Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51676(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51676(U))

Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51676(U)) [*1]
Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co.
2015 NY Slip Op 51676(U) [49 Misc 3d 146(A)]
Decided on November 13, 2015
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.

Decided on November 13, 2015

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ.
2013-1002 Q C
Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. as Assignee of PHILIP OWUSU-AFRIYIE, Appellant,

against

Praetorian Ins. Co., Respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Richard G. Latin, J.), entered April 1, 2013. The order denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is modified by providing that defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is denied; as so modified, the order is affirmed, without costs.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff appeals from an order of the Civil Court which denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

Plaintiff correctly argues that defendant’s cross motion should have been denied. The attorney’s affirmation submitted by defendant in support of its claim that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for examinations under oath (EUOs), which stated, in a conclusory manner, that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear at duly scheduled EUOs, was insufficient to establish defendant’s entitlement to summary judgment (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 35 AD3d 720 [2006]; Alrof, Inc. v Safeco Natl. Ins. Co., 39 Misc 3d 130[A], 2013 NY Slip Op 50458[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2013]). In addition, defendant’s cross-moving papers did not establish that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for duly scheduled independent medical examinations (IMEs), as there was no evidence presented to establish that IME scheduling letters had ever been mailed to plaintiff’s assignor (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]) and that the assignor had failed to appear for such IMEs (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C., 35 AD3d at 722). Consequently, defendant is not entitled to summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

However, contrary to plaintiff’s contention, plaintiff failed to demonstrate its prima facie entitlement to summary judgment, as the affidavit plaintiff submitted in support of its motion failed to establish that the claim at issue had not been timely denied (see Viviane Etienne Med. Care, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co., 25 NY3d 498 [2015]) or that defendant had issued a timely denial of claim that was conclusory, vague or without merit as a matter of law (see Westchester Med. Ctr. v Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 78 AD3d 1168 [2010]; Ave T MPC Corp. v Auto One Ins. Co., 32 Misc 3d 128[A], 2011 NY Slip Op 51292[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2011]).

Accordingly, the order is modified by providing that defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment is denied.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
Compas Med., P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51675(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Compas Med., P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51675(U))

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS

Compas Medical, P.C. as Assignee of MASSE INNOCENT, Appellant,

against

American Transit Ins. Co., Respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Ulysses Bernard Leverett, J.), entered February 21, 2013. The order denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted defendant’s cross motion to stay the action pending a determination by the Workers’ Compensation Board of the parties’ rights under the Workers’ Compensation Law.

ORDERED that the order is modified by striking the provision denying plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and by providing that plaintiff’s motion is held in abeyance pending a determination by the Workers’ Compensation Board of the parties’ rights under the Workers’ Compensation Law; as so modified, the order is affirmed, without costs.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff moved for summary judgment, and defendant cross-moved to stay the action pending an application to the Workers’ Compensation Board to determine the parties’ rights under the Workers’ Compensation Law based upon plaintiff’s assignor’s alleged eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits. The Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion and granted defendant’s cross motion.

