SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, REESE and BROWN, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

M ay 23, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A0 18 9 . CRUZ PICO et al . v . BRADY.

R E E S E
, J u d g e.

Al i s a Brad y fi l ed a m ed i cal m al p ract i ce act i o n ag ai ns t Dr. Ch ri s t i an Cru z Pi co

an d Geo rg i a Su rg icare, LLC (co l l ect i v el y , “ t h e defen d an t s”). Th e d efen d an ts m o v ed

t o d i s m i s s t h e co m

pl ai n t fo r fai l u re t o s tat e a c l a i m o n t h e g ro u n d t h at Brad y h ad

ret ai n ed an at to rn ey m o re t han 9 0 d ay s pri o r to t h e ex p i rat io n o f t h e s tat u t e o f

l i m i tat i on 1 an d was s u bject t o t h e co n t em p o ran eo u s affi d av i t fi l i n g req u i rem en t o f

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (a). Th e tri al co u rt d en i ed t h e m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s , an d we g ran t ed

t h e d efen d an t s ’ pet i t i o n fo r i n t erl o cu t o ry rev i ew. Fo r t h e reas on s set fo rt h

, i n fra, we

affi rm

.

1 Se e O CGA § 9 -3 -7 1 (a) (t wo -y ear s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n fo r m ed i cal

m al p ract i ce act i o n s ).Acco rd i ng t o t h e co m p l ai n t

, fi l ed o n Au g u s t 1

, 2 0 1 6, Brad y s uffered i n ju ri es

res u l ti n g fro m a cerv i cal n o d e ex ci s i o n p erfo rm ed b y Dr. Cru z Pi co o n A u g u s t 1,

2 0 1 4

. B rad y at t ach ed t o t h e co m p l ai n t th e affi d av it o f h er at t o rn ey , Ch ri s t o p h e r

M cCl u rg

. M cCl u rg t es ti fi ed th at h e h ad b een “ ret ai n ed b y [Brad y ] o n Ju l y 2 9

, 2 0 1 6,

fo r p u rp o s es o f fi l in g t hi s i n s t an t s u i t [,] ” t h at “ [t ] h e peri o d o f l i m i t a t i o n [wo u l d ]

ex p ire wi t h i n t en d ay s o f t h e d at e o f fi li n g an d

, [t h a t ] b e c a u s e o f s uch t i m e

co n st rai nt s , an affi d av i t o f an ex p ert co u l d n o t b e p rep ared .”

Th e d efen d an t s m o v ed t o d i sm i s s o n t h e g ro u n d t hat n o e x p ert affi d av i t was

at t ach ed t o t h e co m

pl ai n t

, as req u i red b y OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (a), ev en t h o u g h Brad y

h ad ret ai ned M cCl u rg as h e r a t t o r n ey l o n g b efo re J u l y 2 9

, 2 0 1 6

, as refl ect ed o n a

m ed i c a l a u t ho ri zat i o n fo rm pro v i d ed t o Dr. Cru z Pi co t o rel eas e Brad y ’ s m ed i cal

reco rd s

. T h e d efen d an t s at t ach ed t h e d o cu m en t as an ex h i bi t t o t he m o t i o n

. Th e fo rm ,

wh i ch ap p ears t o hav e b een si g n ed b y Brad y o n D ecem b er 1 6

, 2 0 1 4

, d i rect ed Cru z

Pi co t o rel eas e i nfo rm at i o n t o “ Pl ai n t i ff At t o rn ey ,” i d en t i fi ed as M cCl u rg , an d s t at ed

t h at t h e “ [p ] u rp o s e o f [t h e] d i s cl o s u re” was “ L i t i g at i on (t h i s m ean s I am a l awy er an d

I rep res en t t h i s p ers o n i n a l aws u i t)[.] ” 2

2 See No r t h la ke Med

. Cen t er v. Qu een , 2 8 0 Ga. Ap p

. 5 1 0, 5 1 2 (2 ) (6 3 4 SE2 d

4 8 6 ) (2 0 0 6 ) (“ Un d er [t h e fed eral Heal th In su ran ce Po rt ab i li t y an d A cco u n tab i l i t y Act

o f 1 9 96 (“ HIPAA” )

, Pu b

. L. No

. 1 0 4 -1 9 1 ]

