`YSCEF
`NO.
`DOC.
`49
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 93
`
`INDEX NO. 27880/2016E
`RECEIVE
`08/03/203
`NTSCEFý
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 05/14/2019
`
`SUPREME
`
`COURT
`OF THE
`STATE
`BRONX
`COUNTY
`
`OF NEW Y
`
`K
`
`Part
`
`4
`
`an infant
`
`Palmer
`
`by her mother,
`,
`
`and
`
`Administratrix
`
`Decision
`
`at
`
`er.
`
`Index
`
`No.
`
`27880/2016e
`
`A.B.G.,
`
`Claudine
`
`Claudine
`
`Claudine
`
`Palmer,
`
`Palmer
`
`Individually,
`, as Proposed
`of A.B.G.,
`deceased
`
`of
`
`the Estate
`
`Plaintiffs
`
`-against-
`
`J. Crocco,
`Mary
`Armando
`
`Bernal,
`
`Jeannelle
`
`Chaperon,
`
`Jacqueline
`
`Biggs,
`
`Union
`
`Community
`St. Barnabas
`Hospital,
`OB/GYN
`
`, P.C.,
`
`Health
`
`and
`
`Inc.,
`Center,
`St. Barnabas
`
`Defendants
`
`Howard
`
`J.S.C.
`
`H.
`
`Sherman
`
`The fallcwing
`CPLR3211[a][3|,
`
`nursbered
`papers
`submitted
`April
`
`read
`1-5
`26, 2017
`
`on the motions
`
`[Seq. 001-002]
`
`to dismiss
`
`pursuant
`
`to
`
`PAPERS
`
`NUMBERED
`
`Notice
`
`of Motion,
`
`Affirmation
`
`, Exhibits
`
`A-B [Bernal,
`
`et alia.,]
`
`Notice
`
`of Motion,
`
`Affirmation,
`
`Exhibits
`
`1-3
`
`[Union
`
`/St.Barnabas]
`
`1
`
`2
`
`in Opposition
`
`Affirmation
`
`to Motions,Exhibits
`
`A,B
`
`Affirmation
`
`in Reply
`
`, Exhibit
`
`A [Bernal,
`
`et. alia.]
`
`Supplcmcatal
`
`Affirmation
`
`, Exhibits
`
`1-3 [Union/St.
`
`Barnabas)
`
`3
`
`4
`
`5
`
`Motions
`
`of 1) Defendants
`
`Armando
`
`Bernal,
`
`D.O.
`
`s/h/a
`
`ArmandoBemal,
`
`Jacqueline
`
`Biggs,
`
`CNM d/b/a
`
`Jacqueine
`
`Biggs,
`
`Jeannelle
`
`Chaperon,
`
`CNM s/h/a
`
`Jeannelle
`
`Chaperon,
`
`Mary
`
`J. Crocco,
`
`CNM d/b/a
`
`Mary
`
`J. Crocco,
`
`and
`
`St. Barnabas
`
`OB/GYN,
`
`P.C.,
`
`to dismiss
`
`the
`
`complaint
`
`pursuant
`
`to CPLR
`
`3211
`
`[a][3],
`
`and
`
`2) Defendants
`
`Union
`
`Community
`
`Health
`
`Center
`
`,
`
`Inc.,
`
`and
`
`St.
`
`Barnabas
`
`Hospital
`
`for
`
`leave
`
`to
`
`amend
`
`its
`
`answer
`
`to
`
`assert
`
`the
`
`1 o f
`
`4
`
`
`
`FILED: BRONX COUNTY CLERK 05/14/2019 02:23 PM
`DOC.
`YSCEF
`49
`NO.
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 93
`
`INDEX NO. 27880/2016E
`NYSCEF:
`RECEIVED
`08/03/203
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 05/14/2019
`
`affirmative
`
`defense
`
`of
`
`lack
`
`of
`
`capacity,
`
`and
`
`upon
`
`the
`
`granting
`
`of
`
`such
`
`relief,
`
`an
`
`order
`
`dismissing
`
`the
`
`complaint,
`
`are
`
`consolidated
`
`for
`
`purposes
`
`of
`
`disposition.
