Dillon v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co.

35 F. Supp. 3d 896, 30 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 493, 2014 WL 3778265, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104321
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedJuly 31, 2014
DocketNo. 2:13-cv-12484
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 35 F. Supp. 3d 896 (Dillon v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dillon v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co., 35 F. Supp. 3d 896, 30 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 493, 2014 WL 3778265, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104321 (E.D. Mich. 2014).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER REGARDING THE PARTIES’ CROSS-MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

GERALD E. ROSEN, Chief Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Thomas Lee Dillon applied for employment with Defendant Norfolk Southern Railway Company in 2007. During the hiring process, Defendant conducted a medical examination to ensure that Plaintiff was fit for service. Finding nothing remarkable, Defendant hired Plaintiff. Four years later, Plaintiff went out on medical leave and in processing paperwork Plaintiff submitted to allow him to return to work, Defendant discovered that Plaintiff had failed to disclose a previous injury during the hiring process. So Defendant separated Plaintiff from employment for this failure on June 8, 2011. Plaintiff commenced this litigation on June 6, 2013.

The issue presented by Plaintiffs one-count Complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is limited. Plaintiff does not claim that Defendant violated the ADA by separating him on the basis of a disability or by failing to provide him with a reasonable accommodation. Nor does Plaintiff, a unionized employee, seek review of Defendant’s actions under the Railway Labor Act. Instead, this case involves an interesting intersection between an employer’s obligation to keep certain information related to medical examinations and inquiries “confidential” under the ADA and an employer’s ability to take adverse actions against its employees for failing to provide accurate information during the hiring process.

Plaintiff claims that Defendant violated 42 U.S.C. § 12112(d), the ADA’s provision governing the confidentiality of information disclosed in the process of medical examinations and inquiries, when its Medical Department disclosed his prior injury to its Labor Relations Department and his supervisor, as well as at a disciplinary hearing. Defendant disagrees, essentially asserting that the ADA cannot be used as a shield to insulate an employee’s misrepresentations. The parties have completed discovery and have now filed cross-motions for summary judgment. Having reviewed and considered the parties’ briefs and supporting documents and the entire record of this matter, the Court has determined that the pertinent allegations and legal arguments are sufficiently addressed in these materials and that oral argument would not assist in the resolution of this motion. Accordingly, the Court will decide the par[898]*898ties’ motions “on the briefs.” See L.R. 7.1(f)(2). This Opinion and Order sets forth the Court’s ruling.

II. PERTINENT FACTS

The facts of this matter are straightforward and undisputed. Plaintiff applied for employment with Defendant in February 2007. (Ex. 1 to Plf's Dep., Dkt. # 21-1, at 22-27). Defendant hired Plaintiff as a train conductor in August 2007. (Plf's Dep., Dkt. # 19-1, at 13). As part of Defendant’s hiring practices and pursuant to the ADA, Plaintiff then underwent a post-offer, pre-employment medical examination (known as an employment entrance examination) at Defendant’s request on August 10, 2007. (Ex. 2 to Plf's Dep., Dkt. # 21-1, at 28-30).

During this examination, Plaintiff filled out a medical history questionnaire known as the MED-15. It asked Plaintiff whether he previously or currently had twenty-five medical conditions, and instructed Plaintiff to answer with “yes,” “no,” or “don’t know.” (Id. at 28). One of those questions asked whether Plaintiff had any “hospitalization or surgical procedures,” to which Plaintiff marked “No.” (Id.). Another asked whether Plaintiff had a “[m]iss-ing/impaired hand, arm, foot, leg, finger, toe,” and Plaintiff again marked “No.” (Id.) Indeed, the only medical condition that Plaintiff reported was a contusion on his knee, apparently related to a recent dirt bike accident. (Id. at 28-29; Plf's Dep., at 21-22, 42). The MED-15 also contained the following “Release, Verification, and Disclosure Statement:”

I certify that the answers given herein are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I authorize release of this information to my employer/prospective employer and whatever investigation is deemed necessary to confirm statements contained in this report of medical examination. If it is determined, through investigation or otherwise at any time, that my answers are untrue or misleading, or material information is omitted, I understand my employment may be terminated, or, if applicable my application for employment may be rejected. If I am an applicant for employment, I acknowledge that an offer of employment, contingent on satisfactory completion of this medical examination, a urine drug screen, and a background investigation, has been made to me.

(Ex. 1 to Plf's Dep., Dkt. #21-1, at 29 (emphasis added); see also Plf's Dep., at 23-24).

As it turns out, his answers on the MED-15 were not true and complete to the best of his knowledge. Plaintiff broke his left femur as a teenager in an automobile accident, requiring hospitalization and the insertion of a titanium rod that connected to his leg with screws. (Plf's Dep., at 34-38). It took six weeks to heal and Plaintiff still has a two-inch scar on his leg from the incision. (Id. at 38-40). Though Plaintiff alleges he orally disclosed this injury to the physician completing the examination because it “was pertinent information [Defendant] ... needed to know” (Id. at 44-45), he did not change his written answers on the MED-15. (Id. at 46).1 Absent a reference to this injury on the MED-15., Defendant’s Medical Depártment would not have known about this injury. (Dr. Lena’s Dep., Dkt. # 19-8, at 17).

Plaintiff passed his employment entrance examination and had several years [899]*899of unremarkable employment with Defendant. This changed in April 2011, when he notified his supervisor that he had injured his leg and would need to take some time off — which Defendant granted.- (Plfs Dep., at 69-70). In order for Plaintiff to return to work, Defendant advised Plaintiff of the following:

[D]ue to your recent medical absence and the safety-sensitive nature of your position, medical information will be needed in order to determine your fitness for service.... Upon your release to return to work by your treating doe-tor(s), your treating physician(s) must provide copies of all medical records related to the evaluation and treatment of the medical condition(s) that has resulted in your medical absence. These medical records must include all doctor’s office visit/progress notes, evaluation reports, diagnostic test reports, operative reports (if applicable) and treatment records, as well as a work release that describes any work restrictions or accommodations currently deemed necessary (and if any, the anticipated duration of).

(Ex. 6 to Plf's Dep., Dkt. # 21-1, at 33-34). Among the documents that Plaintiff submitted to Defendant was a treatment note by Dr. Paul Dougherty dated May 4, 2011. (Ex. 11 to Plf's Dep., Dkt. # 21-1, at 35-36). In this note, Dr. Dougherty referenced Plaintiffs prior injury, writing that he “has a known history of a left femur fracture fixed with intramedullary nailing approximately 15 years ago” that “heal[ed] without incident.” (Id. at 36).

One of Defendant’s nurses, Anita Euell, reviewed Dr.

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35 F. Supp. 3d 896, 30 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 493, 2014 WL 3778265, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104321, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dillon-v-norfolk-southern-railway-co-mied-2014.