Reported in New York Official Reports at Active Care Med. Supply Corp. v Titan Ins. Co. (2020 NY Slip Op 50183(U))
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
against
Titan Insurance Co., Respondent.
The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Damin J. Toell and Richard Rozhik of counsel), for appellant. Mccormack & Mattei, P.C. (Jamila Shukry and Erin O’Neill of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Joy F. Campanelli, J.), entered February 7, 2018. The order granted the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that plaintiff lacked a license to distribute the medical supplies at issue, and implicitly denied plaintiff’s cross motion for summary judgment.
ORDERED that the order is modified by providing that the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that plaintiff lacked a license to distribute the medical supplies at issue is denied; as so modified, the order is affirmed, without costs, and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court to determine the remaining branches of defendant’s motion.
In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, defendant moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground, among others, that plaintiff lacked standing to bring the action because it did not possess a license to distribute the products at issue. Plaintiff opposed the motion and cross-moved for summary judgment. By order entered February 7, 2018, the Civil Court granted the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that plaintiff lacked standing to bring the action, and implicitly denied plaintiff’s cross motion. The court stated that defendant’s licensing defense is not precludable and noted that, in two separate orders in a declaratory judgment action, the Supreme Court, Nassau County, had found that plaintiff herein lacked a license to distribute its products. The Civil Court did not reach the remaining branches of defendant’s motion, which sought summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the grounds that plaintiff had failed to appear for duly scheduled examinations under oath and that the limits of the insurance policy had been exhausted.
“The proponent of a summary judgment motion must make a prima facie showing of [*2]entitlement to judgment as a matter of law, tendering sufficient evidence to demonstrate the absence of any material issues of fact” (Winegrad v New York Univ. Med. Ctr., 64 NY2d 851, 853 [1985]). In an affidavit in support of the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment on the ground that plaintiff lacked the required license to distribute the supplies at issue, defendant’s medical investigator admitted that plaintiff had obtained a license with the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs on October 12, 2011, and the affidavit of defendant’s claims specialist demonstrated that the supplies had been provided after that date. Thus, defendant’s evidence was insufficient to demonstrate the absence of any material issues of fact (see id.) regarding plaintiff’s licensing. Furthermore, to the extent that the Civil Court considered prior determinations by the Supreme Court, Nassau County, in the declaratory judgment action, as the Supreme Court’s orders pertained to supplies that had been distributed before October 12, 2011, the Civil Court’s reliance on the orders of the Supreme Court was misplaced, and the branch of defendant’s motion based on plaintiff’s alleged lack of a license should have been denied.
Contrary to plaintiff’s assertion, plaintiff was not entitled to summary judgment, as the proof submitted by plaintiff failed to establish that the claims 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 timely denial of claim forms that were 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 Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2011]).
Accordingly, the order is modified by providing that the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that plaintiff lacked a license to distribute the medical supplies at issue is denied, and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court to determine the remaining branches of defendant’s motion.
WESTON, J.P., ALIOTTA and SIEGAL, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: January 31, 2020
Reported in New York Official Reports at Super Acupuncture & Herbology, P.C. v Global Liberty Ins. Co. of N.Y. (2020 NY Slip Op 50178(U))
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
against
Global Liberty Insurance Company of New York, Appellant.
Law Office of Jason Tenenbaum, P.C. (Jason Tenenbaum and Talia Beard of counsel), for appellant. Petre and Associates, P.C. (Damin Toell of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Mary V. Rosado, J.), entered December 14, 2017. The order denied defendant’s motion to vacate an order of that court dated January 20, 2017 granting plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment upon defendant’s failure to timely serve its opposing papers and cross motion as provided for in a stipulation of settlement.
ORDERED that the order entered December 14, 2017 is affirmed, with $25 costs.