We agree with the Civil Court that defendant proffered sufficient evidence to support its contention that there was an issue as to whether plaintiff’s assignor had been acting in the course of his employment at the time of the accident and that, therefore, workers’ compensation benefits might be available (see e.g. Arce Med. & Diagnostic Svce v American Tr. Ins. Co., 39 Misc 3d 134[A], 2013 NY Slip Op 50531[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2013]; Jamaica Med. Supply, Inc. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 34 Misc 3d 133[A], 2011 NY Slip Op 52371[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2011]; D.A.V. Chiropractic, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 29 Misc 3d 128[A], 2010 NY Slip Op 51738[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2010]; cf. Westchester Med. Ctr. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 60 AD3d 848 [2009]). Indeed, the application for no-fault benefits form, which was signed by plaintiff’s assignor under penalty of perjury, states that the assignor was in the course of his employment when he was injured, an admission that is sufficient to raise a question of fact as to whether the assignor was acting as an employee at the time of the accident. “Since primary jurisdiction with respect to determinations as to the applicability of the Workers’ Compensation Law has been vested in the Workers’ Compensation Board,’ it is inappropriate for the courts to express views with respect thereto pending determination by the board’ ” (Monteiro v Rasraj Foods & Catering, Inc., 79 AD3d 827, 829 [2010], quoting Botwinick v Ogden, 59 NY2d 909, 911 [1983]). Consequently, the issue of whether plaintiff’s assignor was acting as an employee at the time of the accident must be resolved by the Workers’ Compensation Board (see O’Rourke v Long, 41 NY2d 219 [1976]; Siekkeli v Mark Mariani, Inc., 119 AD3d 766 [2014]; Dunn v American Tr. Ins. Co., 71 AD3d 629, 629-630 [2010]; Jamaica Med. Supply, Inc. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 34 Misc 3d 133[A], [*2]2011 NY Slip Op 52371[U]; D.A.V. Chiropractic, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 29 Misc 3d 128[A], 2010 NY Slip Op 51738[U]; Ortho Pro Labs, Inc. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 26 Misc 3d 129[A], 2009 NY Slip Op 52693[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2009]).

Accordingly, the order is modified by striking the provision denying plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and by providing that plaintiff’s motion is held in abeyance pending a determination by the Workers’ Compensation Board of the parties’ rights under the Workers’ Compensation Law.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
Compas Med., P.C. v Hereford Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51674(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Compas Med., P.C. v Hereford Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51674(U))

Compas Med., P.C. v Hereford Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51674(U)) [*1]
Compas Med., P.C. v Hereford Ins. Co.
2015 NY Slip Op 51674(U) [49 Misc 3d 146(A)]
Decided on November 13, 2015
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.

Decided on November 13, 2015

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ.
2013-940 Q C
Compas Medical, P.C. as Assignee of IZGIYA IZGIYAEV, Appellant,

against

Hereford Insurance Co., Respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Jodi Orlow, J.), entered March 19, 2013. The order denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is modified by providing that defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is denied; as so modified, the order is affirmed, without costs.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. The Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion, and granted defendant’s cross motion on the ground that defendant had established that plaintiff’s assignor was not entitled to receive no-fault benefits from defendant since plaintiff’s assignor had been injured while driving a vehicle insured by a different insurer.

In support of its cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, defendant relied upon a conclusory affidavit from its no-fault claims supervisor and a partially illegible copy of a police report which, according to defendant’s counsel, purported to establish that, when the accident occurred, plaintiff’s assignor was in a car insured by another insurer and not an occupant in the vehicle insured by defendant. However, as the foregoing was insufficient to establish, as a matter of law, that defendant did not insure the vehicle in which plaintiff’s assignor was riding when the accident occurred, defendant’s cross motion should have been denied (see Zuckerman v City of New York, 49 NY2d 557 [1980]).

Plaintiff’s contention that its motion for summary judgment should have been granted lacks merit. As the record reflects the existence of an issue of fact as to whether, when the accident occurred, plaintiff’s assignor was in the vehicle insured by defendant, plaintiff failed to establish as a matter of law that there was coverage by defendant of plaintiff’s assignor’s claims (see Zappone v Home Ins. Co., 55 NY2d 131, 135-136 [1982]).

Accordingly, the order is modified by providing that defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is denied.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
T & J Chiropractic, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51673(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at T & J Chiropractic, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51673(U))

T & J Chiropractic, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51673(U)) [*1]
T & J Chiropractic, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co.
2015 NY Slip Op 51673(U) [49 Misc 3d 146(A)]
Decided on November 13, 2015
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.

Decided on November 13, 2015

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ.
2013-907 Q C
T & J Chiropractic, P.C. as Assignee of WASEEM AKHTAR, Appellant,

against

American Transit Ins. Co., Respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Richard G. Latin, J.), entered April 1, 2013. The order denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is modified by providing that defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is denied; as so modified, the order is affirmed, without costs.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. The Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion and granted defendant’s cross motion on the ground that plaintiff had failed to provide requested verification.

