Koch-Gulloty v. Pascuzzi

CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJune 21, 2018
Docket1 CA-CV 17-0483
StatusUnpublished

This text of Koch-Gulloty v. Pascuzzi (Koch-Gulloty v. Pascuzzi) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Koch-Gulloty v. Pascuzzi, (Ark. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

NOTICE: NOT FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION. UNDER ARIZONA RULE OF THE SUPREME COURT 111(c), THIS DECISION IS NOT PRECEDENTIAL AND MAY BE CITED ONLY AS AUTHORIZED BY RULE.

IN THE ARIZONA COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION ONE

JUDY KOCH-GULOTTY, Plaintiff/Appellant,

v.

THERESE A. PASCUZZI, et al., Defendants/Appellees.

No. 1 CA-CV 17-0483 FILED 6-21-2018

Appeal from the Superior Court in Maricopa County No. CV 2013-011163 The Honorable Christopher T. Whitten, Judge

AFFIRMED

COUNSEL

Ahwatukee Legal Office PC, Phoenix By David L. Abney Co-Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellant

Stephen Gorey Attorney at Law, Indialantic, FL By Stephen Gorey Co-Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellant KOCH-GULOTTY v. PASCUZZI et al. Decision of the Court

Jones Skelton & Hochuli PLC, Phoenix By Robert R. Berk, Jennifer B. Anderson Counsel for Defendants/Appellees

MEMORANDUM DECISION

Judge Michael J. Brown delivered the decision of the Court, in which Presiding Judge Kenton D. Jones and Judge Jon W. Thompson joined.

B R O W N, Judge:

¶1 Judy Koch-Gulotty appeals the superior court’s partial grant of summary judgment, denial of her requested jury instruction on spoliation, denial of her motion for new trial, and jury verdict.1 For the following reasons, we affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

¶2 Judy injured her left shoulder while working as a waitress at Marie Callender’s in December 2010. As a result, she received temporary workers’ compensation benefits for several months until the insurance carrier terminated further medical care based upon an independent medical exam indicating her condition was stationary.

¶3 Soon thereafter, Judy retained attorney Therese Pascuzzi, a certified specialist in workers’ compensation law with the law firm of Taylor & Associates, to represent her in proceedings before the Industrial Commission of Arizona (“ICA”). During their first meeting, Pascuzzi asked Judy about her medical history and specifically whether she had any previous issues with her left shoulder, which Judy denied. Pascuzzi then requested a hearing to appeal whether Judy’s medical care and benefits had

1 For ease of reference, we refer to appellant by her first name throughout the remainder of our decision.

2 KOCH-GULOTTY v. PASCUZZI et al. Decision of the Court

been prematurely terminated, and the hearing was scheduled for August 5, 2011.2

¶4 At Judy’s deposition the following month, the insurance carrier’s attorney, Kirk Barberich, asked Judy whether she had “[a]ny left shoulder accidents or injuries or problems in the past” and she answered “[n]o, not that I can remember.” At the end of the deposition, Pascuzzi waived Judy’s ability to read and make changes to the deposition. Judy then asked Pascuzzi what the waiver meant and whether it should have been Judy’s decision. Pascuzzi explained waiver to Judy and offered her the opportunity to change the position on waiver, but Judy declined.

¶5 In mid-July, Barberich informed Pascuzzi that he had requested Judy’s medical records and discovered she had prior issues with her left shoulder. Pascuzzi informed Judy of Barberich’s discovery and explained how her lack of candor during the deposition could negatively impact her workers’ compensation claim. After discussing the possibility of settlement, Judy authorized Pascuzzi to settle the case for a lump sum but retaining the possibility of reopening the workers’ compensation claim. Pascuzzi’s proposal along those lines to Barberich was immediately rejected.