Plaintiff commenced this action to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits and subsequently moved for summary judgment. In a stipulation dated April 4, 2016, the parties agreed, among other things, that plaintiff’s summary judgment motion would be adjourned to January 17, 2017, and that “Opposition to the within motion and all cross-motions must be served on or before August 17, 2016. Any cross-motions served beyond this date will be deemed untimely.” On December 16, 2016, defendant served plaintiff with its cross motion, which included its opposition to plaintiff’s motion. Plaintiff opposed the cross motion. By order dated January 20, 2017, the Civil Court granted plaintiff’s motion upon defendant’s default in timely serving its cross motion “as per the stipulation.” Thereafter, defendant moved to, among other things, vacate the January 20, 2017 default order. Plaintiff opposed the motion. By order entered December 14, 2017, the Civil Court denied defendant’s motion, finding that the “motion [is] incomplete” since “defendant[‘s] papers are missing the adjournment stipulation which set up the briefing schedule for the original motion.”
In support of defendant’s appellate contention that its motion to vacate should have been granted, defendant argues that, pursuant to the April 4, 2016 stipulation, its opposition papers and cross motion had to be served on or before “October 16, 2016” [sic], and it is of no consequence [*2]that a copy of the stipulation was not annexed to its papers submitted in support of its motion to vacate the January 20, 2017 order, since the contents of the stipulation are uncontroverted. However, CPLR 2214 (c) clearly provides that “The moving party shall furnish all other papers not already in the possession of the court necessary to the consideration of the questions involved.” As the stipulation was most certainly “necessary to the consideration of the questions involved,” the Civil Court properly denied defendant’s motion to vacate (see CPLR 2214 [c]; Cripps v Dibisceglie, 172 AD3d 1305, 1306 [2019]; Wells Fargo Home Mtge., Inc. v Mercer, 35 AD3d 728 [2006]; Rudzinski v Jonathan L. Glashow, MD, PC, 55 Misc 3d 1215[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 50583[U], *3 [Sup Ct, Kings County 2017]). In any event, defendant failed to establish a reasonable excuse for its default based on law office failure (see CPLR 2005), as it did not “submit supporting facts in evidentiary form sufficient to justify the default” (Incorporated Vil. of Hempstead v Jablonsky, 283 AD2d 553, 554 [2001]).
In view of the foregoing, we pass on no other issue.
Accordingly, the order entered December 14, 2017 is affirmed.
WESTON, J.P., ELLIOT and SIEGAL, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: January 31, 2020
Reported in New York Official Reports at Charles Deng Acupuncture, P.C. v Windhaven Ins. Co. (2020 NY Slip Op 50176(U))
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
against
Windhaven Insurance Company, Appellant.
Lawrence N. Rogak, LLC (Lawrence N. Rogak of counsel), for appellant. The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Damin J. Toell and Karina Barska of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Harriet L. Thompson, J.), entered June 15, 2017. The order denied defendant’s 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 in the amount of $2,738.52, defendant appeals from an order of the Civil Court which denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.
On appeal, defendant argues that the Civil Court lacked “jurisdiction” because defendant is not covered by the provisions of New York Insurance Law § 5107. To the extent that the argument goes to subject matter jurisdiction, it lacks merit. As the complaint seeks to recover a sum of less than $25,000, this action falls within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Civil Court (see CCA 202).
To the extent that defendant asserts lack of personal jurisdiction, there is no need to consider defendant’s claimed lack of contacts with New York since, pursuant to CPLR 3211 (e), an objection to personal jurisdiction is waived unless it is raised in the answer or in a pre-answer motion to dismiss the complaint, whichever comes first (see Hatch v Tu Thi Tran, 170 AD2d 649 [1991]; see also Parasconda v Club Mateem, Inc., 33 Misc 3d 141[A], 2011 NY Slip Op 52201[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2011]). “Absent the pursuit of either course, a defendant’s voluntary participation in litigation in which the point can be raised, in and of itself, constitutes a submission to the jurisdiction of the courts” (Gager v White, 53 NY2d 475, 488 [1981]). Here, defendant first appeared by interposing its answer, in which it raised the affirmative defense that the summons was not properly served, but was silent on the issue of personal jurisdiction due to a lack of a jurisdictional basis for the service. Thus, it waived all personal jurisdiction defenses other than the actual service of process (see Hatch, 170 AD2d at [*2]649; Osserman v Osserman, 92 AD2d 932 [1983]).
