Green v. Moorehead
Green v. Moorehead
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
This medical malpractice action is before the Court on motion of defendant John Moorehead for dismissal on the ground that plaintiff failed to file his proposed complaint with the Medical Malpractice Action Review Committee prior to initiating this lawsuit. 27 V.I.C. § 166i(b) (Supp. 1982). In support of his motion, defendant presents the affidavit of Roy L. Schneider, Commissioner of Health. Dr. Schneider avers that he is “the keeper of the records” of the Medical Malpractice Action Review Committee and that “no Proposed Complaint was received by this Committee for the case of Green vs. Dr. Moorehead and John Doe, Civil No. 221-1983.”
Plaintiff counters with the affidavit of John J. Mahon, counsel for plaintiff. Attorney Mahon asserts that he prepared a medical mal
Title 27, § 166i(c) of the Virgin Islands Code provides, in pertinent part, that “[t]he proposed complaint shall be deemed filed [with the Committee] when a copy of the proposed complaint is delivered or mailed by registered or certified mail to the Commissioner of Health . . . .” 27 V.I.C. § 166i(c) (Supp. 1982). As the uncontested affidavit of Attorney Mahon establishes, for present purposes, that a copy of the complaint was sent to the Commissioner of Health via certified mail, the Commissioner’s failure to receive the complaint is immaterial. Under the statute, filing occurred when the complaint was posted even if the intended recipient never received the complaint.
ORDER
The premises considered and the Court being fully advised,
IT IS ORDERED that the motion of defendant John Moorehead for dismissal of this action be, and the same is, hereby DENIED.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FRANKLIN D. GREEN v. DR. JOHN MOOREHEAD and JOHN DOE
- Status
- Published