Steven J. Svabek, D.O. v. Lancet Indemnity Risk Retention Group, Inc. (mem. dec.)

CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 11, 2017
Docket41A05-1610-PL-2271
StatusPublished

This text of Steven J. Svabek, D.O. v. Lancet Indemnity Risk Retention Group, Inc. (mem. dec.) (Steven J. Svabek, D.O. v. Lancet Indemnity Risk Retention Group, Inc. (mem. dec.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Steven J. Svabek, D.O. v. Lancet Indemnity Risk Retention Group, Inc. (mem. dec.), (Ind. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), this Memorandum Decision shall not be FILED regarded as precedent or cited before any May 11 2017, 7:33 am

court except for the purpose of establishing CLERK the defense of res judicata, collateral Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals and Tax Court estoppel, or the law of the case.

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Michael N. Red Douglas B. Bates John J. Morse Neal Bailen Morse & Bickel, P.C. Chelsea Stanley Indianapolis, Indiana Stites & Harbison PLLC Jeffersonville, Indiana

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Steven J. Svabek, D.O., et al., May 11, 2017 Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No. 41A05-1610-PL-2271 v. Appeal from the Johnson Superior Court Lancet Indemnity Risk The Honorable Marla K. Clark, Retention Group, Inc., Judge Appellee-Plaintiff. Trial Court Cause No. 41D04-1401-PL-8

Najam, Judge.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 41A05-1610-PL-2271 | May 11, 2017 Page 1 of 17 Statement of the Case [1] Steven J. Svabek, D.O., appeals the trial court’s entry of summary judgment in

favor of Lancet Indemnity Risk Retention Group, Inc. (“Lancet”) on Lancet’s

complaint seeking rescission of Svabek’s medical malpractice insurance policy.

Svabek presents three issues for our review, but we address a single dispositive

issue, namely, whether the trial court erred when it entered summary judgment

for Lancet on its claim for rescission of the policy. We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History [2] The trial court’s findings set out the relevant facts and procedural history as

follows:

1. Dr. Svabek is an orthopedic surgeon residing in Boca Raton, Florida. Dr. Svabek previously practiced medicine in the State of Indiana. (Amended Complaint).

2. Lancet is an insurance company organized under the laws of the State of Nevada with its corporate office in Las Vegas, Nevada, and its executive office in Tampa, Florida. (Amended Complaint).

3. On or about December 7, 2012, and in consideration of a premium payment made contemporaneously by Dr. Svabek totaling $68,040.00, the parties entered into a policy of physician’s professional liability insurance, policy number LI09121000182 (the “Policy”).

4. The Effective Date of the policy is December 7, 2012, with a Retroactive Date of December 7, 2010. The Policy is a “Tail Policy” only with no prospective coverage.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 41A05-1610-PL-2271 | May 11, 2017 Page 2 of 17 5. The Policy Period is December 7, 2012 through December 7, 2013. (Lancet’s Ex. A).

6. The Policy only covers an Occurrence on or after December 7, 2010 [the Retroactive Date] and before December 7, 2012 which was first made against Dr. Svabek and reported to Lancet between December 7, 2012 and December 7, 2013 [the Policy Period]. (Lancet’s Ex. A; Lancet’s Ex. A-1; Lancet’s Ex. A-2).

7. The coverage provided by the Policy is subject to a number of exclusions, including the following:

“[Lancet Indemnity is] not obligated to defend or pay any Damages, judgments, settlements, loss, indemnity or Medical Payments on account of any Claim:

(a) based on, arising out of, or in any way involving any Occurrence, fact, circumstance, or situation:

1. that was the subject of written notice given under any prior policy unless such prior policy was one of our policies and providing that the Occurrence happened subsequent to the Retroactive Date of this Policy;

2. that was the subject of any prior or pending written demand for monetary damages, administrative or arbitration proceeding or civil or criminal litigation against any Insured, or the same or substantially the same fact, circumstance, or situation underlying or alleged in the prior matter, which existed prior to the initial effective date of the Policy Period;

3. that was reported in the Application or was identified in any summary or statement of Claims or potential Claims submitted in connection with the Application;

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 41A05-1610-PL-2271 | May 11, 2017 Page 3 of 17 4. that was reported to any other source from which payment might be made before the initial effective date of the Policy Period of the first policy that we issue to you;

5. of which any Insured had knowledge prior to the inception of the first insurance policy issued to you by [Lancet Indemnity] and continuously renewed by [Lancet Indemnity] if such knowledge would cause a reasonable person to believe that a Claim might be made; or

6. arising out of Professional Services rendered prior to the Retroactive Date of this Policy.[”]

(Lancet’s Ex. A-1).

