ALLSTATE NEW JERSEY v. LAJARA

Docket No. A-5684-11T4

77 A.3d 491 (2013)

433 N.J. Super. 20

ALLSTATE NEW JERSEY INSURANCE COMPANY, Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Property And Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate New Jersey Property And Casualty Insurance Company and Encompass Insurance, f/k/a Continental Insurance Company, and Commercial Insurance Company of Newark, NJ, Plaintiffs-Respondents, v. Gregorio LAJARA; Pedro Gonzalez; Mileydis T. Diaz a/k/a Milly Diaz; Awilda D. Rodriguez a/k/a Awilda D. Gonzalez; Kenneth J. Viafora; Jose Orlando Hernandez; Francisca Hernandez; Francisco Caba; Aqualina Ramos; Ashraf Y. Azir; Muhammad A. Shamshair; Michael C. Golowski; Elvia Bedoya; Nydia Martinez; Nereda Zuniga; Alexandra Gallegos; Bibars Kaghdou, D.C.; Stephen Lomanto, D.C.; David Stephens, D.C.; Thomas J. Bonacuso, D.C.; Michael Carlesimo, D.C.; Bryan Siegel, D.C.; Keith Lewandowski, D.C.; Wei Ju; Lucy Liu; Jianmin Li, a/k/a Jian Min Li; Shan S. Nagendra, M.D.; Aleksandr Levin, M.D.; Manoj D. Patharkar, M.D.; Alfred Rezk Tawadrous, M.D.; Howard Kessler, M.D.; Natalio Damien, M.D.; David Walker, Esq.; Medico Management Co., Inc.; Union Collections, LLC; Plainfield Medical Management, Inc.; Spinal Adjustment Center, P.C. f/k/a Spinal Adjustment Center, Inc.; Rahway Spinal Injury P.C. f/k/a Rahway Spinal Center Corp; Advanced Spinal Care, P.C.; Millennium Total Health, P.C.; Aleve Chiropractic, P.C.; In-Line Chiropractic, P.C.; Bayview Health, P.C. a/k/a Bayview Health Service, P.C.; Bound Brook Chiropractic, P.C.; New Wave Chiropractic, P.C.; Absolute Chiropractic, P.C.; Back Pain P.C.; Am Pain Care, P.C.; Acupuncture Academy P.C.; Tcm Acupuncture, P.C.; American Acupuncture Academy, P.C.; Convery Medical Group, P.C.; Raritan Pain Management And Rehab Center, P.C.; Asbury Medical And Rehabilitation P.C.; Pain Management Associates of Central Jersey, P.A.; Best Health Medical, P.C.; Perth Amboy Health Care, LLC d/b/a "Perth Amboy Diagnostic Imaging"; Liberty Supplies, L.L.C.; K-Med Services, Inc.; Prestige Medical Supplies, LLC; Therapeutic Devices, Inc., Defendants-Respondents, and A.P. Diagnostic Imaging, Inc. and Dr. Harshad Patel, Defendants-Appellants.

Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.

Decided October 9, 2013.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Carl A. Salisbury (Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP) argued the cause for appellants.

Thomas O. Mulvihill argued the cause for respondents Allstate New Jersey Insurance Company, Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate New Jersey Property and Casualty Insurance Company and Encompass Insurance, f/k/a Continental Insurance Company, and Commercial Insurance Company of Newark, NJ (Pringle Quinn Anzano, P.C., attorneys; Mr. Mulvihill, Morristown, on the brief).

The Law Office of Jeffrey Randolph, LLC, attorneys for respondents Plainfield Medical Management, Pedro Gonzalez and Awilda D. Rodriguez a/k/a Awilda D. Gonzalez , join in the briefs of appellants.

Bubb Grogan & Cocca, LLP, attorneys for respondents Shan Nagendra, M.D., Convery Medical Group, P.C., and Raritan Pain Management and Rehab Center, P.C., join in the briefs of appellants.

Archer & Greiner, P.C., attorneys for respondents Dr. Manoj Patharkar and Pain Management Associates of Central Jersey, P.A., join in the briefs of appellants.

Before Judges MESSANO, LIHOTZ and OSTRER.


The opinion of the court was delivered by

OSTRER, J.A.D.

On leave granted, defendants appeal from the trial court's order (1) granting plaintiffs' motion to withdraw their jury demand in their action under the Insurance Fraud Prevention Act (Act), N.J.S.A. 17:33A-1 to -30; and (2) striking defendants' jury demand. The Act is silent on the right to trial by jury. We therefore must determine whether the Act implied...

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