Rolando P. Ruiz v. Tenet Hialeah Healthsystem, Inc., Respondents.

Summary

The Court held that the lower court improperly equated proximate cause with the primary cause of the decedent's death. A physician's negligent conduct may substantially contribute to an injury and constitute proximate cause even when later acts are the immediate or primary cause, so the directed verdict was improper if competent, substantial evidence could support that conclusion. The Court quashed the decision below and remanded for further proceedings. Justice Polston, dissenting, would have dismissed review for lack of express and direct conflict jurisdiction.