### J - A05031 - 22 2022 PA Super 84

ELLISON O. JORDAN

Appellant

v. THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SANDY BARBOUR, CHARMELLE GREEN, JAMES FRANKLIN, ANDY MUTNAN, RENEE MESSINA, SCOTT A. LYNCH, M.D., PETER H. SEIDENBERG, M.D., JOHN S. REID, M.D., BRENDAN M. CARR, TIM BREAM, WES SOHNS, PENN STATE HEALTH, MILTON S. HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER, PENN STATE HERSHEY MEDICAL GROUP, AND MOUNT NITTANY HEALTH : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF

PENNSYLVANIA

No. 76 MDA 2021

Appeal from the Order Entered December 4 , 2020

i n the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County Civil Division at No(s): 20 - 0028 BEFORE: OLSON, J., KUNSELMAN, J., and STEVENS, P.J.E. * 

### OPINION BY STEVENS, P.J.E.: FILED: MAY 9, 2022 Appellant, Ellison O. Jordan, appeals pro se from the December 4 , 2020 1 

### order sustaining the preliminary objections file d by Appellees , The Pennsylvania State University, Sandy Barbour, Charmelle Green, and James Franklin ( hereinafter, “University Appellees”) ; granting the petitions filed by Appellees , Scott A. Lynch, M.D., Mount N ittany Health, Andy Mutnan, Renee

_________________ ____________________ _______
* 

### Former Justice specially assigned to the Superior Court.
1 

### Appellant erroneously refers to this order as having been entered on December 8, 2020.

### J - A05031 - 22

- 2 -

Messina, Brendan M. Carr, Tim Bream, Wes Sohns, Peter H. Seidenberg, M.D., John S. Reid, M.D., Penn S t ate Health, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and the Penn State Hershey Medical Group (thereafter, “Healthcare Appellee s”) , to hold Appellant in contempt of court; and dismissing Appellant’s amended complaint and supplemental amended complaint with prejudice . Appellant also appeals from the December 23, 2020 order denying his motion to recuse President Judge Pamela A. Rue st from th is case . For the following reasons , we affirm. The trial court summarized the relevant facts and lengthy procedural history of this case as follows:

This case arises from injuries [Appellant] allegedly sustained during his time as a student - athl ete on the Penn State University football team between June 2016 and August 2019 . [Appellant’s] cause of action specifically focuses on his treatment following a December 27, 2017 surgery to repair a right knee patellar fracture he suffered while practicing for the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona. [Appellant] alleges he reinjured hi s knee on January 8, 2018 while receiving treatment from Wes Sohns, which required [Appellant] to undergo surgery on January 12, 2018. In April 2018, [Appellant] reported feeling pain and discomfort in his right knee. In September 2018, [Appellant] was e valuated for reported pain and swelling in his right knee, which was attributed to tendinitis and the prominence of the plate placed during surgery, but did not rule out the possibility of an infection. Between September and November 2018, [Appellant] con tinued to experience right knee pain and [Appellant] underwent a right knee arthroscopy on November 21, 2018. On November 25, 2018, [Appellant] and his parents attended a meeting with

### J - A05031 - 22

- 3 - fifteen (15) representatives of Penn State University, who asked [Appel lant] to sign a document voluntarily withdrawing himself from the football team. On December 30, 2018, [Appellant] was taken to the Emergency Room due to extreme knee pain and swelling. [Appellant] informed James Franklin on January 5, 2019 that his righ t knee was infected and [Appellant] underwent surgery to address the infection on January 8, 2019. On August 19, 2019, [Appellant] was removed from the Penn State football team. [Appellant] originally filed a complain t on January 31, 2020 based on a theo ry of medical malpractice. University [Appellees] filed preliminary objections on February 24, 2020. [Appellant] filed a certificate of merit for each [Appellee] on February 28, 2020, but failed to file a written statement from an appropriate licensed pr ofessional with the certificates of merit. All of the named [Appellees] other than the University [Appellees] fi le d a Notice of Intention to En t er Judgment of Non Pros for Failure to File a Written Statement from an Appropriate Licensed Professional betwe en March 4 and March 11, 2020. [Appellant] filed an Answer to [Appellees’] Notices on April 17, 2020. On May 12 and May 13, 2020, the Centre County Prothonotary’s Office entered Judgment of Non Pros in favor of all [Appellees] other than the University [ Appellees]. On June 1, 2020, [App ellant ] filed a Petition for Relief of Judgment of Non Pros requesting the court strike the judgments and restore [Appellant’s] complaint in its entirety. Between June 12 and June 22, 2020, each of the [Appellees] filed a response seeking to uphold their Judgment of Non Pros. A hearing was held on June 25, 2020. On July 15, 2020, the court entered an opinion and order denying [Appellant’s] petition for relief, sustaining the University [Appellees’] preliminary objections , and dismissing [Appellant’s] medical malpractice claims with prejudice. The court dismissed [Appellant’s] complaint and allowed [Appellant] to file an amended complaint within twenty (20) days against only the

### J - A05031 - 22

- 4 - University [Appellees] and only raising pot ential claims of intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress and ordinary negligence. [Appellant] filed a petition for reconsideration on July 24, 2020, which was denied by the court on July 30, 2020. [Appellant] filed an amended complaint on August 3, 2020, and a supplemental amended complaint on August 12, 2020, both of which included claims against all of the [Appellees] from [Appellant’s] original complaint. Between August 7 and August 14, 2020, counsel for all of the [Appellees] excep t for the University [Appellees] sent letters to [Appellant] requesting that he remove them from his amended complaint or they would seek to hold [Appellant] in contempt of court. [Appellant] failed to respond and [Appellee s Scott A. Lynch, M.D., Mount Ni ttany Health, Andy Mutnan, Renee Messina, Brendan M. Carr, Tim Bream, Wes Sohns, Peter H. Seidenberg, M.D., John S. Reid, M.D., Penn S t ate Health, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and the Penn State Hershey Medical Group] each filed a petition to hold [Appellant] in contempt of court. On August 24, 2020, [Appellant] filed notices of intention to enter default judgments against each [Appellee] because they allegedly failed to enter a written appearance and file in writing with the court their defenses or objections to [Appellant’s] amended complaint. University [Appellees] file preliminary objections and a brief in support on August 31, 2020. [Appellant] filed a praecipe for determination on September 3, 2020 alleging University [Appellees’] prelimina ry objections were not filed in accordance with Pennsylvania law for failing to serve [Appellant] a copy of their preliminary objections. [Appellant] filed a response in opposition to University [Appellees’] preliminary objections on September 16, 2020, a nd an answer to order to show cause on October 9, 2020. [Appellant] also filed a statement of support on October 19, 2020. A hearing was held on October 12, 2020.

### J - A05031 - 22

- 5 -

Trial court opinion, 12/ 4 /20 at 2 - 4 (extraneous capitalization omitted) . On December 4 , 2020, the trial court entered an opinion and order sustaining the University Appellees ’ preliminary objections ; holding Appellant in contempt of court; and dismissing Appellant’s amended complaint and supplemental amended complaint with prejudice. On Dece mber 15, 2020, Appellant filed a motion to recuse P.J. Ruest from this case , which was denied by the trial court on December 23, 2020 . On January 6, 2021, Appellant filed a notice of appeal. Although not ordered to do so, Appellant filed an eight - page Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b) statement on May 12, 2021. The trial court filed its Rule 1925(a) opinion on May 20, 2021, indicating that it was relying on the reasoning set forth in its prior opinion and orders entered December 4 and 23, 2020 . Ap pellant raises the following issues for our review: 1. Did the [trial] court ignore the law, errore d [sic] in applying the law, misinterpreted [sic] the law and/or abuse its discretion in issuing the correspondence, in identifying the case as only medical mal practice, in processing the case on an “aggressive fast track” without any established written local procedures, in not providing definitive goals and objects and making them know to all parties involved and denying [Appellant] a right to jury trial as dem anded? 2. Did the [trial] court ignore the law, errored [sic] in applying the law, misinterpreted [sic] the law and/or abuse its discretion concerning all pleadings, notices, judgments, opinions and orders concerning the Certificate of Merit of the

### J - A05031 - 22

- 6 - original Complaint, Amended Complaint and Supplemental Amended Complaint? 3. Did the [trial] court ignore the law, errored [sic] in applying the law, misinterpreted [sic] the law and/or abuse its discretion concerning the service of process? 4. Did the [trial] court ig nore the law, errored [sic] in applying the law, misinterpreted [sic] the law and/or abuse its discretion concerning Preliminary Objections? 5. Did the [trial] court ignore the law, errored [sic] in applying the law, misinterpreted [sic] the law and/or abuse its discretion concerning her personal interest in the outcome of the case and potential appearance of conflict of interest and bias? 6. Did the [trial] court ignore the law, errored [sic] in applying the law, misinterpreted [sic] the law and/o r abuse its discretion concerning “special relationship”, “duty of care”, “standard of care”, “preventative measures”, “heightened duty of care” , “unreasonable risk of harm”, “foreseeability of harm”, “duty to convey”, “duty to exercise reasonable care”, “ affirmative duty”, “an act within scope of employment”, “nondelegable duty”, “breach of duty”, “breach of duty was more likely than not (i.e., probably”) the cause of the injury” and “proper medical treatment” [?] 7. Did the [trial] court ignore the law, erro red [sic] in applying the law, misinterpreted [sic] the law and/or abuse its discretion concerning processing the civil complaint? Appellant’s brief at 5 - 7. Our standard of review of a challenge to a trial court ’ s decision to grant preliminary objections is as follows :

### J - A05031 - 22

- 7 - O ur standard of review of an order of the trial court overruli ng or granting preliminary objections is to determine whether the trial court committed an error of law. When considering the appropriateness of a ruling on preliminary objections , the appellate court must apply the same standard as the trial court. Feingold v. Hendrzak , 15 A.3d 937, 941 (Pa.Super. 2011) (citation omitted). This Court has explained our standard of review for a civil contempt order as follows:

When considering an appeal from an Order holding a party in contempt for failure to comply with a court Order, our scope of review is narrow: we will reverse only upon a showing the court abused its discretion. The court abuses its discretion if it misap plies the law or exercises its discretion in a manner lacking reason. Harcar v. Harcar , 982 A.2d 1230, 1234 ( Pa.Super. 2009) (citations omitted). Preliminarily, we must address whether Appellant has properly preserved all of his claims on appeal. Our review of the disjointed “Argument” section in Appellant’s 68 - page pro se brief reveals that a number of his claims take issue with the trial court’s entry of Judgment s of Non Pros for Failure to File Written Statement from A ppropriate L icensed P rofessiona l . See Appellant’s brief at 24 - 37. As discussed, on May 12 and 13, 2020, Judgment s of Non Pros w ere entered in favor of all Appellees other than the University Appellees. Appellant subsequently filed a petition for relief from the Judgment s of Non Pros requesting the trial court strike the judgments and restore his complaint in its

### J - A05031 - 22

- 8 -

entirety. Thereafter, each of the Appellees filed a response seeking to uphold their Judgment of Non Pros. Following a hearing, the trial court entered an opinion an or der on July 15, 2020 denying Appellant’s petition for relief; dismissing the medical malpractice claims in his complaint with prejudice ; and directing Appellant tha t his amended complaint could only raise claims against the University Appellees for intenti onal or negligent infliction of emotional distress and ordinary negligence. See “Opinion and Order,” 7/15/20 at 12 - 13. Appellant filed a petition for reconsideration which was denied on July 30, 2020. This Court has long recognized that “[a]ny appeal related to a judgment of non pros lies not from the judgment itself, but from the denial of a petition to open or strike.” Cardona v. Buchanan , 230 A.3d 476, 479 (Pa.Super. 2020) (citation omitted). Under Pa.R.A.P. 311(a)(1), an appeal from an interlocutory order refusing to open, vacat e or strike off a judgment is deemed final and subject to attack on appeal without reference to Pa.R.A.P. 341(c). Hammel v. Hammel , 636 A.2d. 214, 217 (Pa.Super. 1994) (citation omitted). Notably, the “[f] ailure to timely appeal from an order denying a pe tition to open, vacate, or strike off a judgment renders any attack of that order untimely and waived.” Blackburn v. King Inv. Grp., LLC , 162 A.3d 461, 464 ( Pa.Super. 2017) (citation omitted). Instantly , the record reflects that Appellant’s January 6, 202 1 notice of appeal makes no mention of the trial court’s July 15, 2020 order denying his

### J - A05031 - 22

- 9 -

petition for relief from J udgment of N on P ros, nor the July 30, 2020 order denying his petition for reconsideration of relief from J udgment of N on P ros. 2 

### Although Appellant baldly contends in his brief that he is seeking “ reversal of all the lower court’s o pinions and o rders ... and j udgments ,” his notice of appeal indicates that he is only appealing from the trial court’s December 4 and December 23, 2020 order s. See Appellant’s brief at 1 (emphasis added); Appellant’s “Notice of Appeal,” 1/6/21. Appellant’s failure to appeal from the trial court’s July 15 , 2020 orde r renders his appeal procedurally deficient because neither of the trial court’s December 2020 orders directly address es the J udgment s of N on P ros Appellant purports to challenge on appeal. Pennsylvania Rule of Appellate Procedure 904 requires a petitioner to specifically ide ntify in his notice of appeal the order from which he wishes to appeal. Pa.R.A.P. 904(a). Moreover, t his Court has long recognized that,

a lthough [we are] willing to liberally construe materials filed by a pro se litigant, pro se status confers no speci al benefit upon the appellant. To the contrary, any person choosing to represent himself in a legal proceeding must, to a reasonable extent, assume that his lack of expertise and legal training will be his undoing. ”

_________________ ____________________ _______ 2 

### We note that any attempt by Appellant to appeal from the July 30, 2020 order denying the petition for reconsideration would have nonetheless been improper. An order denying a motion for reconsideration is not appealable. See Huntington Nat. Bank v. K – Cor, Inc. , 107 A.3d 783, 787 (Pa.Super. 2014) (stating, “ Pennsylvania case law is absolutely clear that the refusal of a trial court to reconsider, rehear, or permit rea rgument of a final decree is not reviewable on appeal. ” ) , appeal denied , 117 A.3d 1281 (Pa. 2015).

