Brewster v. United States

LAVORATO, Justice.

This case comes to us on a certified question from the federal district court. The plaintiff was injured when the automatic doors of the defendant’s hospital closed on her while she was walking through them. We must decide whether the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur precludes summary judgment for the defendant when the only facts are the occurrence and the injury. We conclude the doctrine does preclude summary judgment in these circumstances, and we therefore answer the question yes.

I. Background Facts.

The federal district court found the following facts in its order on…