Johnson v. West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc.

McHUGH, Justice:

This case is before the Court upon the appeal of West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc., the defendant below, from a jury verdict rendered in the Circuit Court of Monongalia County. The appellee and plaintiff below is Lofton Johnson. The verdict against the appellant was in the amount of $2 million, reduced to $1.9 million by the appellee’s 5% contributory negligence.

I

The appellee was a police officer, employed by the West Virginia University Security Police. 1 On June 2, 1988, a patient was brought to the appellant’s hospital. The patient, when he was conscious, was very…