Even if we view defendant’s argument on appeal as a claim that, on the merits, there is no liability here because defendant is exempt from Insurance Law § 5107, which requires certain insurers to provide no-fault coverage, defendant failed to demonstrate that its policy did not, in fact, provide for such coverage (see Masigla v Windhaven Ins. Co., 64 Misc 3d 137[A], 2019 NY Slip Op 51169[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2019]). Consequently, defendant did not demonstrate its entitlement to judgment as a matter of law.
Accordingly, the order is affirmed.
WESTON, J.P., ELLIOT and SIEGAL, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: January 31, 2020
Reported in New York Official Reports at Gentlecare Ambulatory Anesthesia Servs. v GEICO Ins. Co. (2020 NY Slip Op 50067(U))
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
against
GEICO Ins. Co., Respondent.
The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Damin J. Toell and Richard Ruzhik of counsel), for appellant. Rivkin Radler, LLP (J’Naia L. Boyd of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Richard J. Montelione, J.), entered November 3, 2017. The order granted defendant’s motion to vacate an order of that court (Robin Kelly Sheares, J.) dated August 12, 2016 granting plaintiff’s prior unopposed motion for summary judgment, and upon such vacatur, to deny plaintiff’s prior motion and grant defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, to the extent of vacating the August 12, 2016 order and the judgment entered January 10, 2017 pursuant thereto, and, in effect, denying plaintiff’s prior motion and “reinstat[ing]” an October 27, 2016 order of that court (Robin S. Garson, J.) granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.
ORDERED that the order entered November 3, 2017 is reversed, with $30 costs, and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court for a new determination of defendant’s motion to vacate the August 12, 2016 default order, and, upon such vacatur, to deny plaintiff’s prior motion for summary judgment and grant defendant summary judgment dismissing the complaint.
In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff served a motion for summary judgment on October 7, 2015, returnable on November 9, 2015, which, by stipulation, was adjourned to August 12, 2016. On December 23, 2015, while [*2]plaintiff’s motion was pending, defendant served a motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, returnable on January 25, 2016, which, by stipulation, was adjourned to October 26, 2016. On August 12, 2016, despite defendant’s request for an adjournment of plaintiff’s motion to the return date of defendant’s own pending motion for summary judgment, presumably so that the motions could be decided together, the Civil Court (Robin Kelly Sheares, J.) granted plaintiff’s unopposed motion for summary judgment. Three days later, on August 15, 2016, plaintiff served opposition papers to defendant’s still-pending motion for summary judgment, which plaintiff denominated as “Defendant’s cross-motion”; those papers also referenced and purported to further support “plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment.”
By order to show cause signed on October 20, 2016, defendant moved to vacate the August 12, 2016 order granting plaintiff’s unopposed motion for summary judgment and, upon such vacatur, to deny plaintiff’s prior motion and grant defendant summary judgment dismissing the complaint. While that motion was pending, the Civil Court (Robin S. Garson, J.), by order entered October 27, 2016, granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. On January 10, 2017, a default judgment was entered awarding plaintiff the principal sum of $2,418.95, based upon the August 12, 2016 order. On August 18, 2017, plaintiff served opposition papers to defendant’s October 20, 2016 motion. Defendant subsequently served reply papers, attaching the October 27, 2016 order granting its motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. By order entered November 3, 2017, the Civil Court (Richard J. Montelione, J.) granted defendant’s motion to the extent of vacating the August 12, 2016 order and the January 10, 2017 judgment entered pursuant thereto, and, in effect, denying plaintiff’s prior motion and “reinstat[ing]” the October 27, 2016 order granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, giving it “full force and effect.”
