Graham Read Irby v. Sudhakar Madakasira, M.D.
Graham Read Irby v. Sudhakar Madakasira, M.D.
Opinion of the Court
¶ 1. The motion for rehearing is granted. The previous opinion of this Court is withdrawn, and this opinion is substituted in its place.
¶ 2. Graham Read Irby, by and through his mother, Karen Collins, filed a wrongful-death suit against the psychiatrist who treated his father, Stuart M. Irby (Irby), prior to Irby's death by suicide. The suit alleged the psychiatrist's intentional and negligent acts created an irresistible impulse in Irby to commit suicide. The circuit court dismissed the action, finding that the claims of intentional acts were barred by the one-year statute of limitations for intentional torts and that Irby's suicide was a superseding event that barred any negligence claims. On appeal, Collins originally argued that despite allegations of intentional acts, the complaint was based in negligence, for which a two-year statute of limitations applied, and the negligence action was not barred.
¶ 3. Five days prior to this Court's original decision, the Mississippi Supreme Court decided
Pioneer Community Hospital of Newton v. Roberts
,
FACTS
¶ 4. Prior to his death, Irby sought psychiatric treatment from Dr. Sudhakar Madakasira, a physician specializing in psychiatry. Dr. Madakasira treated Irby for various conditions, including bipolar disorder, anger management, and alcohol abuse. On February 11, 2009, Irby and his wife, Karen Irby, now Karen Collins, were involved in a car accident. Irby suffered a severe, traumatic frontal-lobe brain injury. He continued to see Dr. Madakasira for the brain injury.
¶ 5. Due to that injury, Irby was deemed incapable of conducting his own business affairs, and coconservators were appointed by the Hinds County Chancery Court, First Judicial District. The conservators petitioned the chancery court for authority to file a divorce complaint on Irby's behalf against Collins. The petition was granted. In support of the divorce complaint, the conservators attached an affidavit executed by Dr. Madakasira on October 28, 2011, while Irby was under his care. The affidavit stated that Irby had told Dr. Madakasira that he was unsure if he wanted a divorce from Collins. However, Dr. Madakasira swore in his affidavit that due to the brain injury, Irby was not capable of making a decision in his or Graham's best interest regarding the divorce. Dr. Madakasira opined that a divorce was in Irby's best interest and that it would be detrimental to Irby's health to remain married to Collins. Dr. Madakasira testified consistently at the divorce hearing. Although Irby testified he did not want a divorce, the divorce was granted.
¶ 6. On January 17, 2012, Irby told Collins over the phone that he was forced into the divorce and had no reason to live. Irby committed suicide at his home later that day.
¶ 7. On December 16, 2013, Collins sent Dr. Madakasira and his employer, Psycamore LLC, a notice of intent to commence a medical-malpractice action based on wrongful death.
See
¶ 8. After the case was transferred, Collins was granted leave to file an amended complaint. The amended complaint alleged negligence and added a claim for "intentional acts." The amended portion of the complaint alleged that "[a]s a direct and proximate result of the intentional acts of Dr. Madakasira in assisting the conservators in the prosecution of the divorce action and the granting of a divorce by the Chancery Court[,] Stuart M. Irby developed an irresistible impulse to commit suicide[.]"
¶ 9. Dr. Madakasira moved to dismiss the case on the grounds that the one-year statute of limitations for intentional torts barred the action and that any negligence claims were barred for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. After a hearing, the circuit court granted the motion to dismiss. Collins's motion for reconsideration was denied. On appeal, Collins argued that the two-year statute of limitations for professional negligence applies and that the case should be reversed
and remanded for discovery and further proceedings.
STANDARD OF REVIEW
¶ 10. We review de novo a trial court's decision to grant a motion to dismiss under Mississippi Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim for which relief can be granted.
Stockstill v. State
,
DISCUSSION
I. Whether the minor's savings clause tolled the statute of limitations.
¶ 11. The circuit court found that the one-year statute of limitations for intentional torts applied, barring the claim. It further dismissed Collins's negligence claim, finding that while within the two-year statute of limitations for negligence, a negligence cause of action cannot be sustained for a claim for wrongful death by suicide.
