Opinion ID: 1867551
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Interrogatory Issue.

Text: Atlantic Mutual raises another ground for exclusion: Thorson failed to timely supplement her answer to Interrogatory No. 20 inquiring about her medical evidence, as required by Iowa Rule of Civil Procedure 1.508(3). That rule provides in part: Duty to supplement discovery as to experts. If a party expects to call an expert witness when the identity or the substance of such expert witness's testimony has not been previously disclosed in response to an appropriate inquiry directly addressed to these matters, or when the substance of an expert's testimony has been updated, ... such response must be supplemented ... not less than 30 days prior to the beginning of trial except on leave of court. Atlantic Mutual's interrogatory had asked whether [c]laimant has obtained any medical report, opinion, or rating by any medical expert with respect to claimant's temporary or permanent disability and, if any, please state what that [rating] is and attach a true copy of same to the Answers to Interrogatories. On September 17, 2000, Thorson served her response to this interrogatory: To date, I have not obtained such a report, opinion, or rating, except to the extent that restrictions which appear in the records served pursuant to Rule 876-4.17, I.A.C., may have entitled me to temporary partial benefits or healing period compensation. If I receive such reports, opinions or ratings in the future, they will be served pursuant to Rule 876-4.17, I.A.C. As of the time Thorson answered Interrogatory No. 20, she did not have the report from Dr. Ban; her attorney received the report on October 21, 2000, and served it on Atlantic Mutual the same day. Although Atlantic Mutual complains that Thorson violated rule of civil procedure 1.508(3), Thorson notes that Atlantic Mutual failed to pose an appropriate inquiry as required by that rule to discover whether Thorson had consulted an expert. The interrogatory only asked whether any report had been obtained. At the time Thorson answered the interrogatory, a report had not been obtained, and when that situation changed, Thorson immediately served a copy on Atlantic Mutual.