Rice et al v. Cornerstone Hospital of West Monroe L L C

Filing 124

RULING re 93 MOTION for Summary Judgment on Independent Contractor Status of Physicians filed by Cornerstone Hospital of West Monroe L L C. Signed by Judge Robert G James on 2/4/16. (crt,DickersonSld, D)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
MONROE DIVISION
TOMMIE RICE ON BEHALF OF THE
MINORS, CIR AND GMR

CIVIL ACTION NO. 13-0362

VERSUS

JUDGE ROBERT G. JAMES

CORNERSTONE HOSPITAL OF
WEST MONROE

MAG. JUDGE KAREN L. HAYES

RULING
Pending before the Court is Defendant Cornerstone Hospital of West Monroe’s
(“Cornerstone”) Motion for Summary Judgment on Independent Contractor Status of Physicians
[Doc. No. 93]. Cornerstone moves the Court to find as a matter of law that Dr. Michael Lawson,
Dr. Donna Donald, and any other doctor who treated the decedent, Joshua Rice, acted as
independent contractors. Accordingly, Cornerstone contends that it cannot be held responsible
for the actions of the independent contractor doctors.
Plaintiff Tommie Rice (“Rice”) filed a pleading in response to this motion which is styled
an “Opposition.” [Doc. No. 105]. However, in that pleading Rice “stipulates to independent
contractor status of the physicians.” Id. at p. 2. Rice states that neither Dr. Donald nor Dr.
Lawson has been “named as [a] defendant[] nor has it been alleged that they have committed any
negligent acts.” Id. at p. 1. According to Rice, Cornerstone “never disclosed to any doctor any
accident or injury sustained by Joshua Rice at Cornerstone.” Id.
Based on Rice’s stipulation and assertions, the Court finds that there are no genuine
issues of material fact for trial on the independent contractor status of Drs. Lawson and Donald
or any other doctor who may have treated Joshua Rice while he was at Cornerstone. Therefore,
Cornerstone’s “Motion for Summary Judgment on Independent Contractor Status of Physicians”

[Doc. No. 93] is GRANTED.
MONROE, LOUISIANA, this 4th day of February, 2016.

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