¶ 12. On rehearing, Collins asserts for the first time that the statute of limitations was tolled by the minor's saving statute, thus making the complaint timely under both the one- and two-year statutes of limitations. Collins's argument is based on the Mississippi Supreme Court's decision in
Pioneer
,
¶ 13.
Pioneer
changed the law regarding the application of the minor's savings statute, section 15-1-59, to wrongful-death actions. Prior to
Pioneer
, the binding case on this issue was
Curry v. Turner
,
¶ 14. Collins asserts on rehearing that she did not argue tolling before the trial court or in her initial brief on appeal because, at that time,
Curry
was still in effect, and qualified persons existed who could have brought suit during the statute of limitations. Collins is not qualified to recover under the wrongful-death statute, since she and Irby were divorced at the time of his death.
See
¶ 15. In
Pioneer
, the minor beneficiaries (the decedent's children) had an aunt who was qualified under the wrongful-death statute as the decedent's sister to file a wrongful-death suit, but she did not file one.
Pioneer
, 214 So.3d at 261 (¶ 3).
¶ 16. Shortly after turning twenty-one, the older child filed a wrongful-death suit on behalf of all wrongful-death beneficiaries against the hospital and physician. Id. at (¶ 9). The hospital and physician argued the statute of limitations had run because the aunt could have filed suit during the limitations period. Id. at 264 (¶ 22). The supreme court found that the minor's saving statute tolled the statute of limitations because the aunt "had been neither appointed guardian nor authorized by the chancery court to bring an action on [the children's] behalf." Id. at 266 (¶¶ 29-31). It further found that the aunt's existence as a person with standing did not preclude application of the minor's saving statute. Id.
¶ 17. The supreme court in
Pioneer
cited
U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Conservatorship of Melson
,
When the legal title to property or a right in action is in an executor, administrator, guardian, or other trustee, the time during which any statute of limitations runs against such trustee shall be computed against the person beneficially interested in such property or right in action, although such person may be under disability and within the saving of any statute of limitations; and may be availed of in any suit or actions by such person.
¶ 18. "[U]nder [ section] 15-1-53, if a person who is subject to infancy or unsoundness of mind does in fact
have a guardian or conservator appointed for them
, then the action may be brought in the name of that guardian or conservator, without the consideration of any savings clause."
Melson
,
¶ 19. Applying this holding in
Pioneer
, the supreme court held that because "no oath had been filed" by the aunt "and no letters of guardianship had been entered" on behalf of the oldest of the minor children, the child "did not 'in fact have a guardian appointed for her' who had the legal authority to bring a suit on her behalf."
Pioneer
, 214 So.3d at 266 (¶ 30) (quoting
Melson
,
¶ 20. There is no indication here that Collins had a legal duty to file suit on Graham's behalf. Collins did not appear as Graham's court-appointed guardian. Rather, she appeared as his mother and next friend. As Graham's mother, Collins had standing to file suit on his behalf. However, our decision hinges on whether Collins's status as his mother and next friend bestowed on her the duty to file suit within the statute of limitations. Black's Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014) defines "next friend" as "[s]omeone who appears in a lawsuit to act for the benefit of an incompetent or minor plaintiff, but who is not a party to the lawsuit and is not appointed as a guardian."
¶ 21. While not in the context of a wrongful-death claim, the supreme court discussed this issue in
Vice v. Department of Human Services
,
¶ 22. Further, in
Thiroux ex rel. Cruz v. Austin ex rel. Arceneaux
,
¶ 23. Collins was not a qualified beneficiary under the wrongful-death statute, nor is there any evidence she had been court appointed to bring suit on Graham's behalf. Rather, she brought suit as Graham's mother and next friend. Applying Pioneer , we find that the minor's saving statute tolled the statute of limitations, making the suit timely under either the one-or two-year statute of limitations. Thus, we reverse and remand for further proceedings. However, as explained below, the proceedings shall be limited to Collins's intentional-tort claim, as the trial court correctly dismissed Collins's negligence cause of action.
II. Whether Collins can sustain a negligence cause of action for Irby's suicide.
¶ 24. To the extent that Collins's complaint alleges negligence, we find these claims were correctly dismissed for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.
¶ 25. Collins's original complaint alleged only medical negligence. In November 2014, after Collins's complaint was filed, the Mississippi Supreme Court handed down its decision in
Truddle v. Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto Inc.
