Carney v. Tranfaglia

In response to special questions posed in a medical malpractice case, the jury answered that the negligence of the defendant, a psychiatrist, was not a substantial contributing factor in causing the premature death of his patient, Patricia Car*665ney Poretta.2 Based on that verdict, a judgment was entered for the defendant.

Poretta had died of chloral hydrate intoxication. The theory of the plaintiff’s case was that the psychiatrist, Dr. Tranfaglia, had been negligent in prescribing chloral hydrate as medication for sleep disorder to Poretta, who had struggled for years with substance abuse,…