Hoem v. Zia

In March 1990, plaintiff, Susan Hoem, filed this medical malpractice action against defendants, Dr. Michael Zia, Dr. J. Steven Arnold, Decatur Memorial Hospital, and Central Illinois Lung Internists Associates. In her complaint, plaintiff alleged that defendants failed to diagnose and prevent the impending heart attack of her husband, Richard Hoem, that resulted in his death in November 1988. After a trial, the jury rendered a verdict for defendants.

On appeal, plaintiff argued that the trial court (1) erred by admitting testimony barred by the Dead-Man’s Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 110,…