,
¶ 26. After Truddle handed down, the circuit court granted Collins leave to amend the complaint to comply with Truddle 's intentional-act pleading requirement. However, the amended complaint still contained negligence allegations.
¶ 27. Collins's amended complaint alleges the following negligent acts: (1) Dr. Madakasira "[f]ail[ed] to properly monitor [Irby's] mental health"; and (2) Dr. Madakasira "[f]ail[ed] to prescribe an appropriate treatment for ... Irby to prevent his suicide in spite of the fact that Dr. Madakasira was well aware of Irby's history and his suicidal ideations." These negligence allegations do not state a cause of action under
Truddle
, since a wrongful-death action for suicide cannot be sustained solely based on allegations of "medical malpractice, i.e., negligence."
Truddle
,
¶ 28. "A medical-malpractice cause of action in Mississippi tracks the typical negligence action[.]"
¶ 29. However, "suicide constitutes 'an independent, intervening[,] and superseding event that severs the causal nexus between any wrongful action on the part of the defendant.' "
Truddle
,
¶ 30. "Nothing in Mississippi caselaw, save the irresistible-impulse doctrine, ... abrogates the general rule that suicide constitutes 'an independent, intervening[,] and superseding event that severs the causal nexus between any wrongful action on the part of the defendant.' "
¶ 31. Therefore, under
Truddle
, while a claim for wrongful suicide death under the irresistible-impulse doctrine set out in
Edgeworth
may be sustained based on a doctor's actions, the claim cannot lie in medical negligence.
¶ 32. We disagree with the dissent's finding that
Truddle
permits a medical-negligence cause of action for Irby's suicide death. First,
Truddle
clearly states that an intentional act must be pled to support a cause of action for suicide, and our caselaw is well established that an intentional act cannot form the basis of a negligence claim.
¶ 33. The dissent argues that the supreme court's recent decision in
Singing River Health System v. Vermilyea
, 2016-IA-01096-SCT,
failed to assess and treat ... Vermilyea's psychiatric condition, failed to hospitalize him, negligently and prematurely released him from the hospital, failed to take reasonable steps to prevent him from harming himself, failed to follow the standard of care applicable to a depressed and suicidal patient, and failed to inform [his wife or daughter] of his attempted suicide and need for follow-up care.
¶ 34. Singing River moved to dismiss the amended complaint under Rule 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim upon which relief could be granted because all the claims were negligence based.
Id.
at 76-77,
¶ 35. When the facility assumes a duty of care for a patient who is under its custody and control, and it is foreseeable that a breach of that duty could result in immediate suicide, liability exists "for the [facility's] negligent failure to prevent ... [the] act of self-harm."
¶ 36. While the amended complaint here alleged that Dr. Madakasira knew that Irby had threatened suicide in the past and that his suicide was foreseeable, there was no allegation that Irby was under Dr. Madakasira's custody or control or that he had recently been under any doctor's or facility's custody or control and negligently discharged, as
Singing River
requires.
Id.
at 81,
¶ 37. We also disagree with the dissent's statement that our decision effectively holds "that intentional conduct cannot serve as the basis for a medical-malpractice action." The dissent asserts that this decision departs from our holding in
Chitty v. Terracina
,
¶ 38. Taking the allegations in the complaint as true, Collins's medical-negligence allegations do not state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Suicide is an independent, intervening, and superseding event that breaks the nexus between any alleged wrongful act of Dr. Madakasira and Irby's death. Without this nexus, a causal connection for a medical-negligence action cannot be formed, and the claims cannot be sustained. The trial court correctly dismissed the negligence allegations in the complaint.
III. Whether Collins's complaint alleges an intentional tort sufficient to sustain a cause of action for wrongful death by suicide.
¶ 39. To comply with Truddle's intentional-act pleading requirement, Collins moved for, and was granted, leave to amend the complaint. The pertinent section of the amended complaint reads:
INTENTIONAL ACTS OF DEFENDANT
....
