October 14, 2008

Inconsistent Expert Opinions Result in Denial of Summary Judgment

In Joseph v.Hummel, Ms. Joseph sued to recover for her injuries from a car accident. The defendants alleged that her injuries did not meet the "serious injury threshold" set forth by New York Insurance Law. They asked the Court to throw out the case and submitted affirmations of their expert doctors, Edward A. Toriello, M.D. (orthopedic surgeon) and Monette G. Basson, M.D. (neurologist), who stated that Ms. Joseph did not suffer a serious injury because her range of motion in the injured parts of her body were "normal". However, each doctor had a different opinion as to what "normal range of motion" was and had a different opinion on the actual range of motion the plaintiff had at the time of their defense medical examination. The judge stated that this was fatal to their application to dismiss the case and he denied their motion. www.foleygriffin.com