### J - A05031 - 22

- 10 -

Wilkins v. Marsico , 903 A.2d 1281, 1 284 – 12 85 ( Pa.Super. 2006) (citations and internal quotation marks omitted), appeal denied , 918 A.2d 747 (Pa. 2007). Accordingly, Appellant’s failure to appeal the trial court’s July 15, 2020 order denying his petition for relief from J udgment of N on P ros renders all his claims related to this order waived. See Blackburn , 162 A.3d at 4 64 ; see also Pa.R.A.P. 302(a) (stating, “[i]ssues not raised in the lower court are waived and cannot be rais ed for the first time on appeal.”). We now turn to Appellant’s claim that the trial court’s December 23, 2020 order denying his motion to recuse P.J. Ruest from thi s case was improper because of her “impartiality, bias, and a personal interest in the outcome of [this] case.” Appellant’s brief at 38 - 41; se e also “Motion to Recuse,” 12/15/20 at ¶ 1. For the reasons that follow, we find that t his claim is time barred. It is well settled that “a p arty may not raise the issue of judicial prejudice or bias for the first time in post[ - ]trial proceedings.” Ware v. U.S. Fid. & Guar. Co. , 577 A.2d 902, 905 (Pa.Super. 1990) (citation omitted). On the contrary, “a party seeking recusal or disqualificatio n on the basis of judicial bias or impartiality “[is required] to raise the objection at the earliest possible moment, or that party will suffer the consequence of being time barred.” In re Lokuta , 11 A.3d 427, 437 (Pa. 2011) (citations omitted; brackets in original), cert. denied , 565 U.S. 878 (2011). “The timeliness of such an

### J - A05031 - 22

- 11 -

application is particularly troubling where a party seeks disqualification only after receiving adverse judgment.” League of Women Voters of Pa. v. Com monwealth , 179 A.3d 1080, 1 086 (Pa. 2018) (citation omitted). Instantly, the record reflects that Appellant failed to raise his claim of judicial bias at the earliest possible opportunity . Appellant’s motion to recuse was filed on December 15, 2020, more than 7 months after P.J. Ru est entered her first order in this case on May 12, 2020, and only eleven days after P.J. Ruest entered an order dismissing Appellant’s amended complaint and supplemental amended complaint with prejudice . Based on the foregoing, Appellant’s recusal claim was clearly time - barred and its denial by the trial court was warranted. Appellant’s remaining claims concern the trial court’s December 4 , 2020 order sustaining the University Appellees’ preliminary objections; granting the Healthcare Appellees’ petitions to hold Appellant in contempt of court; and dismissing his amended complaint and supplemental amended complaint with prejudice. See Appellant’ s brief at 38 - 59. As best we can discern from his somewhat befuddling and convoluted appellate brief, Appellant takes issue with the trial court’s rejection of his claims for negligent or intentional infliction of emotional distress and ordinary negligen ce against the University Appellees, as well as the court’s determination that he should be held in contempt of court for continuing to pursue action against the Healthcare Appellees in his supplemental amended

### J - A05031 - 22

- 12 -

complaint after the trial court explicitly or dered him not to do so. Following our careful review of the record, including the briefs of all the parties and the applicable case law, and in light of this court’s scope and standard of review, it is our determination that there is no merit to Appellant’ s remaining claims on appeal. We agree with the trial court that all of Appellant’s cognizable issues on appeal were adequately disposed of in its December 4, 2020 opinion and order. Accordingly, we adopt the well reasoned opinion of the Honorable Pamela A. Ruest as our own for purposes of this appellate review and affirm on the basis of the reasoning stated therein. Orders affirmed. 3


### Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq. Prothonotary
Date: 05 / 0 9/ 2022

_________________ ____________________ _______ 3 

### We note that it is well - settled law that “a pro se litigant must comply with the procedural rules set forth in the Pennsylvania Rules of the Court.” Ebbert v. Mest , 2016 WL 5266540, at *1 (Pa.Super. 2016), citing Commonwealth v. Lyons , 833 A.2d 245, 251 - 252 (Pa.Super. 2003).Circulated 03/21/2022 11:22 AM R e c ei v e d 2/ 8/2 0 2 1 2 5 7
. 0 2 P M S u p e ri o r C o u rt M i d d l e D i s t r i c t F i l e d 2/ 8/2 0 2 1 2. 5 7
. 0 0 P M S u p e ri o r C o u rt M i d dl e D i s t r i c t 7 6 M D A 2 0 2 1 I N T H E C O U R T 

### O F C O MM O N P L E A S O F C E N T RE C O U N T Y , P E NN S Y L V A N I A C I VI L A CT I O N - L A W 

### E L LI S O N 0
. J O RD A N

P l ai n ti ff


### v . T H E P E NN S Y L V A N I A S T A T E UN I V E R S I T Y , S A N D Y B A RB O U R , C HA RM E L L E G RE E N , J A M E S F R A N KL IN , A N D Y M U TN A N , RE N E E ME S S IN A , S C O TT A
. L YN C H , M
. D
. , P E T E R H
. S E I D E N B E R G, M. D
. , J O HN S
. RE I D , M
. D
. , B RE N D A N M
. C A RR , T IM B RE AM , W E S S O HN S , P E NN S T A T E H E A L T H , T I E M I L T O N 

### S. H E R S H E Y M E D I C A L C E N TE R, P E NN S T A T E H E R S H E Y M E D I C A L G R O U P , an d 

### M O U N T N I TT A N Y H E A L T H , D e fe n d an t s


### A tto rn ey fo r P la i n t i

ff. A t to rn ey fo r D e fe n d a n t s P S U, Sa n d

y B a rb o u r , C h a r m e l l e G re e n , a n d J

a m e s F ra n kl i n : A tto rn e y fo r D e fe n d a n t s A n d y M u t n a n, R e n e e M

e s s i n a , 

### B re n da n C

a r r , Ti m 

### B re a m, a n d W

e s So h n s : A tto r n ey fo r D e fe n d a n t Sc o tt A
. L

y n c h , M. D
. : A t to r n ey fo r D e fe n d a n t s P e te r H. 

### Se i d

e n b e r g, M. D
. , Jo h n 

### S. R e i d , 

### M. D. , P e n n St

a te H e a l t h , Th e Mi l to n S. 

### H

e rs h ey M e di c a l Ce n te r

, a n d P e n n S t

a te H e rs h ey M e di c a l G r o u

p : A tto r n ey fo r D e fe n d a n t Mo u n t N

i t t a ny H e a l t h : O P IN I O N a n d O RD E R 

### N o. 2 0 2 0

- 0 0 2 8

P ro Se Ja m e s P
. D e

A n g e l o , E s q .



### . Jo e H
. 

### T u c ke r , E s q. W i l ey P. 

### P a r

ke r , E s q . A p r il C. 

### S im p s o n , Es q . B r i a n J. 

### B l u th , E

s q.



### Ru e s t , P
. J
. P r e s e n tl y b e fo r e th e C o u rt ar c P e ti ti o n s t o H o l d E ll i s o n 0
. J o r d an ( " P l ai n ti ff' ' ) i n C o n t e mp t o f C o u r t fi l e d o n A u g u s t 2 4 , 

### 2 0 2 0 b y D e fe n d an t S c o tt A
. L y n c h , 

### M. D
. , D e fe n d a n t s A n d y M u tn an , R e n e e M e s s i n a , B r e n d a n C arr , T i m B r e am , an d W e s S o h n s , an d D e fe n d an t s P e t e r H
. S e i d e n b e r g , M
. D
. , J o h n S
. R e i d , M. D. , P e n n S t at e H e a l th , Th e M i l t o n S
. H e rs h e y M e d i c a l

I O LJ R D L S Circulated 04/29/2022 11:45 AM

### C e n t e r , an d P e n n S t at e H e r s h e y M e d i c al Gro u p . D e fe n d an t M o u n t N i tt an y H e al th fi l e d a M o ti o n

t o D i s mi s s an d P e ti ti o n fo r C o n t e mp t o n A u g u s t 2 8 , 2 0 2 0
. A l s o b e fo r e th e C o u rt ar e D e fe n d an t s T h e P e n n s y l v an i a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty , S an d y B arb o u r , C h arm e l l e Gr e e n, an d J am e s Fran kli n ' s ( c o ll e c ti v e l y , th e " U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s " ) Pr e li mi n ary O b j e cti o n s fil ed o n A u g u s t 3 1 , 2 0 2 0 an d P l ai n ti ff s Pra e c i p e fo r D e fau lt J u d gm e n t an d Pra e c i p e fo r D e t e rmi n ati o n fi l e d o n S e p t e mb e r 2 , 2 0 2 0 an d S e p t e mb e r 3 , 2 0 2 0 , r e s p e c ti v e l y . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s fi l ed a B ri e f i n S u p p o rt o n A u g u s t 3 1 , 2 0 2 0 an d P l ai n ti ff fi l e d a R e s p o n s e i n O p p o s i ti o n o n S e p t e mb e r 1 6 , 2 0 2 0
. P l ai n ti ff
al s o fi l e d a S t at e m e n t o f S u p p ort o n O c t o be r 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
. A h e ari n g w a s h e l d o n O c t o b e r 1 2 , 2 0 2 0
. U p o n th e c o n s i d e rati o n o f th e ar g u m e n t s o f c o un s e l an d th e fil i n g s , th e C o u rt fi n d s a s fo ll o w s : B a c k g r o u n d 

### T h i s c a s e ari s e s fr o m i n

j u ri e s P l ai n ti f

f al l e g e d l y s u s t ai n e d duri n g h i s ti m e a s 

### a s tu d e n t ath l e t e o n th e P e n n S t at e U n i v e r s i ty fo o tb al l t e am b e tw e e n J un e 2 0 1 6 an d A u g u s t 2 0 1 9
. P lai n ti f I' s c au s e o f a c ti o n s p e c i fi c all y fo c u s e s o n hi s tr e atm e n t fo ll o w i n g a D e c e mb e r 2 7 , 2 0 1 7
s ur g e ry t o r e p ai r a ri g h t kn e e p at e ll ar fr a ctu r e h e s u ff e r ed w h i l e p ra c ti c i n g fo r th e F i e s t a B o w l i n P h o e n i x , A ri z o n a . P l ai n ti ff a ll e g e s h e r e i n j u r e d h i s kn e e o n J a n u ary 8 , 2 0 1 8 w h i l e r e c e i v i n g tr e atm e n t fr o m W e s S o h n s , w h i c h r e q u i r e d P l ai n ti ff t o u n d e r g o s u r g e ry o n J an u ary 1 2 , 2 0 1 8
. I n A p ri l 2 0 1 8 , P l ai n ti ff r e po rt e d fe e l i n g p ai n an d d i s c o m fo rt i n h i s ri g h t kn e e . I n S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 8 , P l ai n ti ff w a s e v al u at e d fo r r e p o rt ed p ai n an d s w e ll i n g i n h i s ri gh t kn e e , w h i c h w a s attri b u t e d t o t e n d i n i ti s an d th e p ro m i n e n c e o f th e p l at e p l a c e d d uri n g s ur g e ry , b u t d i d n o t ru l e o u t th e p o s s i b i l i ty o f an i n fe c ti o n . B e t w e e n S e p t e mb e r an d N o v e mb e r 2 0 1 8 , P l ai n ti f f c o n ti n u e d t o e x p e ri e n c e ri g h t kn e e p ai n an d P l ai n ti ff u n d e r w e n t a ri g h t kn e e ar th r o s c o p y o n N o v e mb e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 8
. O n N o v e mb e r 2 5 , 2 0 1 8 , P l ai n ti ff an d h i s p ar e n t s att e n d e d a m e e ti n g w i th fi ft e e n ( 1 5 ) r e p r e s e n t ati v e s o f P e n n S t at e

2U n i v e r s i ty , w h o a s ke d P l a i n ti ff t o s i g n a d o c u m e n t v o l u n t ari l y wi th dr a w i n g h i m s e l f fr o m th e

fo o tb al l t e am . O n D e c e mb e r 3 0 , 2 0 1 8 , P l a i n ti ff w a s t ak e n t o th e E m e r g e n c y R o o m d u e t o
e x tr e m e kn e e p ai n a n d s w e ll i n g . P l ai n ti ff i n fo rm e d J am e s Fran kl i n o n J an u ary 5 , 2 0 1 9 th at h i s
ri g h t kn e e w a s i nf

e c t e d an d P l ain ti ff u n d e r w e n t s ur g e ry t o a d dr e s s th e i n fe c ti o n o n J an u ary 8 , 2 0 1 9
. O n A u g u s t 1 9 , 2 0 1 9 , P l ai n ti ff w a s r e m o v e d fr o m th e P e n n S t at e fo o tb a ll t e am . P l ai n ti ff ori g i n a ll y fil e d a C o mp l ai n t o n J a n u ary 3 1 , 2 0 2 0 b a s e d o n a th e o ry o f m e d i c a l
m a l p ra c ti c e . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s fi l e d P r e li mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s o n F e b ru ary 2 4 , 2 0 2 0
. P l ai n ti ff fi l e d a C e rti fi c at e o f M e ri t fo r e a c h D e f e n d a n t o n F e b ru ary 2 8 , 2 0 2 0 , b u t fai l e d t o fi l e a wri tt e n
s t at e m e n t fr o m an ap p ro p ri at e l i c e n s e d p ro fe s s i o n a l w i th th e C e rti fi c at e s o f M e ri t . A ll o f th e
n am e d D e fe n d an t s o th e r th an th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s fi l e d a N o ti c e o f I n t e n ti o n t o E n t e r J u d g m e n t o f N o n P ro s fo r F ai l u r e t o F i l e a Wri tt e n S t at e m e n t fr o m a n A p p ro p ri at e L i c e n s e d P ro fe s s i o n a l be t w e e n M ar c h 4 an d M ar c h 1 1 , 2 0 2 0
. P l ai n ti ff fi l e d an A n s w e r t o D e fe n d an t s ' N o ti c e s o n A p ri l 1 7 , 2 0 2 0
. O n M ay 1 2 an d May 1 3 , 2 0 2 0 , th e C e n tr e C o u n ty P ro th o n o t ary ' s O ffi c e e n t e r e d J u d g m e n t o f N o n P ro s i n fa v o r o f a ll o f th e D e fe n d an t s o th e r th an th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s . O n J u n e 1 , 2 0 2 0 , P l ai n ti ff f i l e d a P e ti ti o n fo r R e li e f o f J u d g m e n t o f N o n P ro s r e q u e s ti n g th e C o urt s tri k e th e j u d g m e n t s an d r e s t o r e P l ai n ti ff' s C o mp l ai n t i n i t s e n ti r e ty . B e t w e e n J u n e 1 2
an d J u n e 2 2 , 2 0 2 0 , e a c h o f th e D e fe n d a n t s fi l e d a R e s p o n s e s e e ki n g t o u p h o l d th e i r J u d g e m e n t o f N o n Pro s . A h e ari n g w a s h e l d o n J u n e 2 5 , 2 0 2 0
. O n J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 , th e C a m i e n t e r e d an O p i n i o n
an d O r d e r d e n y i n g P l ai n ti ff' s P e ti ti o n fo r R e li e f , s u s ta i ni n g th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s ' P r el im in ary O b

j e c ti o n s , a n d d i s m i s s i n g P l a i n ti ff' s m e d i c a l m a l p ra c ti c e cl ai m s w i th p r e j u d i c e . T h e C o u rt d i s mi s s e d P l ai n ti ff s C o mp l ai n t an d a ll o w e d P l ai n ti ff t o fi l e an A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t wi th i n t w e n ty ( 2 0 ) d ay s a g ai n s t o n l y th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s an d o nl y ra i s i n g p o t e n ti al c l ai m s