In order to vacate a default order or judgment pursuant to CPLR 5015 (a) (1), a defendant must demonstrate both a reasonable excuse for the default and a potentially meritorious defense to the action (see Li Fen Li v Cannon Co., Inc., 155 AD3d 858 [2017]; Aurora Loan Servs., LLC v Ahmed, 122 AD3d 557 [2014]). Here, in the November 3, 2017 order, the Civil Court relied on the October 27, 2016 order, which awarded summary judgment to defendant, to find that defendant had a potentially meritorious defense to the action sufficient to warrant the vacatur of the August 12, 2016 order.
A grant of summary judgment is the procedural equivalent of a trial (see Falk v Goodman, 7 NY2d 87, 91 [1959]; News Am. Mktg., Inc. v Lepage Bakeries, Inc., 16 AD3d 146 [2005]), and an order granting such relief is as final and as conclusively determinative of all issues in an action as is a judgment after trial (see Engel v Aponte, 51 AD2d 989 [1976]; Riley v Southern Transp. Co., 278 App Div 605 [1951]). Here, the grant of summary judgment to plaintiff by order dated August 12, 2016 was a final determination of the action. Therefore, the Civil Court should not have issued its October 27, 2016 order granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment, since it should not even have entertained that motion, as that motion did not seek to vacate the August 12, 2016 order granting plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment upon defendant’s default. Consequently, it was error for the Civil Court, in its November 3, 2017 order, [*3]to rely on the October 27, 2016 order—which purported to award defendant summary judgment after plaintiff had already been awarded summary judgment on August 12, 2016—and to find, by virtue of the October 27, 2016 order, that defendant had established a meritorious defense, in order to grant the branch of defendant’s motion seeking to vacate the August 12, 2016 order (and, in effect, the January 10, 2017 judgment entered pursuant thereto). Rather, the Civil Court should have made its own independent assessment of the merits of the branch of defendant’s motion seeking to vacate the August 12, 2016 order based on the facts submitted in those motion papers in order to determine whether the default should be vacated and, if so, whether upon such vacatur, the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment should be granted.
Accordingly, the order entered November 3, 2017 is reversed and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court for a new determination of defendant’s motion to vacate the August 12, 2016 default order and, upon such vacatur, to deny plaintiff’s prior motion for summary judgment and grant defendant summary judgment dismissing the complaint.
WESTON, J.P., ALIOTTA and SIEGAL, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: January 17, 2020
Reported in New York Official Reports at Matter of Metro Pain Specialist P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2020 NY Slip Op 50014(U))
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 9th and 10th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
against
Country-Wide Insurance Company, Appellant.
Jaffe & Velazquez, LLP (Jean H. Kang of counsel), for appellant. Gabriel & Shapiro, LLC (Lenard Brumfield, Esq.), for respondent (no brief filed).
Appeal from an order of the District Court of Suffolk County, Third District (James F. Matthews, J.), dated November 2, 2017. The order granted the petition in a CPLR 7511 proceeding to vacate a master arbitrator’s award dated December 19, 2016, and, upon such vacatur, in effect, confirmed the arbitrator’s award and awarded attorney’s fees to petitioner.
ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with $25 costs, and the matter is remitted to the District Court for further proceedings consistent herewith.
After a provider’s claims for assigned first-party no-fault benefits had been denied based on the provider’s “failure to cooperate” at an examination under oath, and upon “improper kickbacks,” “improper fee splitting,” “improper fee scheduling” and “billing for services not rendered,” the provider submitted the claims to arbitration pursuant to Insurance Law § 5106 (b). Following a hearing, the arbitrator found that the provider had established its prima facie case which the insurer had failed to rebut, and awarded the provider the monies it sought. The insurer appealed the award to the master arbitrator who, by an award dated December 19, 2016, vacated the arbitrator’s award and remitted the matter for a hearing before a new arbitrator. The provider then commenced this proceeding to vacate the master arbitrator’s award, pursuant to CPLR 7511 (1) (b) (iii), on the ground that the master arbitrator had exceeded his power. The insurer opposed the petition and requested that the master arbitrator’s award be confirmed. The District [*2]Court, by order dated November 2, 2017, from which the insurer appeals, found that there was a rational basis for the original arbitrator’s award, that the master arbitrator had “exceeded his statutory authority,” granted the petition, vacated the master arbitrator’s award, and, upon such vacatur, “reinstated” the original arbitrator’s award, and awarded attorney’s fees to the provider.