8. In entering the contract for the Policy, on December 7, 2012, Dr. Svabek completed and submitted an application to Lancet. In that application, Dr. Svabek confirmed, among other things, that he had no known potential or anticipated losses and that no prior carrier had declined or refused coverage for a medical incident. (Lancet’s Ex. A-5).

9. The Policy states that Lancet relied upon the statements made by Dr. Svabek in his application for insurance and that Dr. Svabek warrants those statements are true:

“In issuing this Policy, [Lancet Indemnity] relied upon the statements and representations in the Application. The Insureds warrant that all such statements and representations are true and deemed material to the acceptance of the risk or the hazard assumed by [Lancet Indemnity] under this Policy.[”] (Lancet’s Ex. A-1).

***

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 41A05-1610-PL-2271 | May 11, 2017 Page 4 of 17 14. Subsequent to entering into the Policy, the following three (3) matters (the “Matters”) were brought to the attention of Lancet for which Dr. Svabek asserts coverage is owed:

(a) On August 15, 2012, Ms. Robin Sykes and Mr. Thomas Williams (“Sykes and Williams”) filed a proposed complaint (the “Sykes/Williams Matter”) against Dr. Svabek with the Indiana Department of Insurance (“IDOI”). In the proposed complaint, Sykes and Williams allege harm resulting from surgeries performed by Dr. Svabek on or about February 16, 2009, March 22, 2010, December 20, 2010, and March 4, 2011. (Lancet’s Ex. D).

(b) On November 30, 2012, Ms. Sharon Pettigrew (“Ms. Pettigrew”), as Administratrix of the Estate of Mr. John Austin, filed a proposed complaint (the “Pettigrew Matter”) with the IDOI. In the proposed complaint, Ms. Pettigrew alleges harm resulting from medical care provided by Dr. Svabek on or about December 8, 2010. (Lancet’s Ex. I).

(c) On February 5, 2013, Ms. Tamara Nardini (“Ms. Nardini”), individually and on behalf of her minor son, Matthew Nardini, filed a lawsuit (the “Nardini Matter”) against Dr. Svabek in the Morgan County Superior Court. Ms. Nardini alleges harm resulting from medical care provided by Dr. Svabek on or about February 9, 2011 and February 24, 2011. (Lancet’s Ex. K).

15. On August 28, 2012, the Indiana Patient’s Compensation Fund ("PCF") through the IDOI, sent notice of the Sykes/Williams Matter to Dr. Svabek. (Lancet’s Ex. E).

16. On November 20, 2012, counsel for Ms. Sykes and Mr. Williams sent the Proposed Complaint directly to Evanston

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 41A05-1610-PL-2271 | May 11, 2017 Page 5 of 17 Insurance, the insurance company that provided a medical malpractice policy that covered Dr. Svabek for the period of January 12, 2010 until January 12, 2011. (Lancet’s Ex. F-1; Lancet’s Ex. F-2).

17. On November 20, 2012, a senior claims examiner with Markel Corporation, a company acting as claims manager for Evanston Insurance, sent Dr. Svabek the correspondence and Proposed Complaint that it received from the lawyer representing Sykes/Williams. (Lancet’s Ex. F-1).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

McSwane v. Bloomington Hospital & Healthcare System
916 N.E.2d 906 (Indiana Supreme Court, 2009)
Williams v. Tharp
914 N.E.2d 756 (Indiana Supreme Court, 2009)
Felsher v. University of Evansville
755 N.E.2d 589 (Indiana Supreme Court, 2001)
Conrad v. Universal Fire & Casualty Insurance
686 N.E.2d 840 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1997)
Hart v. Steel Products, Inc.
666 N.E.2d 1270 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1996)
A.J.'s Automotive Sales, Inc. v. Freet
725 N.E.2d 955 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2000)
Barrington Management Co. v. Paul E. Draper Family Ltd.
695 N.E.2d 135 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1998)
Colonial Penn Insurance v. Guzorek
690 N.E.2d 664 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1997)
INB National Bank v. Moran Electric Service, Inc.
608 N.E.2d 702 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1993)
Stevens v. Olsen
713 N.E.2d 889 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1999)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Steven J. Svabek, D.O. v. Lancet Indemnity Risk Retention Group, Inc. (mem. dec.), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/steven-j-svabek-do-v-lancet-indemnity-risk-retention-group-inc-mem-indctapp-2017.