, a heal t h care pro v i d er m u s t o b t ai n t h e

2Br a d y r e s p o n d ed to th e m o t i o n t o d i s m is s an d at t ach ed a “ New Cl i en t

Qu es t i o nn ai re,” al s o dat ed Decem b er 1 6, 2 0 14

, i n wh i ch s h e ack n o w l ed g ed t h at “ NO

At t o rn ey -Cl i en t rel at i o n s h i p ex i s t [ed ] b et ween [M cCl u rg ] o r an y o t h er at t o rn ey

. . .

i n t hi s o ffi ce u n ti l s u ch ti m e as a wri t t en Leg al Serv i ces Co nt ract i s en t ered i n t o b y

an d b et ween t h e at t o rn ey , h i s o r h er fi rm , an d t h e u n d e r s i gn ed

, an d al l l eg al fees

,

d ep os i t s , an d ret ai n ers are p a i d a n d o t h er do cu m en t s , fi l es , an d i n fo rm at i o n [are]

recei v ed in acco rd an ce wi t h t h e Leg al Serv ices

. ” Sh e al s o at t ach ed a “ L eg al Serv i ces

Co n t ract / In v o i ce,” d at ed J ul y 2 9

, 2 0 1 6, th at d o cu m en t ed her ret en t i o n o f M cCl u rg as

h er at to rn ey

fo r a “ Med M al ” act i o n

.

Brad y am en d ed h er co m

p l ai n t o n Sep t em

b er 1 3

, 2 01 6

, an d at tach ed an ex p ert

affi d av i t set t in g fo rt h t h e d efen d an ts ’ n eg l i gen t act s o r o m i s si o n s t h at

, i n t h e ex p ert ’ s

o p i n i o n , res u l t ed i n Brad y ’ s n erv e in ju ri e s

. A f

t er h eari n g oral arg u m en t o n t h e

d efen d an t s ’ m o t io n t o d i s m i s s, t h e co u rt d en i ed t he m ot i o n.

co n sen t o f a p at i en t b efo re

. . . d i s cl o s i n g p ro t ect ed h eal t h i n fo rm at i o n

. Pri o r wri t t en

au t h o ri zat i o n i s g en eral l y req u i red fo r t h e d i scl o s u re o f p ro tect ed h eal th i n fo rm at i o n

t o a th i rd p art y

. A v al i d au t h o ri zat i on m u st co n t ai n [a] des cri p t i o n o f each p urp o s e o f

t h e req u es t ed u s e o r d i scl os u re.”) (fo ot n ot es o m i t t ed ).

3“ A m o t i on t o d i s m i s s b as ed u po n t h e l ack o f [an ] ex p ert affi d av i t i s a m o t i o n

t o d i s m i s s fo r fai l u re t o s t at e a cl ai m u n d er OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 2 (b ) (6 ).” 3

W e rev i ew d e n o vo a t ri al co u rt ’ s d et erm i n at i o n t h at a p l ead i n g fai l s t o

s t at e a cl ai m up o n wh i ch rel i ef can b e gran t ed

, co n st ru i n g t h e p l ead i n g s

i n t h e l i gh t m o st fav o rab l e t o t h e p l ai n t i ff an d wi t h an y d o u b t s res o l v ed

i n t h e p la i n t i f

f ’s fav o r. A n d t h e p l ead i ng s t o b e co n s tru ed i n cl ud e an y

ex h i bi t s at t ach ed t o an d i n co rp o rat ed i nt o t he co m p l ai n t an d th e an s wer. 4

W i th t hes e g u i d i n g p ri n ci pl es i n m i n d

, w e t u rn n o w t o th e d efen d an t s ’ s p eci fi c cl ai m

o f erro r.

Th e d efen d an t s co n t en d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d e n yi n g t h ei r m o t i o n to

d i s m i s s b ecau s e Brad y

h ad ret ai n ed t h e ad v i ce an d as si s tan ce o f co u n s el at l eas t 1 9

m o nt h s b efo re s he fi l ed s u it an d

, t herefo re, was n ot en t i t l e d t o i n vo k e t h e 4 5 -d ay

ex t en s i o n o f t i m e t o fi l e an ex pert affi d av i t p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (b ).

