Bertrand v. Rumsey

Full title: TALESHA BERTRAND, ET UX. v. ROBERT RUMSEY, M.D., ET AL.

Court: STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT

Date published: Jun 4, 2014

139 So. 3d 1283 (La. Ct. App. 2014)

Opinion

Nos. 14–62.

2014-06-4

Talesha BERTRAND, et ux. v. Robert RUMSEY, M.D., et al.

Appeal from the Fourteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of Calcasieu, No. 2008–6528, Honorable David A. Ritchie, District Judge. Benjamin P. Mouton, McGlynn, Glisson & Mouton, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for Plaintiffs/Appellants James Bertrand, Talesha Bertrand. William C. Rowe, Jr., David C. Bolton, Rowe Law Firm, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for Intervenors/Appellees Louisiana Patient's Compensation Fund, Louisiana Patient's Compensation Fund Oversight, Board, through the nominal defendant, Dr. Michael Kudla.

KEATY

Appeal from the Fourteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of Calcasieu, No. 2008–6528, Honorable David A. Ritchie, District Judge.
Benjamin P. Mouton, McGlynn, Glisson & Mouton, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for Plaintiffs/Appellants James Bertrand, Talesha Bertrand. William C. Rowe, Jr., David C. Bolton, Rowe Law Firm, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for Intervenors/Appellees Louisiana Patient's Compensation Fund, Louisiana Patient's Compensation Fund Oversight, Board, through the nominal defendant, Dr. Michael Kudla.
James R. Shelton, Durio, McGoffin, Stagg & Ackermann, Lafayette, Louisiana, for Defendants/Appellees Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company, Michael Kudla, M.D.

J. Gregory Bergstedt, Elizabeth F. Shea, Fraser, Wheeler & Begstedt, Lake Charles, Louisiana, for Defendants/Appellees Preferred Professional Insurance Company, Robert Rumsey, M.D.

Court composed of SYLVIA R. COOKS, J. DAVID PAINTER, and PHYLLIS M. KEATY, Judges.

KEATY, Judge.

For the reasons set forth in the companion case hereto, Bertrand v. Kudla, 14–61 (La.App. 3 Cir. 06/04/14) 139 So.3d 1233, the July 16, 2013 judgment notwithstanding the verdict rendered by the trial court denying an additional award of special damages for lost wages is reversed. We hereby award Talesha Bertrand the amount of $46,550.00 representing lost wages from May 31, 2005 through March 15, 2006. We further reverse the trial court's denial of an increase in general damages to Talesha Bertrand and increase the award to $150,000.00.

REVERSED IN PART AND RENDERED.