¶6 When Pascuzzi received Judy’s medical records from Barberich, Pascuzzi realized the extent of Judy’s prior left shoulder issues. The records showed Judy injured her left shoulder while living in Michigan in August 2008. At one point, Judy rated her pain as seven or eight out of ten, with ten being extreme pain. She received a cortisone shot and used a medical device on her shoulder which wrapped around her body. Judy discussed her shoulder problems with her primary care physician through May 2010, seven months before her injury occurred at Marie Callender’s.

¶7 Around that time, Pascuzzi also discovered that Judy previously filed four workers’ compensation claims, two motor vehicle accident claims, and one sexual harassment claim. Pascuzzi was concerned Judy’s litigation history would adversely affect her credibility. In addition, Judy told Pascuzzi that she believed Dr. Scalise committed medical malpractice when he operated on her shoulder and she wanted to sue him. Pascuzzi advised her not to do anything related to a medical malpractice

2 In May 2011, Dr. Scalise performed a diagnostic surgery on Judy’s left shoulder to discover why Judy was in pain. Judy did not inform Dr. Scalise of any prior left shoulder injuries. 3 KOCH-GULOTTY v. PASCUZZI et al. Decision of the Court

lawsuit until the workers’ compensation case was resolved because Judy needed Dr. Scalise to testify favorably at the hearing.

¶8 Pascuzzi was also concerned whether the prior medical history showing left shoulder issues would change Dr. Scalise’s causation opinion. She then gave Judy two options: (1) Judy could request an appointment with Dr. Scalise, which would have a quick turnaround time, and ask whether his opinion changed given her prior medical history, or (2) they could set up a medical-legal conference to discuss the issue, which would take longer and cost several hundred dollars. Judy chose the first option.

¶9 Judy’s effort to schedule an appointment prompted a phone call from Dr. Scalise’s office to Pascuzzi. According to office staff, Judy went to the office and demanded to see Dr. Scalise to talk about the unnecessary surgery he had performed. Pascuzzi told office staff Judy was merely there to make a follow-up appointment, but staff informed Pascuzzi that Judy wanted “to talk to him about her legal claims” and the doctor would not see her for that purpose.

¶10 On July 26, Pascuzzi called Judy to discuss settling the case. Pascuzzi explained it would be in Judy’s interest to settle because of Judy’s lack of credibility and litigiousness, and because of the uncertainty of Dr. Scalise’s testimony given Judy’s conduct. Judy then authorized Pascuzzi to settle.

¶11 On August 3, after various settlement discussions, Judy authorized Pascuzzi to settle her workers’ compensation claim for $30,000. Pascuzzi verbally confirmed the settlement agreement with Barberich and notified the ICA that the upcoming hearing could be canceled. Later that day, however, Judy spoke with her husband and decided she no longer wished to settle. The next day, Judy and her husband discussed the settlement with Pascuzzi by phone, and Pascuzzi reminded Judy she was already bound by the settlement.

¶12 At Judy’s request, she met with Richard Taylor, an attorney with Taylor & Associates, and Pascuzzi on August 5. Taylor and Pascuzzi told Judy the settlement was a good deal. Judy expressed her desire to back out of the verbal agreement, if possible, and have an administrative law judge determine her claim. Pascuzzi told Judy that if Judy were to renege on the agreement, Pascuzzi would not be able to represent her because Barberich would have Pascuzzi testify against Judy.

4 KOCH-GULOTTY v. PASCUZZI et al. Decision of the Court

¶13 Pascuzzi suggested Judy set up a medical-legal conference with Dr. Scalise before she reneged to determine whether he would testify on her behalf and if the claim had a probability of success. Pascuzzi scheduled the medical-legal conference with Dr. Scalise for late August, but he cancelled the appointment and rescheduled it to September. On August 17, Judy decided she would not try to back out of the agreement.

¶14 On August 23 Judy signed the agreement, which stated that Judy could not reopen the claim.

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Koch-Gulloty v. Pascuzzi, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/koch-gulloty-v-pascuzzi-arizctapp-2018.