Pret erm it t i n g wh et h er t h e t ri al co u rt p r o p e r l y co n s i d ered t h e m ed i cal

au t h o ri zat i o n fo rm at t ach ed t o t h e d efen d an t s’ m ot i o n t o d i s m i s s an d t he n ew cl i en t

3 Zi g l a r v. S t . Jo s ep h ’s /

Ca n d l er Hea l t h S

ys t em , 34 1 G a. Ap p

. 3 71 (8 0 0 SE2 d

3 9 5 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

4 B a ba l o l a v

. HS

BC Ba n k, US

A

, 3 2 4 Ga. Ap p

. 7 50 (7 5 1 SE2 d 5 45 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

4q u es ti o n n ai re at t ach ed t o Brad y ’ s res po n s e, 5 we co n cl u d e t hat t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot

err i n d en y i n g t h e d efen dan t s ’ m o t io n t o d i s m i s s

.

In a p ro fes s i o n al m al p rac t i ce act io n , a p l ai n t i ff g en eral ly m us t fi l e an ex p ert

affi d av i t wi t h t h e co m

pl ai n t

. 6 As am en d ed i n 2 00 7

, 7 OCGA § 9 -1 1-9 .1 (b ) p ro v i d es :

Th e co n t em

p oran eo u s affi d av i t fi l i n g req u irem en t

. . . s h al l n o t ap p l y t o

an y cas e i n wh i ch t h e p eri o d of l i m i t at i o n wi l l ex p ire o r th ere is a g o o d

fai t h b as i s t o b el i ev e i t wi l l ex p i re o n an y cl ai m s t at ed i n t h e co m p l ai n t

wi t h in t en d ay s o f t he dat e o f fi l i n g t h e co m p lai n t an d

, b ecau s e o f t i m e

co n s t rai n ts

, t h e p l ai n t i ff h as al l eg ed t h at an affi d av it o f an ex p ert co u l d

n o t b e p rep ared

. In s u ch cas es , i f t he at to rn ey fo r t h e p l ai n t i ff fi l es w i t h

t h e co m p l ai n t an affi d av i t i n w h i c h t h e at t o rn ey swears o r affi rm s t hat

h i s o r h er l aw fi rm was n o t ret ai n ed b y t h e p l ai n t i ff m o re th an 9 0 d ay s

p ri o r t o t h e ex p i rat i o n o f t h e p eri o d o f l i m i t at i on o n t h e p lai n t i ff’ s cl ai m

5 Co m p are Tr o p

, In c. v. Ci t

y o f Br oo kh a ven , 29 6 Ga. 8 5

, 89 (2 ) (7 6 4 SE2 d 3 9 8 ) (2 0 1 4) (t r i a l co u rt di d n o t err i n co n s i d eri n g p l ead in g s o n l y wh ere t h e i t em s were

at t ach ed t o ei t h er t h e d e f en d an t ’ s an s wer o r t h e p l ai n t i ff’ s o w n res p o n s e t o t h e d efen d an t ’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s), wi t h Ba b a l o l a , 3 2 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 5 1, n

. 4 (t ri al co u rt

was p recl u d ed fro m co n si d eri n g ex h i b i t s at t ach ed t o t he d efen d an t ’ s b ri ef i n s u p p o rt

o f t h e m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s ).

6 OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1 (a).

7 See Ga. L. 2 0 0 7

, p

. 21 6

, § 1 ; s ee al s o Peck v. Bi s h o p , 29 4 Ga. Ap p. 1 3 2

, 1 3 3 (2 ) ( 6 6 8 S E 2 d 5 5 8 ) (2 00 8 ) (“ Th e 2 0 0 5 am en dm en t el i m i n at ed t h e 4 5 -d ay g race

p er i o d al t o g et h er. Th e cu rren t v ers i o n , effect i ve J u ly 1, 2 0 0 7, res t o red t he 4 5 -d ay

ex t en s i o n o n l y wh en an at t orn ey affi d a v i t was fi l ed

, b u t barred an y ad d i t i o n al

ex t en s i o n [.] ”) (ci tat i o n s o m i tt ed ).

