stomach while lifting an elderly woman from her bed and placing her in a wheelchair. She reported the accident and then went home.

Medical Evidence
The accident occurred on a Thursday, and on Saturday, the plaintiff sought medical attention at the emergency room of the Humana Hospital in Marksville, Louisiana. According to Ms. Lemoine, the physician on duty released her and told her to see her family doctor. On the following Monday, the nursing home supervisor called her at home to inquire as to her status. After informing the supervisor of her condition, the plaintiff was told to come to the nursing home to complete an accident report. Additionally, she was referred to Dr. Edmund Kalifey, the nursing home physician. This initial treatment by Dr. Kalifey was the beginning ofan MRI performed on October 3, 1990, did reveal bulging of the L4-L5 disc. In order to help reduce her pain, Dr. Beurlot recommended that Ms. Lemoine wear a lumbosacral corset. In addition, he referred her to Dr. M. Lawrence Drerup, a neurosurgeon in Alexandria, Louisiana, for further evaluation.
Dr. Drerup consulted the patient from October 22, 1990, until April 4, 1991. His initial diagnosis was a possible disc herniation at the L4-L5 left disc and a possible herniated nucleus pulposus at the L3-L4 level on the left and central area. He began a conservative treatment program including pain medication, light activity, and bed rest. Because Ms. Lemoine's condition remained unchanged, Dr. Drerup ultimately recommended surgery, and on November 20, 1990, the plaintiff underwent lumbar microdiscectomy surgery at the