In support of its cross motion, defendant submitted an affidavit by its no-fault examiner which was sufficient to demonstrate prima facie that it had not received the requested verification and, thus, that plaintiff’s action is premature (see 11 NYCRR 65-3.8 [a]; Central Suffolk Hosp. v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 24 AD3d 492 [2005]). However, in opposition to the cross motion, plaintiff submitted an affidavit from plaintiff’s owner, which affidavit was sufficient to give rise to a presumption that the requested verification had been mailed to, and received by, defendant (see Residential Holding Corp. v Scottsdale Ins. Co., 286 AD2d 679 [2001]). In light of the foregoing, there is a triable issue of fact as to whether the action is premature (see Healing Health Prods., Inc. v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 44 Misc 3d 59 [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2014]).

Accordingly, the order is modified by providing that defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is denied.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Country Wide Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51672(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Country Wide Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51672(U))

Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Country Wide Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51672(U)) [*1]
Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Country Wide Ins. Co.
2015 NY Slip Op 51672(U) [49 Misc 3d 146(A)]
Decided on November 13, 2015
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.

Decided on November 13, 2015

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ.
2013-903 Q C
Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. as Assignee of CORNELIUS EVANGELIST, Appellant,

against

Country Wide Insurance Company, Respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Barry A. Schwartz, J.), entered February 25, 2013. The order denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with $25 costs.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff appeals from an order of the Civil Court which denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

Defendant submitted sufficient proof to show that the independent medical examination (IME) scheduling letters and the denial of claim forms, which denied the claims on the ground that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for duly scheduled IMEs, had been timely mailed (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]). Defendant further demonstrated that plaintiff’s assignor had not appeared for the duly scheduled IMEs and, thus, that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to comply with a condition precedent to coverage (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 35 AD3d 720 [2006]). As plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact in opposition to defendant’s cross motion, defendant’s cross motion was properly granted.

Accordingly, the order is affirmed.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
Compas Med., P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51671(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Compas Med., P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51671(U))

Compas Med., P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51671(U)) [*1]
Compas Med., P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co.
2015 NY Slip Op 51671(U) [49 Misc 3d 146(A)]
Decided on November 13, 2015
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.

Decided on November 13, 2015

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ.
2013-896 Q C
Compas Medical, P.C. as Assignee of MICHAEL SALOMON, Appellant,

against

American Transit Ins. Co., Respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Ulysses Bernard Leverett, J.), entered February 21, 2013. The order, insofar as appealed from as limited by the brief, denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted the branches of defendant’s cross motion seeking summary judgment dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon claims that had been denied due to the failure of plaintiff’s assignor to appear for examinations under oath and independent medical examinations.

ORDERED that the order, insofar as appealed from, is affirmed, with $25 costs.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. The Civil Court, insofar as is relevant to this appeal, denied plaintiff’s motion and granted the branches of defendant’s cross motion seeking summary judgment dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon claims which had been timely and properly denied on the ground that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for examinations under oath (EUOs) and independent medical examinations (IMEs).

Contrary to plaintiff’s contention, defendant established that EUO scheduling letters had been timely mailed (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]) and that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for the duly scheduled EUOs (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 35 AD3d 720 [2006]). Thus, defendant demonstrated that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to comply with a condition precedent to coverage (id. at 722). As defendant had timely denied (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond, 50 AD3d 1123) the claims at issue on the ground that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for duly scheduled EUOs, and as plaintiff’s remaining contentions lack merit, defendant was entitled to summary judgment dismissing these claims.

In light of the foregoing, we need not pass upon plaintiff’s contention that defendant failed to establish that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for duly scheduled IMEs.