3

### o f i n t e n ti o n al o r n e g l i g e n t i nfl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s an d o r d i n ary n e g l i g e n c e . P l ai n ti ff fil e d

a P e ti ti o n fo r R e c o n s i d e rati o n o n J u l y 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 , w h i c h w a s d e ni e d b y th e C o urt o n J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 2 0
. P l ai n ti ff fi l e d an A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t o n A u g u s t 3 , 2 0 2 0 , an d a S u p p l e m e n t al A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t o n A u gu s t 1 2 , 2 0 2 0 , b o th o f w h i c h i n c l u d e d cl ai m s a g ai n s t a ll o f th e D e f e n d an t s fr o m P l ai n ti f f s o ri g i n a l C o mp l ai n t. B e t w e e n A u g u s t 7 , 2 0 2 0 an d A u g u s t 1 4 , 2 0 2 0 , c o u n s e l fo r a 11 o f th e D e fe n d an t s e x c e p t fo r th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s s e n t l e tt e r s t o P l ai n ti ff r e q u e s ti n g th at h e
r e m o v e th e m fr o m h i s A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t o r th e y w o u l d s e e k t o h o l d P lai n ti ff i n c o n t e mp t o f
c o u rt . P l ai n ti ff fai l e d t o r e s p o n d an d D e fe n d an t L y n c h , D e fe n d a n t M o u n t N i tt a n y H e a lth , D e fe n d ant s M u tn an, M e s s i n a, C arr , B r e am , an d S o h ns , an d D e fe n d a n t s S e i d e nb e r g , R e i d , P e nn S t at e H e al th , T h e Mi lt o n S
. H e r s h e y M e d i c al C e n t e r , an d P e nn S t at e Il e r s h e y M e d i c al Gro u p ( c o l l e c ti v e l y , " P e ti ti o n e r s" ) e a c h fi l e d a P e ti ti o n t o II o l d P lai n ti ff i n C o n t e mp t o f C o u rt. O n A u g u s t 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 , P l ai n ti ff fi l e d N o ti c e s o f I n t e n ti o n t o E n t e r D e fau l t J u d g m e n t s
a g ai n s t e a c h o f th e D e fe n d a n t s b e c au s e th e y a ll e g e d l y fai l e d t o e n t e r a wri tt e n ap p e ar an c e an d fi l e i n wri ti n g w i th th e C o u rt th e i r d e fe n s e s o r o b j e c ti o n s t o P l ai n ti f

f' s A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t. U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s fi l e d P r e l i m i n ary O b j e c ti o n s an d a B ri e f i n S u p po rt o n A u g u s t 3 1 , 2 0 2 0
. P l ai n ti ff fi l e d a Pra e c i p e fo r D e fau lt J u d gm e n t o n S e p t e mbe r 2 , 2 0 2 0 a g ai n s t U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s fo r th e i r a ll e g e d fai l u r e t o e n t e r a w ri tt e n ap p e aran c e an d fi l e th e i r d e fe n s e s or
o b j e c ti o n s . P l ai n ti ff a l s o fi l e d a Pr a e c i pe fo r D e t e rmi n ati o n o n S e p t e mb e r 3 , 2 0 2 0 al l e g i n g U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n dan ts ' Pr e l i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s w e r e n o t fi l e d i n a c c or d an c e w i th P e nn s y l v a n i a l a w fo r fai l i n g t o s e rv e P l ai n ti ff a c o p y o f th e i r P r e l i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s . P l ai n ti ff fil e d a R e s p o n s e i n O p p o s i ti o n t o U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t ' s Pr e l i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s o n S e p t e mbe r 1 6 , 2 0 2 0 , an d an A n s w e r t o O r d e r t o S h o w C au s e o n O ct o be r 9 , 2 0 2 0
. P l ai n ti ff al s o fi l e d a S t at e m e n t o f S u p p o rt
o n O c t o b e r 1 9 , 2 0 2 0
. A h e ari n g w a s h e l d o n O c t o b e r 1 2 , 2 0 2 0
.

4D i s c u s s i o n

I. P e ti ti o n s fo r C o n t e m p t I n o r d e r fo r a p arty t o b e h e l d i n co n t e mp t , " th e m o v i n g p arty mu s t p ro v e th at : ( 1 ) th e
c o n t e m n o r h a d n o ti c e o f th e s pe c i fi c o r d e r o r d e c r e e th at h e d i s o b e y e d ; ( 2 ) th e a c t c o n s ti tu ti n g th e v i o l ati o n w a s v o li ti o n a l ; an d ( 3 ) th e c o n t e m n o r a c t e d wi th w r o n g fu l i n t e n t . " G u n t h e r v . 

### B o lu s , 2 0 0 4 P A S u p e r 8 , 8 5 3 A
. 2 d 1 0 1 4 , 1 0 1 7 ( c i ti n g 

### Ma r i a n Sh o p , I n c . v . B a i r

d, 4 4 8 P a. S u p e r . 5 2 , 6 7 0 A
. 2 d 6 7 1 , 6 7 3 ( 1 9 9 6 ) )
. P e ti ti o n e r s ' P e ti ti o n s fo r C o n t e mp t ar e r e q u e s ti n g th at th e C o u rt h o l d P l ai n ti ff i n c i v i l c o n t e mp t fo r fai l i n g t o c o mp l y wi th th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r s o f J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 a n d J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 2 0
. " Th e p u rp o s e o f c i v i l c o n t e mp t i s t o c o mpe l p e r fo rm a n c e o f l a w f u l
o r d e r s , an d i n s o m e i n s t an c e s , t o c o mp e n s at e th e c o mp l ai n an t fo r th e l o s s s u s t ai n e d , G u n t h e r , 8 5 3 A
. 2 d at 1 0 1 8 ( c i ti n g C e c il T o w n s h i p 

### v . K l e m e n t s , 8 2 1 A. 2 d 6 7 0 , 6 7 5 ( P a . C o m m w. 2 0 0 3 ) )
. H e r e , P e ti ti o n e r s ar e s e e ki n g t o c o mp e l pe r fo rm an c e an d r e c e i v e c o mp e n s ati o n fo r th e l o s s e s P e ti ti o n e r s s u s t ai n e d i n l e g a l fe e s an d e x p e n s e s th e y i n c urr e d i n p ur s ui n g a c o n t e mp t o r d e r a n d th e i r r e m o v a l fr o m th e i n s t an t l i ti g ati o n .

" [ I ] n c i v i l c o n t e mp t p ro c e e d i n g s th e b u r d e n i s o n th e c o mp l a i n i n g p arty t o p ro v e
n o n c o mp l i an c e b y a p r e p o n d e r an c e o f th e e v i d e n c e . . . " B a r re t t v . B a r re t t , 4 7 0 P a . 2 5 3 , 2 6 3 , 3 6 8 A
. 2 d 6 1 6 , 6 2 1
. P e ti ti o n e r s mu s t s h o w b y a p r e p o n d e r an c e o f th e e v i d e n c e th at P l ai n ti ff h a d
n o ti c e o f th e C o u rt ' s J u l y 1 5 a n d J u l y 3 0" O r d e r s , p urp o s e l y c h o s e t o v i o l at e th e O r d e r s , an d
a c t e d wi th w ro n g fu l i n t e n t in v i o l atin g th e O r d e r s . It i s cl e ar fr o m th e r e c or d th at P l ai n ti ff h a d
a c tu al n o ti c e o f th e J u l y 1 5 O r d e r a s h e fi l e d a P e ti ti o n fo r R e c o n s i d e r ati o n o f th e O r d e r o n J u l y 2 4 , 2 0 2 0
. P l ain ti ff a l s o h a d a c tu al n o ti c e o f th e J u l y 3 0 " O r d e r a s P l ai n ti f f a d m i t s i n h i s S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t an d in h i s An s w e r t o O r d e r t o S h o w C au s e th at th e S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t w a s s u b m i tt e d i n r e s p o n s e t o th e J u l y 3 0" O r d e r i n an

5att e mp t t o c o mp l y w i th th at O r d e r . A s s u c h , P l ai n ti ff p o s s e s s e d a c tu a l kn o w l e d g e o f bo th o f th e

O r d e r s at i s s u e h e r e . P e ti ti o n e r s al l e g e P l ai n ti ff d e c l i n e d t o c o mp l y w i th th e C o u rt ' s J u l y 1 5 " an d J u l y 

## 3 0 O r d e r s w h e n P l ai n ti ff fil e d an A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t o n A u gu s t 3 , 2 0 2 0 n a mi n g P e ti ti o n e r s a s d e fe n d a n t s an d a s s e rti n g cl ai m s a g ai n s t P e ti ti o n e r s . P e ti ti o n e rs ar gu e P l ai n ti ff f urth e r r e fu s e d t o
c o mp l y w i th th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r s b y fi li n g a S u p p l e m e n t al A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t o n A u g u s t 1 2 , 2 0 2 0 wi th cl ai m s a g ai n s t P e ti ti o n e r s . P e ti ti o n e r s c l ai m P l ai n ti ff fil e d h i s S u p p l e m e n t a l Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t e v e n a ft e r r e c e i v i n g l e tt e r s fr o m c o u n s e l fo r P e ti ti o n e r s r e q u e s ti n g P l ai n ti ff r e m o v e P e ti ti o n e r s a s d e fe n d an t s i n c o mp li an c e w i th th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r s a n d i n fo rmi n g P l ai n ti ff th at P e ti ti o n e r s w o u l d p e ti ti o n th e C o u rt t o h a v e P l ai n ti ff h e l d i n c o n t e mp t i f P e ti ti o n e r s w e r e n o t
r e m o v e d
. T h e C o u rt ' s J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 O r d e r d i s mi s s e d P l ai n ti f f' s C o mp l a i n t a n d s t at e d P l ai n ti ff h a d t w e n ty ( 2 0 ) d ay s t o fi l e a n A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t a g ai n s t o n l y th e U n i v e rs i ty D e fe n d a n t s a n d o n l y
rai s i n g p o t e n ti a l cl ai m s o f i n t e n ti o n al o r n e g l i g e n t i n fli c ti o n o f e m o ti o n a l di s tr e s s an d or d i n ary
n e g l i g e n c e . T h e r e s t o f th e cl ai m s i n P l ai n ti f f s C o mpl ai n t, i n cl u d i n g m e d i c a l m a l p ra c ti c e cl ai m s , w e r e d i s m i s s e d w i th p r e

j u d i c e . T h e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s w e r e e x p li c i tl y i d e n ti fi e d i n th e O r d e r
as Th e P e nn s y l v an i a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty , S an d y B arb o u r , C h arm e l l e Gr e e n , an d J am e s Fr ankl i n . T h e C o u rt' s J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 2 0 O r d e r d e ni e d P l ai n ti ff s P e ti ti o n fo r R e c o n s i d e rati o n an d a g ai n s t at e d P l ai n ti ff c o u l d fi l e a n A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t rai s i n g c l ai m s o f i n t e n ti o n al or n e g l i g e n t i n fl i c ti o n o f
e m o ti o n a l d i s tr e s s an d or d i n ary n e g l i g e n c e a g ai n s t o n l y th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s . T h e C o urt b e l i e v e s th e s e w e r e cl e ar an d c o n c i s e o r d e r s s t ati n g P l ai n ti ff c o u l d o n l y r ai s e p arti c u l ar c l ai m s
a g ai n s t p ar ti c u l ar d e fe n d a n t s , an d i n s tru c ti n g P l ai n ti ff th at h e w a s p e rm i tt e d t o b ri n g c l ai m s
a g ai n s t o n l y th e U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s , an d n o t P e ti ti o n e r s .

