Marshall v. Hartford Hosp.

Marshall v. Hartford Hosp.,
No. 20345 (Conn. App. Sept. 25, 2001)

A mother sued a hospital and a physician for malpractice. The woman’s prematurely
born daughter was having circulation difficulties in her hand and developed
complications from an intravenous catheter. As a result, the girl lost her fingers
on the affected hand. The mother appealed when the physician was granted a directed
verdict and the jury gave a verdict in favor of the hospital. The Appellate
Court of Connecticut upheld the trial court’s verdict. The court held that under
Connecticut law there was no unity of interest between the hospital and physician
and therefore both were entitled to four peremptory challenges during jury selection.
The court also held that the mother’s expert witness did not testify that the
physician violated the standard of care and that the hospital’s expert witnesses
were qualified to testify.