December 6, 2019

Pro-Align Chiropractic, P.C. v Integon Natl. Ins. Co. (2019 NY Slip Op 51967(U))

Headnote

The relevant facts considered by the court in this case were that Pro-Align Chiropractic, P.C. was seeking to recover first-party no-fault benefits as an assignee of Kethelyne Jean-Louis. The main issue decided was whether the defendant, Integon National Ins. Co., had timely mailed the IME scheduling letters and denial of claim forms, and whether the plaintiff's assignor had failed to appear for the scheduled IMEs. The holding of the court was that the defendant's proof sufficiently established that they had timely mailed the IME scheduling letters and denial of claim forms, and that the plaintiff's assignor had indeed failed to appear for the scheduled IMEs. As a result, the court affirmed the order granting the defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

Reported in New York Official Reports at Pro-Align Chiropractic, P.C. v Integon Natl. Ins. Co. (2019 NY Slip Op 51967(U))

Pro-Align Chiropractic, P.C. v Integon Natl. Ins. Co. (2019 NY Slip Op 51967(U)) [*1]
Pro-Align Chiropractic, P.C. v Integon Natl. Ins. Co.
2019 NY Slip Op 51967(U) [65 Misc 3d 157(A)]
Decided on December 6, 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This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.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 6, 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
2018-817 K C
Pro-Align Chiropractic, P.C., as Assignee of Kethelyne Jean-Louis, Appellant,

against

Integon National Ins. Co., Respondent.

Gary Tsirelman, P.C. (Darya Klein of counsel), for appellant. Law Offices of Moira Doherty, P.C. (Lisa Taranto-Fernandez 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 January 17, 2018. The order, insofar as appealed from as limited by the brief, granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint and denied the branch of plaintiff’s cross motion seeking to compel defendant to serve responses to plaintiff’s discovery demands.

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 appeals, as limited by its brief, from so much of an order of the Civil Court as granted defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that plaintiff’s assignor had failed to appear for duly scheduled independent medical examinations (IMEs) and denied the branch of plaintiff’s cross motion seeking to compel defendant to serve responses to plaintiff’s discovery demands.

Contrary to plaintiff’s arguments, defendant’s proof sufficiently established that defendant had timely mailed the IME scheduling letters and the denial of claim forms (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 scheduled IMEs (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v [*2]Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 35 AD3d 720 [2006]). Plaintiff’s remaining contention lacks merit.

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

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



ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: December 6, 2019