Opinion
11-25-2015
Edwin ORTIZ, et al., respondents, v. Justin X. LEWKOWICS, et al., appellants.
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, New York, N.Y. (Patrick J. Lawless and Ross B. Barbour of counsel), for appellants. Sgarlato & Sgarlato PLLC, Staten Island, N.Y. (Michael D. Fitzgerald of counsel), for respondents.
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, New York, N.Y. (Patrick J. Lawless and Ross B. Barbour of counsel), for appellants.
Sgarlato & Sgarlato PLLC, Staten Island, N.Y. (Michael D. Fitzgerald of counsel), for respondents.
Opinion
In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, the defendants appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Richmond County (Minardo, J.), dated January 22, 2015, which denied their motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that neither of the plaintiffs sustained a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d) as a result of the subject accident.
ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.
The defendants failed to establish, prima facie, that the plaintiffs did not sustain a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d) as a result of the subject accident (see Toure v. Avis Rent A Car Sys., 98 N.Y.2d 345, 746 N.Y.S.2d 865, 774 N.E.2d 1197; Gaddy v. Eyler, 79 N.Y.2d 955, 956–957, 582 N.Y.S.2d 990, 591 N.E.2d 1176). Accordingly, the Supreme Court properly denied the defendants' motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, regardless of the sufficiency of the plaintiffs' opposing papers (see Encarnacion v. Smith, 70 A.D.3d 628, 630, 893 N.Y.S.2d 625; Alvarez v. Dematas, 65 A.D.3d 598, 600, 884 N.Y.S.2d 178).
BALKIN, J.P., CHAMBERS, COHEN and HINDS–RADIX, JJ., concur.