6I n P l ai n ti f f s An s w e r t o O r d e r t o S h o w C au s e , P l ai n ti ff cl ai m s th e S u p p l e m e n t al Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t c o mp l i e s w i th th e C o urt' s O r d e r s . P l ai n ti ff s t at e s h e di d n o t r e c e i v e th e C o u rt ' s J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 2 0 O r d e r u n ti l A u g u s t 6 , 2 0 2 0 s o h e fi l e d th e A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t be fo r e
r e c e i v i n g th e J u l y 

## 3 0 O r d e r an d fi l e d th e S u p p l e m e n t al Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t i n r e s p o n s e. P l ai n ti ff ar g u e s th e S u p p l e m e n t a l Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t c o mp l i e s w i th th e C o urt' s O r d e r s be c au s e i t i s a " C i v i l A cti o n o f N e g li g e n c e an d V i c ari o u s L i ab i l i ty " a g ai n s t T h e P e nn s y l v an i a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty an d T h e P e nn s y l v an i a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty - Kn o wn a n d U n kn o w n D e fe n d an t s , w hi c h P l ai n ti ff i d e n ti fi e s a s th e " U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s . " P l ai n ti ff s t at e s i t w a s h i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g th at

" Kn o w n D e fe n d an t s " mu s t b e i d e n ti fi e d b y n am e i n a c o mp l ai n t a n d P l ai n ti ff n am e d al l o f th e P e ti ti o n e r s b e c au s e at al l r e l e v a n t ti m e s P e ti ti o n e r s h e l d mu lti p l e p o s i ti o n s w h i c h m a d e th e m
a g e n t s , s e r v a n t s , e mp l o y e e s , s u b s i d i ari e s , a ffi li at e s , a n d /o r i n d e p e n d e n t c o n tr a c t o r s t o /o f th e P e nn s y l v a n i a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty . P l ai n ti ff a s s e rt s th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r s d i d n o t i n s tru c t P l ai n ti ff t o
r e m o v e th e n am e s o f s p e c i fi c d e fe n d an t s o r th e n a m e s o f i n d i v i d u al s a ll e g e d t o h a v e be e n
n e g l i g e n t , b u t o n l y or d e r e d th at P l ai n ti ff c o u l d n o t p ur s u e m e d i c a l m a l p ra c ti c e cl ai m s . P l ai n ti ff h a s att e mp t e d t o e x p an d th e d e fi n i ti o n o f th e " U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s " i d e n ti fi e d b y th e C o u rt i n i t s O r d e r s t o i n cl u d e a ll o f th e n am e d d e fe n d a n t s fr o m P l ai n ti ff s o ri g i n al
c o mp l ai n t . P l ai n ti ff c ann o t b ri n g cl ai m s a g ai n s t P e ti ti o n e r s s i mp l y b y c a ll i n g th e m " U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s " b a s e d o n th e i r c o nn e c ti o n s t o th e P e nn s y l v a n i a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty . T h e C o urt
e x p l i c i tl y s t at e d P l ai n ti ff c o u l d b ri n g s p e c i fi c cl ai m s a g ai n s t o n l y th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s an d
e x p r e s s l y i d e n ti fi e d th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a s T h e P e nn s y l v an i a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty , S an d y B arb o u r , C h arm e l l e Gr e e n , an d J am e s Frankl i n . T h e C o u rt ' s O r d e r s w e r e cl e ar an d
u n amb i g u o u s . P l ai n ti ff' s i n t e rp r e t ati o n d o e s n o t c o n fo rm t o th e p l ai n m e a n i n g o f th e O r d e r s . T h e Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t an d th e S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t ar e b o th i n v i o l ati o n o f th e

7C o urt ' s O r d e r s . T h e r e fo r e , th e s e c o n d e l e m e n t r e q u i r e d fo r a fi n din g o f c o n t e mp t i s s ati s fi e d a s

P l ai n ti ff v o l u n t ari l y fil e d th e A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t an d th e S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t in
v i o l ati o n o f th e C o urt ' s O r d e r s . F or P l ai n ti ff t o b e h e l d i n c o n t e mp t , P e ti ti o n e r s mu s t s h o w P l ai n ti ff a c t e d w i th w ro n g fu l i n t e n t. P e ti ti o n e r s d i d n o t o ff e r a n y d i r e c t e v i d e n c e th at P l ai n ti ff a ct e d w i th w ro n g fu l i n t e n t , h o w e v e r , a p arty ' s w ro n g fu l in t e n t c an o ft e n b e " i n fe rr e d fr o m c i r c u m s t an ti al e v i d e n c e . " 

### W a g g l e
v . W o o dla n d H

i l ls A s s ' n , I n c . , 2 1 3 A , 3 4 3 9 7 , 4 0 3 ( P a. C m w I th
. 2 0 1 9 )
. P l ai n ti f f' s w r o n g fu l i n t e n t

" c a n b e i n fe rr e d w h e r e i t i s cl e ar fr o m th e l an g u a g e o f th e c o u rt or d e r th at th e c o n d u c t i n q u e s ti o n v i o l at e s th e c o urt o r d e r an d th e e v i d e n c e s h o w s th at th e c o n t e m n or kn o w i n g l y fai l e d t o
c o mp l y . " 

### I

d
. at 4 0 4
. " [ W] h e n m aki n g a d e t e rm i n ati o n r e g ar d in g w h e th e r a d e fe n d an t a c t e d wi th
wr o n g fu l i n t e n t , th e c o u rt s h o u l d u s e c o m m o n s e n s e an d c o n s i d e r c o n t e x t , an d w ro n g fu l i n t e n t
c an b e i mp u t e d t o a d e fe n d an t b y v i rtu e o f th e s u b s t an ti a l c e rt ai n ty th at h i s a c ti o n s w i ll v i o l at e th e c o u rt o r d e r. " 

### C

o m m o n w e a l t

h • R e e s e , 2 0 1 7 P A S u pe r 4 7 , 1 5 6 A. 3 d 1 2 5 0 , 1 2 5 8 H e r e , P l ai n ti ff

s w r o n g fu l i n t e n t c an b e i n fe rr e d b a s e d o n th e c i r c u m s t an c e s o f P l a i n ti f f s
a cti o n s . It i s cl e ar fr o m th e l an g u a g e o f th e C o urt ' s O r d e r s th at P l ai n ti f f s fil in g s w o u l d v i o l at e th e C o urt ' s O r d e r. Th e r e w a s a s u b s t a n ti a l c e rt ai n ty th at P l ai n ti f f s a c ti o n s i n fi l i n g c l ai m s
a g ai n s t th e P e ti ti o n e r s w o u l d v i o l at e th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r s . N o t o n l y d i d th e C o urt ' s O r d e r s
e x p r e s s l y s t at e P l ai n ti ff c o u l d o n l y fi l e cl ai m s a g ai n s t U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s , b u t P l ai n ti ff a l s o
r e c e i v e d mu lti p l e l e tt e r s fr o m P e ti ti o n e r s i n fo rmi n g h i m h i s A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t w a s i n
v i o l ati o n o f th e C o u rt ' s J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 O r d e r . E v e n a ft e r th e C o urt' s O r d e rs o f J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 an d J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 2 0 an d th e le tt e r s fr o m P e ti ti o n e r s , P l ai n ti ff s ti ll fil e d a S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t s t ati n g cl ai m s a g ai n s t P e ti ti o n e r s . B a s e d o n th e e v i d e n c e , P l ai n ti ff kn o w i n g l y fai l e d t o
c o mp l y w i th th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r s an d a c t e d w i th w ro n g fu l in t e n t.

8P l a i n ti f f h a d a c tu a l n o ti c e o f th e C o urt ' s O r d e r s h e d i s o b e y e d , P l ai n ti ff s a c t s c o n s ti tu ti n g th e v i o l ati o n s w e r e v o li ti o n a l , an d P l ai n ti ff a c t e d w i th w ro n g ful i n t e n t. T h e r e fo r e , th e C o urt
c o n cl u d e s th at P l ai n ti f

f s c o n d u c t i n fi l i n g th e Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t an d th e S u p p l e m e n t al A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t w a s i n v i o l ati o n o f th e cl e ar m an d at e s o f th e a fo r e m e n ti o n e d O r d e r s . A c c o r d i n g l y , P e ti ti o n e r ' s P e ti ti o n s t o H o l d P l ai n ti ff i n C o n t e mp t o f C o urt ar e G RA N T E D . H o w e v e r , th e C o urt w ill n o t a w ar d san c ti o n s a n d att o rn e y ' s fe e s t o P e ti ti o n e r s , b u t w i ll D I S M I S S P l ai n ti f

f s c l ai m s a g ai n s t P e ti ti o n e r s i n h i s A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t an d S u p p l e m e n t al Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t. 

### II . P l a i n ti f

f' s P r a e c i p e fo r D e fa u lt J u d g m e n t a n d P r a e c i p e f o r D e t e r m i n a ti o n P l ai n ti ff fil e d a P ra e c i p e fo r D e faul t J u d g m e n t o n S e p t e mb e r 2 , 2 0 2 0 an d a P r a e ci p e f o r D e t e rmi n ati o n o n S e p t e mb e r 3 , 2 0 2 0
. I n P l ai n ti f f s P r a e c i p e fo r D e fau lt J u d g m e n t , P l ai n ti ff
r e q u e s t e d th e C o urt e n t e r j u d g m e n t i n fa v o r o f P l ai n ti ff an d a g ai n s t th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s fo r fai l u r e t o e n t e r a w ri tt e n ap p e ar an c e an d fi l e i n wri ti n g w i th th e C o u rt th e i r d e fe n s e s o r
o b j e c ti o n s t o th e cl a i m s s e t fo rth i n P l ai n ti f f s S u p p le m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t . I n P l ai n ti ff' s P r a e c i p e f

o r D e t e rm i n ati o n , P l ai n ti ff r e q u e s t e d th e C o u rt d i s m i s s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' P r e li m i n ary O b

j e cti o n s an d B ri e f i n S u p po rt a n d e n t e r d e fau l t j u d g m e n t i n P l ai n ti f f s fa v or be c au s e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' P r e li mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s w e r e n o t fil e d o r s e rv e d i n a c c o r d an c e
w i th P e n n s y l v ani a l a w . P l ai n ti ff cl ai m s th e P r e l i m i n ary O b j e c ti o n s w e r e n o t p ro p e rl y s e r v e d o n P l ai n ti ff a n d U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s fai l e d t o s t at e th e d at e o f s e rv i c e an d c e rti f y th e d at e a n d
m a n n e r o f s e rv i c e . P l ai n ti ff a ll e g e s U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s fai le d t o fi l e w i th i n th e r e q u i r e d ti m e
an d d i d n o t p ro v i d e P l ai n ti ff wi th a n o ti c e t o d e fe n d
. U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s fil e d th e i r P r e li m i n ary O b j e c ti o n s w i th th e C o urt o n A u g u s t 3 1 , 2 0 2 0 , w i th i n th e ti m e r e q ui r e d fo r fil i n g . I n th e i r P r e li m i n ary O b j e c ti o n s , U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s

9i n cl u d e d a N o tic e t o P l e a d an d a C e rti fi c at e o f S e rv i c e s t ati n g th e P r e li mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s h a d b e e n s e rv e d u p o n P l ai n ti ff v i a E le c tro n i c M ai l a n d fi r s t C l a s s U
. S
. M ai l. U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' fi li n g o f th e ir P r el i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s an d B ri e f i n S u p p o r t d i d n o t v i o lat e th e P e nn s y l v an i a Ru le s
o f C i v i l Pro c e d ur e o r a n y o th e r P e nn s y l v a n i a l a w . U n i v e r s i ty D e f e n d a n t s ' s e rv i c e o f p ro c e s s w a s p ro p e r u n d e r P a . R
. C. P
. 4 0 3 an d 4 0 4
. P l ai n ti ff r e s i d e s o u t s i d e o f th e C o m m o n w e a l th an d li k e l y h a d y e t t o r e c e i v e a c o p y o f th e fil i n g s i n th e m ai l at th e ti m e P l ai n ti ff fi l e d h i s P r a e c i p e fo r D e fau lt Ju d g m e n t an d Pra e c i p e fo r D e t e rmi nati o n . A c c o r d i n g l y , P l ai n ti f

f ' s P r a e c i p e fo r D e fau lt J u d gm e n t a n d P r a e c i p e fo r D e t e rm i n ati o n
ar e D E N I E D . IJJ . T h e U n i v e r s i ty D e f e n d a n t s ' P r e li m i n a ry O b j e c t i o n s T h e U n i v e r s i ty D e f

e n d an t s rai s e p r e l i mi n ary o b j e cti o n s s e e ki n g t o d i s mi s s P l ai n ti f f s S u p p l e m e n t al A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t b e c au s e o f i mp ro p e r s e rv i c e o f a wri t o f s u mm o n s a n d a
c o mp l ai n t p u r s u an t t o P a. R. C
. P
. 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( 1 ) ; f ai l ur e t o c o n fo rm t o l a w or ru l e o f c o u rt p u r s u an t t o P a . R. C
. P
. 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( 2 ) ; a n d l e g a l i n s u f fi c i e n c y o f a p l e a d i n g ( d e mu rr e r ) p ur s u an t t o P a . R. C
. P
. 

### 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( 49 )
. A . I m p r o p e r S e r v i c e T h e P e nn s y l v ani a Ru l e s o f C i v il Pro c e d u r e r e q u i r e s e rv i c e s o f p ro c e s s o n a c o rp o rati o n
or s i mi l ar e n ti ty b e m a d e b y a s h e ri ff , b y h an d i n g a c o p y o f th e w ri t t o an o ffi c e r , p e r s o n - i n ch ar g e , o r au th o r i z e d a g e n t. 

### Se e P a. R. C. P
. 4 2 4
. Th e P e n n s y l v an i a Ru l e s o f C i vi l P r o c e d u r e a l s o
r e q u i r e s e rv i c e o f p ro c e s s o n an i n d i v i d u a l b e m a d e b y a s h e ri ff , b y h an d i n g a c o p y t o th e i n di v i d u a l , an a du lt r e s i d i n g at th e i n d i v i d u a l' s r e s i d e n c e , o r t o an a g e n t o r p e r s o n - i n - c h ar g e o f th e i n d i v i d u a l ' s u s u a l p l a c e o f b u s i n e s s . 

