Seavers v. Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge

OPINION

WILLIAM M. BARKER, Justice.

We granted this appeal to address whether the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, as codified at Tennessee Code Annotated section 29 — 26—115(c), is applicable in medical malpractice cases where the plaintiffs must rely upon expert testimony to prove the elements of causation, standard of care, and that the injury does not ordinarily occur in the absence of negligence. Upon review of Tennessee’s medical malpractice law and the authority in other jurisdictions, we conclude that the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur may be applied under those .circumstances. The…