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Lembo v. DonnellLembo v. Donnell

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine
Mar 11, 1918
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Philbrook
Philbrook, J.

This is an action on the case brought to recover damages against the defendant, a physician, for ‍​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍malpractice while performing an operation to procure an abortion on the plaintiff, and for unskilled treatment subsequent to the operation. The defendant filed a general demurrer which was overruled and the case comes to us ‍​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍upon exceptions to that ruling.

*144The basis of defendant’s exceptions lies in his position that as the plaintiff consented to the operation she cannot recover because the operation is an illegal one.

In a similar case, Miller v. Bayer, 94 Wis., 123; 68 ‍​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍N. W., 869, the court said: “It is further contended that plaintiff cannot recover, because she submitted to the operation performed upon her. Such is not the law. Consent by one person to allow another ‍​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍to perform an unlawful act upon such person does not constitute a defense to an action to recover the actual damages which such person thereby received;” citing 2 Greenleaf Ev., Sec. 85; Shay v. Thompson, 59 Wis., 540, 18 N. W., 473; Fitzgerald v. Calvin, 110 ‍​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍Mass., 153; Adams v. Waggoner, 33 Ind., 531; Com. v. Colberg, 119 Mass., 350; Grotton v. Glidden, 84 Maine, 589.

We agree that this statement of the law is correct.

Exceptions overruled.

Case Details

Case Name: Lembo v. Donnell
Court Name: Supreme Judicial Court of Maine
Date Published: Mar 11, 1918
Citations: 103 A. 11; 117 Me. 143; 1918 Me. LEXIS 25
Court Abbreviation: Me.
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