Kalis v. Strang

CourtSuperior Court of Maine
DecidedMay 9, 2005
DocketCUMcv-02-519
StatusUnpublished

This text of Kalis v. Strang (Kalis v. Strang) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kalis v. Strang, (Me. Super. Ct. 2005).

Opinion

STATE OF MAINE cs SUPERIOR COURT Cumberland, SS wnt Civil Action Docket No. CV 02519 \ eal PAY -9° Pou ay le pe pe 4 ( x STANLEY KALIS, , a Plaintiff DECISION AND ORDER ON V. MOTIONS TO DISMISS AND FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT RICHARD STRANG, MARJORIE

STRANG, MACDONALD’S SUPERMARKET and MIDDLESEX MUTUAL ASSURANCE COMPANY, Defendants * I. STATUS OF CASE

The plaintiff alleges that he suffered serious bodily injuries when he slipped and fell on the property of the defendants Strang, d/b/a MacDonald’s Super Market (Strang) on October 10, 1996.

The plaintiff initiated this case by filing the complaint with the clerk of courts on October 9, 2002, the last possible day before the expiration of the statute of limitations. Pursuant to M.R.Civ.P. 3, he was required to make service upon defendants and file proof thereof by January 7, 2003. He did not; however, the court granted him two extensions to make service and file proof with the court. Service was apparently made on the defendants because counsel entered an appearance and an answer was filed on behalf of the Strangs shortly before the court imposed a deadline?

Defendant Middlesex Mutual Assurance Company (Middlesex) was never

served with a copy of the complaint or summons, although it was aware of the claim

' These are the original defendants as named in plaintiff's complaint. Only Richard and Marjorie Strang temain.

* The court granted two separate extensions to Kalis, December 5, 2002 and January 22, 2003. The usual proof and return of service is not found in the file.

because of preliminary pre-suit inquiries made at a time when plaintiff was represented by counsel. It is not known when plaintiff and counsel parted company, but Mr. Kalis appeared pro se at all times since the complaint was filed in October 2002 until a hearing was scheduled on defendants’ pending motions to dismiss and for summary judgment in early 2005.

On October 18, 2004 the court (Humphrey, C.J.) dismissed Middlesex for plaintiff's failure to obtain service and excluded expert testimony from being offered by plaintiff for failure to designate experts and comply with discovery.

On October 18, 2004 the court also ordered plaintiff to comply with the ADR requirements of M.R.Civ.P. 16B within 30 days or “this action shall be dismissed with prejudice.”° (emphasis added). To date, the record does not show that the plaintiff has

done anything in an attempt to comply with ADR procedures.

Il. BACKGROUND

Stanley Kalis alleges that on October 10, 1996, he exited MacDonald’s Market in Bangor around 7:30 PM. He claims that the stairs were unlighted, the steps were loose, and the railing was missing, which caused him to fall. Kalis alleges that his head was cut open and that he was briefly unconscious. He was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center, treated, and released. Plaintiff claims that it took many weeks for the swelling on his head to subside and that since the fall he has suffered from dizzy spells and severe headaches.

Kalis’ complaint alleges that he has permanent injuries due to the fall, including depression, back pain, and the loss of his “sexual activities.” He also alleges that prior to the

accident, he had planned to get into the landscaping business, was physically active and dated

> See Order of Chief Justice Humphrey dated October 18, 2004.

often. Kalis alleges the Strangs, as owners of the building, knew the condition of the stairs and fixed the stairs shortly after his accident.

On December 3, 2004 defendants filed a motion to dismiss based on plaintiff's failure to comply with various court orders and deadlines, including the order to complete ADR and his failure to name any experts, which, according to defendants, precludes him from presenting evidence to link his present day maladies to the 1996 fall.

In their answer, the Strangs denied that they were the owners of the market at the time of the accident and that the building was sold in 1993 to one Joseph Perry. In fact, Perry purchased the business but Strang retained title to the real estate through a lease purchase arrangement. After the transfer Strang worked at the store for a short time to assist Perry but had fully withdrawn about three years before the date of plaintiff's fall.

Plaintiff objects to the motion to dismiss, stating his landlord in Florida threw away many of his documents pertaining to this suit, including his medical records and that he is elderly and poor and did not understand the discovery process because he was not represented by counsel. However, it is not just that his landlord discarded records, there is a copy of a letter in the file from Dr. Stephen Typaldos, D.O., dated November 19, 2003 that medical records of a visit in October 1996, the month of the fall, had been destroyed.

In a letter to the court received January 10, 2005, plaintiff suggested two lawyers to mediate a settlement and a medical expert. Plaintiff also requested a July or August 2003 trial date so that he could save money to come to Maine, organize his witnesses, avoid the cold

weather, and not default on his apartment lease.

Defendants filed a motion for summary judgment on January 18, 2005. This motion is primarily based on plaintiff's failure to designate an expert to link any claims of injury as caused by the fall on the stairs.

Plaintiff obtained counsel in mid-February 2005, who, on May 5, 2005, the day of the scheduled hearing for defendants’ motions to dismiss or for summary judgment, filed a Motion to Modify the Scheduling Order to reinstate discovery for plaintiff, and a Motion to Continue to allow for a new discovery period for plaintiff.

A. Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss

Defendants move to dismiss the complaint because the plaintiff is in violation of the October 18, 2004 order that stated that the case would be dismissed with prejudice if plaintiff did not complete the Rule 16B requirements for ADR within 30 days.

Defendants filed this motion on December 3, 2004, with their attorney’s affidavit stating that the plaintiff had not complied with the Order. Although the plaintiff did suggest several potential mediators via a January 10, 2005 letter, at that time he was in violation of the court order and the complaint should be dismissed on those grounds alone, and plaintiffs actions do not comply with Rule 16B procedures or requirements.

What is most damning to plaintiff, however, is the court’s October 18, 2004 Order that because he failed to designate any medical or other experts, plaintiff is precluding from utilizing any expert witnesses at trial.

In order to maintain a claim, a plaintiff must establish a causal relationship between the injury that is the subject of the lawsuit and the alleged consequences of that injury. Lovely v. Allstate Ins. Co., 658 A.2d 1091, 1094 (Me. 1995). The burden is on the plaintiff to prove that the defendant was negligent and that the negligent conduct proximately caused the plaintiff's

claimed injuries. Cox v. Dela Cruz, 406 A.2d 620, 622 (Me. 1979). The jury cannot be expected

to determine the proximate cause on its own, especially if that determination is based on speculation.

In the limited medical information that has been provided, there is evidence of prior existing conditions that make it necessary for Kalis to have a medical expert to opine as to the ...cause of the claimed injuries. This is not a situation where the injury is so obvious that a lay jury or any person without medical training can identify an injury.

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Related

Gurschick v. Clark
511 A.2d 36 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1986)
Lovely v. Allstate Insurance Co.
658 A.2d 1091 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1995)
Stewart Ex Rel. Stewart v. Aldrich
2002 ME 16 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 2002)
Merriam v. Wanger
2000 ME 159 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 2000)
Department of Environmental Protection v. Woodman
1997 ME 164 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1997)
Cox v. Dela Cruz
406 A.2d 620 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1979)
Nichols v. Marsden
483 A.2d 341 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1984)

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