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Forte v. Vaccaro

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jul 8, 1991
175 A.D.2d 153 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)

Opinion

July 8, 1991

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


Ordered that the order is reversed, on the law, with costs, the defendants' motion is granted, and the complaint is dismissed.

A review of the record demonstrates that the plaintiff has failed to establish a prima facie case that she sustained "serious injury" within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102 (d). Among the injuries claimed by the plaintiff are sprain of the cervical and lumbosacral spines with radiculitis, contusions and sprains of the pelvis and acute thoracic sprain with continuing pain and suffering, residual functional limitations, and restriction of range of motion. Although the plaintiff continued to be treated by an orthopedic surgeon approximately two years subsequent to the accident, neither the affidavit submitted by that physician nor the medical reports previously prepared demonstrated that the purported limitations suffered by the plaintiff were objectively measured or quantified (see, Philpotts v Petrovic, 160 A.D.2d 856, 857).

The mere repetition of the word "permanent" in the affidavits of a plaintiff or a treating physician does not suffice to establish serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102 (d). Summary judgment should be granted to the defendant where the plaintiff's evidence is limited to conclusory assertions tailored to meet statutory requirements (see, Lopez v Senatore, 65 N.Y.2d 1017, 1019).

Since the X-rays taken of the plaintiff were negative for fractures, the record contains no indication that other diagnostic tests were performed, and the plaintiff conceded that she only missed two days of work after the accident, the plaintiff has failed to raise a triable issue of fact on the crucial issue of "serious injury". Under the circumstances, the defendants' motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint should have been granted (see, Scheer v Koubek, 70 N.Y.2d 678; Adolphe v Ramirez, 173 A.D.2d 583; Reid v Spivack, 160 A.D.2d 859). Kunzeman, J.P., Sullivan, Harwood and Rosenblatt, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Forte v. Vaccaro

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Jul 8, 1991
175 A.D.2d 153 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)
Case details for

Forte v. Vaccaro

Case Details

Full title:HONORA E. FORTE, Respondent, v. THOMAS S. VACCARO et al., Appellants

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

Date published: Jul 8, 1991

Citations

175 A.D.2d 153 (N.Y. App. Div. 1991)
572 N.Y.S.2d 41

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