McKnight v. Chavez

THIS OPINION
HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE.  IT SHOULD NOT BE CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN
ANY PROCEEDING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 268(d)(2), SCACR.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

In The Court of Appeals

Frederick T.
McKnight, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Brooks Leon Thomas, Appellant,

v.

Jose Chavez,
M.D., Respondent.

Appeal From Lexington County

R. Knox McMahon, Circuit Court Judge

Unpublished Opinion No. 2011-UP-103

Submitted February 1, 2011 – Filed March
15, 2011   

AFFIRMED

J. Edward Bell, III, and C. Carter
Elliott, Jr., both of Georgetown, for Appellant.

Julius W. McKay, II, and Cynthia K. Mason,
both of Columbia, for Respondent.

PER CURIAM:  Frederick
T. McKnight, as the personal representative of the estate of Brooks Leon
Thomas, appeals the order of the circuit court granting summary judgment in
favor of Dr. Jose Chavez.  McKnight argues the circuit court erred in (1)
holding no duty of care existed as a matter of law; (2) holding no proximate causation
existed as a matter of law; and (3) failing to rule on a survival claim.  We
affirm[1] pursuant to Rule 220(b)(1), SCACR, and the following authorities:

1. As to whether the circuit court
erred in holding no duty of care existed as a matter of law: McKnight v.
Just Care, Inc., 385 S.C. 380, 684 S.E.2d 566 (Ct. App. 2009) (holding that,
as a matter of law, a treatment center had no duty of care to decedent when
decedent's suicide occurred nearly a year after discharge).

2. As to all other issues: Futch v. McAllister Towing of Georgetown, Inc., 335 S.C. 598, 613, 518 S.E.2d 591, 598 (1999) (holding
that an appellate court need not review remaining issues on appeal when its
determination of a prior issue is dispositive).

AFFIRMED.

FEW, C.J.,
KONDUROS, J., and CURETON, A.J., concur.

[1] We decide this case without oral argument pursuant to
Rule 215, SCACR.