`
`This
`
`action
`
`was
`
`commenced
`
`in November
`
`2016,
`
`alleging
`
`medical
`
`malpractice
`
`in
`
`the
`
`prenatal
`
`diagnosis
`
`and
`
`treatment
`
`of Claudine
`
`Palmer
`
`(Palmer)
`
`resulting
`
`in injuries
`
`to
`
`and
`
`the
`
`death
`
`of
`
`the
`
`infant
`
`plaintiff.
`
`The
`
`action
`
`lack
`
`of
`
`second
`
`cause
`
`of
`
`alleges
`
`informed
`
`consent
`
`with
`
`respect
`
`to that
`
`prenatal
`
`care,
`
`and
`
`the
`
`third
`
`through
`
`fif
`
`th,
`
`claims
`
`in negligent
`
`hiring/supervision
`
`of
`
`the medical
`
`personnel,
`
`and
`
`the
`
`sixth
`
`cause
`
`of action
`
`asserts
`
`Palmer's
`
`claim
`
`for
`
`loss
`
`of
`
`services
`
`in connection
`
`with
`
`the
`
`infant
`
`plaintiff's
`
`death.
`
`The
`
`seventh
`
`cause
`
`of
`
`action
`
`alleges
`
`Palmer's
`
`claim
`
`of
`
`permanent
`
`emotional
`
`harm devolving
`
`from
`
`the
`
`plaintiff
`
`777 N.Y.S.2d
`
`809
`
`loss
`
`of
`
`the
`
`infant
`
`(see,
`
`Broadnax
`
`v. Gonzalez,
`
`2 N.Y.3d
`
`148,
`
`416,
`
`N.E.2d
`
`645
`
`[2004]).
`
`Issue
`
`was
`
`joined
`
`in December
`
`2016
`
`with
`
`service
`
`of
`
`the
`
`answer
`
`of Union
`
`Community
`
`Health
`
`Center,
`
`Inc.
`
`and
`
`St. Barnabas
`
`Hospital.
`
`. St. Barnabas
`
`OB/GYN,
`
`P.C.,
`
`and
`
`the
`
`individual
`
`defendants
`
`interposed
`
`their
`
`answers
`
`in the
`
`following
`
`month.
`
`As pertinent
`
`here,
`
`of
`
`these
`
`five
`
`answers
`
`asserted
`
`as a defense
`
`the
`
`lack
`
`of
`
`legal
`
`to commence
`
`the
`
`each
`
`action.
`
`capacity
`
`Defendants
`
`contend
`
`that
`
`the
`
`complaint
`
`must
`
`be
`
`dismissed
`
`because
`
`it
`
`was
`
`commenced
`
`an
`
`individual
`
`by
`
`lacking
`
`the
`
`necessary
`
`capacity
`
`to
`
`do
`
`so as Palmer
`
`has
`
`not
`
`been
`
`appointed
`
`as
`
`the
`
`Administrator
`
`of
`
`the
`
`estate
`
`of
`
`the
`
`deceased
`
`plaintiff
`
`(see,
`
`EPTL
`
`§ 5-4.1),
`
`as
`
`reflected
`
`in
`
`the
`
`caption
`
`in which
`
`she
`
`is
`
`denominated
`
`as
`
`the
`
`"proposed
`
`2
`
`of
`
`4
`
`
`
`FILED: BRONX COUNTY CLERK 05/14/2019 02:23 PM
`49
`NO.
`DOC.
`YSCEF
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 93
`
`INDEX NO. 27880/2016E
`NYSCEF:
`RECEIVED
`08/03/201
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 05/14/2019
`
`administratrix"
`
`of
`
`the
`
`estate.
