Ahmad v Gurung

Annotate this Case

Download PDF

Ahmad v Gurung 2020 NY Slip Op 35408(U) December 14, 2020 Supreme Court, Kings County Docket Number: Index No. 505630/2016 Judge: Reginald A. Boddie Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York State and local government sources, including the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication. INDEX NO. 505630/2016 FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 12/21/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 53 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/24/2020 A1 n I . . Pan.95 ofthe Sup:remc: Cowtoflb.c St te of ew York. \eld in ll nd forthe Cuunty of Kings. t the oud · ouse. l&ca.~ed at 360 Adams St~ ct, Borough of Brooklyn, City and SI ate of i e.w Y. Jk o tie I Lhd yofDccembcr 1020. PR ES T: Honorable Regmal.d A. Boddie Just' oe. up me ow1 -------·- - --------------------------------- -x WAQA AHMAD and JA VEER A A HFAQAIIMAD, Ind ex o. 5OS 30/2016 Cal, No, 1 M 1 Plaintiff , -agabtst- KARM OUR DE ISION A D ORD R G. D f'eadanl ----------------------------------------------------------x ecitation, as l' quir, d by CP rn, 2219 (a), of the papel'S on sid er-ed in the r,evtew of th~ • tion: umbered Docs. ii 14-21 38-48 Upon th foregoing cited ,papers. d ·fend ant• motion for summary judg:mont, pu ua, ·t lo CPLR 212, is d cided as follow : Pfai:ntiffs commeuc d th" actio against defi ndant tor ,cov rfor personal injuri aHegedly su taincd on farcb .23 2016, at 2:45 PM, as a n nhbound Brucikner xp~way under th sign for ·ult a motor vehicle acddcnt on the xn 9, approximately a half mile fr-om tts imerse fion with 1i illi t th time of1he ace-dent, p1 iotfffs all ged lhat motor ve]ticle o n d and op rated by d fend ant struc,k the moto vehicle operated by pfairuiff Waq Ahmad, husband of plaintiff fa veecya A hfaq Ahmad, and caused him to su tai:n eriou and per:m.aneru. injurie H> the neck, 1 [* 1] 1 of 6 INDEX NO. 505630/2016 FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 12/21/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 53 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/24/2020 back, left elbow and both knees . .pecifica.lly, pl intiff alleged oft tissue injuries to h s cervical and ·umbar pme and contusions in the left elbow and both kne . Def<:<ndimm.moved[. r Ufllfflaryr judgment pUISi ant to CPLR 3212,. to dismiss, the com laiot on the gro00;.d that plaindff did not su a'n a crim.1ts injwy within th _meaning of Insurance Law § 5102 (d). Plaintiffs oppo,sed. Summary judgment is a drastic remedy and should not b - gran ed wh doub, ais to the exi t occof a triable issu (see Zr1ckerrmm v City of 562 (1980D. A part moving for umnwy judgment mu t ma ll:C there js any Yo,rk 49, Y~d 557* a pri:ma facie howtng of entitlement as a matter of law sufficient o dem nstrat the abs nee of any material i ues of fact, but once a prima f cie showing ha been made, the burd _11 shifts to the party opposing the mot ion to produce evident iary proof in admissible fonn suffic • nt to talMish materi I issue of fac , b·ch require trial ,o f lhc ac ·on ( Wine-grad ,New York Un/11• ~ d. Ctr.• M [19 l Z rt ken:nun 49 2d 851, 53 Y2d at 62). Det ndant ought ummary j,ud gme ,t on t e ground that plainti f tl id not suf er a serious injury. In a "ir;erious injury thre.shold'i motion for summary judgment, as here, defendant mu t initially submit competent medic I evidence es b!ishing that pilaintiff did no,t uffen 'serious injwy" and the injuries are not c usalily lated to the accident s-ee In urance Law SlOZ l[d]; se Kelly '1 G.hee, 1 Ad3d 10:54, l055 [2d Dept.201l]; see Wiuegrad 64! NY2d at 853). '~S tious injury•i means a personal injury which results i death; d"smembennent~significant di figurem nt; a fracture; loss of fetus; perma ,ent lo . ofus, of a body organ; m mber function or system· pennanent oonsequ tial limitation o,f :us of a body organ or m mber: ignificant Limitat' n ofu ofa b dyfu cfonor yst -m· oramedically detr-nnwed injury or irnp ument ofa nott-pennanent nature .