November 26, 2013

Right Aid Diagnostic Medicine, P.C. v GEICO Ins. Co. (2013 NY Slip Op 52003(U))

Headnote

The court considered the denial of plaintiff's motion for summary judgment and the denial of defendant's cross motion for summary judgment. The main issue decided was the medical necessity of the services at issue in the action to recover first-party no-fault benefits. The court held that in this case, the provider had not rebutted the defendant's prima facie showing that there was no medical necessity for the services at issue, and therefore granted the defendant's cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. The appellate court reversed the lower court's order and granted the defendant's cross motion for summary judgment, with costs.

Reported in New York Official Reports at Right Aid Diagnostic Medicine, P.C. v GEICO Ins. Co. (2013 NY Slip Op 52003(U))

Right Aid Diagnostic Medicine, P.C. v GEICO Ins. Co. (2013 NY Slip Op 52003(U)) [*1]
Right Aid Diagnostic Medicine, P.C. v GEICO Ins. Co.
2013 NY Slip Op 52003(U) [41 Misc 3d 140(A)]
Decided on November 26, 2013
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This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.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 26, 2013

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


PRESENT: : PESCE, P.J., ALIOTTA and SOLOMON, JJ
2011-2778 Q C.
Right Aid Diagnostic Medicine, P.C. as Assignee of RENE THERMIDOR, Respondent, —

against

GEICO Ins. Co., Appellant.

Appeal from an order of the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County (Richard G. Latin, J.), entered June 13, 2011. The order, insofar as appealed from, denied defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order, insofar as appealed from, is reversed, with $30 costs, and defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is granted.

In this action by a provider to recover assigned first-party no-fault benefits, the Civil Court denied plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, stating that the only issue for trial was the medical necessity of the services at issue (see CPLR 3212 [g]).

In support of its cross motion, defendant submitted a sworn peer review report which set forth a factual basis and medical rationale for the reviewer’s determination that there was no medical necessity for the services at issue. Defendant’s prima facie showing was not rebutted by plaintiff. Since plaintiff has not challenged the Civil Court’s finding, in effect, that defendant is otherwise entitled to judgment, defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is granted (see Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v Integon Natl. Ins. Co., 24 Misc 3d [*2]136[A], 2009 NY Slip Op 51502[U] [App Term, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2009]; Delta Diagnostic Radiology, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 18 Misc 3d 128[A], 2007 NY Slip Op 52455[U] [App Term, 2d & 11th Jud Dists 2007]; A. Khodadadi Radiology, P.C. v NY Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 16 Misc 3d 131[A], 2007 NY Slip Op 51342[U] [App Term, 2d & 11th Jud Dists 2007]).

Pesce, P.J., Aliotta and Solomon, JJ., concur.
Decision Date: November 26, 2013