Shellenbarger v. Brigman

Gerald Shellenbarger, who was exposed to asbestos while working at Longview Fibre Company, sued two of his physicians for medical negligence and failure to secure his informed consent.1 Shellenbarger alleged that the defendants failed to diagnose and treat his lung disease in its early stages. As a result, Shellenbarger claimed that he lost the opportunity to slow the progress of the disease. The two physicians moved for summary judgment and the trial court granted the motion, ruling that the defendants’ negligence was not a proximate cause of Shellenbarger’s harm. Shellenbarger moved for…