September 9, 2022

Tam Med. Supply Corp. v American Ind. Ins. Co. (2022 NY Slip Op 50913(U))

Headnote

The court considered the facts of a provider seeking to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, where the affidavit of service alleged that the summons and complaint were served by mail pursuant to CPLR 312-a, but did not contain an acknowledgment of service. American Independent Ins. Co. moved to dismiss the complaint on the grounds of lack of personal jurisdiction, while American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc. and Good2Go Auto Insurance also sought to dismiss the complaint on the same grounds. The main issue decided was whether the plaintiff had obtained personal jurisdiction over the defendants. The court held that for the reasons stated in Longevity Med. Supply, Inc. v American Ind. Ins. Co. (69 Misc 3d 127[A], 2020 NY Slip Op 51118[U]), the motion by American Independent Ins. Co. to dismiss the complaint was granted, as well as the branches of the motion seeking to dismiss the complaint against American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc. and Good2Go Auto Insurance.

Reported in New York Official Reports at Tam Med. Supply Corp. v American Ind. Ins. Co. (2022 NY Slip Op 50913(U))

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

Tam Medical Supply Corp., as Assignee of Destin, Sabrina, Respondent

against

American Independent Ins. Co., Appellant, Omni Indemnity Company, American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc., and Good2Go Auto Insurance, Defendants.

Tam Medical Supply Corp., as Assignee of Destin, Sabrina, Respondent

against

American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc., and Good2Go Auto Insurance, Appellants, American Independent Ins. Co. and Omni Indemnity Company, Defendants.

Freiberg, Peck & Kang, LLP (Yilo J. Kang of counsel), for appellants. The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Oleg Rybak of counsel), for respondent (no brief filed).

Appeals from orders of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Harriet L. Thompson, J.), each entered November 20, 2018. The first order (appeal No. 2020-271 K C) denied a motion to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against defendant American Independent Ins. Co. The second order (appeal No. 2022-137 K C), insofar as appealed from, denied the branches of a motion seeking to dismiss so much of the complaint as was asserted against defendants American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc. and Good2Go Auto [*2]Insurance.

ORDERED that the appeals are consolidated for purposes of disposition; and it is further,

ORDERED that the order being appealed under appeal number 2020-271 K C is reversed, with $30 costs, and the motion to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against defendant American Independent Ins. Co. is granted; and it is further

ORDERED that the order being appealed under appeal number 2022-137 K C, insofar as appealed from, is reversed, with $30 costs, and the branches of the motion seeking to dismiss so much of the complaint as was asserted against defendants American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc. and Good2Go Auto Insurance are granted.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, the affidavit of service alleges that the summons and complaint were served by mail pursuant to CPLR 312-a. However, plaintiff’s papers do not contain an acknowledgment of service. Defendant American Independent Ins. Co. moved to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against it on the ground that plaintiff had failed to obtain personal jurisdiction over it. Defendants American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc., Good2Go Auto Insurance and Omni Indemnity Company moved, in a single motion, to dismiss so much of the complaint as was asserted against them on the ground that plaintiff had failed to obtain personal jurisdiction over them. Plaintiff opposed both motions and cross-moved for summary judgment. Defendant American Independent Ins. Co. appeals (appeal No. 2020-271 K C) from an order of the Civil Court entered November 20, 2018 denying the motion to dismiss the complaint insofar as asserted against it. Defendants American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc., and Good2Go Auto Insurance appeal (appeal No. 2022-137 K C) from so much of a separate order of the Civil Court, also entered November 20, 2018, as denied the branches of the motion seeking to dismiss so much of the complaint as was asserted against them.

For the reasons stated in Longevity Med. Supply, Inc. v American Ind. Ins. Co. (69 Misc 3d 127[A], 2020 NY Slip Op 51118[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2020]), the order being appealed under appeal number 2020-271 K C and the order being appealed under appeal number 2022-137 K C, insofar as appealed from, are reversed. The first motion, by defendant American Independent Ins. Co., is granted, and the branches of the second motion seeking to dismiss so much of the complaint as was asserted against defendants American Independent Insurance Companies, Inc., and Good2Go Auto Insurance are granted.

ALIOTTA, P.J., TOUSSAINT and GOLIA, JJ., concur.

ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: September 9, 2022