HomeMy WebLinkAbout98-03108
injuries,
roI!NT I. NEGUG~
CONNIE ELlCKE~ v. SARA GANNQN
9, The allegations set forth in paragmphs I through 8 of PlaintillS' compluint are ineorporuted herein
by referenee us though set forth in 1\11i.
10, At the time of the ueeident, Defcndllnt Sara H. Gannon owed Plaintiff a duty to operate her
vehicle in a ellreflll, prudent and reasonuble mllnner,
11, The accident, the injuries and damages sustained by the Pluintiff are the direct and proximate
result of the negligent, oareless and reckless munner in which Defendant acted or fniled to nct in the
following particulars:
a) failing to muke reasonable and prudent observlltions of the conditions then existing;
b) operating the vehicle at an excessive rate of speed given the conditions and circumstances then
existing;
c) failing to mllintain reasonable and proper control of the vehiele she was opcrating;
d) operating her vehicle in violation of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code, 75 Pa,C,S,A,
~3361;
e) failing to allow an assured clear distance within whieh to stop her vehicle;
t) failing to keep reasonable and proper attention to the roadway while operating the vehicle; and,
g) eolliding with the rear of Plaintiffs' vehicle,
12. The earelessness, recklessness and neglige nee of the Deflmdant as hereinabove more fully
described was a substantilll factor in causing the aforesaid incident and resulting injuries and damages
sustained by Plaintiff,
13, Connie Elicker's injuries include, but are not limited to, adhesive eapsulitis of the left shoulder,
severe cervieal whiplash, associated medical proeedure relating to aceident related injuries and various other
ills and injuries,
14, As a result of the Defendant's negligence, Plaintiff has incurred medieal expenses in the
treatment, medication, hospitalization and other miseellaneous expenses for her injuries and may continue
to incur medical expenses in the future treatment of her injuries, for which a claim is asserted to the extent
recoverable under the Motor Vehicle Finaneial Responsibility Law.
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POST & SCIU:L1., P.C.
BY: PAUL W, GIWOO
I.D, 1139701
240 GRANDVIEW AVENI JE
CAMP HILL, PA 17011
(717) 731-1970
ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT
SARA II. GANNON
PlaintilTs
IN THE COURT OF COMMON
PLEAS
OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY,
PENNSYLV ANIA
CONNIE L, ELICKER and JEFFREY L.
ELICKER, Her Hushand,
v,
SARA H, GANNON,
NO, 98-3108
CIVIL ACTION. LAW
Defcndant
At'IlS~ERANnNEWMATl'ER
NOW INTO COURT, through undersigned counsel, comes thc Defcndllnt, who, inlll1swcr
to the Compluint of'hc I'laintiffs, rcspectfully represents that:
L Defendant, pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Civil I'rocedure 1029(e) hereby
generally dcnies the allegations of the Complllint, cxecpt to lldmit the allegations of Paragl'llph 2,
JIIEW,MAITER
The Answering Dcfcndllnt herehy raises the following New Maller.
2,
granted,
3,
action,
4,
5,
The Plaintiffs may have flliled to state a cause of action upon which relief can be
The applieahle Statute of Limitations mllY have expircd prior to the institution ofthis
Answering Defcndant WllS not negligent,
Any Ilcts or omission of Answering Defendant alleged to constitute negligence were
not substantilll causes or factors of the subject incident lind/or did not result in the injuries and/or,
losses 1I11eged hy the Plaintiffs,
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CONNIE L. ELICKER, ET UX
File No.
/I 9B-310a
VS.
GANNON
SlJUIOEHA TO pDml_ rrn tENTS OR TH 11<<15
FOR 0 I SCOWRY flLI'G WIT TO RU..E ~9. 22
TO: CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS FOR: HARRISBURG HOSPITAL, PINNACLE HEALTH
(NIrM of P..1On or Entity)
Within twenty (20) days aft.. service of this ..tIpoena, ycu .... Ol"dw'ect by the COl.rt to
l)l"OdJce the following doa..mIrlta 01" things: SEE ATTACHED
lit. ~i 14C~ cpom', n'r lhnl "ARKFT STREET SUITEII BOO PHILADELPHIA,PA. 19103
(~...)
'(ou nay de 11 v.. or nil legibl. CXlC)i.. of the ctoc::uMntI or procb:e things requ..tect by
this subpoena, togetMr with the certificate of ~l1anee, to the prty Raking this
requtlt at the adc*"t=as listed 1boY.. You have thI. ri",t to ... in lIdY~ the reasonable
COI t of prepii' i ng the cop i.. 01' prod..K: in; the th i ngs IOUSIht.
