No Value: BURG, DEBORAH A vs. WEST FLORIDA PHYSICIANS NETWORK, LLC

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                                Filing # 128751929 E-Filed 06/15/2021 09:49:44 AM



                   THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TWENTIETH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
                      IN AND FOR CHARLOTTE COUNTY, STATE OF FLORIDA

        DEBORAH COOPER BURG, by and through
        her Court-Appointed Guardian, RICKY
        BURG; NICOLE BURG, her daughter; and
        RICKY BURG, her spouse,

                        Plaintiffs,
        VS.


        WEST FLORIDA PHYSICIAN
        NETWORK, LLC; DILENDRA
        WEERASINGHE; JOHN RIOUX;
        FAWCETT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, INC.
        d/b/a FAWCETT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL;
        SUSAN BRUNER; ABIGAIL UTECH;
        NANDINI KIRI, M.D., P.A.; NANDINI KIRI;
        HARBOR MEDICAL GROUP, LLC;
        AHSAN KAMAL; SOVI JOSEPH, M.D.,                               CASE NO.        20-000616-CA
        P.A.; SOVI JOSEPH; DOMINGO E.
        GALLIANO, JR., P-A.; DOMINGO
        GALLIANO, JR.; ARTURO
        RODRIGUEZMARTIN,
        M.D., P.L.; ARTURO RODRIGUEZ-
        MARTIN; MILLENNIUM
        PHYSICIAN GROUP, LLC d/b/a
        MILLENNIUM PHYSICIAN GROUP;
        CATHY CRISS; LIFE CARE CENTERS
        OF AMERICA, INC.; PUNTA GORDA
        MEDICAL INVESTORS, LLC d/b/a LIFE
        CARE CENTER OF PUNTA GORDA;
        LIFE CARE PHYSICIAN SERVICES,
        LLC; and VANCE MALONEY, III.

                         Defendants.
                                                           /

              DEFENDANT, JOHN RIOUX’S MOTION                    FOR SUBSTITUTION OF PARTIES

                COMES NOW Defendant, JOHN RIOUX (hereinafter referred to as “Dr. Rioux”), by and

        through his undersigned counsel, and pursuant to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.260(b), hereby

         files this, his Motion for Substitution of Parties, and as grounds therefore, states as follows:



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1          This is a complex medical malpractice action wherein Plaintiff alleges she suffered

complications after bariatric surgery in June 2019.

          2          On or about July 21, 2020, Plaintiffs filed a Complaint alleging medical negligence

against a number of healthcare providers, including Dr. Rioux.

              3      On     or around     December    2020/January       2021,   Defendant,   Dr. Rioux     suffered    a

stroke.        He is currently ill and is unable to communicate.             The Court was put on notice of Dr.

Rioux’s illness in his Motion for Protective Order filed on May 21, 2021. At that time, the case

should        have   been    abated     pursuant   to Fla.   R.   Civ.   P   1.260(a)(1)   until   Dr.   Rioux’s   legal

representative was substituted.

          3          Pursuant to Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.260(b), the Defendant requests that his spouse, Joan

Rioux be substituted as the Defendant.

          4          Fla. R. Civ. P. 1.260(b) states as follows: “(b) Incompetency.                  If a party comes

incompetent, the court, upon motion served as provided in subdivision (a) of this rule, may allow

the action to be continued by or against that person’s representative.”

          6.         Dr. Rioux has executed a Durable Power of Attorney appointing Joan Rioux as his

Agent.
          7
                     According to the Durable Power of Attorney, Dr. Rioux has granted authority to

Joan Rioux to participate in litigation on his behalf.

          8          Defendant also requests a stay in the proceedings until Mrs. Rioux is substituted for

Dr. Rioux.

          9.         Florida case law allows for a stay in cases where a party is unable to participate in

the proceedings as is the case here.




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10.     Based upon the foregoing, Dr. Rioux moves for the substitution of Joan Rioux in

place of JOHN RIOUX, upon approval by the court to proceed in defending this matter.

        WHEREFORE,           Defendant, JOHN         RIOUX        by and through his undersigned counsel,

respectfully   request    this   Honorable   Court    for    an    Order   granting   Defendant’s   Motion   for

Substitution of Parties, and for any other relief this Court deems just proper.