### Se e P a . R. C
. P
. 4 0 2
. 

### In th i s c a s e , P l ai n ti ff h a s s e rv e d th e Wri t o f S u m m o n s o n th e U ni v e r s i ty D e f e n d an t s v i a c e rti fi e d m ai l a n d th e S u p p le m e n t a l

10A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t v i a e m ai l. P l ai n ti ff h a s fai l e d t o e ff e c tu at e p ro p e r s e r v i c e o f p ro c e s s o n th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s . A c c or d i n g l y , th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' P r e l i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n b a s e d o n i mp ro p e r s e rv i c e p u r s u an t t o P a . R
. C
. P
. 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( l ) i s S U S T A I N E D . B. F a il u r e t o C o n fo r m t o L a w o r R u le o f C o u r t P a . R
. C
. P
. 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( 2 ) p ro v i d e s fo r p r e li m i n ary o b j e c ti o n s w h e n a p l e a d i n g fai l s t o
c o n fo n n t o l a w or ru l e o f c o u rt. U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ar g u e m o s t o f th e cl ai m s rai s e d i n P l ai n ti ff' s S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t ar e i mp e rmi s s i b l e cl ai m s an d cl ai m s a l r e a d y d i s mi s s e d w i th p r e

j u d i c e . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a s s e rt th e s e cl ai m s vi o l at e th e C o urt ' s J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 O r d e r , w hi c h d i s m i s s e d a n u mb e r o f P l ai n ti ff s cl ai m s an d s t at e d P l ai n ti ff c o u l d o n l y rai s e cl ai m s fo r i n t e n ti o n a l or n e g l i g e n t i n fl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o n a l d i s tr e s s a n d or d i n ary n e g li g e n c e i n an y
a m e n d e d c o mp l ai n t . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a ll e g e e i g h t e e n (1 8 ) o f P l ain ti f f s t w e n ty - o n e ( 2 1 ) cl ai m s r ai s e d i n th e S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t ar e p r e cl u d e d b y th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r. P l ai n ti ff a l s o c h a ll e n g e s th e s e cl ai m s a s l e g a ll y i n s u ffi c i e n t p ur s u an t t o P a . R
. C
. P
. 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( 4 )
. U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a s s e rt P l ai n ti ff' s cl ai m s o f V i o l ati o n o f P e n n s y l v ani a L a w o f N e gl i g e n t P e r fo rm an c e ( C o u n t I I ) , N e g l i g e n c e O s t e n s i b l e A g e n c y /R e s tate m e n t ( S e c o n d ) T o rt ( C o u n t IV ) , N e g l i g e n c e - I n fo rm e d C o n s e n t ( C o u n t V ) , N e g l i g e n c e -- M i s r e p r e s e n t ati o n ( C o u n t V I) , N e g l i g e n c e H o s pi t al

- A c q u i r e d I n fe c ti o n ( C o u n t V II ) , M i s fe a s an c e/M al fe a s an c e ( C o u n t V II I) , L o s s o f C h a n c e ( C o u n t IX ) , N e g l i g e n c e - E n ti ty /P h y s i c i an - P ati e n t R e l ati o n s h i p ( C o u n t X) , N e g l i g e n c e -- S u p e rv i s i o n ( C o u n t X I ) , N e gl i g e n c e - F ai l u r e t o P ay M e d i c a l E x p e n s e s ( C o u n t X II ) , Frau d ( C o u n t X V ) , N e g l i g e n c e - Pro fe s s i o n a l ( C o u n t X V I ) , an d N e g li g e n c e P e r S e ( C o u n t XXI ) ar e a ll att e mp t s b y P l ain ti ff t o c o u c h h i s m e d i c al m a l p ra c ti c e cl ai m s a s s o m e ty p e o f
n e g l i g e n c e cl ai m . I n a d d i ti o n t o th e a fo r e m e n ti o n e d cl ai m s , U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a l s o m a in t ai n th at P l ai n ti ff

s cl ai m s o f Rr e a c h o f D u ty /F i d u c i ary D u ty ( C o u n t I ) , R att e ry ( C o un t X V II) , F a l s e

1 1I mp ri s o nm e n t ( C o u n t X V I I I ) , C o n c e rt e d T o rti o u s C o n d u e t ( C o u n t X IX ) , an d V i o l ati o n o f

P e nn s y l v a n i a A n t
- H a z i n g L a w ( C o u n t X X ) ar e b arr e d b y th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r . T h i s C o u rt a g r e e s . C o u n t s 11 , I V , V , V I , V II , V II I , I X , X , X I , X II , X V , X V I , an d X X I ar e al l b a s e d o n Pl ai n ti ff' s m e d i c al c ar e a n d tr e atm e n t. E a c h cl a i m m e n ti o n s an d a c c u s e s o n e o f th e d i s m i s s e d p arti e s o f n e g l i g e n ce i n P l ai n ti ff s m e d i c al tr e atm e n t. C l ai m s o f n e g l i g e n t m e d i c al c ar e an d tr e atm e n t ar e m e d i c al m a l p r a c ti c e c l aim s , A l l o f P l ai n ti ff s m e d i c al m al p r a c ti c e c l ai m s w e r e d i s m i s s e d i n th e C o urt ' s J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 O r d e r . P l ai n ti ff c ann o t n o w a s s e rt m e d i c al m al p ra c ti c e cl ai m s b y s i mp l y r e fe rri n g t o th e m a s n e g li g e n c e cl ai m s . M a n y o f th e s e cl ai m s ar e v ari ati o n s o f cl ai m s a l r e a d y d i s m i s s e d b y th e C o u rt o r ar e n o t s t an d al o n e c au s e s o f a c ti o n s r e c o g n i z e d i n th e C o mm o n w e al th. V i o l ati o n o f P e nn s y l v an i a L a w o f N e g l i g e n t P e rfo rm an c e ( C o u n t I I ) a v e r s mu l ti p l e
a ll e g e d v i o l ati o n s o f R e s t at e m e n t ( S e c o n d ) o f T o rt s b a s e d o n th e c o n d u c t o f D e fe n d an t S o h n s , b u t d o e s n o t s p e c i f

y h o w an y a c ti o n s b y th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s v i o l at e d an y s e c ti o n o f th e R e s t at e m e n t. V i o l ati o n s o f th e R e s t at e m e n t c an b e a ll e g e d i n a n att e mp t t o e s t ab li s h n e g li g e n c e g e n e ra l l y , b u t th e r e i s n o s e p arat e c au s e o f a c ti o n fo r v i o l ati o n o f P e nn s y l v a n i a l a w o f n e g li g e n t p e r fo rm an c e . N e g li g e n c e - O s t e n s i b l e A g e n c y/R e s t at e m e n t ( S e c o n d ) T o rt ( C o u n t I V ) i s al s o b a s e d o n m e di c a l c ar e a n d tr e atm e n t P l a i n ti ff r e c e i v e d fr o m th e d i s mi s s e d d e fe n d an t s . C o u n t I V
s t at e s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s h a d a d u ty t o e x e r c i s e r e a s o n ab l e c ar e t o s e l e c t a c o n tr a c t o r an d a d u ty t o e n s u r e th e s afe p e rfo rm an c e o f m e d i c al r e l at e d s e rv i c e s , b u t d o e s n o t s t at e h o w U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s b r e a c h e d th e s e d u ti e s . C o u n t I V i s e s s e n ti a ll y a ll e g i n g v i c ari o u s l i ab i l i ty
a g ai n s t U n i v e r s i ty D e f

e n d an t s fo r P l a i n ti ff' s m e d i c a l tr e atm e n t b y d i s m i s s e d d e fe n d an t s . N e g l i g e n c e - S u p e rv i s i o n ( C o un t X I ) a s s e rt s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s fai l e d t o p ro v i d e p ro pe r
s u p e r v i s i o n w h i l e P l ai n ti ff w a s b e i n g tr e at e d , f ai l e d t o p r o p e r l y i n s tru c t an d w arn o f p o s s i b l e

1 2ri s k s , an d , th e r e fo r e , U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ar e v i c ari o u s l y l i ab l e fo r n e g l i g e n t a c t s b y d i s m i s s e d

d e fe n d a n t s du ri n g P l ai n ti ff s tr e atm e n t. C o u n t s II , IV , an d X I ar e n o t r e c o g n i z e d c au s e s o f
a c ti o n , b u t m ay g o t o w ar d s e s t ab l i s h i n g e le m e n t s o f P l ai n ti f f' s o r d i n ary n e g l i g e n c e cl a i m ( C o u n t Il l )
. N e g l i g e n c e I n fo rm e d C o n s e nt ( C o u n t V ) , N e g l i g e n c e H o s p i t a l

- A c q u i r e d I nfe c ti o n ( C o u n t V II ) , an d N e g l i g e n c e - E n ti ty /P h y s i c i an - P ati e n t R e l ati o n s h i p ( C o u n t X ) ar e p lai n l y cl ai m s
o f m e d i c a l m a l p ra c ti c e b e i n g r e s t at e d a s n e g l i g e n c e cl ai m s . L o s s o f C h an c e ( C o u n t I X ) i s ty p i c a ll y ap p l i e d i n m e d i c a l m a l p r a c ti c e c a s e s . H e r e , th e L o s s o f C h an c e cl ai m a ll e g e s P lai n ti ff
w o u l d h a v e h a d a s u b s t a n ti al o p p o rtu ni ty o f a v o i d i n g a d d i ti o n a l i n j ury an d tr e atm e n t i f U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s h a d c o rr e c tl y d i a g n o s e d a n d tr e at e d th e i n fe c ti o n . P l ai n ti f f s d i a g n o s i s i s
an i s s u e d i r e c t l y r e lat e d t o P lai n ti f f' s m e d i c a l tr e atm e n t. U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s w e r e n o t i n v o l v e d i n th e d i a gn o s i s or tr e atm e n t o f P l ai n ti ff. P l ai n ti ff c an n o t b ri n g m e d i c a l m al p ra c ti c e cl ai m s a g ai n s t U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s . N e g l i g e n c e - M i s r e p r e s e n t ati o n ( C o u n t V I) an d Frau d ( C o u n t XV) a ll e g e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an ts mi s r e p r e s e nt e d , c o n c e a l e d , an d i n t e r f e r e d w i th m e d i c a l i n fo rm ati o n p r o v i d e d t o P l ai n ti ff. B o th o f th e s e c l ai m s ar e m e d i c a l m al p r a c ti c e c l ai m s d e al i n g wi th P l ai n ti ff s r e l i an c e o n
m e d i c a l i n fo rm ati o n r e c e i v e d fr o m d i s m i s s e d d e fe n d an t s an d ar e s i mi l ar t o P l a i n ti ff s p r e v i o u s l y d i s m i s s e d c i v i l c o n s p i ra c y cl ai m . N e g l i g e n c e - P ro fe s s i o n a l ( C o u n t X V I ) i s th e s am e cl ai m a s th e p ro fe s s i o n a l m a l p ra c ti c e an d p ro fe s s i o n a l m i s c o n d u c t cl ai m s th e C o u rt a lr e a d y d i s mi s s e d
. P l ai n ti f f' s N e g l i g e n c e P e r S e cl ai m ( C o u n t X X I ) fai l s t o i d e n ti fy w h i c h s t atu t e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a ll e g e d l y v i o l at e d an d s i mp l y s t at e s th e i r a c ti o n s w e r e i nh e r e n tl y n e g l i g e n t. M i s fe a s a n c e/M al fe a s an c e ( C o u n t V II ) i s n o t :r e c o g n i z e d i n P e n n s y l v a n i a a s a c au s e o f a c ti o n . S e e 

### G re c o • S e n c h a k

, C IV. A. 3: 1 2

- 2 5 7 6 , 2 0 1 3 W L 4 5 2 0 8 4 7 , 

### at 6 ( M
. D. P a. A u g. 2 6 , 2 0 1 3 ) ,

13am e n d e d o n r e c o n s i d e r ati o n i n p art , C I V. A. 3 : 1 2

- 2 5 7 6 , 2 0 1 3 W L 5 7 5 5 2 1 4 ( M. D
. P a. O c t . 2 3 ,

2 0 13 ) ( s t ati n g " P e nn s y l v an i a l a w d o e s n o t r e c o g n i ze s u c h a [ M i s fe a s a n c e/ M al fe a s a n c e ] c l ai m , i t
ap p e ar s th at p l a i n ti ff i s m e r e l y u s i n g th e s e w o r d s a s s yn o n y m s fo r n e gl i g e n c e . . . " ) C o n c e rt e d T o rti o u s C o n d u c t ( C o un t X I X ) i s e s s e n ti a ll y a c i v i l c o n s p i ra c y c l ai m w h i c h
w a s p r e v i o u s l y d i s m i s s e d w i th p r e j u d i c e b y th e C o u rt ' s O r d e r . T h e r e i s n o fa c tu al b a s i s t o
s u p p o rt C o u n t s l , X V ll , X V III , an d X X. B r e a c h o f D u ty w o u l d g o t o w ar d e s t ab li s h i n g
n e g li g e n c e , b u t i s n o t i t s o wn c au s e o f a c ti o n . B r e a c h o f Fi d u c i ary D u ty h a s n o t b e e n e s t ab l i s h e d b y P l ai n ti ff. P l ai n ti ff a l s o fa i l e d t o e s t ab li s h c au s e s o f a c ti o n b a s e d o n b att e ry , f al s e i mp ri s o n m e n t , an d v i o l ati o n o f P e n n s y l v a n i a ' s A n ti

- H a z i n g L a w , 1 8 P a . C
. S
. A. § 2 8 0 1 , e t s e q . T h e s e c l ai m s ar e al s o o u t s i d e o f th e c l ai m s P l ai n ti ff w a s s p e c i fi c a l l y t o l d h e c o u l d b ri n g i n a n
am e n d e d c o mp l ai n t i n th e C o urt ' s J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 O r d e r . P l ai n ti ff d i d n o t a v e r fa c t s e s t ab li s h i n g th e r e w a s an o ff e n s i v e c o n t a c t b y an y o f th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s w hi c h w o ul d c o n s ti tu t e b att e ry . S e e R e s t at e m e n t ( S e c o n d ) o f T o rt s § 1 8 ( 1 9 6 5 )
. P l ai n ti ff a l s o fai l e d t o a v e r fa c t s e s t ab l i s h i n g fa l s e i mp ri s o n m e n t a s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s d i d n o t c o n fi n e P l a i n ti ff w i th i n b o u n d ar i e s fi x e d b y th e U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s
s i mp l y b e c au s e th e y d i d n o t p ro v i d e P l ai n ti ff wi th tr a n s p o rt ati o n t o a m e d i c a l ap p o i n tm e n t . Se e R e s t at e m e n t ( S e c o n d ) o f T o rt s § 3 5 (1 9 6 5 )
. U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s t o l d P l a i n ti ff th at h e c o u l d s e e
an y m e d i c a l p ro fe s s i o n a l h e c h o s e , b u t h e w o u l d h a v e t o tra n s po rt hi m s e l f t o th o s e ap p o i n tm e n t s . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s o ff e r e d t o r e i mb ur s e a n y trans p o rt ati o n c o s t s . T h e r e i s a l s o i n s u f fi c i e n t fa c t s a l l e g e d t o e s t ab l i s h a v i o l ati o n o f P e n n s y l v an i a ' s an ti

- h a z i n g l a w a s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s d i d n o t c au s e , c o e r c e or fo r c e P l a i n ti ff t o v i o l at e fe d e ra l or s t at e c ri m i n a l l a w , t o c o n s u m e
a n yth i n g , o r t o e n d ur e b ru t al i ty o f a p h y s i c a l , m e n t a l , or s e x u a l n atur e fo r th e p urp o s e o f i n i ti ati n g or c o n ti n u i n g P l ai n ti f f s m e mbe r s hi p i n an or g an i z ati o n . Se e 1 8 P a. C
. S. A. 