15. Dr. Madakasira knowingly engaged in a course of conduct with the conservators of Stuart M. Irby to have a divorce granted to Irby by the action prosecuted by the conservators even though Stuart Irby expressed his opposition to the divorce. By advising with the conservators in the divorce action, which resulted in a divorce being granted, Dr. Madakasira stepped outside of the psychiatrist-patient relationship and created a conflict of interest with his patient, Stuart Irby. As Irby's attending psychiatrist for several years, Dr. Madakasira knew that Stuart Irby was mentally and emotionally fragile and that he had threat[en]ed to commit suicide in the past. However, notwithstanding his personal knowledge of lrby's mental condition[,] Dr. Madakasira intentionally participated with the conservators to secure a divorce for Stuart Irby from his wife, [Collins,] and took an active part in the chancery court proceedings which resulted in the divorce being granted against Stuart Irby's will.
16. As a direct and proximate result of the intentional acts of Dr. Madakasira in assisting the conservators in the prosecution of the divorce action and the granting of a divorce by the Chancery Court[,] Stuart M. Irby developed an irresistible impulse to commit suicide and on January 17, 2012[,] he committed suicide.
17. The intentional conduct of Dr. Madakasira, as aforesaid, created an irresistible impulse in Stuart Irby to commit suicide so that he took his own life. Based upon the negligence and intentional acts of the defendants it was foreseeable that Stuart M. Irby would commit suicide.
18. Madakasira's intentional conduct, as aforesaid, was the proximate cause or a proximate contributing cause of the irresistible impulse suffered by Stuart M. Irby to commit suicide and rendered him unable to discern the nature or consequences of suicide which was the proximate cause or was a proximate contributing cause of Stuart Irby's wrongful death.
¶ 40. The trial court found the allegations in the amended complaint sounded in intentional tort, and thus were barred by the one-year statute of limitations. In her original brief on appeal, Collins vehemently argued that all claims in the complaint were negligence-based, as any intentional-tort claims were barred by the one-year statute of limitations. On the contrary, on rehearing, we are only looking at the intentional-act allegations, which were required to be pled under Truddle , to determine if the amended complaint states a claim upon which relief can be granted.
¶ 41. While we have found the statute of limitations was tolled as to either claim, the distinction between the claims is important, as we must determine whether Collins's complaint states a claim for which relief can be granted on remand. Although Collins originally argued that the complaint alleged only negligence, "[s]ubstance prevails over form."
Sanderson Farms Inc. v. McCullough
,
¶ 42. Despite Collins's original assertion that the claims sound in negligence, an intentional act cannot form the basis of a negligence claim. "Negligence is a failure to do what [a] reasonable person would do under the same or similar circumstances," resulting in a breach of the applicable standard of care and injury to
the plaintiff.
Estate of St. Martin v. Hixson
,
¶ 43. "[A] claim alleging an intentional tort and a claim alleging negligence are mutually exclusive, in that, one who is found to have acted negligently cannot at the same time be found to have acted intentionally."
¶ 44. Thus, we look to the amended complaint's substance to determine whether its claims lie in negligence or intentional tort.
See
Howard v. Wilson
,
¶ 45. We find these allegations-that Dr. Madakasira acted "knowingly," "intentionally," "active[ly]," "willfully," and "deliberately"-sound in intentional tort, regardless of the title Collins gives them.
¶ 46. Looking at the substance of the amended complaint, we find the alleged intentional acts lie in intentional tort. While we make no finding as to the merits of the complaint, we find that the complaint alleges sufficient intentional acts to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss. As the statute of limitations is no longer at issue due to the minor's saving statute, we find the intentional act allegations in the complaint may be viable, even though those acts arise in a medical context. Therefore, we remand this matter to the circuit court for further proceedings on Collins's intentional-tort claims.
CONCLUSION
¶ 47. Under the supreme court's holding in
Pioneer
, we find the minor's savings statute tolled the statute of limitations. While making no comment as to the merits of the complaint, we further find that Collins's amended complaint alleged sufficient intentional acts to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss. Thus, we reverse this matter for further proceedings. However, as the wrongful-death claim for Irby's suicide must lie in intentional tort, the remand proceedings shall be limited to the claims raised for intentional tort.
See
Truddle
,
¶ 48. AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED AND REMANDED IN PART.