The scope of judicial review of a master arbitrator’s award is limited to whether the master arbitrator exceeded his power (see Matter of Smith [Firemen’s Ins. Co.], 55 NY2d 224 [1982]; Matter of Petrofsky [Allstate Ins. Co.], 54 NY2d 207 [1981]). The role of a master arbitrator “is to review the arbitrator’s determination to assure that it was reached in a rational manner and that the decision was not arbitrary and capricious. It does not include the power to review, de novo, the matter originally presented to the arbitrator” (Matter of Allstate Ins. Co. v Keegan, 201 AD2d 724, 725 [1994]; see also Matter of Petrofsky [Allstate Ins. Co.], 54 NY2d 207; Matter of Progressive Cas. Ins. Co. [Elite Med. Supply of NY, LLC], 162 AD3d 1471, 1472 [2018]). A master arbitrator exceeds his statutory power by making factual determinations, by reviewing factual and procedural errors committed at the original arbitration hearing, by weighing the evidence, or by resolving issues of credibility (see Matter of Smith [Firemen’s Ins. Co.], 55 NY2d 224; Matter of Richardson v Prudential Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 230 AD2d 861 [1996]; Matter of Allstate Ins. Co. v Keegan, 201 AD2d at 725).
Here, the master arbitrator vacated the arbitrator’s award based on “[t]he rational and what appears to [sic] insufficient evidence presented,” which necessarily involves a review of the facts by the master arbitrator (see e.g. Matter of Allstate Ins. Co. v Keegan, 201 AD2d at 725). Upon our review of the record, we find that there was a rational basis for the original arbitrator’s award. Consequently, the master arbitrator exceeded his authority by reviewing, de novo, factual issues already determined by the original arbitrator (see Matter of Richardson v Prudential Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 230 AD2d 861). We, thus, affirm the order of the Civil Court which vacated the master arbitrator’s award and, in effect, confirmed the arbitrator’s award (see CPLR 7511 [b] [1] [iii]; 7510).
Furthermore, the provider is entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees for this appeal (see 11 NYCRR § 65-4.10 [j] [4]; Acuhealth Acupuncture, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co., 170 AD3d 1168, 1169 [2019]; Matter of GEICO Ins. Co. v AAAMG Leasing Corp., 148 AD3d 703, 705 [2017]). Therefore, the matter is remitted to the District Court to determine the provider’s reasonable attorney’s fees for this appeal (see Acuhealth Acupuncture, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co., 170 AD3d at 1168).
Accordingly, the order is affirmed and the matter is remitted to the District Court for further proceedings relating to attorney’s fees.
It is noted that a proceeding to vacate or to confirm an arbitrator’s award is a special proceeding brought pursuant to CPLR article 4 and should, therefore, terminate in a judgment rather than an order (see CPLR 411).
ADAMS, P.J., TOLBERT and GARGUILO, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: January 02, 2020
Reported in New York Official Reports at Biotech Surgical Supply, Inc. v Country Wide Ins. Co. (2019 NY Slip Op 52143(U))
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
against
Country Wide Insurance Company, Respondent.
Glinkenhouse, Floumanhaft & Queen, by Glinkenhouse Queen (Alan Queen and Stephen J. Green of counsel), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Larry Love, J.), entered February 22, 2018. The order, insofar as appealed from, sua sponte stayed the accrual of no-fault statutory interest from February 3, 2003 through February 14, 2017.
ORDERED that the appeal is dismissed.
