ÿWPCi …4Vj 0(y¡w@© 0Jé 0T3 0^‡ 0hå 0rM 0|¿ 0†; 0Á 1uQ 0dÆ UB* %l U6r U>¨ B)æ DC AMR U*Ÿ É v~ã BavÓ~ D3Q 0@„ AOÄÆ 0DÙ D/ BLÚƒç"ÔøÔô3|xI($¡¡ 3E45E67E89E:;Ó€G2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiX< Œ 9p`(Courier New< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌò òOctober€16,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€"ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'` dStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÒ Ü ÒÒ ° ÒÑ ý ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€* XXdÈdÈ7ÑÔ€ÔÔ€ŠÔÙ€€ÙßR€!# A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌ€€€€à@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àEASTERN€SECTIONÌó óÌÌÌANNETTE€CHRISTENBERRY€à àà à)€C/A€NO.€03A01„9701„CV„00039Ìand€J.G.€CHRISTENBERRY,à àà à)€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€KNOX€CIRCUITÌà àPlaintiffs„Appellants,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€HON.€WHEELER€ROSENBALM,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€JUDGEÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌHENRY€S.€NELSON,€JR.,€M.D.,€ET€AL,)€AFFIRMEDÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ANDÌà àDefendants„Appellees.à àà à)€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌÌANNETTE€CHRISTENBERRY,€Pro€Se,€Seymour,€Tennessee.ÌÌœHOWARD€H.€VOGEL€and€STEPHEN›€C.€DAVES,€OððNEIL,€PARKER€&ÏWILLIAMSON,€Knoxville,€for€Defendants„Appellees.ÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÌòòÌÓÓóóà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àFranks.€J.ÌÌà àà àIn€this€medical€malpractice€action,€the€Trial€Court€granted€theÏdefendant,€Henry€S.€Nelson,€Jr.,€M.D.,€summary€judgment,€and€plaintiffs€haveÏappealed.Ìà àà àPlaintiffsðð€daughter€was€involved€in€a€tragic€motor€vehicle€accident€andÏwas€taken€to€the€U.T.€Medical€Center€in€Knoxville,€where€she€died.€€Nelson€is€one€ofÏthe€physicians€that€plaintiffs€sued,€alleging€negligent€treatment€of€their€daughter.Ìà àà àNelson€filed€a€motion€for€summary€judgment,€attaching€his€affidavit€andÏthe€deposition€of€a€neuro„surgeon.€€Nelson,€in€his€affidavit,€stated€that€he€was€familiarÏwith€the€appropriate€standard€of€acceptable€medical€care€for€general€surgeonsÏpracticing€in€Knoxville,€Tennessee€community,€and€stated:ÌÓÓà0 àà0 àI€am€familiar€with€the€appropriate€standard€of€acceptable€medical€careÏfor€general€surgeons€practicing€in€the€Knoxville,€Tennessee€community,Ïinclusive€of€November€1993.ÌÌà0 àà0 àOn€November€15,€1993,€at€approximately€2:35€a.m.,€DeniseÏChristenberry€was€brought€by€ambulance€to€the€University€ofÏTennessee€Medical€Center€and€was€initially€treated€in€the€EmergencyÏRoom.€€Attached€is€a€copy€of€the€Discharge/Death€Summary,€Exhibit€1.€ÏThe€medical€records€indicate€that€upon€arrival€at€the€Emergency€Room,Ïa€history€was€obtained€that€this€was€a€twenty„three€year€old€femaleÏwho€was€an€unrestrained€driver€in€a€motor€vehicle€crash.€€Upon€arrivalÏin€the€Emergency€Room,€she€was€unresponsive.€€Her€pupils€wereÏdilated€and€unresponsive€to€light.€€€She€had€no€response€to€deep€painÏand€had€a€Glasgow€coma€scale€of€3.€€She€had€agonal€respirations€andÏwas€intubated€shortly€after€arrival.€€A€CT€scan€was€ordered€andÏobtained.€€I€was€contacted€at€home€by€telephone€at€approximately€3:00Ïa.m.€as€Ms.€Christenberry€was€being€taken€to€have€the€CT€scanÏperformed.€€I€was€contacted€a€second€time€at€home€by€the€hospitalÏpersonnel€and€was€informed€of€the€results€of€the€CT€scan.€€The€CT€scanÏof€the€head€revealed€the€presence€of€diffuse€cerebral€edema€andÏsubarachnoid€hemorrhage,€a€possible€thin€left€frontal€subduralÏhematoma,€and€a€right€parietal€and€temporal€squamosal€fracture.€€TheÏCT€scan€of€the€spine€indicated€a€comminuted€fracture€involving€T„11Ïwith€associated€posterior€element€fractures.€€The€CT€scan€of€theÏabdomen€showed€no€significant€injury€to€the€abdominal€organs.€€ÌÌà0 àà0 àFrom€the€information€provided€to€me€by€the€personnel€who€were€caringÏfor€the€patient€at€the€hospital,€which€included€four€physicians,€it€wasÏmy€opinion€that€she€did€not€have€an€injury€that€required€generalÏsurgical€treatment,€and€it€was€further€my€opinion€that€there€was€noÏtreatment€I€could€provide€within€my€specialty€of€general€surgery.€€TheÏassessment€was€that€the€patient€had€a€severe€closed€head€injury.