OBJECTION TO EUO AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION

OBJECTION TO EUO AND SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION

Professional Health Imaging, P.C. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2016 NY Slip Op 51026(U) http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_51026.htm

Should sending out objections to EUOs be done now routinely on each case if you are a Plaintiff?  Maybe so according to this case.  The Court said:

Contrary to plaintiff’s argument on appeal, defendant sufficiently established plaintiff’s failure to appear for the two duly scheduled EUOs (see e.g. T & J Chiropractic, P.C. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 47 Misc 3d 130[A], 2015 NY Slip Op 50406[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2015]; Natural Therapy Acupuncture, P.C. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 44 Misc 3d 141[A], 2014 NY Slip Op 51310[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2014]). Plaintiff failed to allege, much less prove, that it had responded in any way to the EUO requests at issue. Thus, it cannot raise any objection to the reasonableness of those requests in litigation (see e.g. T & J Chiropractic, P.C., 47 Misc 3d 130[A], 2015 NY Slip Op 50406[U]; Metro Health Prods., Inc. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 47 Misc 3d 127[A], 2015 NY Slip Op 50402[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2015]), and any discovery relevant to the reasonableness of the EUO requests was not necessary for plaintiff to oppose defendant’s motion (see CPLR 3212 [f]; Interboro Ins. Co. v Clennon, 113 AD3d 596 [2014]; Palafox PT, P.C. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 49 Misc 3d 144[A], 2015 NY Slip Op 51653[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2015]; T & J Chiropractic, P.C., 47 Misc 3d 130[A], 2015 NY Slip Op 50406[U]; Metro Health Prods., Inc., 47 Misc 3d 127[A], 2015 NY Slip Op 50402[U]). Consequently, contrary to plaintiff’s further argument on appeal, there was no outstanding discovery warranting the denial of defendant’s motion pursuant to [*2]CPLR 3212 (f).

This case appears to say you waive any right to discovery in the subsequent litigation if you fail to object to the EUO request.

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