| Alvarez v Gerberg |
| 2011 NY Slip Op 03528 [83 AD3d 974] |
| April 26, 2011 |
| Appellate Division, Second Department |
| Adelina Alvarez et al., Respondents, v Bruce E. Gerberg etal., Defendants, and Bernard Beckerman et al., Appellants. |
—[*1] Shaub, Ahmuty, Citrin & Spratt, LLP, Lake Success, N.Y. (Christopher Simone and LenaHolubnyczyj of counsel), for appellant William Michael Martin. Leav & Steinberg, LLP, New York, N.Y. (Philip R. Papa of counsel), forrespondents.
In an action, inter alia, to recover damages for medical malpractice, etc., the defendantsBernard Beckerman and Huntington Hospital appeal from so much of an order of the SupremeCourt, Nassau County (Murphy, J.), entered September 14, 2009, as denied that branch of theirmotion which was for summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted againstthem, and the defendant William Michael Martin separately appeals, as limited by his brief, fromso much of the same order as denied that branch of his motion which was for summary judgmentdismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against him.
Ordered that the order is reversed insofar as appealed from by the defendant William MichaelMartin, on the law, and that branch of the motion of the defendant William Michael Martinwhich was for summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against him isgranted; and it is further,
Ordered that the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from by the defendants BernardBeckerman and Huntington Hospital; and it is further,
Ordered that one bill of costs is awarded to the defendant William Michael Martin, payableby the plaintiffs, and one bill of costs is awarded to the plaintiffs payable by the defendantsBernard Beckerman and Huntington Hospital.
"In order to establish the liability of a physician for medical malpractice, a plaintiff mustprove that the physician deviated or departed from accepted community standards of practice,and that such departure was a proximate cause of the plaintiff's injuries" (Stukas vStreiter, 83 AD3d 18, 23 [2011]; seeOlgun v Cipolla, 82 AD3d 1186; Hamilton v Good Samaritan Hosp. of Suffern, N.Y., 73 AD3d 697,698 [2010]). A defendant physician seeking summary judgment in a medical malpractice action"must make a prima facie showing that there was no departure from good and accepted medicalpractice or that the plaintiff [*2]was not injured thereby"(Stukas v Streiter, 83 AD3d 18, 24 [2011]; see Brady v Westchester County Healthcare Corp., 78 AD3d 1097,1098 [2010]; Castro v New York CityHealth & Hosps. Corp., 74 AD3d 1005, 1006 [2010]; Ellis v Eng, 70 AD3d 887, 890[2010]). If the defendant physician satisfies this prima facie burden, " 'a plaintiff must submitevidentiary facts or materials to rebut the defendant's prima facie showing, so as to demonstratethe existence of a triable issue of fact' " (Stukas v Streiter, 83 AD3d 18, 24 [2011],quoting Deutsch v Chaglassian, 71AD3d 718, 719 [2010]; see Brady v Westchester County Healthcare Corp., 78 AD3dat 1098; Castro v New York City Health & Hosps. Corp., 74 AD3d at 1006).
Here, in support of their motion, the defendants Bernard Beckerman and Huntington Hospital(hereinafter together the Hospital defendants) established their prima facie entitlement tojudgment as a matter of law through their submissions, including their expert's affidavit, whichshowed, prima facie, that their actions were not a departure from good and accepted medicalpractice. In opposition, however, the plaintiffs submitted their expert's affirmation which raised atriable issue of fact as to whether the Hospital defendants departed from good and acceptedmedical practice. Accordingly, the Supreme Court properly denied that branch of the Hospitaldefendants' motion which was for summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar asasserted against them.
The defendant William Michael Martin established his prima facie entitlement to judgmentas a matter of law through his submissions, including his expert affirmation which showed,prima facie, that Martin did not depart from good and acceptable medical practice. In opposition,the plaintiffs failed to raise a triable issue of fact, particularly in light of Martin's limited role inthe evaluation and treatment of the decedent Matthew Alvarez. Accordingly, the Supreme Courtshould have granted that branch of Martin's motion which was for summary judgment dismissingthe complaint insofar as asserted against him. Covello, J.P., Angiolillo, Dickerson and Hall, JJ.,concur.