€ÏAppropriate€treatment€was€initiated€by€the€medical€personnel€in€theÏEmergency€Room€by€intubation,€hyperventilation,€and€supportive€care.€ÏA€consultation€with€neurosurgery€was€ordered.€€The€patient€was€takenÏto€Intensive€Care.€€ÌÌà0 àà0 àMs.€Christenberry€was€seen€by€a€neurosurgeon,€whose€clinical€findingsÏwere€consistent€with€brain€death.€€Other€tests€and€examinations€wereÏperformed€that€confirmed€no€brain€function.€€I€saw€and€examined€theÏpatient€on€the€morning€of€November€15,€1993€and€results€of€myÏexamination€were€consistent€with€these€findings.€€It€was€my€opinionÏwithin€a€reasonable€degree€of€medical€certainty,€that€there€was€noÏgeneral€surgical€treatment€that€I€could€have€performed€at€any€time€thatÏwould€have€assisted€the€patient.ÌÌà0 àà0 àThe€patient€died€as€a€result€of€her€injuries€on€November€16,€1993.ÌÌà0 àà0 àIt€is€my€opinion,€within€a€reasonable€degree€of€medical€certainty,€that€inÏmy€role€in€the€care€of€Denise€Christenberry€on€November€15€and€16,Ï1993,€that€I€complied€with€appropriate€standards€of€acceptable€medicalÏcare€for€general€surgeons€practicing€at€that€time€in€the€Knoxville,ÏTennessee€community.€€It€is€my€opinion€that€I€did€not€deviate€from€suchÏstandards.€€It€is€further€my€opinion,€within€a€reasonable€degree€ofÏmedical€certainty,€that€no€act€or€omission€on€my€part€caused€orÏcontributed€to€the€injuries€and€death€of€Denise€Christenberry.à0 àà0 àÌÌÓÓà àà àIn€response€to€the€motion,€one€of€the€plaintiffs,€Annette€Christenberry,Ïfiled€her€affidavit,€which€essentially€states€that€she€was€familiar€with€the€appropriateÏguidelines€set€out€by€the€American€College€of€Surgeons€for€care€in€a€level€one€traumaÏcenter,€and€stated:ÌÓÓà0 àà0 àIt€is€my€opinion€that€Dr.€Sperry€Nelson€treated€my€daughter€with€veryÏquestionable€drugs,€paralyzing€agents€that€turn€off€brain€transmission,Ïwithout€anyone€knowing€he€was€the€person€seeing€to€her.€€He€wasÏnever€in€a€room€to€explain€her€condition€to€the€family€and€we€onlyÏbecause€aware€through€the€records€after€my€daughterððs€death€he€wasÏthe€primary€physician.ÌÌÓÓThe€General€Assembly€has€established€the€plaintiffððs€burden€of€proving€malpracticeÏagainst€a€physician.€€This€is€set€forth€in€T.C.A.€ðð29„26„115,€which€states:ÌÓÓà0 àà0 àò ò29„16„115.€€Claimantððs€burden€in€malpractice€action€„€ExpertÏtestimony€„€Presumption€of€negligence€„€Jury€instructions.€„ó ó€(a)€In€aÏmalpractice€action,€the€claimant€shall€have€the€burden€of€proving€byÏevidence€as€provided€by€subsection€(b):ÌÌà0 àà0 àà à(1)€The€recognized€standard€of€acceptable€professional€practiceÏin€the€profession€and€the€specialty€thereof,€if€any,€that€the€defendantÏpractices€in€the€community€in€which€he€practices€or€in€a€similarÏcommunity€at€the€time€the€alleged€injury€or€wrongful€action€occurred;Ìà0 àà0 àà à(2)€That€the€defendant€acted€with€less€than€or€failed€to€act€withÏordinary€and€reasonable€care€in€accordance€with€such€standards;€andÌà0 àà0 àà à(3)€As€a€proximate€result€of€the€defendantððs€negligent€act€orÏomission,€the€plaintiff€suffered€injuries€which€would€not€otherwise€haveÏoccurred.€.€.€.ÌÌÓÓà àà àWhen€plaintiffs€were€confronted€with€the€motion€for€summaryÏjudgment€with€affidavits€of€expert€witnesses€stating€that€defendant€had€acted€withÏreasonable€care€in€accordance€with€the€recognized€acceptable€standard€ofÏprofessional€practice€in€his€medical€specialty,€the€burden€shifted€to€plaintiffs€to€offerÏevidence€to€dispute€this€fact.€€The€plaintiffs€were€required€to€offer€contradictoryÏexpert€testimony€and€absent€such€response€to€defendantððs€affidavit,€summaryÏjudgment€was€appropriate.€€òòAyers€v.€Rutherford€Hosp.,€Inc.,€óó689€S.W.2d€155€(Tenn.ÏApp.€1984).€€Ìà àà àIn€this€case,€plaintiffððs€affidavit€only€offers€lay€opinions,€and€essentiallyÏexpresses€the€affiantððs€personal€œbeliefs,›€which€œdo›€not€constitute€admissible€evidenceÏon€the€issue.€€òòSee€Fowler€v.€Happy€Goodman€Familyóó,€575€S.W.2d€496€(Tenn.€1978).€ÏConsequently,€we€conclude€that€plaintiffs€have€failed€to€meet€the€œrequirements›€forÏmaintaining€this€action€as€required€in€T.C.A.€ðð29„26„115.€€We€affirm€the€judgment€ofÏthe€Trial€Court,€with€costs€of€appeal€assessed€to€appellants.ÌÌÓÓÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌ___________________________ÌœHouston€M.€Goddard,€P.J.Ì›ÌÌÌÌÌ___________________________ÌœClifford€E.€Sanders,€Sp.J.›ÌÌ