This action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits was settled in February 2003. Defendant did not pay the settlement amount, and a judgment was entered on January 30, 2017, pursuant to CPLR 5003-a. Plaintiff subsequently moved, pursuant to CPLR 5019 (a), to, in effect, correct the January 30, 2017 judgment by recalculating the interest. By order entered February 22, 2018, the Civil Court granted the motion but, sua sponte, stayed the accrual of statutory no-fault interest from February 3, 2003 through February 14, 2017. Plaintiff appeals from so much of the order as, sua sponte, stayed the accrual of interest.
The portion of the order which tolled the accrual of interest did not address a demand for relief made on notice and was, therefore, sua sponte. Thus, that portion of the order is not appealable as of right (see CCA 1702 [a] [2]; Sholes v Meagher, 100 NY2d 333 [2003]; Active Care Med. Supply Corp. v Delos Ins. Co., 55 Misc 3d 144[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 50650[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2017]), and we decline to grant leave to appeal. [*2]Plaintiff “could properly have moved to vacate the order and appealed as of right” to this court in the event that the motion was denied (Sholes, 100 NY2d at 335; see Active Care Med. Supply Corp., 55 Misc 3d 144[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 50650[U]; see also CCA 1702 [a] [3]), but plaintiff failed to make such a motion.
With respect to the position of the dissenting justice, we submit that deeming the appeal as something other than an improper appeal without permission should not be done routinely, particularly as there have been numerous such appeals made without permission in cases similar to this.
Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed.
PESCE, P.J., and ELLIOT, J., concur.
WESTON, J., dissents and votes to, on the court’s own motion, treat the notice of appeal as an application for leave to appeal and grant leave, and, thereupon, to reverse the order, insofar as appealed from, and to vacate so much of the order as stayed the accrual of statutory no-fault interest, in the following memorandum:
This is yet another case in which this court has had to address the Civil Court’s sua sponte stay of the accrual of statutory no-fault interest. While it may be expedient to dismiss the appeal, in my opinion, plaintiff’s notice of appeal should be treated as a motion for leave to appeal and such leave granted. Alternatively, plaintiff’s motion may be treated as a motion to resettle the judgment, and the court’s order, which materially changed the prior judgment, is appealable (see Weksler v Weksler, 81 AD3d 401 [2011]; Gormel v Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., 151 AD2d 1048 [1989]). Upon granting leave, I would reverse so much of the order as stayed the accrual of no-fault statutory interest.
This action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits was settled in February 2003. Defendant did not pay the settlement amount, and a judgment was subsequently entered on January 30, 2017, pursuant to CPLR 5003-a. Plaintiff appeals from so much of an order of the Civil Court entered February 22, 2018 as sua sponte stayed the accrual of no-fault statutory interest from February 3, 2003 through February 14, 2017.
The Civil Court erred in staying interest from the date of the settlement of the action to the date when the motion was made. Once the case settled, defendant was obligated to pay the agreed-upon amount to plaintiff (see CPLR 5003-a) and “plaintiff, as the prevailing party, was not required to make a demand for the money” (B.Z. Chiropractic, P.C. v Allstate Ins. Co., 56 Misc 3d 139[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 51091[U], *2 [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2017]; see CPLR 5003-a [e]). Defendant did not demonstrate that plaintiff had prevented defendant in any way from paying the settlement amount (see ERHAL Holding Corp. v Rusin, 252 AD2d 473, 474 [1998]; Juracka v Ferrara, 120 AD2d 822 [1986]; Craniofacial Pain Mgt. v Allstate Ins. Co., 61 Misc 3d 155[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 51825[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th [*3]& 13th Jud Dists 2018]; B.Z. Chiropractic, P.C., 56 Misc 3d 139[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 51091[U]). Therefore, the Civil Court erred in tolling the accrual of interest (see Craniofacial Pain Mgt., 61 Misc 3d 155[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 51825[U]; B.Z. Chiropractic, P.C., 56 Misc 3d 139[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 51091[U]).
