Turner v. Duke University

MEYER, Justice.

This is a wrongful death action based on alleged medical malpractice. The evidence presented at trial tended to show the following facts and circumstances. In 1982, plaintiff’s wife, Jane L. Turner, was diagnosed as having lung cancer, for which she received chemotherapy and radiation treatment. She subsequently developed herpes zoster, or shingles. In time, the shingles disappeared, but Mrs. Turner was left with constant post-herpetic pain in her upper right back. In attempting to find relief for this residual pain, Mrs. Turner saw numerous physicians, but to no avail. She was…