Accordingly, the order, insofar as appealed from, is affirmed.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
Healing Art Acupuncture, P.C. v Allstate Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51670(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Healing Art Acupuncture, P.C. v Allstate Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51670(U))

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS

Healing Art Acupuncture, P.C. as Assignee of STEPHANIE WILLIS, Appellant,

against

Allstate Insurance Company, Respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Harriet L. Thompson, J.), entered February 22, 2013. The order, insofar as appealed from, denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and, upon a search of the record, granted partial summary judgment to defendant dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover for services rendered after November 20, 2009.

ORDERED that the order, insofar as appealed from, is modified by striking the provision granting partial summary judgment to defendant dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover for services rendered after November 20, 2009; as so modified, the order, insofar as appealed from, is affirmed, without costs.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff moved for summary judgment. In opposition, defendant argued that it had timely denied plaintiff’s claims on the grounds of lack of medical necessity and that the amount charged exceeded the amount permitted by the workers’ compensation fee schedule. By order entered February 22, 2013, the Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment, but held that pursuant to CPLR 3212 (g), plaintiff and defendant had established their prima facie cases and that the sole issue for trial would be the propriety of defendant’s defense which was based upon the workers’ compensation fee schedule. The Civil Court also, upon searching the record, held that plaintiff had failed to rebut defendant’s independent medical examination report which defendant had annexed to its papers in opposition to plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and awarded defendant partial summary judgment dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover for services rendered after November 20, 2009. Plaintiff appeals.

While the court has the power to award summary judgment to a nonmoving party predicated upon a motion for that relief by another party (see Dunham v Hilco Constr. Co., 89 NY2d 425 [1996]), here the issue of medical necessity was not the subject of plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment (see Mary Immaculate Hosp. v Allstate Ins. Co., 5 AD3d 742 [2004]). As a result, the court improvidently exercised its discretion when it searched the record and awarded defendant summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as it sought to recover for services rendered after November 20, 2009 (see Whitman Realty Group, Inc. v Galano, 52 AD3d 505 [2008]; Ey v Mecca, 41 AD3d 534 [2007]; Jillsunan Corp. v Wallfrin Indus., 79 AD2d 943 [1981]; Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 20 Misc 3d 144[A], 2008 NY Slip Op 51852 [App Term, 2d & 11th Jud Dists 2008]).

Plaintiff’s remaining contentions are not properly before this court, as these arguments are being raised for the first time on appeal, and we decline to consider them (see Joe v Upper Room Ministries, Inc., 88 AD3d 963 [2011]; Gulf Ins. Co. v Kanen, 13 AD3d 579 [2004]).

Accordingly, the order, insofar as appealed from, is modified by striking the provision granting partial summary judgment to defendant dismissing so much of the complaint as sought [*2]to recover for services rendered after November 20, 2009.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
Active Chiropractic, P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51668(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Active Chiropractic, P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51668(U))

Active Chiropractic, P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51668(U)) [*1]
Active Chiropractic, P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co.
2015 NY Slip Op 51668(U) [49 Misc 3d 145(A)]
Decided on November 13, 2015
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.

Decided on November 13, 2015

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ.
2013-803 Q C
Active Chiropractic, P.C. as Assignee of WILLIAM HARVEY, Respondent,

against

Praetorian Ins. Co., Appellant.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Ulysses Bernard Leverett, J.), entered February 19, 2013. The order, insofar as appealed from, denied defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order, insofar as appealed from, is reversed, with $30 costs, and defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is granted.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff moved for summary judgment, and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, alleging that the claim at issue had been timely and properly denied based upon plaintiff’s assignor’s failure to appear at duly scheduled examinations under oath (EUOs). Insofar as is relevant to this appeal, the Civil Court denied defendant’s cross motion, finding that there was an issue of fact as to whether plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for the duly scheduled EUOs.