GRIFFIS, P.J., WILSON, GREENLEE AND TINDELL, JJ., CONCUR. LEE, C.J., CONCURS IN PART AND DISSENTS IN PART WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION, JOINED BY IRVING, P.J., CARLTON AND WESTBROOKS, JJ. FAIR, J., NOT PARTICIPATING.
Collins sent a notice-of-claim letter on December 16, 2013, which tolled the statute of limitations for sixty days.
See
Generally, this Court will not consider issues that were not first presented to the trial court.
Mid-S. Retina LLC v. Conner
,
While she had standing to file suit, the aunt in Pioneer was "statutorily precluded from recovering any damages ..., [as] any wrongful-death damages belong[ed] exclusively to [the decedent's] two daughters." Pioneer , 214 So.3d at 265-65 (¶ 23) ("[W]ho has statutory standing to bring suit is broader than who may recover damages.").
The supreme court discussed an exception to its finding in
Truddle
for cases where the decedent was under the defendant's custody and control, such as in a mental facility.
Truddle
,
In finding that the irresistible-impulse doctrine extends to medical-negligence claims, the supreme court cited
Haney v. River Oaks Hospital
, 2006-CA-00219-SCT (Order, May 17, 2007), which involved "a medical-negligence action against a doctor and hospital where a patient committed suicide after being released from the hospital over her family's objections."
Truddle
,
The amended complaint actually alleged
intentional
infliction of emotional distress.
Singing River
,
We note that the medical-malpractice statute also states that "[n]o action based upon the health care provider's
professional negligence
may be begun unless the defendant has been given at least sixty (60) days' prior written notice of the intention to begin the action."
While not titled as such, the claims sound akin to intentional infliction of emotional distress, which "is of like kind or classification as the torts enumerated in ... [s]ection 15-1-35[.]"
Jones v. Fluor Daniel Servs. Corp.
,
Concurring in Part
¶ 49. I agree with the majority that pursuant to the supreme court's decision in
Pioneer Community Hospital of Newton v. Roberts
,
¶ 50. However, I disagree with the majority that the application of the minor's saving statute is necessary to preserve Collins's intentional-act claim and that the trial court was correct in dismissing Collins's negligence claim. Additionally, I still disagree-as I did with the previous, now-withdrawn opinion-with the majority decision that Collins's claim on remand is limited to simply an intentional tort. Collins's amended complaint asserted two medical-malpractice claims for Irby's wrongful death by suicide-one for negligence and one for an intentional act. Both are medical-malpractice claims to which the two-year statute of limitations applies-therefore, both of Collins's claims were already timely filed.
¶ 51. The majority states that "the trial court correctly dismissed Collins's negligence cause of action as there is no basis for a negligence action for wrongful death by suicide. Thus, it is unnecessary for the trial court to revisit the negligence issue on remand." However, I find that supreme court's recent decision in
Singing River Health Systems v. Vermilyea
, 2016-IA-01096-SCT,
¶ 52. Mississippi's medical-malpractice statute, Mississippi Code Annotated section 15-1-36 (Rev. 2012), "makes no such distinction between intentional and unintentional torts ...."
Chitty v. Terracina
,
¶ 53. In the instant case, Collins's amended complaint for Irby's wrongful death by suicide stated two counts for recovery: (1) negligence-"that Dr. Madakasira breached the minimum standards of care which he owed to [Irby] ... [and] [a]s a direct and proximate cause, or a contributing cause ... Irby committed suicide[,]" and (2) irresistible-impulse/intentional act-that "[a]s a direct and proximate result of the intentional acts of Dr. Madakasira ... Irby developed an irresistible impulse to commit suicide and on January 17, 2012[,] he committed suicide." The supreme court has held both theories viable in the context of medical-malpractice claims for wrongful death by suicide.
¶ 54. In
Truddle
, the supreme court discussed the irresistible-impulse doctrine as it applies to medical-malpractice claims.
Truddle
,
I. Negligence
¶ 55. The majority finds that the trial court correctly dismissed Collins's negligence cause of action for failure to state a claim because it finds, per its interpretation of Truddle , there is no basis for a negligence action for wrongful death by suicide. But Singing River explicitly rejects the majority's finding.
¶ 56. In
Singing River
, the plaintiffs filed a wrongful-death suit based in medical negligence against the hospital and medical providers for the decedent's suicide following his hospital discharge.
