WPC< NP?%63AvGHXp%A8h %IJb!$*ItgϼޑȮob]Y -Ԉ~Yup^#zRgݚ*g#Y F?\ t!?H!h#^Q`0{8:;v(xfS}>|ZE`mAS$,y:h1_dm)nj2"Gawǹ{Req J^ާ LhMTR?L Λo(یcp chtU\Uѣ+_ ֯$Fq6]i"yQr+Ec_xmd?e BmȲ Cpg ˖dGwɭΤ1A,"MۇU[fV!aw_wlNo^^}gMK7o*zX(ѯQ_.9w`g7# F U NQ % 0 UN w 4  N B 0? 0DUmU:$l^UN D3    0DSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS AO 0D D/ BHP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS0nL(hH  Z 6Times New Roman RegularX($71dXdXd7  HgITR[A' Legal[A' LegalA' LegalA' LegalT(Y Z 6Times New Roman RegularE ereDDDDDDDEӀh&--123|x D  P$HԌXX `   1    XXԌTherecorddoesnotrevealtheageoftheplaintiff.Weinferfromtheaffidavitsthata  cardiaccatheterizationonApril25,1994wassuccessful. d((3P$ !7XXdXXd7  HԌXXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T   `   0  (#$  0   c  S$HXX `   2    XXDrs.MortonandBandeianapparentlychosetheirwordscarefully,sincetheytestified  thattheplaintiffsufferedinjuriesthatmightnototherwisehaveoccurred,approprotothe  languageofT.C.A.2926115(a)andHendersonthat...wouldnothaveoccurred.Inlight  ofourdispositionofthecase,weneednotdiscussthegrammaticaleffectoftherespectivewords. XxXXX^XXx   Ad FILED ^   July13,1999  CecilCrowson,Jr.h  AppellateCourt  Clerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular b  S$HXX `   2    XXDrs.MortonandBandeianapparentlychosetheirwordscarefully,sincetheytestified  thattheplaintiffsufferedinjuriesthatmightnototherwisehaveoccurred,approprotothe  languageofT.C.A.2926115(a)andHendersonthat...wouldnothaveoccurred.Inlight  ofourdispositionofthecase,weneednotdiscussthegrammaticaleffectoftherespectivewords.(hH  Z 6Times New Roman Regular 'dxd(3$ !  -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd !7XXdXXd7  HԌXXTR[A' Legal3'A' Legal3'T    }RԌ7XdXXd7   r*<,(j 8 `@Ex tt0"rߛINTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  ATKNOXVILLEa ANNAMAYFAIR, h     ) p SULLIVANCIRCUIT  F  `     h     ) p (No.C32130[(L)]Below)  V  ` Plaintiff/Appellant h     )  f  `     h     ) p  & v v. `     h     ) p NO.03A019812CV00422 6   `     h     )CHARLESFULTON,M.D.,and  ) p HON.RICHARDE.LADD V  INDIANPATHHOSPITAL,INC.,  ) p JUDGE f  d/b/aHCAINDIANPATH    ) v  MEDICALCENTER, h     )   `     h     ) ` Defendants/Appellees    ) p AFFIRMED  LonV.v..Boyd,Kingsport,forAppellant.M.LacyWestandJuliaC.West,Kingsport,forAppelleeIndianPathHospital.RichardM.Currie,Jr.,Kingsport,forAppelleeCharlesFulton,M.D.@!!( OPINION 6  `     h      p INMAN,SeniorJudge R!    ` Tthisisamalpracticeactionagainstanemergencyroomphysician.TheplaintiffallegedthatonApril17,1994shesoughttreatmentattheemergencyroomofIndianPathHospitalforseverechestpainswhichthedefendantattributedtoafracturedrib.Heobtainednoelectrocardiogram.Threedayslatershereturnedtotheemergencyroomsufferingfromchestpains.Anotherphysiciandiagnosedherconditionascongestiveheartfailure,andadvisedherthatshehadnobrokenrib.SheallegedthatthedefendantwasnegligentinhisdiagnosisandtreatmentofheronApril17,andthathefailedtoexercisepropercareandskill,   #  1      ׀resultingin R2-+  grievousbodilyinjuries. r4/-  ` Thedefendantfiledamotionforsummaryjudgmentallegingthatthereisno evidencethathefailedtoactinaccordancewiththerecognizedstandardofacceptableprofessionalpractice,orthatanyactoromissiononhispartproximatelycausedtheplaintiffsinjuries.Hefiledhisaffidavitinsupportofthemotion,testifyingthattheplaintiffrelatedanonsetofsharpchestpains,worseningwhenshebreathed,andthatshehadbeencoughingforaweek.Shehadnonausea,vomiting,ordyspneaonexertion,buthadahistoryofdiabetes,bronchitisandhypertension.Hetestifiedthatherchestwasclear,thathercardiacexamwasnormal,andthatshewastenderinherlowerchest.Hebelievedthatthesharppain,worsenedbybreathing,was