Opinion ID: 222129
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Violation of the Petrillo doctrine

Text: The plaintiffs appealed the district court's order denying their motion for sanctions against Kreisman in the legal malpractice claim for violation of Illinois' Petrillo doctrine. This doctrine prohibits defendants and their attorneys from engaging in ex parte discussions with the injured plaintiff's treating physicians. See Petrillo v. Syntex Labs., Inc., 148 Ill. App.3d 581, 102 Ill.Dec. 172, 499 N.E.2d 952, 957 (1986). The court may impose sanctions against a party who violates the Petrillo doctrine. See Nastasi v. United Mine Workers of Am. Union Hosp., 209 Ill.App.3d 830, 153 Ill.Dec. 900, 567 N.E.2d 1358, 1365 (1991) (Where an ex parte communication has taken place between defense counsel and a plaintiff's treating physician, sanctions may be imposed upon the defendant, including reversal of the judgment in favor of the defendant and the award of a new trial.). The plaintiffs sought sanctions against Kreisman, alleging that its counsel violated the Petrillo doctrine by communicating with Gerald's treating physician, Dr. Grubbs. They asked the court to strike Kreisman's answer and enter a judgment in their favor, or alternatively, they argued that Kreisman should have at least been barred from cross-examining Dr. Grubbs if called as a witness. Although the plaintiffs settled with Kreisman and dismissed the firm from this action, Gerald nevertheless continues to press the Petrillo violation on appeal, asserting that the violation prevented him from calling Dr. Grubbs as a witness in his case against the government. According to Gerald, Dr. Grubbs testified at his deposition that Gerald had signs and symptoms of a stroke which could have been diagnosed by VA doctors if he had been properly monitored. Plaintiffs' counsel, however, argues that he could not have possibly called Dr. Grubbs as a witness after he had been tainted by Kreisman's counsel. The district court found that the law of Kentucky, which recognizes no physician-patient privilege, applies to the ex parte contacts between Kreisman and Dr. Grubbs ..., thus defeating the basis for the motion. Morisch v. United States, No. 07-145-GPM, 2009 WL 6506656, at  (S.D.Ill. June 16, 2009). Gerald argues that Illinois law should apply. We can swiftly address Gerald's Petrillo violation argument without deciding which state law applies. Gerald doesn't argue that the government violated the Petrillo doctrine, and if he believed that Kreisman's alleged violation of the doctrine prejudiced his case against the government, he should have sought separate trials or asked for the jury to be removed while he examined Dr. Grubbs on his FTCA claim; he didn't. We don't see why, and Gerald doesn't explain why, the government should be held accountable for another party's alleged violation of the Petrillo doctrine. Similarly, we cannot see how the district court's order denying the plaintiffs' motion for sanctions against Kreisman prejudiced him as to his claim against the government. This argument borders on frivolous. We move on to his FTCA claim, which fares no better.