LMS Acupuncture, P.C. v. State Farm Mut. Automotive Ins. Co.

CourtAppellate Terms of the Supreme Court of New York
DecidedMay 3, 2019
Docket2019 NYSlipOp 50696(U)
StatusPublished

This text of LMS Acupuncture, P.C. v. State Farm Mut. Automotive Ins. Co. (LMS Acupuncture, P.C. v. State Farm Mut. Automotive Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Terms of the Supreme Court of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
LMS Acupuncture, P.C. v. State Farm Mut. Automotive Ins. Co., (N.Y. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion



LMS Acupuncture, P.C., as Assignee of Monroe, Rashod, Appellant,

against

State Farm Mutual Automotive 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 (Richard J. Montelione, J.), entered January 30, 2017. The order granted defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint and denied plaintiff's cross motion for summary judgment.

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 granted defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that plaintiff had failed to appear for duly scheduled examinations under oath (EUOs) and denied plaintiff's cross motion for summary judgment.

Contrary to plaintiff's contention, the proof submitted by defendant in support of its motion was sufficient to demonstrate that plaintiff had failed to appear for the EUOs (see Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v Progressive Cas. Ins. Co., 35 AD3d 720 [2006]). Furthermore, defendant was not required to set forth objective reasons for requesting the EUOs in order to establish its prima facie entitlement to summary judgment, as an insurer need only demonstrate "as a matter of law that it twice duly demanded an [EUO] from the [provider] . . . [*2]that the [provider] twice failed to appear, and that the [insurer] issued a timely denial of the claim[]" (Interboro Ins. Co. v Clennon, 113 AD3d 596, 597 [2014]; see Parisien v Metlife Auto & Home, 54 Misc 3d 143[A], 2017 NY Slip Op 50208[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2017]; Palafox PT, P.C. v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 49 Misc 3d 144[A], 2015 NY Slip Op 51653[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2015]). As plaintiff's remaining contention lacks merit, plaintiff has not provided any basis to disturb the Civil Court's order.

Accordingly, the order is affirmed.

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


ENTER:
Paul Kenny
Chief Clerk
Decision Date: May 03, 2019

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Related

Stephen Fogel Psychological, P.C. v. Progressive Casualty Insurance
35 A.D.3d 720 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2006)

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Bluebook (online)
LMS Acupuncture, P.C. v. State Farm Mut. Automotive Ins. Co., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lms-acupuncture-pc-v-state-farm-mut-automotive-ins-co-nyappterm-2019.