5o r cl ai m s , t h e pl ai n t i ff s h al l h av e 4 5 d ay s aft er th e fi l i n g o f th e

co m p lai n t to su p p lem en t t h e p l ead i ng s wi t h t h e affi d av i t

. Th e t ri al co u rt

s h al l n o t ex t en d s uch t i m e fo r an y reas o n wi t h o ut co n s en t of al l p art i es

. If e i t h er affi d av i t i s n o t fi l ed wi t hi n th e p eri o d s s p eci fi ed i n t h is Co de

s ect i o n , o r i t i s d

et er mi n ed t h a t t h e l a w f

i r m o f th e a t t o r n ey wh o f

i l ed th e

a f f i d a v i t p er m it ted i n l i eu o

f t h e co nt emp or a neo u s f i l i n g o f an exp er t

a f f i d a vi t o r a n y a t t o r n ey wh o a

p p ea r s o n th e p l ea d i n gs wa s r et a i n ed by

t h e p l a i n t i f f mo r e t h a n 90 d

a ys p ri o r t o t h e exp i r a ti o n o

f t h e p e r i o d o

f

l i m i t a t io n

, t h e co mp l a i n t s h a l l b e d i s mi s s ed f o r f a i l u r e t o s t a t e a cl a i m

. 8

W h en an at t o rn ey i s “ ret ai n ed ” fo r pu rp o s es of OCGA § 9 -1 1-9 .1 (b ) i s an i s s u e

o f fi rs t i m

p res s i o n , an d, i n lo o k i n g t o o u r si st er s t at es , th i s p ro v i s io n ap p ears t o b e

u n i q u e. 9 In Geo rg i a, at t o rn ey s an d cl i en t s can g en eral l y ag ree t o l im i t t h e s co p e o f t h e

r e p r e s e n t at i o n

. Acco rd i n g t o Ru l e 1 .2 (a) o f t he Geo rg i a Ru l es o f Pro fes s i o n al

Co n d u ct fo u n d i n Bar Ru l e 4 -1 0 2 (d ), “ a lawy er s h al l ab i d e b y a cl i en t ’ s d eci s i on s

co n cern in g t h e s co p e an d o b ject i v es of rep res en tat i on [.] ” Ru l e 1. 2 ( c ) pr ovide s f urt h er

8 (Em p h as i s s u p pl i ed .)

9 See, e.g ., 7 35 Il l

. Co m

p

. St at

. 5 /2 -6 2 2 (a) (2 ) (al l o w i n g 9 0 ad d i t i o n al d ay s to
fi le ex p ert affi d av i t wh ere t h e t h e p l ai n t i f f ’s a t t o rn ey o r p ro s e pl ai n t i ff fi l es an affi d av i t wi t h t h e co m

p l ai n t s t at i n g “ a s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n s wo ul d i m pai r t h e act i o n

an d t h e c o n su l tat io n req ui red co u l d n o t b e o b t ai n ed b efo re t h e ex p irat i o n o f t h e

s t at u te of l i m i t at i o n s [ ] ”); M in n. St at

. § 1 4 5.6 8 2 (2 ), (3 ) ( b ) (ex cep t i o n fo r at t o rn ey affi d av i t s t at i n g t h at “ ex pert rev i ew

. . . co u ld n ot reas o n ab l y b e o b tai n ed b efo re t h e

act i on was co m

m en ced b ecau s e o f t he ap p l i cab l e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at io n s[ ] ”).

6t h at “ [a] l awy er m ay l i m i t th e s co pe an d o b ject i ves o f th e rep res en t at i o n i f t h e

l i m i tat i on i s reas o n ab l e u n d er t h e ci rcu m st an ces an d t h e cl i en t g i v es i n fo rm ed

co n sen t .”

Un d er t h e ci rcu m s t an ces p res en t ed here, we fi n d n o e r ro r i n t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

d et erm i n at i o n t h at Brad y di d n ot ret ai n M cCl u rg as h er co u n s el un t i l J u l y 2 9

, 2 0 1 6.