Id.
at 75,
that, because [the plaintiff's] amended complaint is grounded in medical negligence and does not allege that [the decedent] committed suicide either (1) while in the defendants' custody, or (2) under an irresistible impulse, proximately caused by the defendant's intentional conduct, that rendered him unable to discern the nature and consequences of suicide, the complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted.
Id.
at 83,
While Truddle held that the principle that suicide is an intervening, superseding cause that breaks the causal connection between the wrongful act and the death applies in medical negligence cases, the case also recognized precedent holding that liability exists if the plaintiff shows that the defendant owed the decedent a certain duty of care and breached that duty.
Id.
at 83,
¶ 57. The supreme court in
Truddle
noted a particular instance where, in a medical-malpractice case, the plaintiff's claim for wrongful death by suicide could be maintained under a theory of negligence-when suicide is committed while the person is in the defendant's custody.
The defendants argue that the fact that [the decedent's] suicide occurred when he was outside the hospital's custody is fatal to [the] claim. They contend that Truddle stands for the proposition that the decedent must have been under the custody and control of the facility at the time of the death or there can be no liability for a suicide allegedly caused by medical negligence. The dissent takes this position as well. Considering the specific facts alleged in the amended complaint, we disagree .
Id.
at 83,
¶ 58. The
Singing River
Court noted the defendants were "on notice that the decedent was suicidal," and that "they specifically accepted him for treatment for being suicidal and depressed."
Id.
at 83,
¶ 59. Similarly, here, Collins's amended complaint asserted a negligence claim that Dr. Madakasira, as Irby's treating psychiatrist, knew of Irby's mental condition including suicidal ideations, and also knew that Irby did not desire the divorce from Collins. The complaint further alleges that in light of this knowledge, Dr. Madakasira breached the minimum standards of care by failing to properly monitor Irby's mental health; executing an affidavit in the divorce proceeding while serving as Irby's treating physician and psychiatrist that it would be in Irby's best interest to have a divorce granted-which was in direct conflict with Irby's desire and testimony; and by failing to prescribe an appropriate treatment for Irby to prevent his suicide. Finally, the negligence claim concludes that as a "direct and proximate cause, or a contributing cause, of the breach of the minimum standard of care by [Dr. Madakasira] ... Irby committed suicide." The facts alleged in the amended complaint state that Irby told his wife Collins in a telephone conversation that he was forced into the divorce which he did not want and that he had no reason to live. A short time later Irby was found dead in his residence, having committed suicide. I do not consider the merits of the complaint and also recognize that negligence is an issue for the fact finder. However, taking the allegations of the amended complaint as true, Collins's amended complaint stated a negligence claim for Irby's death by suicide which, in accordance with Singing River , was not subject to dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6). Accordingly, I would reverse the trial court's dismissal of Collins's negligence claim and remand for further proceedings. Therefore, with respect to this issue, I dissent.
II. Irresistible-Impulse Doctrine
¶ 60. In addition to Collins's negligence claim, which the trial court erroneously dismissed for failure to state a claim, Collins's amended complaint asserted an intentional-act claim via the irresistible-impulse doctrine. The majority finds that Collins's claim under the irresistible-impulse doctrine, which was otherwise precluded by the statute of limitations governing torts, is saved by the minor's savings statute. Additionally, the majority states that on remand, Collins's wrongful-death claim under the irresistible-impulse doctrine is simply an intentional tort and not one for medical malpractice. However, in
Truddle
, the supreme court addressed the irresistible-impulse doctrine as it applies to medical-malpractice claims arising from an individual's suicide.
Truddle
,
¶ 61. Again, a medical malpractice claim is one for "injuries or wrongful death arising out of the course of medical, surgical or other professional services ... [,]" notwithstanding whether the act is negligent or intentional.
¶ 62. Under Mississippi law, the irresistible-impulse doctrine is the exception to the general rule that a third party cannot be held liable for a decedent's suicide.
¶ 63. In
Truddle
, the supreme court specifically stated that the issue was "whether ... Mississippi law bars
medical-negligence
actions arising from an individual's suicide."