Accordingly, the order, insofar as appealed from, should be reversed, and so much of the order as stayed the accrual of statutory no-fault interest from February 3, 2003 to February 14, 2017 should be vacated.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 31, 2019
Reported in New York Official Reports at Family One Chiropractor, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2019 NY Slip Op 52142(U))
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
against
Country-Wide Insurance Co., Respondent.
Glinkenhouse, Floumanhaft & Queen, by Glinkenhouse Queen (Alan Queen and Stephen J. Green of counsel), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Larry Love, J.), entered February 20, 2018. The order, insofar as appealed from, sua sponte stayed the accrual of no-fault statutory interest from February 20, 2008 through February 22, 2017.
ORDERED that the appeal is dismissed.
This action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits was settled in February 2008. Defendant did not pay the settlement amount, and a judgment was entered on January 31, 2017 pursuant to CPLR 5003-a. Plaintiff subsequently moved, pursuant to CPLR 5019 (a), to, in effect, correct the January 31, 2017 judgment by recalculating the interest. By order entered February 20, 2018, the Civil Court granted the motion but, sua sponte, stayed the accrual of statutory no-fault interest from February 20, 2008 through February 22, 2017. Plaintiff appeals from so much of the order as, sua sponte, stayed the accrual of interest.
The portion of the order which tolled the accrual of interest did not address a demand for relief made on notice and was, therefore, sua sponte. Thus, that portion of the order is not appealable as of right (see CCA 1702 [a] [2]; Sholes v Meagher, 100 NY2d 333 [2003]; Active Care Med. Supply Corp. v Delos Ins. Co., 55 Misc 3d 144[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 50650[U] [App [*2]Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2017]), and we decline to grant leave to appeal. Plaintiff “could properly have moved to vacate the order and appealed as of right” to this court in the event that the motion was denied (Sholes, 100 NY2d at 335; see Active Care Med. Supply Corp., 55 Misc 3d 144[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 50650[U]; see also CCA 1702 [a] [3]), but plaintiff failed to make such a motion.
With respect to the position of the dissenting justice, we submit that deeming the appeal as something other than an improper appeal without permission should not be done routinely, particularly as there have been numerous such appeals made without permission in cases similar to this.
Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed.
PESCE, P.J., and ELLIOT, J., concur.
WESTON, J., dissents and votes to, on the court’s own motion, treat the notice of appeal as an application for leave to appeal and grant leave, and, thereupon, to reverse the order, insofar as appealed from, and to vacate so much of the order as stayed the accrual of statutory no-fault interest, in the following memorandum:
This is yet another case in which this court has had to address the Civil Court’s sua sponte stay of the accrual of statutory no-fault interest. While it may be expedient to dismiss the appeal, in my opinion, plaintiff’s notice of appeal should be treated as a motion for leave to appeal and such leave granted. Alternatively, plaintiff’s motion may be treated as a motion to resettle the judgment, and the court’s order, which materially changed the prior judgment, is appealable (see Weksler v Weksler, 81 AD3d 401 [2011]; Gormel v Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., 151 AD2d 1048 [1989]). Upon granting leave, I would reverse so much of the order as stayed the accrual of no-fault statutory interest.
This action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits was settled in February 2008. Defendant did not pay the settlement amount, and a judgment was entered on January 31, 2017 pursuant to CPLR 5003-a. Plaintiff appeals from so much of an order of the Civil Court entered February 20, 2018 as sua sponte stayed the accrual of no-fault statutory interest from February 20, 2008 through February 22, 2017.
The Civil Court erred in staying interest from the date of the settlement of the action to the date when the motion was made. Once the case settled, defendant was obligated to pay the agreed-upon amount to plaintiff (see CPLR 5003-a) and “plaintiff, as the prevailing party, was not required to make a demand for the money” (B.Z. Chiropractic, P.C. v Allstate Ins. Co., 56 Misc 3d 139[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 51091[U], *2 [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2017]; see CPLR 5003-a [e]). Defendant did not demonstrate that plaintiff had prevented defendant in any way from paying the settlement amount (see ERHAL Holding Corp. v Rusin, 252 AD2d 473, 474 [1998]; Juracka v Ferrara, 120 AD2d 822 [1986]; Craniofacial Pain Mgt. v [*3]Allstate Ins. Co., 61 Misc 3d 155[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 51825[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2018]; B.Z. Chiropractic, P.C., 56 Misc 3d 139[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 51091[U]). Therefore, the Civil Court erred in tolling the accrual of interest (see Craniofacial Pain Mgt., 61 Misc 3d 155[A], 2018 NY Slip Op 51825[U]; B.Z. Chiropractic, P.C., 56 Misc 3d 139[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 51091[U]).
