Illinois Supreme Court Dismisses And Remands Medical Malpractice Appeal Taken Under Voided Statute

Donald Cookson sued Todd Price, a physical therapy assistant, and the Institute for Physical Medicine, Price’s employer, for medical malpractice. As required by an Illinois statute, Cookson filed an affidavit and a report by a physician swearing to Price’s malpractice. But Price claimed the affidavit did not comply with the statute because it was signed by a physician specializing in physical medicine, not a physical therapy assistant. So Price asked the trial court to dismiss the complaint.

Cookson first opposed Price’s dismissal request. But then deferring to Price’s argument, Cookson asked the trial court to allow him to file a new affidavit, this time signed by a physical therapy assistant. Price opposed the new affidavit because, he argued, it was offered more than 90 days after the complaint was filed, a violation of the Illinois statute.

The trial court agreed with Price and dismissed the lawsuit. But the appellate court reversed, ruling that the trial court had power to allow Cookson to file an amended complaint with a new affidavit, even more than 90 days after the case had been filed.

The Illinois Supreme Court took Price’s appeal. While the case was pending, the supreme court ruled that the statute containing the 90-day restriction was unconstitutional. The ruling of unconstitutionality had nothing to do with 90-day requirement.

When an amended statute is declared unconstitutional, “The effect … is to revert to the statute as it existed before the amendment.” In this case, because the pertinent statute had been voided as unconstitutional, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that “the reasons upon which this court relied in granting leave to appeal no longer exist.” So the supreme court “decline[d] to address the merits of the substantive issue raised … and dismiss[ed] this appeal.”

The supreme court sent the case back to the trial court to “determine whether plaintiff’s [Cookson] pleadings meet the current requirements of [the statute].” Read the whole case, Cookson v. Price, No. 109321 (12/23/10), by clicking here.

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