Summary
holding that a 10% restriction of extension and/or rotation of the cervical spine is not a type 7 injury and summary judgment is granted
Summary of this case from Scotto v. MoraldoOpinion
October 27, 1998
Appeal from the Supreme Court, New York County (Barbara Kapnick, J.).
The physician's affirmation stating summarily that the three plaintiffs all suffered from permanent disability of the cervical spine was insufficient to raise a triable issue as to whether plaintiffs had in fact sustained permanent loss of use or permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ, member or function within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102 (d) ( see, Lopez v. Senatore, 65 N.Y.2d 1017). Nor was the other medical evidence adduced by plaintiffs sufficient to sustain their action in the face of defendant's prima facie meritorious summary judgment motion. Medical proof of "serious injury" offered respecting one of the plaintiffs was inadequate for its failure to specify the degree of limitation or restriction caused by the injury ( see, Stallone v. County of Suffolk, 209 A.D.2d 403) and was based upon an MRI examination performed more than a year-and-a-half earlier by a physician other than the affiant ( see, Friedman v. U-Haul Truck Rental, 216 A.D.2d 266). As to the two remaining plaintiffs, the 10 percent restriction of extension and/or rotation they claim to have suffered is not under the circumstances of this case of sufficient magnitude to qualify as a "significant" or "important" limitation of use ( see, Waldman v. Dong Kook Chang, 175 A.D.2d 204; Medina v. Zalmen Reis Assocs., 239 A.D.2d 394; compare, DiLeo v. Blumberg, 250 A.D.2d 364), or a permanent loss of use ( see, Hutchinson v. Beth Cab Corp., 204 A.D.2d 151) within the meaning of the statute. Plaintiffs' papers were also deficient for their failure to include affirmations from their treating physicians based upon examinations performed in the near aftermath of the accident; nor did plaintiffs provide information respecting the nature of the medical treatment they received for their injuries or explanation for the almost two-year gap between the accident and their physician's examination ( see, Medina v. Zalmen Reis Assocs., 239 A.D.2d, supra, at 395).
Concur — Sullivan, J. P., Rosenberger, Nardelli, Williams and Andrias, JJ.