The affirmation submitted by defendant’s attorney in support of defendant’s cross motion sufficiently described the standard practices and procedures of his office for mailing EUO scheduling letters (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]). Furthermore, defendant established, based upon the personal knowledge of the attorney who was responsible for conducting the EUOs at issue, that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for either of the duly scheduled EUOs (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 35 AD3d 720 [2006]; Olmeur Med., P.C. v Nationwide Gen. Ins. Co., 41 Misc 3d 143[A], 2013 NY Slip Op 52031[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2013]). Contrary to the determination of the Civil Court, defendant’s annexation of EUO transcripts demonstrating that a different assignor had also failed to appear for that assignor’s EUOs did not demonstrate the existence of a triable issue of fact in the instant action. Since defendant demonstrated that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to comply with a condition precedent to coverage (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C., 35 AD3d at 722) and that defendant had timely denied (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond, 50 AD3d 1123) the claim on that ground, defendant was entitled to summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

Accordingly, the order, insofar as appealed from, is reversed and defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is granted.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
Compas Med., P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51667(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Compas Med., P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51667(U))

Compas Med., P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 51667(U)) [*1]
Compas Med., P.C. v Praetorian Ins. Co.
2015 NY Slip Op 51667(U) [49 Misc 3d 145(A)]
Decided on November 13, 2015
Appellate Term, Second Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.

Decided on November 13, 2015

SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ.
2013-695 Q C
Compas Medical, P.C. as Assignee of JEAN GUILLAUME, Appellant,

against

Praetorian Ins. Co., Respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Carmen R. Velasquez, J.), entered February 14, 2013. The order denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and granted defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is modified by providing that the branch of plaintiff’s motion seeking summary judgment upon its third cause of action is granted and the branch of defendant’s cross motion seeking summary judgment dismissing the third cause of action is denied, and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court for the calculation of statutory interest and an assessment of attorney’s fees with respect to this cause of action; as so modified, the order is affirmed, without costs.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. The Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion and granted defendant’s cross motion.

Contrary to plaintiff’s contention, defendant established that the independent medical examination (IME) and examination under oath (EUO) scheduling letters had been timely mailed (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]), that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for the duly scheduled IMEs and EUOs (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 35 AD3d 720 [2006]), and that defendant had timely denied (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond, 50 AD3d 1123) the claims underlying the first, second, and fourth through eighth causes of action on these grounds. Since defendant demonstrated that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to comply with a condition precedent to coverage (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C., 35 AD3d at 722) and plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact in opposition to defendant’s cross motion, defendant was entitled to summary judgment dismissing these causes of action.

However, with respect to the third cause of action, the record establishes that the claim at issue was not denied within 30 days of its receipt (see 11 NYCRR 65-3.8 [a] [1]) and defendant did not demonstrate that the 30-day claim determination period (see 11 NYCRR 65-3.8) had been tolled. As a result, since defendant is precluded from asserting, with respect to this claim, its defense that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for the duly scheduled IMEs and EUOs (see Westchester Med. Ctr. v Lincoln Gen. Ins. Co., 60 AD3d 1045 [2009]), plaintiff is entitled to summary judgment upon its third cause of action.

Accordingly, the order is modified by providing that the branch of plaintiff’s motion seeking summary judgment upon its third cause of action is granted and the branch of defendant’s cross motion seeking summary judgment dismissing the third cause of action is denied, and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court for the calculation of statutory interest and an assessment of attorney’s fees with respect to this cause of action pursuant to Insurance Law § 5106 (a) and the [*2]regulations promulgated thereunder.

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.


Decision Date: November 13, 2015
Martin v Lancer Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 08258)

Reported in New York Official Reports at Martin v Lancer Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 08258)

Martin v Lancer Ins. Co. (2015 NY Slip Op 08258)
Martin v Lancer Ins. Co.
2015 NY Slip Op 08258 [133 AD3d 1219]
November 13, 2015
Appellate Division, Fourth Department
Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431.
As corrected through Wednesday, December 30, 2015

[*1]

  Antonio Martin, Respondent, v Lancer Insurance Company, Appellant.

Barth Sullivan Behr, Buffalo (Laurence D. Behr of counsel), for defendant-appellant.