If you ~al1 to proc:lice the doc:ulwlts 01' things r~ired by thia IllbpOlM within twenty
(20) daya aft.. its Hl'Vica, the party s"v,int thia sl.i:lpolrl&""Y aNk a ClCU't order
~\lirISl you to c:crl1)ly with it.
TH I S st.ePOENA WAS I SSU!D AT M ~ST ~ TH! Fa.LClW1N13 PERSON:
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m.EPH:lNE:_<J.l.U2.~.6::Q.900 ._
Sl.PREI'E cn.RT I D .
~TTORNEY FOAl THE DEFENDANT
DATE:
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HBRSHEY P~snc SVRGBR~, , SSOCIATBS;' ,Re. " .
THOMAS S. DAVIS, M.D.
October 12, 1999
Mr. John D. Briggs
Katherman, Briggs &. Greenberg
Attomeys
31 South Queen Street
York, PA 17403
RE: Connie Elicker
DOB: 4/26/52
S5#: 208-42-5741
RECEIVED OCT 1 8 1999.
Dear Mr. Briggs:
Thank you for your letter dated September 28, 1999 regarding Connie Elicker.
Mrs. Elicker was first seen In my office on March 13, 1997. She was referred by her orthopedic
surgery, Dr. Rubin. Apparently she had an Injury to her left shoulder from a motor vehicle accident.
Apparently It was Dr. Rubin's opinion that the shoulder grooving from the supporting weight of the
heavy breast contributed to some of the pain In Mrs. Elicker's left shoulder.
Mrs. Elicker underwent bilateral breast reduction surgery at ~tarrlsburg Hospital Jul'{ 2, 1997. She
had a satisfactory and relatively uncomplicated postoperative course. She was last seen In my office
on June 18, 1998. At that time she complained of slight tenderness In the lateral aspect of the right
breast. She was given a prescription for Cordran Cream 0.05%. She was given a reminder to return
to the office In two months, however, this appointment was not maintained.
I do not anticipate any additional surgery at this time.
As a result of her bilateral breast reduction surgery, there are permanent scars In the area of each
breast as a result of this surgery. At this time, approximately two years following her operation there
should be no limitations on her ability to exercise, except with perhaps a pre-existing problem
Involving her left shoulder as a result of the motor vehicle accident.
I hope thiS Infonnatlon satisfies that requested In your letter dated September 28, 1999.
..
Sincerely,
~,Q~'
.
Thomas S. Davis, M.D.
',1
ftn
cc: e
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339 Governor Road, Hershey, PA 17033
Telephone (717) 533-2099 . FAX (717) 534-1071
The Defendant denies that the only purpose for the posl-surgery photogruphs was to depict
the scarring involved. The Defendunt is of the opinion that the Plaintifrs post-surgery oreast si7.e
is not much different from the pre-surgkal photographs, The Plaintiffwas only a J4C before the
surgery. It appears from the photographs that the Plaintil'rs surgery can be categorized us a "lift"
rather than a "reduction." The Defendant clJrtainly has the right to have its expert compare the pre-
and post-surgical photogruphs to deten11ine the difference in actual breast size, This cannot be done
without having a photograph of the Plaintiff in a standing position. The shape and si7.e ofbreasls
vary depending on whether the woman is standing or laying down.
The Defendant did not ask the Plaintiff to retain a professional photographer and the
photographs do not appeur to be of a "professional" quality, The Plainti 1'1' can use u Polaroid camont
to avoid having to tuke the film for development if she feels that having udditional photographs
would humiliate her,
The claim for the breast reduction surgery is highly questionable in the opinion of the
Defendant and the Defendant's expert. The Defendant is certainly entitled to any and ull evidence
in the possession of the Plaintiffin order to properly evaluate the claim and prepare her defense, The
report attached to the Plaintiffs reply is from a plastic surgeon who is certainly not qualified to
address issues of an orthopedic nuture. To attempt to causally relate a cosmetic breast "reduction"
or "lift" surgery to an orthopedic injmy to the shoulder would certainly oplln thc floodgates of
litigation. Many middlc-aged lInd oldcr womcn who arc not happy with thc physical appearance of
their brcasts would then attcmpt to rclatc subscqucnt cosmctic plastic surgery to improve the
appearance of their breasts 10 injurics sustained in an accident.
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