Martin v. Mercy Hospital Springfield

Deborah Martin tripped on a crank protruding from a relative’s hospital bed at Mercy Villa, a skilled nursing facility. A jury assessed Mercy 70% of the fault and liability for Ms. Martin’s injuries and denied her husband’s consortium claim. Mercy appeals, raising three points. We affirm.

Points I & II

We take in reverse order Mercy’s charges that the trial court erred in refusing to grant a mistrial or strike the venire due to allegedly prejudicial remarks by panelists during voir dire.

Mercy argues in Point II that Ms. Martin’s counsel stipulated to such relief and the trial judge “refuse[d]…