Right Aid Med. Supply Corp. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51857(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Right Aid Med. Supply Corp. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51857(U))

Right Aid Med. Supply Corp. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51857(U)) [*1]
Right Aid Med. Supply Corp. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51857(U) [58 Misc 3d 140(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2015-354 K C

Right Aid Medical Supply Corp., as Assignee of Reyes, Jonnathan, Appellant,

against

State Farm Mutual Automobile Ins. Co., Respondent.

The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Joseph D. DePalma, Esq.), for appellant. Richard T. Lau & Associates, (Martin Dolitsky, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Devin P. Cohen, J.), entered November 12, 2014. The order granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is reversed, with $30 costs, and defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is denied.

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 that the action was premature because plaintiff had failed to provide requested verification. By order entered November 12, 2014, the Civil Court granted defendant’s motion.

In support of its motion, defendant established that it had timely mailed its verification request and follow-up verification request (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]). Defendant also demonstrated prima facie that it had not received the requested verification and, thus, that plaintiff’s action is premature (see Central Suffolk Hosp. v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 24 AD3d 492 [2005]). However, in opposition to the motion, plaintiff submitted an affidavit from plaintiff’s employee, 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 [*2]AD2d 679 [2001]). In light of the foregoing, there is a triable issue of fact as to whether this action is premature (see Healing Health Prods., Inc. v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 44 Misc 3d 59 [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2014]).

Accordingly, the order is reversed and defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is denied.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
W.H.O. Acupuncture, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51856(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at W.H.O. Acupuncture, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51856(U))

W.H.O. Acupuncture, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51856(U)) [*1]
W.H.O. Acupuncture, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51856(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2015-317 Q C

W.H.O. Acupuncture, P.C., as Assignee of Smith Monique, Appellant,

against

Country-Wide Ins. Co., Respondent.

Petre and Zabokritsky, P.C. (Zachary Rozenberg, Esq.), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Richard G. Latin, J.), entered December 5, 2014. 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 moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. By order entered December 5, 2014, the Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion and granted defendant’s cross motion.

For the reasons stated in MT Servs. P.T., P.C., as Assignee of Richardson Steven v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (__ Misc 3d __, 2017 NY Slip Op ____ [appeal No. 2015-155 Q C], decided herewith), the order is affirmed.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
Exclusive Physical Therapy, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51855(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Exclusive Physical Therapy, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51855(U))

Exclusive Physical Therapy, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51855(U)) [*1]
Exclusive Physical Therapy, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51855(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2015-294 Q C

Exclusive Physical Therapy, P.C., as Assignee of Szeser Michal, Appellant,

against

Country-Wide Ins. Co., Respondent.

Petre and Zabokritsky, P.C. (Zachary Rozenberg, Esq.), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (William A. Viscovich, J.), entered December 2, 2014. The order, insofar as appealed from as limited by the brief, denied the branches of plaintiff’s motion seeking summary judgment upon so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon claims for the sums of $246.40 and $985.60, and granted the branches of defendant’s cross motion seeking summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as it sought to recover upon those claims.

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. Insofar as is relevant to this appeal, by order entered December 2, 2014, the Civil Court denied the branches of plaintiff’s motion seeking summary judgment upon so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon claims for the sums of $246.40 and $985.60, and granted the branches of defendant’s cross motion seeking summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as it sought to recover upon those claims.

For the reasons stated in MT Servs. P.T., P.C., as Assignee of Richardson Steven v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (__ Misc 3d ___, 2017 NY Slip Op _____ [appeal No. 2015-155 Q C], decided herewith), the order, insofar as appealed from, is affirmed.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
Fine Arts PT, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51854(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Fine Arts PT, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51854(U))

Fine Arts PT, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51854(U)) [*1]
Fine Arts PT, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51854(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2015-288 Q C

Fine Arts PT, P.C., as Assignee of Vertilus Lesly, Appellant,

against

Country-Wide Ins. Co., Respondent.

Petre and Zabokritsky, P.C. (Zachary Rozenberg, Esq.), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Richard G. Latin, J.), entered December 3, 2014. 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 moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. By order entered December 3, 2014, the Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion and granted defendant’s cross motion.

