The civil trial of Daniel H. Raess, a private physician on the cardiac surgery team at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove, began Tuesday in Marion Superior Court.

Joseph E. Doescher, 44, a former perfusionist at the Roman Catholic not-for-profit hospital system, is suing the doctor for assault and reckless or intentional infliction of emotional distress and seeking an unspecified amount in lost wages and emotional damages over a Nov. 2, 2001, incident.

Doescher alleges Raess verbally attacked him that day, screaming and lunging at him as he told Doescher his career at St. Francis was finished.

"This is the story of the ruination of a 17-year career of a perfusionist by Dr. Raess because of a workplace bullying incident," said Kevin Betz, Doescher's attorney, with Betz & Associates.

St. Francis officials and Raess declined comment Tuesday, but his attorneys denied in opening arguments before a six-member jury the allegations of bullying and assault. They said the incident was nothing more than a shouting match between two adults.

"Both men were giving as good as they were getting," said Scott Bunnell, Raess' attorney with Hunt Suedhoff Kalamaros in Fort Wayne. His defense, which might begin as early as today, won't deny Raess, who has worked at St. Francis for nearly 20 years, would sometimes yell and scream at coworkers.

But in high-stress, intense situations such as heart surgery and patient care, that isn't unheard of, said Raess' lead attorney Mary Watts, with Bingham McHale in Indianapolis.

"Sometimes there are things said in the heat of the moment you don't mean," she said.

Doescher claims the confrontation led to a severe case of depression and forced him to leave his job, which paid about $100,000 a year. He worked side-by-side with Raess during surgeries, running the heart and lung machines that keep patients alive.

Doescher alleges it wasn't the first time Raess had been abusive.

When his uncle was dying in New Orleans, Doescher said he told Raess he would be going to the funeral.

"He said, 'You're not going anywhere. You're staying here,' " Doescher said.

"I put my heart and soul into that place. It was my career for life. I planned on staying at St. Francis, retiring from there."

Workplace bullying is a phenomenon that's becoming more prevalent nationwide.

In fact, bullying is more common than discrimination, according to the 2000 U.S. Hostile Workplace Survey by Bellingham, Wash.-based Workplace Bullying & Trauma Institute, an organization formed to research and prevent workplace bullying.

"This (trial) could very well be something that's indicative of what's going on in corporate America throughout the country," said Jeff Kaye, a workplace analyst and chief executive officer of Kaye/Bassman International, a Dallas-based search firm.

"When it does happen, most people are afraid to say anything because it might compromise their position," said Kaye, who is not involved in the trial.

The bullying and trauma institute's research director, Gary Namie, said it was the first time he's been allowed to testify in a courtroom on workplace bullying.

He said the case is a clear-cut example of the phenomenon.

"I concluded based on what I read and heard, Dan Raess is a workplace abuser," he said.

The case, which is being heard in Marion County Judge Cale Bradford's court, is expected to last much of the week.

Read the post-trial report article.