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Matter of Kopetz v. Board of Trustees

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Nov 16, 1998
255 A.D.2d 443 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)

Opinion

November 16, 1998

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Kings County (Vaughan, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, with costs.

Where, as here, the Board of Trustees of the New York City Fire Department Article 1-B Pension Fund (hereinafter the Fund) was unable to resolve the issue of causation, resulting in a tie vote, ordinary disability retirement is mandated ( see, Matter of Meyer v. Board of Trustees, 90 N.Y.2d 139, 144-145; Matter of Wolyniec v. Board of Trustees, 232 A.D.2d 495; Matter of City of New York v. Schoeck, 294 N.Y. 559). The determination of the Fund's Medical Board that the petitioner had not established that he was permanently disabled under the Cancer Bill (General Municipal Law § 207-kk) was based on "some credible evidence" ( see, Matter of Borenstein v. New York City Employees' Retirement Sys., 88 N.Y.2d 756, 760-761). Although the petitioner was diagnosed in 1982 with renal cancer and subsequently underwent a nephrectomy, medical reports and examinations indicated that he became and remained cancer-free. Further, the petitioner was able to resume full duty and it was not until January of 1994, after he suffered a stroke, that the petitioner was recommended for "light duty".

Further, the issue of whether the petitioner was disabled under the Heart Bill (General Municipal Law § 207-k) is not properly before this Court ( see, Matter of Roggemann v. Bane, 223 A.D.2d 854; Matter of Clowry v. Town of Pawling, 202 A.D.2d 663). In any event, the petitioner has failed to provide any evidence of an underlying heart disease ( see, Matter of Schwarzrock v. Board of Trustees, 238 A.D.2d 596, 597; Appleby v. Herkommer, 165 A.D.2d 727, 729; Matter of Kreie v. Board of Trustees, 143 A.D.2d 350).

The petitioner's remaining contentions are without merit.

Miller, J. P., Pizzuto, Friedmann and Goldstein, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Matter of Kopetz v. Board of Trustees

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Nov 16, 1998
255 A.D.2d 443 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
Case details for

Matter of Kopetz v. Board of Trustees

Case Details

Full title:In the Matter of FREDERICK KOPETZ, Appellant, v. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE…

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

Date published: Nov 16, 1998

Citations

255 A.D.2d 443 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
680 N.Y.S.2d 579