For the reasons stated in MT Servs. P.T., P.C., as Assignee of Richardson Steven v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (__ Misc 3d ___, 2017 NY Slip Op _____ [appeal No. 2015-155 Q C], decided herewith), the order is affirmed.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
Vega Chiropractic, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51853(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Vega Chiropractic, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51853(U))

Vega Chiropractic, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51853(U)) [*1]
Vega Chiropractic, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51853(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2015-167 Q C

Vega Chiropractic, P.C., as Assignee of Floyd Joseph, Appellant,

against

Country-Wide Ins. Co., Respondent.

Petre and Zabokritsky, P.C., (Zachary Rozenberg, Esq.), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Richard G. Latin, J.), entered December 3, 2014. 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 moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. By order entered December 3, 2014, the Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion and granted defendant’s cross motion.

For the reasons stated in MT Servs. P.T., P.C., as Assignee of Richardson Steven v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (__ Misc 3d ___, 2017 NY Slip Op _____ [appeal No. 2015-155 Q C], decided herewith), and since plaintiff’s remaining contention lacks merit, the order is affirmed.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
Avenue I Med., P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51852(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Avenue I Med., P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51852(U))

Avenue I Med., P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51852(U)) [*1]
Avenue I Med., P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51852(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2015-156 Q C

Avenue I Medical, P.C., as Assignee of Floyd Joseph, Appellant,

against

Country-Wide Ins. Co., Respondent.

Petre and Zabokritsky, P.C., (Zachary Rozenberg, Esq.), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (William A. Viscovich, J.), entered December 2, 2014. 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 moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. By order entered December 2, 2014, the Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion and granted defendant’s cross motion.

For the reasons stated in MT Servs. P.T., P.C., as Assignee of Richardson Steven v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (__ Misc 3d___, 2017 NY Slip Op ____[appeal No. 2015-155 Q C], decided herewith), the order is affirmed.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
MT Servs. P.T., P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51851(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at MT Servs. P.T., P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51851(U))

MT Servs. P.T., P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51851(U)) [*1]
MT Servs. P.T., P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51851(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2015-155 Q C

MT Services P.T., P.C., as Assignee of Richardson Steven, Appellant,

against

Country-Wide Ins. Co., Respondent.

Petre and Zabokritsky, P.C., (Zachary Rozenberg, Esq.), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Richard G. Latin, J.), entered December 3, 2014. 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 moved for summary judgment and defendant cross-moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. By order entered December 3, 2014, the Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion and granted defendant’s cross motion.

Contrary to plaintiff’s contention, defendant established that it had timely mailed initial and follow-up requests for written verification (see 11 NYCRR 65-3.5 [b]; 65-3.8 [l]; St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]). As defendant demonstrated that it had not received the requested verification, and plaintiff did not show that the verification had been provided to defendant prior to the commencement of the action, the 30-day period within which defendant was required to pay or deny the claims did not begin to run (see 11 NYCRR 65-3.5 [c]; 65-3.8 [a]; Central Suffolk Hosp. v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 24 AD3d 492 [2005]). As plaintiff’s remaining contentions regarding the [*2]verification requested by defendant lack merit, the order is affirmed.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
Active Chiropractic, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51850(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Active Chiropractic, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51850(U))

Active Chiropractic, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51850(U)) [*1]
Active Chiropractic, P.C. v Country-Wide Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51850(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2015-151 Q C

Active Chiropractic, P.C., as Assignee of Chambers Jaren, Appellant,

against

Country-Wide Ins. Co., Respondent.

Petre and Zabokritsky, P.C. (Zachary Rozenberg, Esq.), for appellant. Jaffe & Koumourdas, LLP (Jean H. Kang, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (William A. Viscovich, J.), entered December 1, 2014. The order, insofar as appealed from, denied the branch of plaintiff’s motion seeking summary judgment upon so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon a claim for the sum of $290.64 and granted the branch of defendant’s cross motion seeking summary judgment dismissing that portion of the complaint.

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. Plaintiff appeals from so much of an order of the Civil Court as denied the branch of plaintiff’s motion seeking summary judgment upon so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon a claim for the sum of $290.64 and granted the branch of defendant’s cross motion seeking summary judgment dismissing that portion of the complaint.

