November 23, 2018

Nova Chiropractic Servs., P.C. v GEICO Gen. Ins. Co. (2018 NY Slip Op 51697(U))

Headnote

The court considered a case where Nova Chiropractic Services, P.C. was seeking to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits from GEICO General Insurance Company. The main issue was the medical necessity of the services provided, and the Civil Court precluded the testimony of GEICO's expert witness, granting Nova Chiropractic's motion for a directed verdict. The judgment in favor of Nova Chiropractic in the amount of $2,184.94 was appealed by GEICO. The Appellate Term reversed the judgment and remitted the matter to the Civil Court for a new trial, citing a similar case as precedent. The holding of the case was that the judgment in favor of Nova Chiropractic was reversed and the matter was sent back for a new trial.

Reported in New York Official Reports at Nova Chiropractic Servs., P.C. v GEICO Gen. Ins. Co. (2018 NY Slip Op 51697(U))

Nova Chiropractic Servs., P.C. v GEICO Gen. Ins. Co. (2018 NY Slip Op 51697(U)) [*1]

Nova Chiropractic Servs., P.C. v GEICO Gen. Ins. Co.

2018 NY Slip Op 51697(U) [61 Misc 3d 146(A)]

Decided on November 23, 2018

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This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.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 23, 2018

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

PRESENT: : MICHAEL L. PESCE, P.J., THOMAS P. ALIOTTA, DAVID ELLIOT, JJ
2016-1221 K C

Nova Chiropractic Services, P.C., as Assignee of Domingo Bustos, Respondent,
against
GEICO General Insurance Company, Appellant.

Law Office of Goldstein & Flecker (Lawrence J. Chanice of counsel), for appellant. Law Offices of Emilia I. Rutigliano, P.C., for respondent (no brief filed).

Appeal from a judgment of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Kings County (Robin Kelly Sheares, J.), entered February 10, 2016. The judgment, after a nonjury trial, awarded plaintiff the principal sum of $2,184.94.

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

At a nonjury trial of this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, the sole issue was the medical necessity of the services in question. The Civil Court precluded the testimony of defendant’s expert witness and granted plaintiff’s motion for a directed verdict. Defendant appeals from the judgment that was subsequently entered in favor of plaintiff in the principal sum of $2,184.94.

For the reasons stated in Nova Chiropractic Servs., P.C., as Assignee of Miguel A. Vizcaino v GEICO Gen. Ins. Co. (__ Misc 3d ___, 2018 NY Slip Op _____ [appeal No. 2016-1054 K C], decided herewith), the judgment is reversed and the matter is remitted to the Civil Court for a new trial.

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

ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: November 23, 2018