· hich prevents the injured pet'. on from performing 2 [* 2] 2 of 6 INDEX NO. 505630/2016 FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 12/21/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 53 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/24/2020 substantially all of the mate ial act which constitute suc•1 perso 's usu I. and customary dai[y ac,tivitie.s fornof f ss than ninety days during th one hundred c"ghty dal)i\ imm diate y folJowing rhe occunrence oflh injury or impairn1ent (Insurance Law · S l02 (d]). The · ue i not wh her pfaintiff can ultimacely establish a ~'serious injury," but whether there exists an issue ,o f fact in the case on uch is ue (Zuckermar1 . 49 He ~ 2d at 562). defendant proffered the rep n of Audrey iscnstadt, -.D., a board cerf 1ed rad i lo,gisit, . ho on ovember I, 20 J9, viewed an MRJ of p1atintnr cervic 1 spine perfonned on. ta 3 2016. Dr. E· nstadt' mievi w revea ed dcgeneratio of the S-16 intcrvert bral d · c level· bulging at th _ C34 h1tervertebral di ·c le _1 with a right paracentral disc herniation as well as right uncinate/facctjoint hypertrophy with foraminal narrowing; bulging of disc materia with a right p,ar~ centr,d disc h _miation and rig ·t uncinate/facet joint hype "ropby with righ~. foramina1 steno is at the C5-6 interv nebm1 disc I cl; and right C3-4 and C5-6 unci:nat • facet hypertrophy. Dr. E · enstadt concluded plaintiff had d g eia ive disc d · eas involving the os[eoUs; ligamentous and intervertebral disc structure as well disc h miations, which predated th.is accident by six months. On ovembcr 11 2019, Dr. E"sen tadt a] o, revi wed an MRI ofpbindff's I mbar spine: perfonned n ay 6, 201,6. Sh.e ound d generatjon of the LJ~ interven,ebrai disc level; and bu lgirig of disc ma,terial. a the LJ-4 and LS-S l intierve:rtebr:al disc levels. Dr. Eisen.st d t concluded that her findings .. are typical in appe ranee or lumbar degenemti.ve disc disease,'' She further concluded 1at no i rvel is there an osseom contu ion, d sc herniation o annutar tear een j r.o,in.dicat any po Hnmnaric ahnommfitie: causally related to the 03!23/16 mc·dent • D fend ant lso profferod the rep rt of J. erge Paris· en .D ., a board certi 1ed orthopedic urgeo , who valuated plaindff on November 14, 2019. Dr. Parisien found normal 3 [* 3] 3 of 6 INDEX NO. 505630/2016 FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 12/21/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 53 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/24/2020 ra.nges of mot~on of tb.e cervical lP ine·; n tend m · o p - p tion ,o f the cervical paraspinaJ mu~oulatlile· and negative Forn.minal Compr _ion, hou ld r .Depre,.ssion, Soto HaH~ Cervical Distraction and Spurling tests. His examination of the ·ght shou1d er revealed normal ranges of motion; no winging of the scapula; and no d lloid atr phy :mr t•enderness on palpiation of the acromiodavicular joints. Dr, Pari.~ien futth r not d n en ory los · to light touc.h or pinprick as well as no gross ait ophy, His examination of the left e bow :rcvoa d no1mal ranges of motion as well as no swelling. effusion, :instability false mot.ion nor er pi u . Dr. Parisien's examination of the plaintifrs lwnhosacml spme reve Jed n :rm 1 ran of m tion, mupra m or tenderness over the paraspirnail muscufature on palpation. no n 0:ry d fieu , radtation ofpa~n, numbnes nor tmgJing norma1 Achilles deeptendonrenexes and nm f , rength. Hi e am:ination of the plaintiff' bilateral knees revealed aormal m__ng . of -- instability to varus or a1gus tressj no- join . · :rvical and h:t.mber spm , Dr. Parisien concluded that plaintiff' al ·cd 'njury right shou[der, left dhow and bilateral knees were re.sol ·ed. He fwthe:r condud,e d ••[t ]here is, no