`
`In
`
`opposition,
`
`plaintiffs
`
`argue
`
`that
`
`there
`
`is no
`
`basis
`
`for
`
`the
`
`dismissal
`
`of
`
`the
`
`claims
`
`asserted
`
`by Palmer
`
`in her
`
`individual
`
`capacity.
`
`Discussion
`
`and
`
`Conclusions
`
`Upon
`
`consideration
`
`of
`
`the
`
`papers
`
`on
`
`submission
`
`the
`
`,
`
`court
`
`finds
`
`that
`
`Defendants
`
`Union
`
`Community
`
`Health
`
`Center
`
`,
`
`Inc.,
`
`and
`
`St. Barnabas
`
`Hospital
`
`have
`
`demonstrated
`
`entitlement
`
`to the
`
`amendment
`
`sought
`
`, a it
`
`is
`
`well
`
`settled
`
`that
`
`leave
`
`to amend
`
`a pleading
`
`shall
`
`be
`
`freely
`
`granted
`
`absent
`
`prejudice
`
`or
`
`surprise
`
`resulting
`
`from
`
`the
`
`delay
`
`( see, CPLR
`
`3025
`
`[b]
`
`).
`
`On consideration
`
`of
`
`the motions
`
`pursuant
`
`to CPLR
`
`3211[a][3],
`
`it
`
`is clear
`
`that
`
`"proposed"
`
`claims
`
`asserted
`
`Palmer
`
`as
`
`administratrix
`
`lacks
`
`the
`
`legal
`
`capacity
`
`to bring
`
`those
`
`on
`
`behalf
`
`of
`
`the
`
`deceased
`
`infant,
`
`as she
`
`has
`
`not
`
`been
`
`issued
`
`letters
`
`of
`
`administration.
`
`It
`
`is settled
`
`that
`
`"[a]personal
`
`representative
`
`who
`
`has
`
`received
`
`letters
`
`of administration
`
`of
`
`the
`
`estate
`
`of
`
`a decedent
`
`is
`
`the
`
`only
`
`party
`
`who
`
`is authorized
`
`to
`
`bring
`
`a survival
`
`action
`
`for
`
`personal
`
`injuries
`
`sustained
`
`by
`
`the
`
`decedent
`
`and
`
`a wrongful
`
`death
`
`action
`
`to
`
`recover
`
`the
`
`damages
`
`sustained
`
`by
`
`the
`
`decedent's
`
`distributees
`
`on accountof
`
`his
`
`or her
`
`death"
`
`(Mingone
`
`v. State,
`
`100 A.D.2d
`
`897,
`
`474 N.Y.S.2d
`
`557
`
`[2d Dept
`
`1984]
`
`citing
`
`EPTL
`
`1-2.13,
`
`5-4.1,
`
`subd.
`
`1; 11-3.2,
`
`subd.
`
`[b]
`
`).
`
`-3-
`
`3 of
`
`4
`
`
`
`FILED: BRONX COUNTY CLERK 05/14/2019 02:23 PM
`49
`NO.
`DOC.
`YSCEF
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 93
`
`INDEX NO. 27880/2016E
`08/03/203
`NYSCEF:
`RECEIVED
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 05/14/2019
`
`Accordingly,
`
`the motions
`
`are
`
`granted
`
`to
`
`the
`
`extent
`
`of
`
`dismissing
`
`the
`
`negligence
`
`causes
`
`of
`
`action
`
`asserted
`
`on behalf
`
`of
`
`the
`
`deceased
`
`plaintiff
`
`, as well
`
`as
`
`the
`
`claim
`
`for
`
`the
`
`infant's
`
`wrongful
`
`death,
`
`and
`
`the
`
`attendant
`
`derivative
`
`claim.
`
`Settle
`
`Order
`
`in
`
`accordance
`
`with
`
`the
`
`above.
`
`Dated:
`
`July
`
`31,
`
`2017
`
`Howard
`
`H. Sherman
`
`-4-
`
`4 of
`
`4
`
`