EBT's in no fault practice – "laches does not apply"

Queens Chiropractic Mgt., P.C. v Country Wide Ins. Co. 2009 NY Slip Op 51073(U)(App. Term 2d Dept. 2009).

In yet another defeat to the Plaintiff’s bar in no-fault actions in the Second Department, the Appellate Term has now held that the passage of time will not in and of itself act to waive the right of an insurance carrier seeking to take an EBT of the Plaintiff.

While the facts do not state it, an EBT in no-fault is conditioned on the EBT not being palpably improper, which outside the corporate structure world, would mean that the insurance carrier has presumably presented proof of a timely and valid denial. The case law has already discussed this point.

This decision, as many know, is in contrast to Accurate Medical, P.C. v. Travelers Ins. Co. 13 Misc.3d 133(A)(App. Term 1st Dept. 2006), which held that:

“the record reveals that defendant served plaintiff with a notice of deposition and written discovery demands in August 2004. Defendant did not object to plaintiff’s written interrogatories nor did it avail itself of the opportunity to conduct plaintiff’s deposition prior to plaintiff filing a notice of trial in April 2006. Under these circumstances, and in view of defendant’s failure to show the need to conduct a deposition, the motion to vacate the notice of trial was properly denied.”

Accurate Medical did not cite to any authority for its rule of law, whereas the Queens Chiropractor Court cited to Kornblatt v Jaguar Cars, 172 AD2d 590 (2d Dept. 1991). The pertinent section of Kornblatt states the following:

“Finally, the plaintiff’s invocation of laches to prevent the production of the records lacks merit. In a deposition on March 9, 1988, JCI had requested the tax returns, but the plaintiff refused. Possessing the knowledge that JCI wanted the returns, then, any prejudice suffered by the plaintiff a year later when the court compelled their production was of his own making, and he cannot now complain.”

Yet, a reading of Kornblatt shows that a party resisting an EBT demand can assert laches, provided he or she demonstrates prejudice. But, it is hard to imagine how a showing of “prejudice” would be proved in a majority of litigated no-fault cases.

Related Articles

• NY EBT Venue Rules: When Courts Grant Undue Hardship Exceptions for Depositions
• Appellate Term holds CPLR 3212(f) relief is inappropriate under three separate circumstances
• EBT procedural requirements in no-fault cases following Fogel decision
• Assignor’s failure to appear for EBT doesn’t justify sanctions against assignee
• New York No-Fault Insurance Law