Zlatnick v. Government Employees Insurance

**Court Protects Employee from Excessive Legal Questioning** This case involved a dispute between an employee, Zlatnick, and Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) related to a no-fault insurance matter that had employment law implications. The insurance company wanted to conduct a deposition (formal questioning under oath) while also requiring the employee to answer written questions called interrogatories at the same time. The employee asked the court for protection, arguing that being forced to handle both types of legal questioning simultaneously was unfair and abusive. The court agreed with the employee and granted a protective order. The judge ruled that the insurance company could not proceed with the deposition until the employee had completed answering the written questions first. The court determined that using both discovery methods at once constituted an abuse of the legal process in no-fault insurance cases. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This ruling shows that courts will protect employees from being overwhelmed by excessive or simultaneous legal demands during disputes. Workers facing litigation don't have to endure unreasonable discovery requests, and they can ask courts for protection when employers or insurance companies try to use multiple questioning methods at once, which could be burdensome or intimidating.