### $ 2 8 0 2.

1 4Al l o f th e a fo r e m e n ti o n e d cl ai m s v i o l at e th e C o urt' s J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 O r d e r w h i c h s t at e d

P l ai n ti ff w a s o n l y p e rm i tt e d t o b ri n g cl ai m s b a s e d o n i n t e n ti o n a l a n d n e g li g e n t i n fl i c ti o n o f
e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s as w e l l as o r di nary ne g l i g e n c e . O th e r th an P l ai n ti ff 

## s c l ai m s fo r n e g l i g e n c e , i n t e n ti o n a l i n fli c ti o n o f e m o ti o n a l d i s tr e s s , an d n e g l i g e n t i n fl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s , a ll o f th e c l ai m s c o n t ai n e d i n th e S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t ar e cl ai m s p r e v i o u s l y d i s mi s s e d
w i th p r e j u d i c e b y th e C o u rt. P l ai n ti ff s S u p p l e m e n t a l Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t fai l s t o c o n fo rm t o th e C o urt ' s O r d e r. A c c or d i n g l y , th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' P r e l i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n b a s e d o n f

ai l ur e t o c o n fo rm t o l a w o r ru l e o f c o urt p ur s u an t t o P a . R
. C
. P
. 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( 2 ) i s S U S T A I N E D
. C
. L e g a l In s u f

fi ci e n c y (D e mu rr e r ) P a. R. C
. P
. 1 0 2 8 ( a) ( 4 ) p ro v i d e s fo r p r e l i mi n ary o b j e c ti o n s w h e n a p l e a d i n g i s l e g al l y i n s u f fi c i e n t. A d e murr e r t e s t s w h e th e r , b a s e d o n th e fa c t s a v e rr e d , r e c o v e ry i s p o s s i b l e u n d e r th e l a w. 

### B i l t - R i te C

o n t r a c to r s , I n c, , T h e A r c h i te c t u ra l S t u di o , 5 8 1 P a . 4 5 4 , 8 6 6 A. 2 d 2 7 0 , 2 7 4 ( 2 0 0 5 )
. I n c o n s i d e ri n g p r e li m i n ary o b j e c ti o n s b a s e d o n d e murr e r , " a ll m at e ri al fa c t s s e t fo rth i n th e c h a ll e n g e d p le a d i n g s ar e a d mi tt e d a s tru e , a s w e ll a s a ll i n fe r e n c e s r e a s o n ab l y d e d u c i b l e th e r e fr o m . " 

### A lb e rt • Er i e I n s . E x c h a n g e , 2 0 1 3 P A S u p e r 5 9 , 6 5 A. 3 d 9 2 3 , 9 3 0

- 3 1 ( c i ti n g 

### F e i n g o ld • H

e n d r a k , 2 0 1 1 P A S u p e r 3 4 , 1 5 A. 3 d 9 3 7 , 9 4 1 )
. A c o u rt i s n o t r e q u i r e d t o a c c e p t
c o n cl u s i o n s o fl a w , u n w arran t e d i n fe r e n c e s , a ll e g ati o ns , or e x p r e s s i o n s o f o p i n i o n s e t fo rth i n th e p l e a d i n g s w h e n ru l i n g o n p r e l i mi n ary o b j e c ti o n s . 

### B ay a d

a N u r s e s , I n c . v . C o m . , D e p t. o f La b o r
a n d I n du s t r y, 6 0 7 P a. 5 2 7 , 8 A. 3 d 8 6 6 ( 2 0 1 0 )
. A c o u rt mu s t v i e w a l l e v i d e n c e an d f a c t s i n a l i g h t m o s t fa v o rab l e t o th e n o n - m o v i n g p arty . 

### N u tr i t i o n Mg m t. S e r

v s . C o . v . H i n c h cl if f, 2 0 0 7 P A S u p e r 1 6 7 , 9 2 6 A. 2 d 5 3 1 , 5 3 5
. I f th e r e i s an y d o u b t a s t o w h e th e r a d e murr e r i s ap p ro p ri at e , th e d o u b t mu s t b e r e s o l v e d i n fa v o r o f o v e rrul i n g th e d e mu rr e r . 

### T h e o d o re v . D e la w a re V

a l l ey S c h o o l D i

s t . , 5 7 5 P a . 3 2 1 , 8 3 6 A. 2 4 7 6 ( 2 0 0 3 )
.

1 5U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ar g u e P l ai n ti ff s c l ai m s o f n e g l i g e n c e , n e gl i g e n t i nfl i c ti o n o f
e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s an d i n t e n ti o n a l i n fl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o n a l d i s tr e s s fai l a s a m att e r o f l a w . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a ll e g e P l a i n ti ff ' s cl ai m s ar e e i th e r i n s u f fi c i e n tl y p i e d o r i n ap p l i c ab l e t o th e U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a s s e r t P l ai n ti ff s c l aim fo r o r d i n ary n e gl i g e n c e fai l s b e c au s e i t i s n o th i n g m o r e th a n a m e d i c a l m a l p r a c ti c e c l aim , P l ai n ti ff c a n n o t m ai n t ai n a
v i c ari o u s l i ab i l i ty a c ti o n a g ai n s t P e nn S t at e , a n d P l ai n ti ff c an n o t e s t ab l i s h th e n e c e s s ary e l e m e n t s fo r an y n e g l i g e n c e c l a i m. U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s al l e g e P l ai n ti ff' s i n ab i l i ty t o e s t ab l i s h a
n e g l i g e n c e c l ai m m e an s P l ai n ti ff c an n o t e s t ab li s h a cl ai m fo r n e g l i g e n t i n fli c ti o n o f e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s . F i n a l l y, U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s c l aim P l a i n ti f f' s c au s e o f a c ti o n fo r i n t e n ti o n al i n fl i c ti o n
o f e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s a l s o fai l s b e c au s e P l ai n ti ff d i d n o t al l e g e s u ffi c i e n tl y o u tra g e o u s a n d
e x tr e m e c o n d u ct w h i c h w o u l d a ll o w h i m t o r e c o v e r. 1. N e g li g e n c e T o e s t ab li s h a n e g l i g e n c e cl ai m , P l a i n ti ff mu s t p ro v e th e r e i s a " b r e a c h o f a l e g al l y
r e c o g n i z e d du ty o r o b l i g ati o n th at i s c au s a ll y c o n n e c t e d t o th e d am a g e s s u ff e r e d b y th e
c o mp l ai n an t. " B i l

t - R ite C o n t r a c t o r s , In c. , 8 6 6 A. 2 d at 2 8 0 ( q u o ti n g S h a r p e • S t. L u k e '

s 

### Ho s p i t a l , 5 7 3 P a. 9 0 , 8 2 1 A. 2 d 1 2 1 5 , 1 2 1 8 ( 2 0 0 3 ) ) ; s e e 

### Wi tt r i e n • B u r kh o ld e r , 2 0 0 9 P A S u p e r 2 3 , 9 6 5 A. 2 1 2 2 9 , 1 2 3 2 ( l n an y n e g l i g e n c e c a s e , th e p l ai n ti ff mu s t p ro v e du ty , b r e a c h , c au s ati o n an d d am a g e s . " )
. P l ai n ti ff a s s e rts U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a s s u m e d a du ty t o P l ai n ti ff
w h e n th e y e n t e r e d i n t o a n a g r e e m e n t fo r h i m t o j o i n th e P e n n S t at e fo o tb a ll p ro g ram o n an
ath l e ti c s c h o l ar s h i p . P l ai n ti f f ar g u e s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' aff i rm ati v e c o n d u c t m a d e th e m
r e s p o n s i b l e fo r th e h e a lth an d s af e ty o f P l a i n ti ff an d e s t ab l i s h e d a fi d u c i ary du ty o w e d t o P l a i n ti ff. P l a i n ti ff al l e g e s U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s h a d a d u ty t o c ar e fo r an d p ro t e c t P l ai n ti ff a s
w e ll a s p ro v i d e a s a fe e n v i ro n m e n t an d i mp l e m e n t p r e c au ti o n s t o r e d u c e ri s k s o f h m m . P l ai n ti ff

1 6c o n t e n d s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s b r e a c h e d th e i r du ty o w e d t o P l ai n ti ff b y r e c kl e s s l y i g n o ri n g th e i r

d u ty a n d th i s c au s e d P l a i n ti ff s m e d i c al an d fi n an c i al d am a g e s . T h e C o u rt fi n d s th at P l ai n ti f f s n e g li g e n c e cl ai m i s n o th i n g m or e th a n a m e d i c a l
m al p ra c ti c e cl ai m a g ai n s t U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s . A ll o f P l ai n ti f f s a ll e g ati o n s a g ai n s t U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s c o n c e rn a ll e g e d d am a g e s P l ai n ti ff s u ff e r e d i n c o n n e c ti o n t o h i s m e d i c al tr e atm e n t
a n d c ar e , C o un t I II s p e c i fi c al l y al l e g e s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s ' n e g l i g e n c e i n cl u d e s th e f ai l u r e t o
e x am i n e p ro p e rl y a n d d i a g n o s e h i s m e d i c a l c o n d i ti o n , fai l u r e t o p ro v i d e , r e c o m m e n d , a n d r e fe r P l ai n ti ff fo r ap p ro p ri at e d i a g n o s ti c s tu d y , c ar e , c o n s u lt ati o n , an d tr e atm e n t , fai l ur e t o p ro p e rl y
r e c o mm e n d ap p r o p ri at e fo l l o w - u p w i th p ati e n t, an d fa i l u r e t o p r o p e rl y m o n i t o r P l ai n ti ff s p ro g r e s s . T h e al l e g e d d am a g e s i n cl u d e th e d e l ay i n th e d i a g n o s i s an d tr e atm e n t o f th e i n fe c ti o n i n P l ai n ti f

f' s kn e e w h i c h r e n d e r e d h i m n o l o n g e r ab l e t o p arti c i p at e i n fo o tb a l l. A s th e C o u rt
s t at e d i n i t s J u l y 1 5 , 2 0 2 0 O p i n i o n a n d O r d e r , U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ar e n o t m e d i c a l p ro v i d e r s
a n d c an n o t b e h e l d l i ab l e fo r m e d i c a l m al p ra c ti c e . P l ai n ti ff c ann o t m ai n t ai n h i s o r d i n ary
n e g l i g e n c e cl ai m a g ai n s t U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s s i n c e i t i s , i n fa c t , a m e d i c al m a l p ra c ti c e cl ai m . P l ai n ti ff cl ai m s th e P e n n s y l v ani a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty i s v i c ari o u s l y l i ab l e fo r n e g li g e n c e b e c au s e i t s a g e n t s , s e rv a n t s , e mp l o y e e s , s u b s i d i ari e s , a ffi li at e s , an d /o r i n d e pe n d e n t c o n tra c t o r s
w e r e n e g l i g e n t i n p r o v i d i n g m e d i c al tr e atm e n t. P l ai n ti ff a s s e rt s th e P e n n s y l v a n i a S t at e U n i v e r s i ty d o e s b u s i n e s s a s P e n n S t at e H e a l th , th e M i lt o n S
. H e r s h e y M e d i c a l C e n t e r , a n d P e n n S t at e H e r s h e y M e d i c al Gro u p a s w e ll a s af fi li at e s w i th M o u n t N i tt a n y H e al th
. H o w e v e r , al l o f P l a i n ti f f' s m e d i c a l m a l p ra c ti c e cl ai m s a g ai n s t th o s e o th e r e n ti ti e s an d a g e n t s w e r e d i s mi s s e d fo r fai l u r e t o fil e a p ro p e r c e rti fi c at e o f m e ri t s o th e P e n n S t at e U n i v e rs i ty c an n o t b e h e l d v i c ari o u s l y li ab l e fo r th e i r a ll e g e d m al p ra c ti c e .

1 7" [ A ] b s e n t a n y s h o w i n g o f a n aff i rm at i v e a c t, o r fa i l u r e t o a c t w h e n r e q u i r e d t o d o s o , b y th e p ri n c i p al , t e rmi n ati o n o f th e c l ai m a g ai n s t th e a g e n t e x ti n g u i s h e s th e d e ri v ati v e c l ai m a g ai n s t th e p ri n c i p al. " Ma m a l

i s v. A t l a s Va n L in e s, I

n c . , 5 2 2 P a. 2 1 4 , 2 2 1 , 5 6 0 A. 2 1 3 8 0 , 1 3 8 3 ( 1 9 8 9 )
.

