Health Care Authority for Baptist Health, an Affiliate of Uab Health System, D/b/a Baptist Medical Center East V…

Summary

The court held that the Health Care Authority for Baptist Health is not entitled to State immunity because, although it serves public-health purposes and is partly controlled by a state university board, its powers, financial independence, amenability to suit, and relationship to privately retained assets make it a separate public corporation rather than an arm of the State. The court also held that extending the statutory damages cap applicable to counties and municipalities to this Authority would be unconstitutional because the Authority does not possess the unique status of those local governmental entities. The judgment awarding damages against the Authority was therefore affirmed. Justice Bolin, Justice Shaw, and Justice Stuart dissented from the immunity analysis, while Chief Justice Moore concurred in the result on a different constitutional rationale and Justice Bryan concurred in the result as to the damages cap without reaching the constitutional question.