Venkataramana Naidu v. Ann D. Laird

This case stems from a wrongful death action brought by the plaintiff/appellee, Ann D. Laird, against defendant/appellant
Venkataramana Naidu (Dr. Naidu) and defendants Robert W. Buckley (Dr. Buckley) and Chong H. Un (Dr. Un) who were psychiatrists
employed at the Delaware State Hospital (DSH). 1 On September 6, 1977, Mrs. Laird's husband, George W. Laird, was killed
when his vehicle collided with a vehicle driven by Hilton W. Putney (Putney). Putney, who has a long history of mental illness,
apparently drove his automobile deliberately into Mr. Laird's vehicle. At the time of the accident, Putney was in a psychotic
state. Putney was charged with manslaughter but found not guilty by reason of insanity. Five and one-half months prior to
the fatal accident, Putney had been treated for a seventh time at DSH. Mrs. Laird alleged that the defendants were grossly
negligent 2 in the care, treatment, and discharge of Putney from DSH and that such gross negligence was a proximate cause
of her husband's death. On November 21, 1986, a Superior Court jury returned a special verdict in favor of Mrs. Laird and against Dr. Naidu in which
it concluded that Dr. Naidu was grossly negligent and that such gross negligence was a proximate cause of Mr. Laird's death.
The jury awarded Mrs. Laird damages in the amount of $1.4 million. The jury found in favor of the other defendants, Drs. Buckley
and Un.