Contrary to plaintiff’s contention, defendant established that, after receiving the $290.64 claim at issue, it had timely mailed initial and follow-up requests for written verification (see 11 NYCRR 65-3.5 [b]; 65-3.8 [l]; St. Vincent’s Hosp. of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]). As defendant demonstrated that it had not received the requested verification, and plaintiff did not show that the verification had been provided to defendant prior [*2]to the commencement of the action, the 30-day period within which defendant was required to pay or deny the claim did not begin to run (see 11 NYCRR 65-3.5 [c]; 65-3.8 [a]; Central Suffolk Hosp. v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 24 AD3d 492 [2005]). Plaintiff’s remaining contentions regarding the verification requested by defendant lack merit.

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

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
Greater NY Med. Care, P.C. v Allstate Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51849(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Greater NY Med. Care, P.C. v Allstate Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51849(U))

Greater NY Med. Care, P.C. v Allstate Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51849(U)) [*1]
Greater NY Med. Care, P.C. v Allstate Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51849(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2014-2794 RI C

Greater NY Medical Care, P.C., as Assignee of Owoeye, Princess, Respondent,

against

Allstate Insurance Company, Appellant.

Law Offices of Peter C. Merani, P.C. (Eric M. Wahrburg, Esq.), for appellant. Lana Sukhman, Esq., for respondent (no brief filed).

Appeal from a judgment of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Richmond County (Mary Kim Dollard, J.), entered December 2, 2014. The judgment, after a nonjury trial, awarded plaintiff the principal sum of $3,119.44.

ORDERED that, on the court’s own motion, the notice of appeal from a decision of that court dated June 28, 2013 is deemed a premature notice of appeal from the judgment entered December 2, 2014 (see CPLR 5520 [c]); and it is further,

ORDERED that the judgment is reversed, with $30 costs, and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court for a new trial.

Following a nonjury trial in this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, the Civil Court determined that defendant had demonstrated, prima facie, through the presentation of credible expert witness testimony, that the medical services at issue had not been medically necessary and that plaintiff had not rebutted defendant’s case. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Civil Court awarded judgment to plaintiff in the principal sum of $3,119.44. In light of the contradiction between the Civil Court’s findings and its award, a new trial is warranted.

Accordingly, the judgment is reversed and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court for a new trial.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017
Masigla v National Liab. & Fire Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51847(U))

Reported in New York Official Reports at Masigla v National Liab. & Fire Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51847(U))

Masigla v National Liab. & Fire Ins. Co. (2017 NY Slip Op 51847(U)) [*1]
Masigla v National Liab. & Fire Ins. Co.
2017 NY Slip Op 51847(U) [58 Misc 3d 139(A)]
Decided on December 22, 2017
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 22, 2017
SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, SECOND DEPARTMENT, 2d, 11th and 13th JUDICIAL DISTRICTS
PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, MARTIN M. SOLOMON, JJ
2014-2082 Q C

Maria S. Masigla, P.T., as Assignee of Gilbert, Anthony, Appellant,

against

National Liability & Fire Insurance Company, Respondent.

The Rybak Firm, PLLC (Damin J. Toell, Esq.), for appellant. Law Offices of Moira Doherty, P.C. (Janice P. Rosen, Esq.), for respondent.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Sally E. Unger, J.), entered August 12, 2014. The order, insofar as appealed from, granted the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon claims which had been denied on the ground that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to attend independent medical examinations.

ORDERED that the order, insofar as appealed from, is reversed, with $30 costs, and the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon claims which had been denied on the ground that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to attend independent medical examinations is denied.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, plaintiff appeals from so much of an order of the Civil Court as granted the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon claims which had been denied on the ground that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to attend independent medical examinations (IMEs).

Plaintiff correctly argues that the affidavit submitted by defendant in support of its motion did not sufficiently set forth a standard office practice or procedure that would ensure that its letters scheduling plaintiff’s assignor for IMEs had been properly mailed (see St. Vincent’s Hosp. [*2]of Richmond v Government Empls. Ins. Co., 50 AD3d 1123 [2008]; TAM Med. Supply Corp. v National Liab. & Fire Ins. Co., 53 Misc 3d 134[A], 2016 NY Slip Op 51423[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2016]). Thus, defendant did not demonstrate its entitlement to summary judgment.

Accordingly, the order, insofar as appealed from, is reversed and the branch of defendant’s motion seeking summary judgment dismissing so much of the complaint as sought to recover upon claims which had been denied on the ground that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to attend IMEs is denied.

PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ., concur.


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 22, 2017