§ RULE 35 PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXAMINATION OF PERSONS
RULE 35. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXAMINATION OF PERSONS
(a) Order for Examination. When the mental or physical condition (including the blood group) of a party, or 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 examination by a physician or a mental examination by a physician or a psychologist or to produce for the 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.
(b) Report of Examining Physician or Psychologist.
(1) If requested by the party against whom an order is made under Rule 35(a) or the person examined, the party causing the examination to be made shall deliver to him a copy of a detailed written report of the examining physician or psychologist setting out his findings, including results of all tests made, diagnoses and conclusions, together with all like reports of all earlier examinations of the same condition. After delivery, the party causing the examination shall be entitled, upon request to receive from the party against whom the order is made, a like report of any examination, previously or thereafter made, of the same condition, unless, in the case of a report of examination of a person not a party, the party shows that he is unable to obtain it. The court on motion may make an order against a party requiring delivery of a report on such terms as are just and if a physician or psychologist fails or refuses to make a report, the court may exclude his testimony if offered at the trial.
(2) By requesting and obtaining a report of the examination so ordered, or by taking the deposition of the examiner, the party examined waives any privilege he may have in that action or any other involving the same controversy, regarding the testimony of every other person who has examined or may thereafter examine him in respect to the same mental or physical condition.
(3) This subdivision applies to examinations made by agreement of the parties, unless the agreement expressly provides otherwise. This subdivision does not preclude discovery of a report of an examining physician or psychologist or the taking of a deposition of the physician or psychologist in accordance with the provisions of any other rule or statute of this state.
(c) Medical Records.
(1) A party who relies upon his or her physical, mental, or emotional condition as an element of his or her claim or defense shall, within 30 days after the request of any other party, execute an authorization to allow such other party to obtain copies of his or her medical records. A shorter or longer time may be directed by the court or, in the absence of such an order, agreed to in writing by the parties subject to Rule 29. The term “medical records” means any writing, document, or electronically stored information pertaining to or created as a result of treatment, diagnosis, or examination of a patient.
(2) Any informal, ex parte contact or communication between a party or his or her attorney and the physician or psychotherapist of any other party is prohibited, unless the party treated, diagnosed, or examined by the physician or psychotherapist expressly consents. A party shall not be required, by order of court or otherwise, to authorize any communication with his or her physician or psychotherapist other than (A) the furnishing of medical records, and (B) communications in the context of formal discovery procedures.