Saccone v. Gross — 84 A.D.3d 1208

Majority

p. 1208

Rachela Saccone et al., Appellants, v Robert Gross et al., Defendants, and Kokila B. Shah et al., Respondents.

[923 NYS2d 878]

In an action to recover damages for medical malpractice, etc., the plaintiffs appeal from a judgment of the Supreme Court, Queens County (Flug, J.), entered March 12, 2010, which, upon a jury verdict, is in favor of the defendants Kokila B. Shah, Kokila B. Shah, M.D., EC., Usha Krishnamurthy, and Usha Krishnamurthy, M.D., EC., and against them, dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against those defendants.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, with costs.

Contrary to the plaintiffs contention, the facts adduced at trial were insufficient to warrant a jury charge on the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur. The testimony did not give rise to an inference of negligence based upon the mere occurrence of the adverse event at issue (see Kambat v St. Francis Hosp., 89 NY2d 489 , 494 [1997]; Sangiovanni v Koloski, 31 AD3d 422 , 423 [2006]; Johnson v Farr, 268 AD2d 560 [2000]; Abbott v New Rochelle Hosp. Med. Ctr., 141 AD2d 589 , 590 [1988]). Thus, the Supreme Court properly denied the plaintiffs request for a res ipsa loquitur charge.

The plaintiffs’ contention that the verdict was contrary to the weight of the evidence also is without merit. A jury verdict should not be set aside as contrary to the weight of the evidence unless the jury could not have reached the verdict on any fair interpretation of the evidence (see Mancusi v Setzen, 73 AD3d 992 , 993 [2010]; Nicastro v Park, 113 AD2d 129 , 134 [1985]). “ ‘The jury’s resolution of conflicting expert testimony is

p. 1209

entitled to great weight, as it is the jury that had the opportunity to observe and hear the experts’ ” (Mancusi v Setzen, 73 AD3d at 993 , quoting Speciale v Achari, 29 AD3d 674 , 675 [2006]). “ ‘Where, as here, conflicting expert testimony is presented, the jury is entitled to accept one expert’s opinion, and reject that of another expert’ ” (Morales v Interfaith Med. Ctr., 71 AD3d 648 , 650 [2010], quoting Ross v Mandeville, 45 AD3d 755 , 757 [2007]; see Segal v City of New York, 66 AD3d 865 , 867 [2009]). It is within the province of the jury to determine an expert’s credibility (see Monroy v Glavas, 57 AD3d 631 , 632 [2008]; Cohen v Kasofsky, 55 AD3d 859 , 860 [2008]). Thus, since the jury was entitled to accept the opinion of the respondents’ experts, there is no basis to disturb its determination.

The plaintiff was properly precluded from offering the Physicians’ Desk Reference into evidence because the proffered evidence constituted inadmissible hearsay (see Spensieri v Lasky, 94 NY2d 231 , 234 [1999]; Hinlicky v Dreyfuss, 6 NY3d 636 [2006]; Winant v Carras, 208 AD2d 618 , 620 [1994]). Mastro, J.R, Rivera, Austin and Roman, JJ., concur.

Cases cited

Kambat v. St. Francis Hospital 89 NY2d 489 N.Y. 1997-02-13 at 494 p. 1208
Sangiovanni v. Koloski 31 AD3d 422 N.Y. App. Div. 2006-07-05 at 423 p. 1208
Abbott v. New Rochelle Hospital Medical Center 141 AD2d 589 N.Y. App. Div. 1988-06-13 at 590 p. 1208
Mancusi v. Setzen 73 AD3d 992 N.Y. App. Div. 2010-05-18 at 993 p. 1208
Nicastro v. Park 113 AD2d 129 N.Y. App. Div. 1985-11-12 at 134 p. 1208
Speciale v. Achari 29 AD3d 674 N.Y. App. Div. 2006-05-09 at 675 p. 1209
Morales v. Interfaith Medical Center 71 AD3d 648 N.Y. App. Div. 2010-03-02 at 650 p. 1209
Ross v. Mandeville 45 AD3d 755 N.Y. App. Div. 2007-11-20 at 757 p. 1209
Segal v. City of New York 66 AD3d 865 N.Y. App. Div. 2009-10-20 at 867 p. 1209
Monroy v. Glavas 57 AD3d 631 N.Y. App. Div. 2008-12-09 at 632 p. 1209
Cohen v. Kasofsky 55 AD3d 859 N.Y. App. Div. 2008-10-28 at 860 p. 1209
Spensieri v. Lasky 94 NY2d 231 N.Y. 1999-12-02 at 234 p. 1209
Hinlicky v. Dreyfuss 6 NY3d 636 N.Y. 2006-05-02 p. 1209
Winant v. Carras 208 AD2d 618 N.Y. App. Div. 1994-10-11 at 620 p. 1209