Opinion
2019–04873 Index No. 605949/17
01-27-2021
Joseph DILORENZO, appellant, v. Baruch TOLEDANO, etc., respondent, et al., defendants.
Robert F. Danzi, Jericho, N.Y. (Christine Coscia of counsel), for appellant. Rubin Paterniti Gonzalez Kaufman LLP, Garden City, N.Y. (James W. Tuffin of counsel), for respondent and defendants Northwell Health Physician Partners, Northwell Healthcare, Inc., and Northwell Health, Inc.
Robert F. Danzi, Jericho, N.Y. (Christine Coscia of counsel), for appellant.
Rubin Paterniti Gonzalez Kaufman LLP, Garden City, N.Y. (James W. Tuffin of counsel), for respondent and defendants Northwell Health Physician Partners, Northwell Healthcare, Inc., and Northwell Health, Inc.
WILLIAM F. MASTRO, A.P.J., LEONARD B. AUSTIN, ROBERT J. MILLER, FRANCESCA E. CONNOLLY, JJ.
DECISION & ORDER
In an action to recover damages for medical malpractice and lack of informed consent, the plaintiff appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Nassau County (Denise L. Sher, J.), entered March 12, 2019. The order, insofar as appealed from, granted that branch of the motion of the defendant Baruch Toledano which was to compel the plaintiff to provide an authorization for the release of treatment records from his psychiatrist, and denied the plaintiff's cross motion for a protective order preventing disclosure of those records.
ORDERED that the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from, with costs.
"[A] party must provide duly executed and acknowledged written authorizations for the release of pertinent medical records under the liberal discovery provisions of the CPLR when that party has waived the physician-patient privilege by affirmatively putting his or her physical or mental condition in issue" ( Cynthia B. v. New Rochelle Hosp. Med. Ctr., 60 N.Y.2d 452, 456–457, 470 N.Y.S.2d 122, 458 N.E.2d 363 [citation and footnote omitted]). In addition, " ‘the defense is entitled to review records showing the nature and severity of the plaintiff's prior medical conditions [which] may have an impact upon the amount of damages, if any, recoverable for a claim of loss of enjoyment of life’ " ( Montalto v. Heckler, 113 A.D.3d 741, 741, 978 N.Y.S.2d 891, quoting M.C. v. Sylvia Marsh Equities, Inc., 103 A.D.3d 676, 679, 959 N.Y.S.2d 280 [internal quotation marks omitted]).
Here, the plaintiff affirmatively placed his entire medical condition in controversy through the broad allegations of physical injuries made in his bill of particulars and during his deposition, and the claimed loss of enjoyment of life due to those injuries (see Greco v. Wellington Leasing L.P., 144 A.D.3d 981, 982, 43 N.Y.S.3d 64 ; Diamond v. Ross Orthopedic Group, P.C., 41 A.D.3d 768, 768, 839 N.Y.S.2d 211 ). Moreover, the plaintiff's previous mental health condition is material and necessary to the issue of damages, if any, recoverable for a claimed loss of enjoyment of life due to his current injury (see Greco v. Wellington Leasing L.P., 144 A.D.3d at 982, 43 N.Y.S.3d 64 ; M.C. v. Sylvia Marsh Equities, Inc., 103 A.D.3d at 679, 959 N.Y.S.2d 280 ; cf. Quinones v. 9 E. 69th St., LLC, 132 A.D.3d 750, 751, 18 N.Y.S.3d 106 ).
Accordingly, the Supreme Court providently exercised its discretion in granting that branch of the motion of the defendant Baruch Toledano which was to compel the plaintiff to provide an authorization for the release of treatment records from his psychiatrist, and denying the plaintiff's cross motion for a protective order preventing disclosure of those records.
MASTRO, A.P.J., AUSTIN, MILLER and CONNOLLY, JJ., concur.