Opinion
2013-10-4
Dianca ADAMS, Plaintiff–Appellant, v. Eva I. DAUGHTERY, Liston Daughtery, Kartrina L. Johnson (also known as Kartrina L. Wilson), Daniel C. Robinson and Johnson & Robinson Enterprises, Inc., Defendants–Respondents.
Athari & Associates, LLC, Utica (Ash A. Nelluvely of Counsel), for Plaintiff–Appellant. Hiscock & Barclay, LLP, Rochester (Gary H. Abelson of Counsel), for Defendants–Respondents Kartrina L. Johnson (also known as Kartrina L. Wilson), Daniel C. Robinson and Johnson & Robinson Enterprises, Inc.
Athari & Associates, LLC, Utica (Ash A. Nelluvely of Counsel), for Plaintiff–Appellant. Hiscock & Barclay, LLP, Rochester (Gary H. Abelson of Counsel), for Defendants–Respondents Kartrina L. Johnson (also known as Kartrina L. Wilson), Daniel C. Robinson and Johnson & Robinson Enterprises, Inc.
Chelus, Herdzik, Speyer & Monte, P.C., Buffalo (Michael J. Chmiel of Counsel), for Defendants–Respondents Eva I. Daughtery and Liston Daughtery.
PRESENT: SMITH, J.P., CARNI, SCONIERS AND VALENTINO, JJ.
It is hereby ORDERED that the amended order so appealed from is unanimously modified on the law by denying defendants' motion and cross motion to the extent that they seek authorizations for the full disclosure of the records sought and by granting plaintiff's cross motion to the extent that it seeks an in camera review of those records and as modified the order is affirmed without costs, and the matter is remitted to Supreme Court, Monroe County, for further proceedings in accordance with the following Memorandum: Plaintiff commenced this action seeking damages for injuries she sustained as a result of her exposure, during her childhood, to lead-based paint. She appeals from an order that granted the motion and cross motion of defendants-respondents (defendants) to compel disclosure and denied her cross motion for, inter alia, a protective order or, in the alternative, an in camera review of the records sought. We note at the outset that the order from which plaintiff appeals was superseded by an amended order entered after she perfected the instant appeal. There were no substantive changes made to the amended order and it was entered solely to allow one of the two sets of defendants in this action to file a respondents' brief on this appeal. In the exercise of our discretion, we treat the appeal as taken from the amended order ( seeCPLR 5520[c]; Matter of Ruggieri v. Bryan, 23 A.D.3d 991, 991, 803 N.Y.S.2d 839;see also Matter of Mikia H. [Monique K.], 78 A.D.3d 1575, 1575, 911 N.Y.S.2d 554,lv. dismissed in part and denied in part16 N.Y.3d 760, 919 N.Y.S.2d 111, 944 N.E.2d 648).
In view of the injuries alleged by plaintiff, we conclude that she waived her physician-patient privilege and any related privileges with respect to the records sought, and that those records may be material and necessary to the defense of the action ( see Donald v. Ahern, 96 A.D.3d 1608, 1610, 949 N.Y.S.2d 306;Rothstein v. Huh, 60 A.D.3d 839, 839–840, 875 N.Y.S.2d 250). There may be information in plaintiff's records, however, that is irrelevant to this action, and there are legitimate concerns with respect to “the unfettered disclosure of sensitive and confidential information” contained in those records ( Cynthia B. v. New Rochelle Hosp. Med. Ctr., 60 N.Y.2d 452, 460, 470 N.Y.S.2d 122, 458 N.E.2d 363;see Donald, 96 A.D.3d at 1610–1611, 949 N.Y.S.2d 306). Thus, here, as in Dominique D. v. Koerntgen, 107 A.D.3d 1433, 1434, 968 N.Y.S.2d 751, we modify the order by denying defendants' motion and cross motion to the extent that they seek authorizations for the full disclosure of the records sought and by granting plaintiff's cross motion to the extent that it seeks an in camera review of the records, and we remit the matter to Supreme Court for such in camera review and the redaction of any irrelevant information ( see Donald, 96 A.D.3d at 1611, 949 N.Y.S.2d 306;Nichter v. Erie County Med. Ctr. Corp., 93 A.D.3d 1337, 1338, 940 N.Y.S.2d 509).