An elderly patient was examined during a scheduled appointment with a medical clinic. The patient was observed to be unstable. She advised the doctor’s office that she was under a lot of stress due to concern over her daughter being diagnosed with cancer. Upon examination, the doctor did not find any evidence of impairment. She was determined to be alert, could maintain a conversation, and did not exhibit any behavior warranting concern over her ability to drive an automobile.
After the examination, the patient was taken in a wheelchair to her car in the parking lot. The patient then proceeded to drive, striking the back of the Plaintiff’s car. The Plaintiff alleged that she was injured in the collision and blamed the clinic for allowing the patient to drive when she was incapable.
The medical clinic filed a motion for summary judgment which was granted by the court. The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals affirmed summary judgment stating that simply because a patient is unsteady on her feet did not reasonably give the physicians notice that an accident would occur; that a nurse taking a patient to the parking lot in a wheel chair to prevent the patient from falling is not sufficient for the Plaintiff to bring suit; members of society are perfectly capable of knowing when they can safely operate an automobile and the clinic was not responsible.