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Community Hosp. at Glen Cove v. Am. Home

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 4, 1991
171 A.D.2d 639 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

Summary

stating that negligent supervision and training of a physician was not a "professional service"

Summary of this case from Fid. Nat'l Title Ins. Co. v. Maxum Indem. Co.

Opinion

March 4, 1991

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Nassau County (Molloy, J.).


Ordered that the order and judgment is affirmed, with costs.

We agree with the Supreme Court that the general liability policy issued to the plaintiff hospital requires the defendant carrier to defend and indemnify with respect to the underlying claim alleging negligence in the hospital's hiring, training and supervision of a physician accused of sexually abusing a patient. An examination of the policy establishes that the foregoing claim falls within the policy's coverage provisions and is not exempted in clear and unmistakable language by the exclusionary endorsements relied upon by the carrier. Significantly, it has been held that "before an insurance company is permitted to avoid policy coverage, it must satisfy the burden which it bears of establishing that the exclusions or exemptions apply in the particular case * * * and that they are subject to no other reasonable interpretation" (Seaboard Sur. Co. v Gillette Co., 64 N.Y.2d 304, 311; see, International Paper Co. v Continental Cas. Co., 35 N.Y.2d 322, 325; AFA Protective Sys. v. Atlantic Mut. Ins. Co., 157 A.D.2d 683, 685). Our review of the record reveals that the defendant has failed to discharge its burden in this respect.

Moreover, the defendant's further assertion that the negligent hiring claim constituted a "medical incident" which was covered, if at all, by a previously lapsed professional liability portion of the policy is similarly without merit. Although the definition of a "medical incident" under the foregoing provisions includes, inter alia, acts or omissions arising out of the "furnishing of professional health care services", it cannot be said that the hospital's alleged negligence in hiring, supervising and training the physician in question arises out of the rendition of such professional services or that a review of the policy in its entirety evinces an intent to provide coverage for such a claim solely as a "medical incident" under the formerly applicable hospital liability segment of the policy.

We have reviewed the defendant's remaining contentions and find them to be without merit. Bracken, J.P., Kooper, Harwood and Balletta, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Community Hosp. at Glen Cove v. Am. Home

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 4, 1991
171 A.D.2d 639 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

stating that negligent supervision and training of a physician was not a "professional service"

Summary of this case from Fid. Nat'l Title Ins. Co. v. Maxum Indem. Co.
Case details for

Community Hosp. at Glen Cove v. Am. Home

Case Details

Full title:COMMUNITY HOSPITAL AT GLEN COVE, Respondent, v. AMERICAN HOME ASSURANCE…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Mar 4, 1991

Citations

171 A.D.2d 639 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)
567 N.Y.S.2d 122

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