Full Opinion

STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT JOY SOUDELIER, MARLEY NO. 2026 CW 0811 SOUDELIER, AND TRENT SOUDELIER VERSUS THIBODAUX REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM, INC. D/B/A THIBODAUX REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, AND GE HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. OCTOBER 22, 2026 Tn Re: Thibodaux Regional Health System, Inc., applying for supervisory writs, 17th Judicial District Court, Parish of Lafourche, No. 151855. BEFORE : McCLENDON, C.J., THERIOT, HESTER, GREENE AND EDWARDS, JJ. WRIT GRANTED. The portion of the district court’s May 26, 2026 judgment which denied the exception of prematurity filed by defendant, Thibodaux Regional Health System, Inc. D/B/A Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, is reversed. Plaintiffs’ allegations constitute allegations of medical malpractice and we find defendant met its burden in proving it is entitled to review by a medical review panel. See Coleman v. Deno, 2001-1517 (La. 1/25/02), 813 So.2d 303, 315-16. Therefore, the exception of prematurity is granted, and plaintiffs’ claims against Thibodaux Regional Health System, Inc. D/B/A Thibodaux Regional Medical Center are dismissed, without prejudice. HG BDE McClendon, C.J., concurs. See also Cook v. Rigby, 2019-1463 (La. App. list Cir. 4/13/21), 323 So.3d 383, writ denied, 2021- 00663 (La. 9/27/21), 324 So.3d 102; and Armand v. West Jefferson Holdings, LLC, 2024-0410 (La. App. 5th Cir. 8/28/25), 424 So.3d 132, writ denied, 2025-01228 (La. 12/9/25), 422 So.3d 296. Theriot and Hester, JJ., dissent and would deny the writ. OURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT uw. 3 YY 1X2 PUTY CLERK OF COURT ( FOR THE COURT ‘eet