Andrews, Bernstein, Maranto & Nicotra, PLLC, Buffalo (Richard Nicotra of counsel), for plaintiff-respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Erie County (Diane Y. Devlin, J.), entered November 17, 2014. The order denied the motion of defendant for summary judgment.

It is hereby ordered that the order so appealed from is unanimously affirmed without costs.

Memorandum: Plaintiff commenced this breach of contract action seeking no fault benefits under an insurance policy issued by defendant to D & M Collision, Inc. (D & M), a car dealership that allegedly owned the vehicle in which plaintiff was injured when it was struck from behind by another vehicle. Defendant moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, contending that the vehicle in question was not owned by D & M, its insured, at the time of the accident and thus is not covered by the policy. We conclude that Supreme Court properly denied the motion inasmuch as there is an issue of fact whether D & M owned the vehicle.

Plaintiff had a business relationship with D & M’s owner whereby plaintiff would use D & M’s dealer credentials to purchase used vehicles at auction. On June 14, 2012, plaintiff, using D & M’s credentials, purchased a 2001 Chrysler 300 at auction for $600. Although plaintiff used his own money to purchase the vehicle, the Retail Certificate of Sale form (form MV-50) issued in conjunction with the sale identifies D & M as the buyer. Approximately two months later, in mid-August 2012, plaintiff agreed to sell the vehicle to Edward Hardy. The title to the vehicle could not be transferred to Hardy, however, until the vehicle passed inspection, and the vehicle could not pass inspection until its computer codes had been cleared. According to plaintiff, the vehicle had to be driven a certain distance in order for the codes to be cleared.

On August 31, 2012, the vehicle was involved in an accident while Hardy was driving and plaintiff was a passenger. At that time, title to the vehicle still had not been transferred to Hardy because the codes had not yet been cleared, and the vehicle therefore had not yet passed inspection. In the accident, plaintiff sustained injuries for which he received medical treatment, and he thereafter sought payment of his medical expenses by defendant under the policy it issued to D & M. Defendant refused to provide coverage on the ground that its policy did not cover the vehicle because the vehicle was not owned by D & M, and plaintiff thereafter commenced this action.

The no-fault coverage defendant provided to D & M covered all vehicles “owned” by D & M. Vehicle and Traffic Law § 128 defines an “owner” as “[a] person, other than a lien holder, having the property in or title to a vehicle.” Generally, “ownership is in the registered owner of the vehicle or one holding the documents of title[,] but a party may rebut the inference that arises from these circumstances” (Fulater v Palmer’s Granite Garage, 90 AD2d 685, 685 [1982], appeal dismissed 58 NY2d 826 [1983]; see also Zegarowicz v Ripatti, 77 AD3d 650, 653 [2010]). Where there is conflicting evidence of ownership, the issue must be resolved by a trier of fact (see Sosnowski v Kolovas, 127 AD2d 756, 758 [1987]; Fulater, 90 AD2d at 685). Moreover, we note that there may be more than one owner of a vehicle and, to the extent that there is more than one owner here, they may be jointly and severally liable to plaintiff (see Vehicle and Traffic Law § 388 [1], [3]; Hassan v Montuori, 99 NY2d 348, 353 [2003]).

Here, the evidence submitted by defendant in support of its motion failed to eliminate all issues of fact whether D & M owned the subject vehicle at the time of the accident. Notably, the vehicle was purchased with D & M’s dealer credentials and, at the time of the accident, D & M had title to the vehicle, and its dealer plates were on the vehicle. Although defendant presented additional evidence seeking to rebut the presumption of D & M’s ownership arising from those circumstances, the court properly concluded that it failed to do so (see generally Aronov v Bruins Transp., 294 AD2d 523, 524 [2002]; Sosnowski, 127 AD2d at 758).

Defendant’s remaining contentions are raised for the first time on appeal and thus are not properly before us (see Ciesinski v Town of Aurora, 202 AD2d 984, 985 [1994]). Present—Scudder, P.J., Centra, Peradotto, Lindley and Valentino, JJ.