Th e n ew cl i en t q u es t i o n nai re an d m ed i cal au t h ori zat i o n fo rm i n d i cat e t h at Brad y an d

M cCl u rg ex p res s l y l i m it ed t h e s co p e an d o b ject i v es of t he i n i t i al rep res en t at i o n to

o b t ai n i n g Brad y ’ s m ed i cal reco rd s fro m Dr. Cr u z P i co

. Th u s , t h e reco rd su p p o rt s a

f i n d i n g t h at

, at t h at ti m e, n ei t her Brad y n o r M cCl u rg h ad an y reas on ab l e b as i s t o

b el i ev e t hat Brad y h ad “ ret ai n ed ” M cCl urg fo r t h e p u rp o s e of fi l in g t h e i n s t an t s u i t

. 1 0

It fo ll o w s t h at t h e d efen dan t s ’ arg u m en t t hat

, i n Decem b er 2 0 14

, “ M s

. Brad y s o u g ht

t h e co u n s el o f M r. McCl u rg reg ar d i n g t h e m e ri ts o f h er p o ten t i a l cl ai m ag ai n s t Dr.

1 0 Co m p are R i ch a r d v. D a vi d

, 2 12 G a. Ap p

. 6 61

, 6 6 2 (1 ) (4 42 SE2 d 4 5 9 ) (1 9 9 4) (fi n d i ng n o at to rn ey -cl i en t rel at i o n s h i p , des p i te th e p ay m en t o f at t orn ey fees

as p art o f real es tat e cl o s i n g co s t s , w h ere t h e at t o rn ey d id n o t o ffer an d t h e cl i en t d id

n o t s eek an y leg al ad v ice o r as si s t an ce); wi t h Ca lh o u n v. Ta p l ey , 19 6 Ga. Ap p

. 3 1 8,

3 1 9 -3 2 0 (3 9 5 SE2 d 8 4 8 ) (1 9 9 0 ) (s u m m ary ju d g m en t i m

p ro per i n a l eg al m al p ract i ce

act i on b ecau s e t here was s o m e ev id en ce t h at an at t o rn ey -cl i en t rel at io n s h i p ex i s t ed

wh ere t h e at t o rn ey

as s u red t h e cl ien t t h at ev ery t h i n g was b ei ng d o n e t o p ro ces s h er i n s u ran ce cl ai m an d co u n s el d i d no t i n d i c a t e t o an o th er at t o rn ey t h at h e d i d n ot

rep res en t t h e cl i en t ).

7Cru z Pi co ” 1 1 d o es n o t co n fl ict wi t h o r co n t rad i ct t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d in g t h at Brad y

d i d n o t “ ret ai n ” M cCl u rg t o fi l e t h i s s u i t u n t i l J u l y 2 0 1 6. 1 2

Co n seq u en t l y , t h e t ri al co u rt p r o p erl y co ncl u d ed t h at Brad y d i d n ot “ ret ai n ”

co u ns el m o re t han 9 0 d ay s p ri o r t o t h e ex pi rat i on o f t h e p eri o d o f l im i t at i o n.

[B] ecau s e OCGA § 9-1 1-9 .1 co n s t i t u t es an e x c e p t i o n t o t h e gen eral

l i beral it y o f p l e a d i n g al lo wed u n d er t h e Ci vi l Pract i ce Act

, i t i s t o be

co n s t ru ed i n a m an n er co n s i s t en t w i t h t he l i b eral i t y o f th e Act so l o n g

as s u ch a co n s tru ct i o n d o es n o t d et ract fr o m t h e p u rp o s e o f OCGA §

9 -1 1 -9 .1 , wh ich i s t o red u ce t h e fi l i n g o f fri v ol o u s m al p ract i ce s u it s

. 1 3

No t hi n g i n o u r read i n g o f t h e s t at u t e d et ract s fro m th at p u rp o s e, an d we fi n d n o erro r

i n t he t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i ng

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Br o wn , J., co n cu r

.

1 1 (Em p has is s u pp l i ed .)

1 2 Cf. Bel l v. P h o eb e Pu t ney Hea l t h S ys t em , 27 2 Ga. Ap p

. 8 5 6

, 8 59 (6 1 4 SE2 d

1 1 5 ) (2 00 5 ) (co n cl u d in g th at t h e p l ead i n g fo r an ex t en s i o n u n d er fo rm er OCGA § 9

- 1 1 -9

. 1 (b ) was n o t

, at t h e t i m e i t was m ad e, co n trad i ct ed b y t h e reco rd an d t h at an y

co n trad i ct i o n co u ld b e reco n ci led s at i s fact o ri l y ).

1 3 Ga l a v. F

i s her

, 2 9 6 Ga

. 8 7 0

, 8 7 5 (7 7 0 SE2 d 8 7 9 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

8