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TO STATE A MERITORIOUS CLAIM AGAINST THE STATE IN THE COURT OF CLAIMS, CLAIMANT NEED NOT MAKE OUT A PRIMA FACIE CASE; IT IS ENOUGH THAT THE CLAIM HAS THE APPEARANCE OF MERIT; HERE CLAIMANT’S APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION TO FILE A LATE CLAIM SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FOURTH DEPT). ​

The Fourth Department, reversing the Court of Claims, determined claimant’s application for permission to file a late claim should have been granted. The Court of Claims found that claimant did not demonstrate a meritorious claim. The Fourth Department explained that a claimant need not make out a prima facie case at this stage. If the claim is not patently groundless, frivolous or legally defective it should be deemed meritorious:

… [W]hile being treated in the inpatient psychiatric unit at Upstate, she was restrained by security officers and nurses because she was engaging in self-harm or had refused medication and injection. According to claimant, security officers escorted her to a seclusion room and forcefully pinned her down, with several security officers lying on top of her while her left arm was underneath her body. Claimant’s medical records confirmed that four security officers and two nurses were involved in the restraining incident. Claimant allegedly screamed out in pain, and a nurse told the security officers to get off of her. Consistent with claimant’s allegations, the medical records establish that, as a result of the incident, claimant suffered a dislocated left elbow, which first required a closed reduction under sedation and placement of a cast and later required surgery under general anesthesia to correct the recurrent instability in her elbow and a complete tear of the ligament complex.

… [T]he evidence presented by claimant in support of the application demonstrates that the security officers and nurses may have caused her injuries, as she alleges, by negligently applying excessive force while attempting to restrain her … . Further, contrary to the State’s assertion, to the extent that Upstate’s account of the incident in the medical records suggests that claimant somehow dislocated her own elbow, that notation created at most a factual issue with respect to causation … . Consequently, on this record, it cannot be said that “the claim raised is patently groundless, frivolous or legally defective” … . … [C]aimant’s submissions on the application are sufficient, at this stage in the proceedings, to demonstrate that there appears to be merit to her claim within the meaning of Court of Claims Act § 10 (6) … . Viola v SUNY Upstate Univ. Hosp., 2026 NY Slip Op 04604, Fourth Dept 7-24-26

Practice Point: In seeking permission to make a late claim in the Court of Claims, claimant need not make out a prima facie case. It is enough that the claim has the appearance of merit, i.e., that it is not patently groundless, frivolous or legally defective.

 

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