Redding v. Saunders
| Decision Date | 17 March 1995 |
| Citation | 213 A.D.2d 1015,625 N.Y.S.2d 115 |
| Parties | Linda REDDING, individually and as Parent and Natural Guardian and Administratrix of the Estate of Teresa Felicia Hazel, Deceased Infant, Respondent, v. David G. SAUNDERS, M.D., Appellant. |
| Court | New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division |
Fager and Amsler by John Powers, New York City, for appellant.
The Law Office of Charles L. Davis by Charles Davis, Buffalo, for respondent.
Before GREEN, J.P., and PINE, CALLAHAN, DOERR and DAVIS, JJ.
Defendant moved to dismiss the complaint alleging medical malpractice because of plaintiff's untimely service of the complaint in response to his demand. Plaintiff, acting pro se, cross-moved to compel defendant to accept late service of the complaint, asserting in an affidavit that she was not aware of the time constraints on service of the complaint. Plaintiff also submitted unsworn medical records.
The complaint should have been dismissed for failure to provide a reasonable excuse for the delay or a sufficient affidavit of merit (see, Kel Mgt. Corp. v. Rogers & Wells, 64 N.Y.2d 904, 905, 488 N.Y.S.2d 156, 477 N.E.2d 458; Stolowitz v. Mount Sinai Hosp., 60 N.Y.2d 685, 686, 468 N.Y.S.2d 460, 455 N.E.2d 1255; Sabatino v. Albany Med. Ctr. Hosp., 187 A.D.2d 777, 778, 589 N.Y.S.2d 654; Cummings v. St. Joseph's Hosp. Health Ctr., 130 A.D.2d 957, 516 N.Y.S.2d 376). Plaintiff's pro se status does not constitute a reasonable excuse for untimely service of the complaint (see, Brooks v. Inn at Saratoga Assn., 88 A.D.2d 921, 591 N.Y.S.2d 625; Yule v. Comerford, 140 A.D.2d 981, 529 N.Y.S.2d 653), and plaintiff in her affidavit failed to establish merit to the action. In a medical malpractice action, "expert medical opinion evidence is required as to matters not within the ordinary experience and knowledge of laypeople" (Adams v. Agrawal, 187 A.D.2d 886, 887, ...
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...as modified, 457 N.W.2d 188 (Minn. 1990); Kelly v. Berlin, 300 N.J.Super. 256, 692 A.2d 552 (App.Div.1997); Redding v. Saunders, 213 A.D.2d 1015, 625 N.Y.S.2d 115 (1995) (mem.).14But see Hare v. Wendler, 263 Kan. 434, 442, 949 P.2d 1141, 1147 (1997) (noting that common knowledge exception c......
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