Accordingly, the order, insofar as appealed from, should be reversed, and so much of the order as stayed the accrual of statutory no-fault interest from February 20, 2008 to February 22, 2017 should be vacated.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 31, 2019
Reported in New York Official Reports at Comprehensive Care Physical Therapy, P.C. v GEICO Ins. Co. (2019 NY Slip Op 52070(U))
Comprehensive Care Physical Therapy, P.C. v GEICO Ins. Co. |
2019 NY Slip Op 52070(U) [66 Misc 3d 131(A)] |
Decided on December 13, 2019 |
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 December 13, 2019
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, BERNICE D. SIEGAL, JJ
2018-1813 K C
against
GEICO Ins. Co., Respondent.
The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Damin J. Toell of counsel), for appellant. Rivkin Radler, LLP (Stuart M. Bodoff of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Sharon Bourne-Clarke, J.), entered June 15, 2018. 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 on the ground that plaintiff had failed to appear for duly scheduled examinations under oath.
For the reasons stated in Omphil Care, Inc., as Assignee of Small, Shereen v GEICO Ins. Co. (__ Misc 3d ___, 2019 NY Slip Op _____ [appeal No. 2018-1604 K C], decided herewith), the order is affirmed.
PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SIEGAL, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 13, 2019
Reported in New York Official Reports at Comprehensive Care Physical Therapy, P.C. v GEICO Ins. Co. (2019 NY Slip Op 52069(U))
Comprehensive Care Physical Therapy, P.C. v GEICO Ins. Co. |
2019 NY Slip Op 52069(U) [66 Misc 3d 131(A)] |
Decided on December 13, 2019 |
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 December 13, 2019
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, BERNICE D. SIEGAL, JJ
2018-1811 K C
against
GEICO Ins. Co., Respondent.
The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Damin J. Toell of counsel), for appellant. Rivkin Radler, LLP (Stuart M. Bodoff of counsel), for respondent.
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Sharon Bourne-Clarke, J.), entered June 15, 2018. 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 on the ground that plaintiff had failed to appear for duly scheduled examinations under oath.
For the reasons stated in Omphil Care, Inc., as Assignee of Small, Shereen v GEICO Ins. Co. (__ Misc 3d ___, 2019 NY Slip Op _____ [appeal No. 2018-1604 K C], decided herewith), the order is affirmed.
PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SIEGAL, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 13, 2019
Reported in New York Official Reports at Active Care Med. Supply Corp. v American Tr. Ins. Co. (2019 NY Slip Op 52068(U))
Active Care Med. Supply Corp. v American Tr. Ins. Co. |
2019 NY Slip Op 52068(U) [66 Misc 3d 131(A)] |
Decided on December 13, 2019 |
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 December 13, 2019
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, BERNICE D. SIEGAL, JJ
2018-1771 K C
against
American Transit Ins. Co., Respondent.
The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Damin J. Toell of counsel), for appellant. Law Office of Daniel J. Tucker, for respondent (no brief filed).
Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Rosemarie Montalbano, J.), entered June 18, 2018. 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 on the ground that plaintiff had failed to appear for duly scheduled examinations under oath (EUOs).
Contrary to plaintiff’s contentions on appeal, defendant established that the 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 had failed to appear for the duly scheduled EUOs (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 35 AD3d 720 [2006]).
Accordingly, the order is affirmed.
PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SIEGAL, JJ., concur.
ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 13, 2019