comingfromthelungs,pleuraorchestwallandwasclearlynotcardiacpain.Achestxraywasnormal,andheinterpretedtheribxraysasshowingapossiblefractureofthe10thrib,statingthatitisnotuncommontoseeafracturedribasaresultofahardcough. ` Dr.Fultonfurthertestifiedthathereassuredtheplaintiffoftheabsenceofcardiacfindingsandthatheprescribedanantibioticforherbronchitis,togetherwithamedicationtosuppresshercoughing.Headvisedhertofollowupwithherpersonalphysicianifpainpersisted. ` ThedefendantreviewedtheplaintiffsrecordsaftershewasadmittedtothehospitalonApril20,threedaysaftershewasseenbyhimintheemergencyroom.Hetestifiedthatthehospitalrecordsindicatedthattheplaintiffsdiagnosesondischargeweremyocardialinfarctionandcongestiveheartfailure,andthatthecardiacenzymeswhicharereleasedintothebloodasaresultofamyocardialinfarctionwerenotelevated,indicatingthatshedidnothavetheinfarctionintheprecedingthreedays,butprobablyonoraboutApril10.HetestifiedthatwhenhesawheronApril17,shewasnotincongestiveheartfailure.Hefurthertestifiedthathewasfamiliarwiththerecognizedstandardofacceptableprofessionalpracticeof 9 52 emergencyroomphysicians,andthatheactedwithordinaryandreasonablecareinaccordancewithsuchstandards,andthatnoactoromissiononhispartproximatelycausedtheplaintifftosufferanyinjurieswhichotherwisewouldnothaveoccurred. ` TheplaintifffiledtheaffidavitsofDrs.RalphF.Morton,acardiologist,andJohnJ.Bandeian,Jr.,inresponsetotheaffidavitofthedefendant.Thesufficiencyoftheseaffidavitsisdeterminativeoftheissueonappeal.Thetrialjudgeheldthattheaffidavitswerenotsufficientbecause theystatenospecificactoromissionsofDr.Fultonwhichconstitutedadeviationfromtheacceptedstandardofmedicalpracticeforemergencyroomphysicians. ` 1OurreviewofthefindingsoffactmadebythetrialCourtisdenovoupon   therecordofthetrialCourt,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthefinding,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise.Tenn.R.App. (x P.,Rule13(d)#1N#1;Campbellv.FloridaSteelCorp.,919S.W.2d26(Tenn.1996).#1#Ԁ T SummaryjudgmentisexplainedinByrdv.Hall,847S.W.2d208(Tenn.1993):   8 ` Whenthepartyseekingsummaryjudgmentmakesasupportedmotion,theburdenthenshiftstothenonmovingpartytosetforthspecificfacts,notlegalconclusions,byusingaffidavitsordiscoverymaterialsliSstedinRule56,establishingthatthereareindeedmaterialfactscreatingagenuineissuethatneedstoberesolvedbythetrieroffactandthatatrialisthereforenecessary.ThenonmovingpartymaynotrelyupontheallegationsordenialsofhispleadingincarryingoutthisburdenasmandatedbyRule56.05. ` 8"` 8" WhethertheaffidavitsofDrs.MortonandBandeian,similarincontent,satisysatisfytheplaintiffsburden tosetforthspecificfacts,notlegalconclusionsisanarrowerissue.Bytheseaffidavits,theseexpertstestified,withreferencetoDr.Fultonsfailuretoobtainanelectrocardiograminlightofthequalityoftheplaintiffschestpainandherhistoryofdiabetes,hypertension,andsmoking,that manyphysiciansinthissettingwouldobtainanECG,andafterstatingtheeirtheirknowledgeoftherecognizedstandardofcare,testifiedthatMrs.Fairwasnottreatedwiththeordinary 9`41 andreasonablecareinaccordancewiththerecognizedstandardofacceptableprofessionalpracticeofemergencyroomphysicians.Theyfurthertestifiedthat thedefendantactedwithlessthanorfailedtoactwithordinaryandreasonablecareinaccordancewithsuchstandardandasaproximateresultofdefendantsactoromissiontheplaintiffsufferedinjurieswhichmightnototherwisehaveoccurred. ` WhenfacedwiththeaffidavitofDr.Fulton,theburdenbecameonefortheplaintifftoprovebyexperttestimonytherequisitestandardofcare,thatthedefendantdeviatedfromthestandard,andthatasaproximateresultofDr.Fultonsnegligenceoromissiontheplaintifplaintiffsufferedinjurieswhichwouldnototherwisehaveoccurred.   %  2      כEstateofHendersonv.Mire,955S.W.2d56(Tenn.App.1997).    ` HendersonhassignificantapplicationtothecaseatBar.Thedefendantrelied @ onhisaffidavitthathewasfamiliarwiththestandardofcare,thathedidnotdeviatefromthestandardandthathedidnothingthatcausedharmtohispatient.Thisaffidavitwasheldtobesufficientlyprecisetoshifttheburdentotheplaintifftocomeforwardwithproofestablishingadisputedmterialmaterialfactrespecting(1)thestandardofcare,(2)thatdefendatndefendantdeviatedfromthatstandard,and(3)thatasaproximateresultofthedefendantsnegligentact,theplaintiffsufferedinjurieswhichwouldnototherwisehaveoccurred.Theplaintiffcounteredwiththeaffidavitofanexpertwhotestifiedthathewasfamiliarwiththestandardofcare,thatthedefendantdeviatedfromthestandardandthatplaintiffwouldhaverecoveredbutfordefendantsnegligence,butwithnospecificity.  ` Weheld P1,* 8 ` Weareoftheopinonopinion,however,thattheAffidavitofDr.Tanneris insufficientlyprecisetodemonstratethatagenuineissueofmaterialfactexists. ` 8"` 8" @+...8 ` Specifically,Dr.TannersAffidavitfailstostatewithanydegreeofprecision,what,ifanything,Dr.Miredidwronginhistreatmentofthedeceased.TheAffidavitisrepletewithconclusions.TheonlyassertioninDr.Tannersdepositionapproachingthefailureofdefendantstomeetthestandardofcareisthatthedefendant breachedthestandardofcareinthiscommunitywhenthedefendantsfailedtodiagnose,trattreatorinterventintervenetoprovidepliantiffplaintiffdecedentwithtimelyandcompetentcare....񛀀TheAffidavitfailstopointoutthediagnosis,ifany,thatshouldhavebeenmade.Itfurtherfailstopointoutthetreatmentorinterventionthatshouldhaveoccurredtopreventtheplaintiffdecedentsdeath.ThereisnothingintheAfidavitAffidavittodemonstratethatasaproximateresultofdefendantsnegligentactoromission,theplaintiffsufferedinjurieswhichwouldnototherwisehaveoccurred. ` 8"` 8"  ` TheaffidavitsofDrs.MortonandBandeianmerelystatetheconclusionthatthedefendantfailedtotrattreatplaintiffwithordinaryandreasonablecareinaccordancewiththerecognizedstandardofacceptableprofessionalpracticeandthatasaresultofdefendantsnegligentactoromission,theplaintiffsufferedinjurieswhichmightnototherwisehaveocurredoccurred.Theconclusionisnotsupportedbyspecificactsoromissionstoactandisnotsufficienttocreateagenuineissueoffact. ` Theplaintiffreliesatlengthuponherbelief,supportedbyherexperts,thatthedefendantmistakenlydiagnosedabrokenrib.Thereisnoallegationthatshetherebysustainedaninjury;neitheristhereevidenceofanyconnectionbetweenthedefendantsopinionthattheplaintiffhadafracturedribandhersubsequentcongestiveheartfailure. ` Thejudgmentisaffirmed.Costsareassessedtotheappellant.Themotionoftheappelleethattheappealbedeclaredfrivolousisdenied. `     h     _______________________________ `     h     WilliamH.Inman,SeniorJudge 9 52 ЇCONCUR:_______________________________HoustonM.Goddard,PresidingJudge_______________________________CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,Judge