Appellate Division holds claimant's failure to attend IME is complete defense to PIP claim

Barron Chiropractic provided treatment to Corey Hinds after Hinds was in a car accident while operating a car owned and insured by ERAC.


Barron sought PIP payments for the treatments.  ERAC argued that it was not obligated to pay the PIP claim because Hinds failed to attend independent medical examinations scheduled by ERAC's third-party administrator.


In Barron Chiropractic & Rehabilitation, P.C. v. Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co. of Boston, Inc., 2015 WL 4619841 (Mass. App. Div.), the Massachusetts Appellate Division affirmed summary judgment for ERAC.  "Where, as here, the insured fails to submit to a request for an IME, that amounts to non-cooperation which is a complete defense.  The insurer is not required to make any payments where that condition precedent was not met."