¶ 64. After explicitly stating the issue was "whether ... Mississippi law bars medical-negligence actions arising from an individual's suicide," the
Truddle
court went on to discuss the irresistible-impulse doctrine's application to medical-malpractice cases. The
Truddle
court noted that the "crux of [the plaintiff's] argument ... is that [the decedent's] suicide was the result of medical malpractice, i.e., negligence."
Truddle
,
prove (1) the existence of a duty by the defendant to conform to a specific standard of conduct for the protection of others against an unreasonable risk of injury; (2) a failure to conform to the required standard; and (3) an injury to the plaintiff proximately caused by the breach of such a duty by the defendant.
¶ 65. In the instant case, Collins amended the complaint in order to comply with the legal standard set forth in Truddle -specifically, the pleading requirements. Again,
to recover against a third party for a decedent's suicide, ... a plaintiff must plead and prove: (1) the decedent was under an irresistible impulse rendering him or her unable to discern the nature or consequences of suicide, and (2) the irresistible impulse was proximately caused by the defendant's intentional conduct .
¶ 66. The supreme court in
Truddle
unequivocally stated that the irresistible-impulse doctrine's heightened pleading requirements apply to medical-malpractice claims.
¶ 67. In
Truddle
, the trial court granted summary judgment for the defendants due to the plaintiff's failure to "plead[ ] ... [or] create a genuine issue of material fact as to any wrongful act committed by the defendant that caused [the decedent] to commit suicide."
¶ 68. Again, our law is clear that a two-year statute of limitations applies to medical-malpractice claims. Section 15-1-36(2) provides:
For any claim accruing on or after July 1, 1998, and except as otherwise provided in this section, no claim in tort may be brought against a licensed physician, osteopath, dentist, hospital, institution for the aged or infirm, nurse, pharmacist, podiatrist, optometrist[,] or chiropractor for injuries or wrongful death arising out of the course of medical, surgical[,] or other professional services unless it is filed within two (2) years from the date the alleged act, omission or neglect shall or with reasonable diligence might have been first known or discovered, and ... in no event more than seven (7) years after the alleged act, omission or neglect occurred.
¶ 69. In determining whether the two-year medical-malpractice statute of limitations applies, this Court has previously stated: "the main issue [is] whether the tort arises out of the course of medical, surgical[,] or other professional services."
Chitty v. Terracina
,
¶ 70. Nothing in Truddle characterizes the cause of action as simply an intentional tort or removes the action from the medical-malpractice statute and its governing statute of limitations. The majority erroneously interprets Truddle as characterizing a claim against a physician for a patient's suicide as nothing more than an intentional tort. Rather, Truddle consistently characterizes the action as one for medical malpractice-to which a two-year statute of limitations applies.
¶ 71. The majority states that, "If Irby's death had not been the result of suicide, we would agree with the dissent that the medical-negligence action could be sustained." Citing
Truddle
, the majority reasons this is because "suicide constitutes 'an independent, intervening[,] and superseding event that severs the causal nexus between any wrongful action' " of Dr. Madakasira and Irby's death. This reasoning, however, conveniently omits the supreme court's qualifier to the foregoing statement, and thus patently ignores the supreme court's exception to this rule: the irresistible-impulse doctrine. "Nothing in Mississippi caselaw,
save the irresistible-impulse doctrine
, abrogates the general rule that suicide constitutes 'an independent, intervening and superseding event that severs the causal nexus between any wrongful action on the part of the defendant.' "
¶ 72. The majority states that Collins's "suicide action must be based on an intentional tort" and thus, her "negligence claims do not state a cause of action for which relief can be granted and were correctly dismissed." Again, as discussed, the supreme court rejected this argument in Singing River . Both Collins's negligence claim and intentional-act claim are medical-malpractice claims. As such, it is unnecessary to apply the savings statute in the instant case, as both claims were already timely under the medical-malpractice statute of limitations.
¶ 73. While I do not consider the merits of Collins's complaint, I do find that both Collins's claims-in accordance with Truddle and Singing River -were for medical malpractice. As such, I believe Collins's medical-malpractice claims were subject to a two-year statute of limitations. Therefore, I would also reverse and remand for this reason, notwithstanding the majority's application of the minor's saving statute. For the foregoing reasons, I respectfully dissent.
IRVING, P.J., CARLTON AND WESTBROOKS, JJ., JOIN THIS OPINION.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.