Key Takeaway
Court rules that incorrect floor designation in IME notice mailing address is not fatal when building address is otherwise correct and proper mailing procedures followed.
Unitrin Advantage Ins. Co. v Cohen & Kramer M.D., P.C., 2020 NY Slip Op 06474 (1st Dept. 2020)
Plaintiff insurer’s evidence, including affidavits attesting in detail to the regular business procedures and practices in the handling of its no-fault claims, including providing notice of scheduled IME exams to claimants, together with the mailing ledgers, which were signed and date-stamped by U.S. Postal Service employees, and listed therein IME notices received for mailing to the claimant here at his resident address, provided sufficient proof of proper mailing to support a presumption that the IME notices were received by the claimant (see Badio v Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 12 AD3d 229 ; Residential Holding Corp. v Scottsdale Ins. Co., 286 AD2d 679 ). Although the notices incorrectly added the designation “1st Floor” to the address, there is no dispute that the address was otherwise correct and that claimant resided at that building (see Cadle Co. v Tri-Angle Assoc., 18 AD3d 100 ).
The burden on the motion having shifted, defendant failed to offer any evidence in opposition, such as an affidavit from the claimant disavowing receipt of the IME notices or even describing the building composition in a manner that would support an inference that the inclusion of a floor in the address would result in nonreceipt. Plaintiff thus established that the injured claimant failed to appear for three properly scheduled IMEs, constituting breach of a condition precedent to no-fault coverage, warranting the denial of defendant’s claims to no-fault benefits for its medical services rendered to the claimant (see 11 NYCRR 65-1.1; Unitrin Advantage Ins. Co. v Bayshore Physical Therapy, PLLC, 82 AD3d 559 , lv denied 17 NY3d 705 )
The converse is true – the failure to put the suite or floor number is proof of mailing. The one thing that is necessary is to have the purported recipient sign an affidavit of non receipt.
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