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

Summary

The Court quashed the Third District's affirmance of a directed verdict for Dr. Lorenzo because the lower court improperly equated proximate cause with the primary cause of the patient's death. The Court held that a negligent act need only substantially contribute to an injury as part of a natural and continuous sequence, and that the causation issue should not have been resolved by directed verdict on the record described. Justice Polston, dissenting, would have dismissed review for lack of express and direct conflict jurisdiction.