Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-01067/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-01067-8/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company
Defendant
Arlene Tom
Plaintiff

Document Text:

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ARLENE TOM,

Plaintiff,

 v.

HARTFORD LIFE AND ACCIDENT

INSURANCE COMPANY,

Defendant. /

No. C 16-01067 WHA

ORDER RE THIRD DISCOVERY

DISPUTE AND DEFERRING

RULING ON FOURTH

DISCOVERY DISPUTE

The parties’ third discovery dispute arises from defendant Hartford Life and Accident

Insurance Company’s demand that plaintiff Arlene Tom undergo a medical examination by a

rheumatologist (Dkt. No. 61). Plaintiff’s allegations underlying her complaint put at issue the

questions of whether she has fibromyalgia and, if so, the severity of that condition and its

effects on her ability to function. Good cause shown, this order GRANTS the requested

examination, subject to the following:

• The medical examination shall be conducted by Neal Birnbaum, M.D., on

December 12 at Dr. Birnbaum’s office in San Francisco.

• Defense counsel shall arrange and set up, at minimum, audio recording to

preserve an accurate record of the medical examination.

The parties’ fourth discovery dispute (Dkt. No. 70) is over defendants’ additional

demand for a neuropsychological examination of plaintiff to ascertain whether her alleged

symptoms, e.g., cognitive impairment, are caused by physical or mental illness, as well as to

Case 3:16-cv-01067-WHA Document 73 Filed 11/28/16 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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determine the extent of her claimed emotional distress. As to the first purpose, it is possible

that the rheumatologist who examines plaintiff will conclude fibromyalgia accounts for either

all or none of her alleged symptoms. Either scenario would mostly, if not entirely, neutralize

the purported need for a neuropsychologist to also investigate the cause of those symptoms. 

This order therefore DEFERS RULING on this dispute until after plaintiff is examined by a

rheumatologist. A separate hearing on defendants’ demand for a neuropsychological

examination is set for JANUARY 11, 2017, AT 1:00 P.M. Both sides shall submit supplemental

letter briefs, as well as Dr. Birnbaum’s report on the results of his examination of plaintiff, by

JANUARY 4, 2017, AT NOON.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 28, 2016. 

WILLIAM ALSUP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:16-cv-01067-WHA Document 73 Filed 11/28/16 Page 2 of 2