Fiore v. Galang

• Decision Date: 28 March 1985
• Citation: 489 N.Y.S.2d 47,64 N.Y.2d 999,478 N.E.2d 188
• Parties: , 478 N.E.2d 188 de5 Esther K. FIORE et al., Appellants, v. Dominador GALANG et al., Defendants, and Benedictine Hospital, Respondent.
• Court: New York Court of Appeals Court of Appeals

Page 47

489 N.Y.S.2d 47

64 N.Y.2d 999, 478 N.E.2d 188

de5 Esther K. FIORE et al., Appellants, v.Dominador GALANG et al., Defendants and Benedictine Hospital, Respondent.

Court of Appeals of New York.

March 28, 1985.

David D. Glass, for appellants.

Norman Bard, Garden City, for respondent.

OPINION OF THE COURTMEMORANDUM.

The order of the Appellate Division, 105 A.D.2d 970, 482 N.Y.S.2d 110, should be affirmed, with costs.

We agree that absent a sufficient affidavit of merits it was error, as a matter of law, not to grant defendant Hospital's motion for summary judgment(Kel Mgt. Corp. v. Rogers & Wells, 64 N.Y.2d 904;Canter v. Mulnick, 60 N.Y.2d 689, 468 N.Y.S.2d 462, 455 N.E.2d 1257;Stolowitz v. Mount Sinai Hosp., 60 N.Y.2d 685, 468 N.Y.S.2d 460, 455 N.E.2d 1255).Moreover, in light of plaintiffs' argument that the verified complaint should be accepted as an affidavit of merits (CPLR 105), we note that, except as to matters within the ordinary experience and knowledge of laymen, in a medical malpractice action, expert medical opinion evidence is required to demonstrate merit (cf.Meiselman v. Crown Hgts. Hosp., 285 N.Y. 389, 34 N.E.2d 367).This malpractice claim is for negligence in the failure to diagnose cancer and in the performance of an abdominal operation, which are not matters within the ordinary experience of laypersons.

WACHTLER, C.J., and JASEN, MEYER, SIMONS, KAYE and ALEXANDER, JJ., concur.

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