Van Hook v. Anderson

Morgan, A.C.J.

In this medical negligence case, the trial court denied defendant Anderson's motion for summary judgment and granted plaintiff Van Hook's cross motion as to liability only. Holding that defendant's motion should have been granted, we reverse and remand with directions to dismiss the complaint against defendant Anderson.

The defendant is a surgeon who performed a hernia operation on the plaintiff at Tacoma General Hospital. He was assisted by muses employed by the hospital. During the operation, he used a number of gauze packs called sponges.

The hospital had previously adopted…