Guzman

Introduction

Plaintiff Cesar Guzman suffered physical injury while a patient at defendant County of Los Angeles Hospital (Martin Luther King, Jr./Drew Medical Center; hereinafter, Drew Hospital). On plaintiff’s complaint for negligent treatment, the trial court granted summary judgment to defendant on the ground that defendant was immune from liability under Government Code section 854.8 because plaintiff was involuntarily confined for mental evaluation pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 5150 at the time of the alleged negligent treatment. Plaintiff contends that the immunity provided by section 854.8 does not apply because he was not physically . confined in the psychiatric facility of Drew Hospital. We do not agree with the contention and affirm the judgment.

Facts

Plaintiff was admitted to Drew Hospital on December 3, 1983, with superficial lacerations to his wrists. A medical doctor, Serena Young, examined plaintiff and determined that the lacerations were not serious enough to warrant further hospitalization. However, because the wounds appeared to be the result of a suicide attempt, a psychiatrist, Omar Schusselin, M.D., was summoned, and he…