" A c l ai m o f v i c ari o u s l i ab i l i ty i s i n s e p ar ab l e fr o m th e c l ai m a g ai n s t th e a g e n t s i n c e an y c au s e o f
a c ti o n i s b a s e d o n th e a c t s o f o n l y o n e t o r tfe a s o r . " I d. H e r e , P l ai n ti ff fai l e d t o a v e r fa c t s s h o w i n g
an a f fi r m ati v e a c t or fai l ur e t o a c t o n th e p art o f th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s w h i c h w o u l d s u p p o rt h i s n e g li g e n c e cl ai m . Th e t e rmi n ati o n o f th e cl ai m s a g ai n s t th e o th e r d e f e n d a n t s i n th i s c a s e
e x ti n g u i s h e s th e v i c ari o u s l i ab i l i ty c l ai m a g ai n s t U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s . E v e n i f P l ai n ti f

f s cl ai m s w e r e a c tu a ll y n e g li g e n c e cl ai m s an d n o t m e d i c al m al p ra c ti c e cl ai m s , P l ai n ti ff h a s fai l e d t o a v e r fa c t s w h i c h c o u l d e s t ab li s h U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s ar e l i ab l e
u n d e r a n e g l i g e n c e cl ai m d i r e c tl y . P l ai n ti ff ar g u e s th e r e i s a " s p e c i al r e l ati o n s h i p " b e tw e e n U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s an d P l ai n ti ff du e t o th e fa c t th at P l ai n ti ff i s a s tu d e n t
- ath l e t e r e c ru i t e d b y th e U ni v e r s i ty an d g i v e n a s c h o l ar s h i p t o p l ay fo o tb al l. P l ai n ti ff cl ai m s th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s h a v e an i n l o c o p a re n t i s du ty . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s a s s e rt th e r e i s n o " s p e c i a l
r e l ati o n s h i p " o r i n l o c o p a re n t i s du ty i mpo s e d o n th e m , an d , th e r e fo r e , th e y c an n o t b e h e l d li ab l e
u n d e r a n e g li g e n c e cl ai m .

· T h e p h r a s e ' i n l o c o p a re n t i s ' r e fe r s t o a p e r s o n w h o p u t s o n e s e l f [ s i c ] i n th e s i tu ati o n o f
a l a wfu l p ar e n t b y a s s u m i n g th e o b l i g ati o n s i n c i d e n t t o th e p ar e n t a l r e l ati o n s hi p w i th o u t g o i n g thr o u gh th e fo rm a l i ty o f a l e g al a d o p ti o n. " P e t e r s v. C o s te l l o , 5 8 6 P a. 1 0 2 , 1 1 0- 1 1 , 8 9 1 A. 2 d 7 0 5 , 7 1 0 ( 2 0 0 5 )
. I n th e p a s t, P e nn s y l v an i a c o u rt s w e r e w i l l i n g t o i mp o s e an i n l o c o p a r e n t i s du ty
o n c o ll e g e s a n d u n i v e r s i ti e s ; h o w e v e r , " i n m o d e m ti m e s , i t w o u l d be i n ap p ro p ri at e t o i mp o s e an i n l o c o p a re n t i s d u ty u p o n a u n i v e r s i ty. " A l u m m i A s s 'n • S u l

l i v a n, 5 2 4 P a. 3 5 6 , 3 6 4 , 5 7 2 A. 2 d 1 2 0 9 , 1 2 1 3 ( 1 9 9 0 )
. " [ T ] h e m o d e rn Am e ri c an c o l l e g e i s n o t an i n s u r e r o f th e s a fe ty o f i t s s tu d e n t.

1 8W h at e v e r m ay h a v e be e n i t s r e s p o n s i b i l i ty i n an e arl i e r e r a , th e au th o ri t ari an r o l e o f t o d ay' s

c o l l e g e a d mi n i s tr ati o n s h a s be e n n o t ab l y d i l u t e d i n r e c e n t d e c a d e s . " 

### B r a d s h a w • R a w l i n g s, 6 1 2 F
. 2 d 1 3 5 , 1 3 8 ( 3 d C ir
. 1 9 7 9 )
. " [ T ] h e p ri n c i p l e o f 

### i n l o c o p a r e n t i s ap p e ar s n o l o n g e r t o ap p l y t o
c o ll e g e s tu d e n t s . " 

### A m . F u t u re S y s . , I n c . v . P e n n s

y lv a n i a S t

a te U n i v. , 5 5 3 F
. S u p p . 1 2 6 8 , 1 2 8 2 ( M
. D
. P a . 1 9 8 2 )
. A l th o u g h th e r e i s n o i n l o c o p a re n ti s du ty , th at d o e s n o t m e an th e r e i s n o du ty
o n u n i v e r s i ti e s w h at s o e v e r , e s p e c i a ll y i n c a s e s i n v o l vi n g s tu d e n t
- ath l e t e s r e c ru i t e d b y th e
u n i v e r s i ty t o p l ay i n t e r c o ll e g i at e s p o rt s . I n K l e i n k n e c h t • G e tty s b u r

g Co l l e g e , th e T h i r d C i r c u i t f o u n d a " C o l l e g e o we d [ p l ai n ti f f]
a du ty o f c ar e i n h i s c ap a c i ty a s an i n t e r c o ll e g i at e ath l e t e e n g a g e d i n s c h o o l

- s p o n s o r e d i n t e r c o l l e g i at e ath l e ti c a c ti v i ty fo r w h i c h h e h a d b e e n r e c ru i t e d
. " 

### K l e i n k n e c h t • G e tty s b u r

g C o l t, , 9 8 9 F , 2 d 1 3 6 0 , 13 6 9 ( 3 d C i r . 1 9 9 3 )
. T h e c o u rt s t at e d " a s p e c i a l r e l ati o n s h i p e x i s t e d b e tw e e n th e C o ll e g e a n d [p l ai n ti ff j th at w a s s u ffi c i e n t t o i mp o s e a d u ty o f r e a s o n ab l e c ar e o n th e C o ll e g e . " 

### I

d
. at 13 6 7
. " [ T ] h e C o ll e g e h a d a d u ty t o p ro v i d e p ro mp t a n d a d e q u at e e m e r g e n c y
m e d i c al s e rv i c e s t o [ p l ai n ti f f] , o n e o f i t s i n t e r c o ll e g i at e ath l e t e s , w h i l e h e w a s e n g a g e d i n a
s c h o o l

- s p o n s or e d athl e ti c a c ti v i ty fo r w h i c h h e h a d b e e n r e c ru i t e d
. 

### I d , at 1 3 7 1
. T h e P e n n s y l v an i a S u p r e m e C o u rt h a s a l s o h e l d th at u n i v e r s i ti e s h a v e a " d u ty o f c ar e t o i t s i n t e r c o ll e g i at e s tu d e n t
ath l e t e s . . . t o h a v e q u a l i fi e d m e d i c a l p e r s o nn e l a v ai l ab l e at [ i n t e r c o ll e g i at e ath l e ti c e v e n t s ] , a n d t o p ro v i d e a d e q u at e tr e atm e n t i n th e e v e n t th at an i n t e r c o ll e g i at e s tu d e n t ath l e t e s u ff e r e d a
m e d i c al e m e r g e n c y . " 

### F

e l e c c i a • La c k

a w a n n a Co l l

, 2 1 5 A. 3 d 3 , 1 0 (P a . 2 0 1 9 )
. U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s h a d a du ty t o e x e r c i s e r e a s o n ab l e c ar e t o p ro t e c t P l ai n ti ff a g ai n s t
u nr e a s o n ab l e ri s k o f h arm . T h i s i n cl u d e d a du ty " t o p ro v i d e du l y l i c e n s e d ath l e ti c trai n e r s fo r th e p u rp o s e o f r e n d e ri n g tr e atm e n t t o i t s s tu d e n t ath l e t e s p arti c i p ati n g i n ath l e ti c e v e n t s . " 

### I d
. at 1 5
. A l th o u g h th e C o u rt fi n d s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n da n t s o w e d a du ty t o P l ai n ti ff b y v i rtu e o f hi s s t atu s a s

1 9a s tu d e n t
- athl e t e w h o w a s r e c ru i t e d b y P e n n S t at e U n i v e r s i ty an d p arti c i p at e d i n i n t e r c o l l e g i at e

ath l e ti c e v e n t s o n b e h a l f o f P e n n S t at e U ni v e r s i ty , P l ai n ti f f s n e g l i g e n c e s ti ll fai l s t o s urv i v e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n ts ' P r e l i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s . P l ai n ti ff ha s fai l e d t o a v e r fa ct s e v i d e n c i n g a b r e a c h o f th e du ty o w e d b y U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s . I n K

l e i n kn e c h t

, th e c o ll e g e fa i l e d t o h a v e p ro mp t an d a d e q u at e m e d i c a l s e rv i c e s
a v ai l ab l e at a s c h o o l

- s p o n s o r e d ath l e ti c e v e n t w h e n p l a i n ti ff s u ff e r e d a fat a l h e art att a c k at l a c ro s s e p ra c ti c e wi th n o athl e ti c tr ai n e r s p r e s e n t or m e an s o f q u i c k l y o b t a i n i n g e m e r g e n c y
s e rv i c e s . Se e K

l e in kn e c ht

, 9 8 9 F .2 d 1 3 6 0
. I n F

e ! e c ci a , th e c o ll e g e fai l e d t o h a v e q u a l i fi e d
m e d i c a l p e r s o n n e l ( c e rti fi e d o r l i c e n s e d ath l e ti c trai n e r s ) a v ai l ab l e t o p ro v i d e m e d i c al tr e atm e n t
at a fo o tb a ll p ra c ti c e . 

### Se e F e l e c ci a , 2 1 5 A. 3 d 3
. I n b o th c a s e s , th e c o ll e g e s b r e a c h e d th e i r d u ty b y fai l i n g t o e n s ur e q u a l i fi e d m e d i c a l p e r s o n n e l w a s a v ai l ab l e t o p ro v i d e m e d i c al tr e atm e n t d uri n g
ath l e ti c e v e n t s , H e r e , U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s e x e r c i s e d r e a s o n ab l e c ar e i n e n s u r i n g P l ai n ti f f r e c e i v e d p ro p e r m e d i c a l tr e atm e n t . P l ain ti ff ha s n o t al l e g e d U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s fai l e d t o p ro v i d e p ro mp t an d a d e q u at e m e d i c a l s e rv i c e s at ath l e ti c e v e n t s or fai l e d t o ha v e q u al i fi e d m e d i c al p e r s o n n e l a v ai l ab l e t o p ro v i d e m e d i c a l tr e atm e n t. I n fa c t , th e m e d i c a l hi s t o ry a v e rr e d b y P l ai n ti ff
s h o w s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s h a d mu l ti p l e q u al i fi e d a n d l i c e n s e d m e d i c a l p r o fe s s i o n a l s an d
ath l e ti c trai n e r s t e n d t o P l ai n ti f f s m e d i c a l n e e d s . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s d i d n o t fai l t o h a v e q u al i fi e d m e d i c al p e r s o n n e l a v ai l ab l e , d e n y P l ai n ti ff m e d i c al c ar e o r i n t e r fe r e w i th hi s tr e atm e n t. U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s r e fe rr e d P l ai n ti ff t o qua l i f i e d p h y s i c i a n s , ath l e ti c tr a i n e r s , a n d m e d i c al p ro v i d e r s . T h e r e i s n o s pe c i al r e l ati o n s h i p i n th i s c a s e w h i c h w o ul d imp o s e a d u ty g r e at e r than

r e a s o n ab l e c ar e . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s d i d n o t b r e a c h th e i r d u ty t o e n s u r e q u a l i fi e d m e d i c a l

2 0p e r s o n n e l w e r e a v ai l ab l e t o r e n d e r m e d i c a l a s s i s t a n c e an d P l ai n ti f f fai l e d t o a v e r fa c t s s h o w i n g U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s fai l e d t o e x e r c i s e r e a s o n ab l e c ar e . Th e r e w e r e v e ry fe w fa c tu a l a l l e g ati o n s p e rt ai ni n g t o U n i v e rs i ty D e fe n d an t s a s S an d y B arbo ur , C h a n n e ll e G r e e n , an d J a m e s Fr ankl i n ar e h ar d l y m e n ti o n e d i n P l ai n ti ff s S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t. I n s t e a d , th e g r e at m a j o ri ty o f P l a i n ti ff s p l e a d i n g s fo c u s s o l e l y o n th e a c ti o n s o f th e d e fe n d an t s a l r e a d y d i s m i s s e d fr o m thi s
a c ti o n . P l a i n ti ff

s p l e a d i n g s fai l t o e s t ab l i s h a b r e a c h o f th e du ty U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s o w e d t o P l ai n ti ff , an d , th e r e f

o r e , P l ai n ti ff

s n e g l i g e n c e c l a i m a g ai n s t U n i v e r si ty D e f e n d an t s i s i n s u ff

i c i e n t
a s a m att e r o f l a w . 

### 2 . N e g l i g e n t I n f

l i c ti o n o f E m o ti o n a l D i s t r e s s U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s ' P r e l i mi nary O b j e c ti o n s ar g u e P l ai n ti f

f s n e g l i g e n t i n fl i c ti o n o f
e m o ti o n a l di s tr e s s (" N I E D " ) c l ai m s ar e i n s u f fi c i e n t a s a m att e r o f l a w an d mu s t b e d i s m i s s e d
. P e nn s y l v ani a c o u rt s h a v e l i mi t e d a c au s e o f a c ti o n b a s e d o n N IE D t o fo u r th e o ri e s o f r e c o v e ry . I n o r d e r t o r e c o v e r , a p l ai n ti ff mu s t p ro v e o n e o f fo u r th e o ri e s : ( 1 ) s i tu ati o n s w h e r e th e d e fe n d an t
o w e d th e p l ai n ti ff a p r e - e x i s ti n g c o n tr a c tu a l o r fi d u c i ary du ty ( th e s pe c i a l r e l ati o n s h i p ru l e ) ; ( 2 ) th e p l ai n ti ff s u ff

e r e d a p h y s i c a l i mp a c t ( th e i mp a c t ru l e ) ; ( 3 ) th e p l ai n ti ff w a s i n a " z o n e o f d an g e r " an d r e a s o n ab l y e x p e ri e n c e d a fe ar o f im m e d i at e p h y s i c a l i n j u ry ( th e z o n e o f d an g e r
ru l e ) ; o r ( 4 ) th e p l a i n ti ff o b s e rv e d a t o rti o u s i n j ury t o a cl o s e r e l ati v e ( th e b y s t an d e r ru l e )
. S e e D o e v . P h i l a d e l p h ia C m ty. H ea l t h A l ter n a t i v e s A I D S T a s k Fo r c e , 2 0 0 0 P A S u p e r 6 , 7 4 5 A. 2 d 

### 2 5 , 2 7 , af f' d , 5 6 4 P a . 2 6 4 , 7 6 7 A. 2 d 5 4 8 ( 2 0 0 1 )
. I n thi s c a s e , P l ai n ti ff h a s fai l e d t o e s t ab l i s h a
ri g h t t o r e c o v e ry u n d e r a n y o f th e s e th e o ri e s o f l i ab i l i ty .

