Paul v. Didizian

CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedJuly 31, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. 2012-1196
StatusPublished

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

Bluebook
Paul v. Didizian, (D.D.C. 2013).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

GHISLAINE PAUL,

Plaintiff,

v. Civil Action No. 12-1196 (CKK)

NOUBAR A. DIDIZIAN, et al.,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM OPINION (July 31, 2013)

Plaintiff, Ghislaine Paul (“Plaintiff”), who is proceeding pro se, brings this action against

the District of Columbia 1 (the “District”) and Dr. Noubar A. Didizian (“Didizian”) (together

“Defendants”), alleging that Defendants committed medical malpractice and violated various

federal statutes in connection with the District’s termination of Plaintiff’s worker’s compensation

benefits. Presently before the Court are the following motions: the District’s [9] motion to

dismiss or in the alternative for summary judgment; Didizian’s [10] motion to dismiss; and

Plaintiff’s [17] motion to reopen and consolidate. Upon consideration of the parties’

submissions, the relevant authorities, and the record as a whole, the Court shall GRANT the

District’s [9] motion to dismiss insofar as it seeks dismissal, without prejudice, of Plaintiff’s

claims against it due to Plaintiff’s insufficient service of process upon the District. The Court

1 Plaintiff’s Complaint names the District of Columbia’s Office of Risk Management Disability Compensation Program as a defendant. However, as an agency within the District of Columbia Government, the Office of Risk Management is non sui juris and therefore cannot be a party to this lawsuit. See Does I through III v. District of Columbia, 238 F. Supp. 3d 212, 222 (D.D.C. 2002) (citations omitted). Because Plaintiff is pro se, the Court shall liberally construe her pleadings and shall sua sponte substitute the District of Columbia as the proper party defendant. 1 shall also GRANT Didizian’s [10] motion to dismiss insofar as it seeks dismissal of Plaintiff’s

claims against Didizian, with prejudice, due to Plaintiff’s failure to timely file those claims in

accordance with the applicable statute of limitations. Further, Plaintiff’s motion [17] to reopen

and consolidate is DENIED.

I. BACKGROUND

The following facts are taken from the Complaint and must be accepted as true for

purposes of a motion to dismiss. See Atherton v. D.C. Office of the Mayor, 567 F.3d 672, 681

(D.C. Cir. 2009), cert. denied, 559 U.S. 1039 (2010). On May 3, 2002, Plaintiff injured her neck

and back while working as a Spanish teacher for the District of Columbia Public Schools at

Francis Junior High School. See Compl., ECF No. [1], at 8. As a result of this injury, Plaintiff

filed a claim with the Disability Compensation Program, which was granted on August 20, 2002.

Id. Sometime before August 2004, Plaintiff’s disability benefits were terminated because of

Plaintiff’s failure to attend “Job Club.” Id. at 9. Accordingly, Plaintiff returned to work in August

2004. Id. After a series of legal procedures, Plaintiff’s benefits were restored on November 29,

2006, although Plaintiff appears to contend that the benefits to which she was entitled were never

restored in full. Id. at 10. Subsequently, on May 16, 2007, Plaintiff underwent a one-time

independent medical examination by Didizian, whom Plaintiff describes as a “hand surgeon

specialist.” Id. On October 15, 2007, Plaintiff’s disability benefits were once again terminated,

this time allegedly due to a report produced by Didizian following that May 16, 2007

examination, which Plaintiff contends was “incomplete” and “fraudulent.” Id. at 10, 14. For this,

and other reasons, Plaintiff disputes the validity of the termination of her workman’s

compensation benefits. See generally Compl.

2 On February 6, 2008, Administrative Law Judge Teri Thompson reviewed and affirmed

the termination of benefits. Id. at 14. Further, Plaintiff’s application for reinstatement of

disability benefits was denied by the Disability Compensation Program on December 29, 2008,

and again on February 2, 2009. Id. Having failed on her administrative claims, on October 1,

2010, Plaintiff filed a suit in the Eastern District of Virginia, against the District and Didizian,

alleging that Didizian’s evaluation of her medical condition (on which the District relied in

terminating her benefits) constituted medical malpractice. The suit was then transferred to this

Court, where the undersigned dismissed it without prejudice for want of subject matter

jurisdiction, as Plaintiff had not raised any federal questions; nor was there complete diversity,

given that both Plaintiff and Didizian were residents of Pennsylvania. See Paul v. Didizian, Civ.

A. No. 11-684, 819 F. Supp. 2d 31, 33 (D.D.C. 2011). Plaintiff appealed the Court’s ruling, and

on April 11, 2012, the D.C. Circuit summarily affirmed this Court’s decision. Id., ECF No. [36].

On July 20, 2012, Plaintiff filed the instant action pro se. Plaintiff’s Complaint is far

from a model of clarity, as it is sweeping in scope and replete with conclusory assertions devoid

of factual content, as well as extraneous allegations with no clear link to the parties or causes of

action upon which Plaintiff purports to rely. Based upon the Court’s best efforts to decipher the

Complaint, Plaintiff appears to be asserting claims of malpractice similar to those raised in her

prior suit, along with claims alleging violations of the Constitution and a plethora of federal

statutes including, inexplicably, several federal criminal statutes (which, of course, do not give

rise to any causes of action in this civil case). See generally Compl. at 2, 5, 8-11.

On September 7, 2012, the District, filed its [9] motion to dismiss or in the alternative for

summary judgment (“District’s Mot.”). Therein, the District argues that Plaintiff has not

effectuated proper service, that her claims are barred by res judicata, and that she has failed to

3 state a claim. See District’s Mot. at 1. On September 11, 2012, Didizian filed his [10] motion to

dismiss, with a supporting [10-1] memorandum (“Didizian Mem.”). Therein, Didizian argues

that Plaintiff has not stated a claim, and even if she did her claims would be barred by the statute

of limitations. See Didizian Mem.

Plaintiff filed her oppositions to both motions on September 20, 2012. See ECF Nos.

[18],[19]. Also on September 20, 2012, Plaintiff moved to reopen the now dismissed case

previously before this Court, Civil Action No. 11-684. See ECF No. [17]. Additionally, it

appears that in response to the District’s assertion of lack of service, Plaintiff attempted to mail a

copy of the complaint to the Executive Office of the Mayor. See Pl.’s Opp’n, at Ex.1 (a copy of

a September 12, 2012, receipt for a certified mailing).

The District timely filed a [21] reply in further support of its motion; Didizian opted not

to file a reply. Accordingly, all three motions pending in this matter are ripe for adjudication.

II. LEGAL STANDARDS

A. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(5)

A court ordinarily may not exercise personal jurisdiction over a party named as a

defendant in the absence of service of process (or waiver of service by the defendant). See

Murphy Bros., Inc. v. Michetti Pipe Stringing, Inc., 526 U.S.

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