Patrick Hawkins v. Anonymous Medical Provider A

── Patrick Hawkins v. Anonymous Medical Provider A ── Court: Indiana Court of Appeals Date: June 05, 2026 Author: Paul Mathias Category: General IN THE Court of Appeals of Indiana FILED Patrick Hawkins, Jun 05 2026, 9:29 am CLERK Appellant/Plaintiff Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals and Tax Court v. Anonymous Medical Provider A, Anonymous Medical Provider B, Anonymous Medical Provider C, Anonymous Doctor A, Anonymous Doctor B, Anonymous Doctor C, Anonymous Doctor D, Anonymous Executive A, and Anonymous Executive B, Appellees/Defendants and Amy Beard, Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Insurance, Party of Interest June 5, 2026 Court of Appeals Case No. 25A-CT-945 Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 25A-CT-945 | June 5, 2026 Page 1 of 19  Appeal from the Vigo Superior Court The Honorable Daniel W. Kelly, Judge Trial Court Cause No. 84D06-2109-CT-005179 Opinion by Judge Felix Judges May and Mathias concur. Felix, Judge. Statement of the Case [1] Patrick Hawkins was seriously injured in a vehicle accident involving a driver under the influence of prescribed methadone. Hawkins sued nine individuals and entities associated with the driver’s opioid abuse treatment, and he sought a preliminary determination that his claims against five of the defendants were ordinary negligence claims, not medical malpractice claims. A cross-motion for preliminary determination was filed seeking a determination that the claims against all defendants were medical malpractice claims. The five defendants named in Hawkins’s motion also filed a motion to strike certain evidence Hawkins had designated in support of his motion. The trial court granted the motion to strike, denied Hawkins’s motion, and granted the cross-motion. Hawkins now appeals and presents two issues for our review: 1. Whether the trial court abused its discretion by striking certain designated evidence; and Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 25A-CT-945 | June 5, 2026 Page 2 of 19  2. Whether the trial court erred by denying Hawkins’s motion for preliminary determination and granting the cross-motion for preliminary determination. [2] We affirm. Facts and Procedural History [3] On the morning of September 26, 2019, Ethan Luken was administered methadone as part of his ongoing opioid abuse treatment, which he had begun one week before. Later that day, at approximately 5:30 p.m., both Hawkins and Luken were driving in Terre Haute, Indiana; Hawkins was operating a motorcycle and Luken was operating a vehicle. While the two were traveling in opposite directions on Maple Avenue, Luken turned left, colliding with Hawkins. Luken was uninjured; Hawkins suffered a broken neck, concussion, and road rash. In connection with this wreck, Luken was charged with and convicted of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. [4] Thereafter, Hawkins filed a propose