Preview:

STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS


Estate of JEAN CAROL BENJAMIN, Deceased, by DESIREE L. KIMPSON, Personal Representative, Plaintiff-Appellee, v BOTSFORD GENERAL HOSPITAL and JOHN PARMELY, D.O., Defendants-Appellants.

UNPUBLISHED October 9, 2007

No. 269253 Oakland Circuit Court LC No. 2002-044309-NH

Before: Bandstra, P.J., and Talbot and Fort Hood, JJ. PER CURIAM. In this wrongful death medical malpractice action, defendants appeal as on leave granted1 from a circuit court order denying their motion for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(7) (statute of limitations). We reverse and remand. This appeal is being decided without oral argument pursuant to MCR 7.214(E). We review de novo the circuit court's summary disposition ruling. Henderson, 465 Mich 124, 129; 631 NW2d 308 (2001). Beaudrie v

Under MCR 2.116(C)(7), summary disposition is proper when a claim is barred by the statute of limitations. In determining whether summary disposition was properly granted under MCR 2.116(C)(7), this Court "consider(s) all documentary evidence submitted by the parties, accepting as true the contents of the complaint unless affidavits or other appropriate documents specifically contradict them." [Waltz v Wyse, 469 Mich 642, 647-648; 677 NW2d 813 (2004), quoting Fane v Detroit Library Comm, 465 Mich 68, 74; 631 NW2d 678 (2001).]

1

Benjamin v Botsford Gen Hosp, 474 Mich 1085; 711 NW2d 340 (2006).

-1-


"Whether a period of limitations applies to preclude a party's pursuit of an action constitutes a question of law that we [also] review de novo." Detroit v 19675 Hasse, 258 Mich App 438, 444; 671 NW2d 150 (2003). The period of limitation governing a wrongful death action depends on the period of limitation applicable to the underlying theory of liability. Lipman v William Beaumont Hosp, 256 Mich App 483, 490; 664 NW2d 245 (2003). A medical malpractice plaintiff has two years from the date the cause of action accrued in which to file suit. MCL 600.5805(6).2 A medical malpractice claim generally "accrues at the time of the act or omission that is the basis for the claim of medical malpractice, regardless of the time the plaintiff discovers or otherwise has knowledge of the claim." MCL 600.5838a(1).3 The circuit court's finding that the date of death controls accrual in wrongful death actions premised on medical malpractice ignores the plain language of

Download ESTATE OF JEAN CAROL BENJAMIN V BOTSFORD GENERAL HOSPITAL.pdf

Michigan Law