Sushchenko v. Dyker Emergency Physicians Service,P.C.
Opinion of the Court
Expert testimony is necessary to prove a deviation from the accepted standard of medical care and to establish proximate cause where, as here, the matter is not within the experience of the ordinary juror (see Lyons v McCauley, 252 AD2d 516, 517 [1998]). When the testimony of a necessary expert witness is precluded, and it is therefore impossible to make out a prima facie case, it is proper to dismiss the complaint (see Bickford v St. Francis Hosp., 19 AD3d 344, 346 [2005]; Rossi v Matkovic, 227 AD2d 609 [1996]; Kalkan v Nyack Hosp., 214 AD2d 538, 539 [1995]). The complaint was, therefore, properly dismissed insofar as asserted against the respondents pursuant to CPLR 4401 (see Szczerbiak v Pilat, 90 NY2d 553, 556 [1997]; Godlewska v Niznikiewicz, 8 AD3d 430, 431 [2004]; Smith v Vosburgh, 176 AD2d 259 [1991]).
The parties’ remaining contentions either are without merit or need not be reached in light of our determination. Rivera, J.P., Florio, Eng and Leventhal, JJ., concur.
Motion by the respondents Dyker Emergency Physicians Service, EC., and B.N. Nigam on an appeal from a judgment of the
Upon the papers filed in support of the motion and the papers filed in opposition thereto, and upon the argument of the appeal, it is
Ordered that the motion is denied. Rivera, J.E, Florio, Eng and Leventhal, JJ., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.