" A l b s e n t a fi n d i n g o f n e g l i g e n c e , [ a ] n e g l i g e n t: i n fl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o na l d i s tr e s s cl ai m
c an n o t s u rvi v e . " B rez e n s k i • W o rl d T ru c k T r a n s fe r , I n c. , 7 5 5 A. 2 d 3 6 , 4 5 ( P a. S u p e r. C t 

### 2 0 0 0 ) ( c i ti n g 

### J

, E .J
. v, 

### T r i

- Cl y . B i g B ro s.

/ B i g S i s te r s , I n c . , 6 9 2 A. 2 

### 5 8 2 , 5 8 6 (P a. 

### S u p e r. C t.

2 11 9 9 7 ) )
. G i v e n th at P l ai n ti ff h a s fai l e d t o e s t ab l i s h a cl ai m o f n e g l i g e n c e , P l ai n ti f f s n e g li g e n t i nfl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o n a l d i s tr e s s al s o f ai l s . P l ai n ti ff c ann o t r e c o v e r u n d e r th e b y s t a n d e r th e o ry a s h e d i d n o t o b s e rv e a t o rti o u s i n j u ry 

### to a cl o s e r e l ati v e . P l ain ti ff c an n o t r e c o v e r u n d e r th e z o n e o f d a n g e r th e o ry a s h e d i d n o t a v e r fa c t s a ll e g i n g h e e x p e ri e n c e d a fe ar o f i m m e d i at e p h y s i c a l i mp a c t , rath e r P l ai n ti ff a ll e g e s a s p e c i a l r e l ati o n s h i p e x i s t e d b e tw e e n th e p arti e s a n d h e s u ff e r e d a p h y s i c al i mp a c t du e 

### to U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' n e g li g e n c e . P l ai n ti ff c an n o t r e c o v e r u n d e r th e s p e c i a l r e l ati o n s h i p th e o ry b e c au s e i t r e q u i r e s h i m 

### to
e s t ab l i s h U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a c t e d n e g li g e n tl y b y b r e a c h i n g a du ty o w e d 

### to P l ai n ti ff
. P l ai n ti ff
w o u l d a l s o h a v e 

### to s h o w n e g li g e n c e t o r e c o v e r u n d e r th e i mp a c t ru l e . R e c o v e ry i s a v ai l ab l e
u n d e r th e i mp a c t ru l e o n l y " w h e r e a p l ai n ti ff s u s t ai n s b o d i l y i n j u ri e s . . . a c c o mp an i e d b y fri gh t or
m e n t a l s u f

fe ri n g d i r e c tl y tr a c e ab l e t o th e p e ri l i n w h i c h th e d e fe n d an t ' s n e g li g e n c e p l a c e d th e p l ai nti f f
. . . " B r o w n • P h i l ad e l p h ia C o l l. o f Os t e o p a t h ic Me d. , 4 4 9 P a . S u p e r . 6 6 7 , 6 7 9 , 6 7 4 A. 2 d 1 1 3 0 , 1 1 3 5

-- 3 6 ( 1 9 9 6 )
. P l ai n ti ff h a s f ai l e d t o e s t ab l i s h U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d ant s ' n e g l i g e n c e a s h e
c a n n o t s h o w th at U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s b r e a c h e d a d u ty th e y o w e d t o P l ai n ti ff. A s a r e s u lt o f P l ain ti ff s fa i l ur e t o e s t ab li s h a n e g li g e n c e cl ai m a g ai n s t U ni v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s , P l ai n ti f f s cl ai m f o r n e g l i g e n t in fl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o na l d i s tr e s s i s i n s u ff i c i e n t a s a m att e r o f l a w . 

### 3 . In t e n ti o n a l I n fli c ti o n o f E m o ti o n a l D i s t r e s s C o un t X I V o f P l ai n ti ff' s S u p p l e m e n t al A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t i s b a s e d o n a c au s e o f a c ti o n
o f i n t e n ti o n a l i n fli c ti o n o f e m o ti o n a l d i s tr e s s ( " II E D " )
. T h e fo ur e l e m e n t s P l ai n ti ff mu s t s h o w t o
e s t ab l i s h th i s cl ai m ar e : " ( ) th e c o n d u c t mu s t b e e x tr e m e a n d o u tra g e o u s ; ( 2 ) th e c o n d u c t mu s t b e i n t e n ti o n al or r e c kl e s s ; ( 3 ) i t mu s t c au s e e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s ; an d ( 4 ) th e d i s tr e s s mu s t b e
s e v e r e . " M

ad re p e rl a , W il l i ar d Co. , 6 0 6 F
. S u p p . 8 7 4 , 8 7 9 8 0 ( E. D
. P a . 1 9 8 5 ) ( c i ti n g C h u y • P h i l ad e l p h ia E a g l e s Fo o t b a l l C u b, 5 9 5 F
. 2 d 1 2 6 5 , 1 2 7 3 ( 3 d C i r . 1 9 7 9 ) )
. F o r an I I E D c l ai m t o

2 2s u rv i v e a p r e l i mi n ary o b j e c ti o n , a " c o urt mu s t d e t e rm i n e , a s a m att e r o f l a w , w h e th e r th e r e i s
s u ffi c i e n t e v i d e n c e fo r r e a s o n ab le p e r s o n s t o fi n d e x tr e m e o r o u tr a g e o u s c o n d u c t. " I d
. T h e
c o n d u c t mu s t be " s o o u tra g e o u s i n c h ara c t e r an d s o e x tr e m e i n d e g r e e , a s t o g o b e y o n d a ll p o s s i b le b o u n d s o f d e c e n c y , an d t o b e r e g ar d e d a s atro c i o u s , an d u tt e rl y i n t o l e rab l e i n a c i v i li z e d
c o mmun i ty . " 

### R i n e h i m e r v . L u z e r n e Cty . C m ty . C o l l
. , 3 7 2 P a. S u p e r . 4 8 0 , 4 9 4

- 9 5 , 5 3 9 A
. 2 d 

### 1 2 9 8 , 1 3 0 5 ( 1 9 8 8 ) ; s e e 

### R e s t at e m e n t ( S e c o n d ) o f T o rt s 

### $ 4 6 , c o mm e n t d (1 96 5 )
. P l ai n ti ff cl ai m s U n i v e r s i ty D e f e n d a n t s ' e x tr e m e a n d o u tra g e o u s c o n d u c t w a s th at th e y kn e w o r s h o u l d h a v e kn o w n o f t o rti o u s c o n d u ct y e t a ll o w e d 

### it t o h ap pe n o r d i d n o th i n g ab o u t i t i n r e c kl e s s d i s r e g ar d o f P l ai n ti ff' s h e a l th an d ri g h t s . D u ri n g th e h e ari n g o n O c t o be r 1 2 , 2 0 2 0 , P l ai n ti f f p o i n t e d t o th e fai l u r e t o c o rr e c tl y d i a gn o s e th e i n fe c ti o n i n h i s kn e e a ft e r th e C T s c an i n S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 8 a s e x tr e m e a n d o u tr a g e o u s c o n d u c t . U n i v e r s ity D e fe n d an t s ar g u e P l ai n ti ff h a s b ar e l y al l e g e d an y c o n d u c t b y th e U n i v e r s ity D e fe n d an t s , l e t al o n e c o n du c t w h i c h c o u l d ri s e t o th e le v e l o f o u tra g e o u s o r e x tr e m e c o n d u c t. U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s a s s e rt P l ai n ti ff fai l e d t o al l e g e h o w an y a c ti o n s b y th e U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s c au s e d h i s i n j uri e s . U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s cl ai m
a ll th e c h ar g e d a c ti o n s w h i c h c au s e d h i s i n j u ri e s r e l at e t

o h i s m e d i c a l c ar e a n d ar e w h o ll y
u nr e l at e d t o U n i v e r s i ty D e f e n d a n t s . W h i l e P e n n s y l v ani a r e c o g n i z e s th e c au s e o f a c ti o n fo r I I E D , c o u r t s " h a v e al l o w e d
r e c o v e ry i n o n l y v e ry e g r e g i o u s c a s e s " H o y • A n g e l o n e , 4 5 6 P a . S u pe r. 5 9 6 , 6 1 0 , 6 9 1 A
. 2 d 4 7 6 , 

### 4 8 2 ( 1 9 9 7 ) , a s m o d i fi e d , 4 5 6 P a . S u p e r. 6 1 5 , 6 9 1 A. 2 d 4 8 5 (1 9 9 7 ) , an d a ff d, 5 5 4 P a . 1 3 4 , 7 2 0 A .2 d 7 4 5 ( 1 9 9 8 ) , an d aft ' d, 

### 5 5 4 P a . 13 4 , 7 2 0 A. 2 4 7 4 5 ( 1 9 9 8 )
. B a s e d o n th e fa c t s a v e rr e d b y P l ai n ti ff i n th i s c a s e , U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' c o n d u c t d o e s n o t ri s e t o th e l e v e l n e c e s s ary t o a ll o w fo r r e c o v e ry u n d e r a cl ai m o f II E D
. D e fe n d an t B arb o ur w a s o n l y b ro u g h t u p i n P l ai n ti ff' s fa c tu a l
a ll e g ati o n s o n c e w h e n a c o a c h m e n ti o n e d h e r n am e . T h e o n l y fa c tu a l a ll e g ati o n s a g ai n s t

2 3D e fe n d an t Gr e e n r e l at e t o h e r d e n i a l o f th e U n i v e r s i ty tran s p o rti n g P l a i n ti ff t o a p h y s i c a l th e rap y

s e s s i o n , b u t o ffe r i n g t o r e i mb u r s e th e c o s t s o f an U be r i f P l ai n ti ff s p ar e n t s w e r e u n ab l e 

### to tr an s p o rt h i m . Th e r e w e r e al s o v e ry fe w fa c tu al al l e g ati o n s a g ai n s t D e fe n d a n t Fr ankl i n an d th o s e
c e n t e r e d aro u n d th e U n i v e r s i ty ' s o ff e r o f a s c h o l ar s h i p , e m a i l s fr o m P l ai n ti f f s p ar e n t s 

### to D e fe n d an t Fran kl i n , a n d P l ai n ti ff' s wi th dra w a l fr o m an d r e tu rn 

### to th e fo o tb a ll t e am . N o n e o f th e s e al l e g ati o n s a v e r fa ct s e s t ab li s h i n g U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' c o n d u c t w a s e x tr e m e o r
o u tra g e o u s . N o fa ctu al a ll e g ati o n s s h o w U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s w e r e i n v o l v e d i n m e d i c al d i a g n o s e s , m e d i c al d e c i s i o n s , o r m e d i c a l tr e atm e n t. P l ai n ti ff h a s fai l e d t o al l e g e s u ffi c i e n t fa c t s t o s h o w U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d an t s ' c o n d u ct w a s
e x tr e m e an d o u tra g e o u s . P l a i n ti ff c a n n o t sati s f y a ll o f th e e l e m e n t s n e c e s s ary 

### to e s t ab li s h a cl ai m
o f i n t e n ti o n a l i n fli c ti o n o f e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s , an d , th e r e fo r e , P l ai n ti f f s i n t e n ti o n a l i n fl i c ti o n o f
e m o ti o n a l d i s tr e s s cl ai m i s l e g a ll y i n s u f fi c i e n t. A c c o r d i n g l y , U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s ' P r el i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s t o P l a i n ti f

f s c l ai m s o f
n e g li g e n c e , n e g li g e n t i n fl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o n al d i s tr e s s , an d i n t e n ti o n a l i n fl i c ti o n o f e m o ti o n a l d i s tr e s s p ur s u a n t t o P a . R. C. P
. 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( 4 ) ar e S U S T AI N E D . O R D E R A N D N O W , th i s " d ay o f D e c e mb e r , 2 0 2 0 , th e C o u rt O RD E R S a s fo l l o w s : 1
. D e fe n d an t S c o tt A. L yn c h , D e fe n d an t s An d y M u tn a n , R e n e e M e s s i n a , B r e n d an C arr , T i m B r e am , an d W e s S o hn s , D e fe n d an t s P e t e r H. S e i d e n b e r g , M. D
. , Jo h n S
. R e i d , M. D
. , P e n n S t at e H e al th , T h e M i l t o n S
. H e r s h e y M e d i c a l C e n t e r , a n d P e n n S t at e H e r s h e y M e d i c al Gr o u p , a n d D e fe n d an t M o u n t N i tt an y H e al th ' s ( " P e t t o n e r s " ) P e ti ti o n s t o H o l d P l a i n ti ff i n C o nt e mp t o f C o u r t ar e G RA N T E D an d al l o f P l ai n ti f f s

2 4cl ai m s a g ai n s t P e ti ti o n e r s i n hi s A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t a n d S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp l ai n t ar e D I S M I S S E D w i th p r e j u d i c e . 2
. P l a i n ti ff

s P r a e c i p e fo r D e fau l t J u d g m e n t an d P r a e c i p e fo r D e t e rmi n ati o n ar e D E N I E D . 3
. D e fe n d an t s T h e P e nn S t at e U n i v e r s i ty , S a n d y B arb o u r , C harm e l l e Gr e e n , a n d J am e s Fr ank l i n ' s (" U n i v e r s i ty D e fe n d a n t s" ) P r e l i mi n ary O b j e c ti o n s t o P l ai n ti ff' s S u p p l e m e n t a l Am e n d e d C o mp l ai n t p u r s u a n t t o P a . R. C
. P 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( l ) , 1 0 2 8 ( a ) 0 2 ) , an d 1 0 2 8 ( a ) ( 4 ) ar e S U S T AI N E D . 4
. C o u n t s I th ro u g h X X I ar e D I S M I S S E D w i th p r e j u d i c e . 5
. P lai n ti f

f s S u p p l e m e n t a l A m e n d e d C o mp lai n t i s D I S M I S S E D w i th p r e j u d i c e .

B Y T H E C O U R T :

P am e l a A. Ru e s t , P r e s i d e n t J u d g e

2 5