Wilson v. Anonymous Defendant 1
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The Supreme Court reversed the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Anonymous Defendant 1 - a physician group - in this vicarious liability case, holding that disputed issues of material fact existed, precluding summary judgment.
In Sword v. NKC Hospitals, Inc., 417 N.E.2d 142 (Ind. 1999), the Supreme Court adopted the Restatement (Second) of Torts section 429, holding that, through apparent or ostensible agency, a hospital may be held vicariously liable for the tortious conduct of an independent contractor. At issue in the instant case was whether Sword extends its vicarious liability to a physical therapist with whom it had no contractual relationship. The Supreme Court remanded the case, holding (1) the rule articulated in Sword is inapplicable on these facts; (2) under Restatement (Second) of Agency section 267 a medical provider may be held liable for the acts of an apparent agent based on the provider's manifestations of an agency relationship with the apparent agent, which causes a third party to rely on such a relationship; and (3) there existed disputed issues of fact as to whether Anonymous Defendant 1 held out Plaintiff's physical therapist as its apparent agent.
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