Goodwin v. Hertzberg
| Decision Date | 22 December 1952 |
| Docket Number | No. 11513.,11513. |
| Citation | 201 F.2d 204,91 US App. DC 385 |
| Parties | GOODWIN et al. v. HERTZBERG. |
| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals — District of Columbia Circuit |
John R. Daily, Washington, D. C., with whom H. Mason Welch and J. Harry Welch, Washington, D. C., were on the brief, for appellee.
Before EDGERTON, CLARK, and FAHY, Circuit Judges.
This is a suit for personal injuries alleged to have been caused to the appellant Mrs. Goodwin by surgical malpractice of the appellee. After a long trial the jury disagreed and was discharged. The court refused to grant a new trial and directed judgment for the appellee. The question is whether there was enough evidence of negligence to entitle appellants to a new trial.
In performing an operation in which it was necessary to use care not to perforate the patient's urethra, appellee perforated it. On the witness stand he said Moreover the evidence of negligence was not confined to this original operation. In our opinion the case should have been submitted to a second jury.
"The rule applicable in the District of Columbia on a motion for a directed verdict, in an action founded upon negligence, is that the evidence must be construed most favorably to the plaintiff; to this end he is entitled to the full effect of every legitimate inference therefrom; if upon the evidence, so considered, reasonable men might differ, the case should go to the jury * * *." Shewmaker v. Capital Transit Co., 79 U.S.App.D.C. 102, 103, 143 F.2d 142, 143. It is immaterial that no expert testified that appellee acted negligently. Christie v. Callahan, 75 U.S.App.D.C. 133, 135, 136, 147, 124 F.2d 825, 827, 828, 839. In surgical cases especially there are "`* * * many instances where the facts alone prove the negligence, and where it is unnecessary to have the opinions of persons skilled in the particular science to show unskillful and negligent treatment.'" Byrom v. Eastern Dispensary & Casualty Hospital, 78...
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Canterbury v. Spence
...supra note 59, 92 U.S.App. D.C. at 240, 204 F.2d at 726 (newborn baby's head striking operating table); Goodwin v. Hertzberg, 91 U.S.App.D.C. 385, 386, 201 F.2d 204, 205 (1952) (perforation of urethra); Byrom v. Eastern Dispensary & Cas. Hosp., supra note 59, 78 U.S.App.D.C. at 43, 136 F.2d......
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Washington Hospital Center v. Butler
...104 U.S.App.D.C. 372, 373, 262 F.2d 469, 470 (1958) (small bit of gauze left in surgical incision); Goodwin v. Hertzberg, 91 U.S.App.D.C. 385, 386, 201 F.2d 204, 205 (1952) (perforation of patient's urethra during operation); Byrom v. Eastern Dispensary & Cas. Hosp., supra (failure to corre......
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Hornbeck v. Homeopathic Hospital Ass'n of Del.
...731 (recognizing rule, but holding it inapplicable). The negligent act must seem reasonably apparent from the facts. Goodwin v. Hertzberg, 91 U.S.App.D.C. 385, 201 F.2d 204; Note: 60 Mich.L.Rev. 1153, Plaintiff claims her forearm injury is unusual because it is outside the operative area an......
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Furr v. Herzmark, 11536.
...___ U.S.App.D.C. ___, 204 F.2d 732; Higashi v. Shifflett, 1952, 90 U.S.App. D.C. 302, 195 F.2d 784. See, also, Goodwin v. Hertzberg, 1952, 91 U.S.App.D.C. 385, 201 F.2d 204; and Crist v. White, 1933, 62 App.D.C. 269, 66 F.2d 795. The record contains much convincing evidence, the purport of ......