moss Motor Co., Inc., No. M2021-00511-COA-R3-CV (Tenn. Ct. App. May 6, 2022). The syllabus from the slip opinion, which is short and sweet, reads: "The trial court denied a defendant’s motion to amend to include a cross-claim against another defendant. We reverse."

Here is a link to the opinion:

https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/rita.a.roach_.opn_.pdf.

NOTE: If you are a civil procedure junkie like I am, this opinion is a little slice of heaven because it offers a great analysis of multiparty litigation via consolidation coupled with the amendment of pleadings, etc. It also offers up a rare look at the application of Tennessee Code Annotated section 28-1-114(a) (which sets the timeliness of a cross-claim, inter alia, on the timeliness of the (original) complaint filed in a civil action). Any lawyer who is handling any civil action in a Tennessee state court should read this opinion.