Rhonda Kay Armour v. Southeast Alabama Medical Center

── Rhonda Kay Armour v. Southeast Alabama Medical Center ── Case No.: SC-2025-0517 Court: Supreme Court of Alabama Date: March 20, 2026 Author: Brady Mendheim Category: General Rel: March 20, 2026 Notice: This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in the advance sheets of Southern Reporter. Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Alabama Appellate Courts, 300 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229-0650), of any typographical or other errors, in order that corrections may be made before the opinion is printed in Southern Reporter. SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA OCTOBER TERM, 2025-2026 _________________________ SC-2025-0517 _________________________ Rhonda Kay Armour v. Southeast Alabama Medical Center Appeal from Houston Circuit Court (CV-13-900539) MENDHEIM, Justice. Rhonda Kay Armour appeals from the Houston Circuit Court's summary judgment entered against her and in favor of Southeast Alabama Medical Center ("SEAMC") concerning Armour's negligence SC-2025-0517 claims in her medical-malpractice action. We affirm the circuit court's judgment. I. Facts On November 13, 2011, Armour presented to SEAMC's emergency room complaining about "intractable lower back pain" and "episodes of right flank pain for a few days with some numbness and weakness in her left leg." Her pain was so severe that it had induced nausea and vomiting. Armour was initially seen by emergency-room physician Dr. James Burrows. Dr. Burrows reported that, upon examination, Armour had "radiated pain" in her back and "vertebral tenderness ... at the L3, L4, and L5" locations, that her "left lower extremity illicits [sic] pain at 45 degrees," but that her "[c]irculation is intact in all extremities." Because Armour had a history of back pain with sciatica, and at least some of her symptoms seemed to be consistent with that issue, Armour was admitted to the neurosurgical department under the care of Dr. Chris Hargett.1 1The record reflects that "sciatica" is lower back pain involving spinal nerves that radiates into the legs. 2 SC-2025-0517 Lab results received by the neurosurgical department revealed that Armour had "profound anemia."2 Dr. Hargett examined Armour and ordered an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan which revealed evidence of a herniated disk. After reviewing the scan, Dr. Hargett and his neurology partner, Dr. Bruce Woodham, believed that the herniated disk did not warrant surgical intervention but, rather, outpatient epidural treatment. Dr. Hargett also ordered a CT (computed tomography) scan of Armour's chest, abdomen, and pelvis. The CT scan revealed no aneurysm or dissection in Armour's chest. However, it did show a "[n]onoccluding thrombus is present in the intraabdominal aorta."3 Dr. Hargett also ordered a consultation with a hospitalist, Dr. Thomas J. Barkley, because of Armour's history of diabetes and the finding of anemia. Dr. Barkley examined Armour the following day, November 14, 2011. Dr. Barkley noted Armour's complaints of pain in her right flank 2The record reflects that "anemia" is an iron deficiency in the blood. 3The record reflects that an "occlusion" is a blockage; with respect to vascular anatomy, it involves the blockage of arteries that interferes with blood circulation. The record reflects that a "thrombus" is a blood clot. 3 SC-2025-0517 and numbness and weakness in her left leg. His initial impression was that the left-leg numbness could be due to "lumbar disk disease," but he noted that evaluation of that condition was ongoing with Dr. Hargett. Armour was kept at SEAMC for another day for further testing and evaluation. On November 15, 2011, Armou