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Poklemba v. Shamokin State Gen. Hosp

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jul 14, 1978
479 Pa. 414 (Pa. 1978)

Opinion

Argued January 18, 1978.

Decided July 14, 1978.

Appeal from the Commonwealth Court, No. 118 T.D. 1975, Roy Wilkinson, Jr., J.

William S. Hudders, Richard F. Stevens of Butz, Hudders Tallman, Allentown, for appellant.

Allen C. Warshaw, Deputy Atty. Gen., for appellee, Shamokin State General Hospital.

Christian S. Erb, Jr., Harrisburg, for appellees, Robert Greco, Anne L. Cawthern, Mrs. Neal Little, Helen Wahosky and Quilla Mowery.

Before EAGEN, C. J., and O'BRIEN, ROBERTS, POMEROY, NIX, MANDERINO and LARSEN, JJ.


OPINION OF THE COURT


Appellant Esther Poklemba, both individually and as administratrix of decedent's estate, brought an action in trespass against appellee Shamokin State General Hospital and others for negligent medical treatment of decedent, her husband. The Commonwealth Court dismissed the complaint against appellee on the ground that appellee, as an agency of the Commonwealth, was protected against suit by the sovereign immunity of the Commonwealth.

We have this day abrogated the doctrine of sovereign immunity. Mayle v. Pennsylvania Department of Highways, 479 Pa. 384, 388 A.2d 709 (1978). We therefore reverse the order of the Commonwealth Court and remand for further proceedings.

Order reversed and case remanded.

We hear this appeal pursuant to the Appellate Court Jurisdiction Act of 1970, Act of July 31, 1970, P.L. 673, art. II, § 203, 17 Pa.C.S.A. § 211.203 (Supp. 1978).

O'BRIEN, J., filed a dissenting opinion in which EAGEN, C. J., and POMEROY, J., joined.

POMEROY, J., filed a dissenting opinion in which EAGEN, C. J., and O'BRIEN, J., joined.


I dissent. This Court has no power to abrogate Article I, § 11 of the Pennsylvania Constitution. See Mayle v. Pennsylvania Department of Highways, 479 Pa. 384, 388 A.2d 709 (1978) (Dissenting Opinion by O'Brien, J.).

EAGEN, C. J., and POMEROY, J., join in this dissenting opinion.


For the reasons set forth in my dissenting opinion in Mayle v. Pennsylvania Department of Highways, 479 Pa. 384, 408, 388 A.2d 709, 721 (1978), I dissent.

EAGEN, C. J., and O'BRIEN, J., join in this dissenting opinion.


Summaries of

Poklemba v. Shamokin State Gen. Hosp

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Jul 14, 1978
479 Pa. 414 (Pa. 1978)
Case details for

Poklemba v. Shamokin State Gen. Hosp

Case Details

Full title:Esther POKLEMBA, Individually and as the Administratrix of the Estate of…

Court:Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Date published: Jul 14, 1978

Citations

479 Pa. 414 (Pa. 1978)
388 A.2d 722

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