                                     CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

        I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and accurate copy of the above and foregoing has been

furnished to the following via the Florida e-filing portal on June 15, 2021:


 Edward Blumberg, Esq.                                      John M. Stewart, Esq.
  rb@deutschblumberg.com                                    jstewart(@rosswayswan.com
 Cosme Caballero, Esq.                                      Michael J. Swan, Esq.
 ccaballero@deutschblumberg.com                             mswan@rosswayswan.com
 Robert Blumberg, Esq.                                      cdelo@rosswayswan.com
 bblumberg@deutschblumberg.com                              Rossway Swan Tierney Barry & Oliver, P.L.
 Rowena Mitchell                                            2101 Indian River Boulevard, Suite 200
 rmitcheli@deutschblumberg.com                              Vero Beach, FL      32960
 Hazel Costillo                                             Co-Counsel for Ricky Burg
 heastillo@deutschblumberg.com
 Deutsch Blumberg & Caballero, P.A.
 100 N. Biscayne Blvd., Suite 2802
 Miami, FL 33132
 Counsel for Plaintiffs

 Fran Prockop, Esq.                                         Richard K. Bowers, Jr., Esq.
 fprockop@bgrplaw.com                                       Brandon R. Scheele, Esq.
 rmessler@bgrplaw.com                                       Service-rbowers@bankerlopez.com
  serve@berplaw.com                                         service-bscheele@bankerlopez.com
 Bush Graziano Rice & Platter                               kturner@bankerlopez.com
 100 S. Ashley Drive, Suite 1400                            Banker Lopez Gassler, P.A.
 Tampa, FL 33602                                            501 E. Kennedy Blvd, #1700
 Counsel for Defendant Fawcett Memorial                     Tampa, FL      33602
 Hospital and Abigail Utech                                 Counsel for Defendant Dilendra Weerasinghe

 Jay P. Chimpoulis, Esq.                                    Jeffrey M. Goodis, Esq.
 Chimpoulis & Hunter, P.A.                                  Brett P. Gliosca, Esq.
 150 S. Pine Island Road, Suite 510                         La Cava Jacobson & Goodis, P.A.
 Plantation, FL_ 33324                                      Stp-pleadings@liglegal.com

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ICHimpoulis@ChimpoulisHunter.com                  bgliosca@ljglegal.com
SRiedhammer@ChimpoulisHunter.com                  nkovacic@ljglegal.com
jrobelen@ChimpoulisHunter.com                     200 Central Avenue
Counsel for Punta Gorda Medical Investors,        Suite 250
LLC d/b/a Life Care Center of Punta Gorda,        St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Life Care Centers of America, Inc., Life Care     Counsel for Sovi Joseph and Sovi Joseph,
Physician Services, LLC and Vance Maloney         MD.,P.A.
Richard B. Mangan, Jr., Esq.                      R. Ryan Rivas, Esq
Kelsey T. Campbell, Esq.                          Hall Booth Smith, P.C.
Rissman Barrett Hurt Donahue                      2202 North Westshore Boulevard
McLain & Mangan, P.A.                             Suite 200
One N. Dale Mabry Hwy.                            RRivas@hallboothsmith.com
18" Floor                                         Counsel for Defendant Susan Bruner
Tampa, FL   33609
rbm.service@rissman.com
stephanic.doyle@rissman.com
kte.service@rissman.com
Counsel for Nandini Kiri and
Nandini Kiri, M.D., P.A.

Barry Postman, Esq.                               Gavrila A. Brotz, Esq.
Daniel Calvert, Esq.                              Walter J. Tache, Esq.
Ron M. Campbell, Esq.                             Tache, Bronis and DeScalzo, P.A.
Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A.                       150 S.E. 2™ Avenue
Cole, Scott & Kissane Building                    Suite 600
27300 Riverview Center Blvd                       Miami, FL 33131
Suite 200                                         gbrotz@tachebronis.com
Bonita Springs, Florida 34134                     wtache@tachebronis.com
barry.postman@esklegal.com                        Co-Counsel for Fawcett Memorial Hospital
 ‘on.campbell@csklegal.com
danicl.calvert@csklegal.com
krystal perez@csklegal.com;
Counsel for Defendants Millennium
Physician Group, LLC and Cathy Criss

                                             /s/_Victoria Ferrentino
                                             Victoria N. Ferrentino, Esq.
                                             Florida Bar No.: 21167
                                             Rivver Cox, Esq.
                                             Florida Bar No.: 1003431
                                             Bush Graziano Rice & Platter, P.A.
                                             100 S. Ashley Drive, Suite 1400
                                             Tampa, FL    33602
                                             Phone: (813) 228-7000 — Fax: (813) 273-0091

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Primary E-mail: eserve@berplaw.com;
 vferrentino@berplaw.com
 dhensley@berplaw.com
 Attorneys for Defendants West Florida Physician
 Network, LLC and John Rioux




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