Cabana v. Forcier

200 F.R.D. 9, 49 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 382, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8495, 2001 WL 327099
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedMarch 30, 2001
DocketNo. Civ. A. 99-40071-NMG
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 200 F.R.D. 9 (Cabana v. Forcier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cabana v. Forcier, 200 F.R.D. 9, 49 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 382, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8495, 2001 WL 327099 (D. Mass. 2001).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

GORTON, District Judge.

Plaintiff, Bertrand Cabana (“Cabana”), commenced this suit on April 8, 1999, to recover damages for injuries allegedly caused by exposure to hazardous waste. Now pending before this Court are motions to amend the complaint and the answers of two of the defendants as well as numerous discovery-related motions.

I. Background

Working as an independent contractor, Cabana was employed as a long distance truck driver by defendant Keith L. Forcier (“Forcier”) d/b/a KNA Trucking Co., later KNA Trucking Co. Inc., (“KNA”), from September, 1994 to August, 1997. Since approximately 1993, Forcier has operated KNA which is a truck leasing business. According to contracts between KNA and defendant Dart Trucking Co. (“Dart”), Forcier provided trucks and drivers for those trucks to Dart. Between October, 1994 and April, 1996, Cabana hauled hazardous materials in van trailers for Dart pursuant to such a contract.

Cabana alleges that, in addition to transporting hazardous materials for Dart, he was assigned various duties by Dart employees, including 1) loading and unloading drums which contained hazardous waste, 2) performing “emergency response services” (i.e. observing, identifying and containing leaks and spills of hazardous waste inside the van trailers he drove), and 3) sweeping the inside of empty van trailers. Cabana also claims that he delivered hazardous materials to defendant Ensco, Inc. (“Ensco”) for disposal.

On April 8, 1999, Cabana filed a three-count complaint against Forcier, KNA, Dart and Ensco (collectively, “the Defendants”), alleging, in general, that as a result of his exposure to hazardous materials at the direction of Dart employees, he has suffered permanent physical injuries which have prevented him from working to his full capacity.

In Count I, Cabana claims that the Defendants negligently breached their duty 1) to provide him with adequate training regarding the transportation of hazardous waste, 2) to provide him with proper protective gear, 3) to package properly the hazardous waste he transported, and 4) to provide him with instruction regarding the handling of hazardous waste leaks. Cabana asserts that such a breach constitutes a,violation “of the applicable laws of the United States.. .and.. .the Massachusetts Hazardous Waste Management Act”. In Count II, he claims that the Defendants knowingly, willfully and intentionally exposed him to hazardous waste without the proper training or protective gear. In Count III, he contends that the Defendants are strictly liable under the federal and state laws applicable to the transport of hazardous waste.

II. Motion of Dart and Ensco to Compel Mental Examination of Plaintiff (Docket No. 43)

Cabana’s clinical neuropsychologist has diagnosed him with “multiple chemical sensitivity” and “cognitive deficits and depression” as a result of his exposure to hazardous waste while working for the Defendants. Report of Dr. Frank R. Sparadeo, at 6-7. Defendants Dart and Ensco (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Dart”) now requests that Cabana submit to a mental examination, including psychological testing, by Dr. Jack Spector, a neuropsychologist, on April 10 and 11,. 2001 in Providence, Rhode Island. Dart proposes to conduct an exam similar to that performed by Dr. Sparadeo. Cabana has agreed to the exam on the condition that his attorney is present. Although Dart agrees that Cabana’s attorney may observe the clinical interview portion of the exam, it protests that the presence of a third party during administration of formal neuropsychological tests will compromise the reliability of those tests.

Accordingly, Dart has moved for an order, pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 35, compelling Ca-[12]*12baña to submit to the mental examination without his attorney present. Dart also requests a 30-day extension after completion of the neuropsychological exam to complete its expert medical disclosure and to take the deposition of plaintiffs medical experts, including Dr. Sparadeo.

Rule 35(a) provides:
When the mental or physical condition. . .of a party.. .is in controversy, the court in which the action is pending may order the party to submit to a physical or mental examination by a suitably licensed or certified examiner or to produce for examination the person in the party’s custody or legal control. The order may be made only on motion for good cause shown and upon notice to the person to be examined and to all parties and shall specify the time, place, manner, conditions, and scope of the examination and the person or persons by whom it is to be made.

In accordance with that rule, this Court may order a physical or mental examination if the physical or mental condition of a party is “in controversy” and “good cause” is shown. Schlagenhauf v. Holder, 379 U.S. 104, 118-19, 85 S.Ct. 234, 13 L.Ed.2d 152 (1964); accord Sacramona v. Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., 152 F.R.D. 428, 431 (D.Mass.1993). “The moving party must make an affirmative showing that the condition is genuinely in controversy and that good cause exists for ordering a particular examination.” Sacramona, 152 F.R.D. at 431. The pleadings alone are sufficient to satisfy that burden when a plaintiff in a negligence action asserts mental or physical injury. Schlagenhauf, 379 U.S. at 119, 85 S.Ct. 234; accord Cody v. Marriott Corp., 103 F.R.D. 421, 422 (D.Mass.1984).

In his complaint, Cabana alleges that the Defendants negligently breached various duties owed to him and that as a result thereof, he is “sick, sore, lame [and] unable to follow his vocation to the extent that he previously did”. Although those allegations do not expressly place Cabana’s mental condition “in controversy”, the report of his neuropsychologist clearly does. Dart has complied with Rule 35 by providing a time and place for the exam as well as the name of the examiner and a general idea of the exam’s intended scope.

With respect to the presence of Cabana’s attorney, the clear majority of federal courts have refused to permit third party observers at Rule 35 examinations. See, e.g., Hertenstein v. Kimberly Home Health Care, Inc., 189 F.R.D. 620, 628-34 (D.Kan.1999); Holland v. United States, 182 F.R.D. 493, 495-96 (D.S.C.1998); Ragge v. MCA/Universal Studios, 165 F.R.D. 605, 609-10 (C.D.Ca. 1995); Tirado v. Erosa, 158 F.R.D. 294, 295-95 (S.D.N.Y.1994); Duncan v. Upjohn Co., 155 F.R.D. 23, 26-27 (D.Conn.1994). The rationale for excluding third parties has been summarized as follows:

1) the special nature of the psychiatric examination requires direct and unimpeded one-on-one communication without external interference or intrusion; 2) in contrast to depositions and other forms of discovery, Rule 35 expert examinations are not intended to be adversarial; 3) fairness dictates that if defense counsel cannot be present when a plaintiff is interviewed by a psychiatrist who will testify at trial on his behalf, then plaintiffs counsel cannot be present when plaintiff is examined by defendant’s expert psychiatrist; and 4) any concerns with distortions or inaccuracies by the examining psychiatrist can be addressed through traditional methods of impeachment and cross-examination.

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Bluebook (online)
200 F.R.D. 9, 49 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 382, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8495, 2001 WL 327099, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cabana-v-forcier-mad-2001.