evidernoe ofa disability or pemtanency. The claiman can continu to work and pctform daily living activities without restrictions !i.temmin from ti e accident." Therefore, defendant met its prim.a facie burden by submitting competent medical evidence establishing plaintiff did not suffer a '·serious injury)' and the injuries are not c u _lly related to th1; acddent (see Insurance Law§ 5102 [d]; see Kelly, 87 AD3d at 1055), In opposition, plaintiff proffered the affimu1tion of idd harth Prakash, M.D,, a board certified diagnostic radiologi t , who on ovember 9, 2020 11 _ icwed t e MRI of plaintifrs c-ervicat spine conduc.ted on May 3 2016, Dr. Prak sh f. und spinenoid smus and rnucosal 4 [* 4] 4 of 6 INDEX NO. 505630/2016 FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 12/21/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 53 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/24/2020 thicke · g· loss of disc hydration at 2-C3 through C5-C6; ·ght para.central b:road-based di.~c herniation at C5-C6 butting the ventral aspect of be spiroal con:11 na.rr-owing th right fommina abutting the ex1hng light C6 nerve root~ and right foraminal di 1 herniation · a uring l 0tmn sagittal by 3 mm wide narrowing th right foramin at C3-C4. On o ember 9. 2020 Dr. Prakash at o revi - ed the MRI of plainti lumbar pi - conduct don May 3~ 20 l 6. He fou d a right paracentraI broad-based disc herniation extending 2mm po teriody ind nt mg upon th with f: t entral th c Isac, right art :ml recess and right fonmun - arthropathy t L3 -lA and a broad-based c ntral po, t ·or di c h,emi tion cxtend"n 2mm posteriorly ind nting upon the ventral thecal ac with foe t anhropathy at 5-S]. Dr. P'raka h concluded pl intiff had 'bro d-based oent 1 posteri r disc herniat~ n at LS-SI indenting upon the ventral theoal ac'' and urjght para.central disc herniation at . 3-L4 indenting upon th · ventral th cal sac, ri ht ]af,eral r-eee Plaintnf al&o and right f. rammca." ffered tho report of Denny A. Julewie · .D., a chiropractic speciali who e· aluated plaintjf on Mar-ch 6, 2020. With re pect to he c rvical spine Dr. Julewiez found: crvical pin : .Ranges of motion were feduced inaU rangm wn:hpain. Cervical Fe io i 25150. Oervical Extension is 20/50. Ce ica ateral Right is J0/45. Ccrvica[ Lateral Left is 15/45. , ·rvical Rotat ion Right is 30/8 . Cervica1 Rotation Left · 25/80. Pa.ti nt £ tes pain on lateral bending bifaterally e tension~flex ion and rotat1on bilateraUy . Dr. Jul wiez s evatuat i n of the lumbar spine re alcd: Lumbar Spin : Ranges of motion were reduced in a11 range-. Lumbar '•l . ion is 35/60. , umbar Exten~'on i.s 10/25. Lwnbar Late 1Right is lS/25. Lumbar Lat ral Left is 0/25. Lumbar Rot at · n Right is 2 ~ 5. Lumbar Rot aUon Left i 20/45. Patient tates pain on I te:ral bend in bilaterally, e t nsion, flexion, and ro al ·on on t'he left Dr. Julewicz diagnosed pla:itttiff with Cervical Intersegmental Dysfunction, herniated dtsc at 3~ and C5-C6 and Lumbar In ersegmenC I Dy function h mia ed disc . t L3-L4 and l5- S l. He concluded "within a reasonable degree. of m dica! certainty~ based on the pattenfs hi ·ory [* 5] 5 of 6 INDEX NO. 505630/2016 FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 12/21/2020 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 53 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 12/24/2020 and examination findings that Mr. Ahmad's inju 1·e- are a dwec.t resuk of the accidcnt ,o f Marcll 23, 2016, and he has su ta.ined permanent partial di ability." Therefore, plaintiff has rai d a triab e is.su of fact as t,o w 1et er h 1.marmed a ~ rious injury , e Perez v Schreier, I02 AD3d 939 [2d Dept 2013D, 1 Accordingly. d, fondants' mot ion for summacy judgment is denied, E NT R: Hon, R gina,1d A_ B ddie Ju tioe upreme Couli r:=;, 1 t • :-..:, I ()) 6 [* 6] 6 of 6 - •

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.