Court Opinion

ID: 9699815
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 20:52:42.808486+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:42:12.504861
License: Public Domain

BECK, Judge,
Dissenting.
I dissent.
Appellant, C.H. Shoemaker and Son, Inc. appeals from an order denying its motion to compel appellee, Donald Uhl, to submit to a medical examination. The order was entered following the trial court’s finding that appellant failed to show “good cause” in its motion to compel an independent medical *237examination pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 4010(a). For the reasons stated herein, I would reverse.
The factual and procedural history of this case are summarized as follows. On February 3, 1987, Mr. Uhl filed a complaint against C.H. Shoemaker and Son, Inc. (“Shoemaker”). In Mr. Uhl’s complaint, he contends that on October 18, 1985 he sustained serious injuries to his left, non-dominant arm after falling from an alleged substandard scaffold which was owned and erected by Shoemaker.
On November 13, 1991, the videotape deposition of Mr. Uhl’s treating orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Collier, was taken. At that time, Dr. Collier testified that Mr. Uhl may be unable to return to iron work due to the nonunion of his fracture and the subsequent traction to his ulnar nerve. Dr. Collier was particularly concerned with Mr. Uhl’s safety while working off the ground.
On February 26, 1992, Bernard W. Albert, Ed.D. submitted a vocational evaluation report at the request of Mr. Uhl’s attorney. In the report, Dr. Albert stated that after Mr. Uhl’s injury, he returned to his position as an iron worker and part-time police officer. In November 1990, Mr. Uhl left the iron work industry since he allegedly discovered that “some aspects of iron work were, at best, difficult, if not impossible because of the limitations imposed by his impaired left, non-dominant upper extremity.” According to Dr. Albert, Mr. Uhl subsequently began working for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority as a full-time police officer.
Dr. Albert opined that Mr. Uhl has sustained a loss in earning capacity of approximately $22,300 annually. He further explained that if Mr. Uhl’s circumstances remain unchanged, Mr. Uhl’s wage rate would represent his annual loss in earning capacity for Mr. Uhl’s thirty-two remaining occupational years. Accordingly, Dr. Albert concluded that Mr. Uhl would have a lifetime loss in earning capacity of $713,600.00.
On March 20, 1992, after Mr. Uhl refused to submit to an independent medical examination, Shoemaker filed a motion to compel Mr. Uhl to appear at the offices of Dr. Ronald Greene *238on April 13 or 14 for a medical examination. After hearing oral arguments, the trial court stated that Shoemaker would be permitted to conduct a medical examination of Mr. Uhl on the condition that Shoemaker reimburse Mr. Uhl for his reasonable expenses associated with the videotaped testimony of Dr. Collier. Subsequent to Shoemaker’s refusal, the trial court denied their motion for an independent medical examination. Shoemaker’s motion for reconsideration was denied. This appeal followed.
Appellant contends that the trial court erred in refusing to order appellee to submit to an independent medical examination. Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 4010(a) provides as follows:
When the mental or physical condition (including blood group) of a party, or of a person in the custody or under the legal control of a party, is in controversy, the court in which the action is pending may order the party to submit to a physical or mental examination by a physician or to produce for examination the person in his custody or legal control. The order may be made only on motion for good cause shown and upon notice to the person to be examined and to all parties and shall specify the time, place, manner, conditions and scope of the examination and the person or persons by whom it is to be made.
Pa.R.C.P. 4010(a) (Emphasis added).
The exercise of the power of a trial court to require a party to submit to a medical examination is a matter within the trial court’s discretion. Myers v. Travelers Ins. Co., 353 Pa. 523, 46 A.2d 224 (1946). However, such discretion should be exercised in light of the purpose of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure relating to discovery. The purpose of the discovery rules is to permit the full and free acquisition of relevant pretrial information which will substantially aid in the preparation of the case so that the matter may be disposed of on its merits rather than on considerations of surprise. McCracken v. Doklan, 14 D. & C.2d 694 (1958).
*239In order to protect against an undue invasion of the privacy rights of individuals whose mental or physical condition is in controversy, Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 4010(a) conditions the granting of a motion for a medical examination on
several requirements. Goodrich Amram, § 4010(a):l, at 341. See also State Farm Ins. Cos. v. Swantner, 406 Pa.Super. 235, 594 A.2d 316 (1991). In particular, Rule 4010 requires that the moving party establish that good cause exists1 to support a court order for such an examination. John M. v. Paula T., 524 Pa. 306, 571 A.2d 1380 (1990). Accordingly, the trial court must decide whether the party requesting an examination has adequately demonstrated the existence of “good cause.”
On the other hand, Rule 4010 does not place any limitation on the stage of the action at which the application for a medical examination may be tiled. Goodrich Amram, § 4010(a):5, at 344. If the examination is requested at any time sufficiently before trial to enable the examination to be completed without delaying the trial, the examination should be considered timely. Id. A court may even permit an examination during the trial itself. Id.
In applying the above stated rules to the instant case, I would find that the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to order Mr. Uhl to submit to a physical examination.2 It is *240evident that the nature of Mr. Uhl’s claim dramatically changed shortly before trial. Throughout the history of this case, appellee presented this case as one involving only temporary disability. Following the accident, Mr. Uhl resumed his position as an iron worker between 1985 and 1990. Consequently, appellant did not request that Mr. Uhl undergo an independent medical examination, since it appeared to appellant that Mr. Uhl had sufficiently recovered from his injuries.
Approximately five years after Mr. Uhl had filed his complaint, Dr. Collier opined that Mr. Uhl may be unable to return to iron work due to his alleged residual symptoms. Subsequently, appellant received a report prepared by Dr. Albert stating that Mr. Uhl was unable to remain in the iron working field. Dr. Albert asserted that Mr. Uhl would suffer from a loss of future earnings in excess of $700,000. At this point, appellant became aware for the first time that appellee intended to present a substantial claim for permanent loss of earning capacity.
Based on the foregoing facts and circumstances, I find that appellant has clearly established good cause for the medical examination.
In addition, appellant’s request for the examination was timely. Appellant requested the examination at a time which would enable the examination to be completed without significantly delaying the trial. Shoemaker arranged for appellee to be examined by an orthopedic specialist on April 13 or 14 of 1992. Although the matter was due to return to the trial list on March 30,1992, the case was still several weeks from going to trial.
I conclude that the trial court abused its discretion in conditioning the approval of the medical exam on appellant’s payment for Dr. Collier’s videotaped deposition, and in ultimately denying appellant’s motion to compel Mr. Uhl to submit to a physical examination.

. "Under the comparable federal rule from which Rule 4010 is drawn the requirement of good cause is not met by mere conclusory allegations of the pleadings or by mere relevance of the physical or mental condition to the case, but rather, requires an affirmative showing by the moving party that good cause exists for ordering the examination.” Goodrich Amram, 4010(a):10, at 348. See also Schlagenhauf v. Holder, 379 U.S. 104, 85 S.Ct. 234, 13 L.Ed.2d 152 (1964).

. In addition, I would find that the trial court abused its discretion in requiring appellant to reimburse appellee for all reasonable expenses associated with the videotaped testimony of Dr. Collier. Upon good cause shown, a moving party is entitled to an order directing a party to appear for a physical examination. This right should not be impaired by the imposition of unreasonable conditions. Appellee changed the landscape of the proceeding by asserting injuries far beyond those originally contemplated by the parties. Appellee has created the condition which escalated the claim for injuries. Therefore, I would conclude the court abused its discretion in assessing charges against appellant for the video of Dr. Collier.