HERE THE MEDICAL RECORDS SUGGESTED INJURY ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEDICAL MALPRACTICE SO THE HOSPITAL WAS DEEMED TO HAVE HAD TIMELY NOTICE OF THE NATURE OF THE MALPRACTICE CLAIM; PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO DEEM THE LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM TIMELY SERVED NUNC PRO TUNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff’s motion to deem the late notice of claim timely served nunc pro tunc should have been granted in this medical malpractice action:

On August 31, 2015, the plaintiff, Estefani Tenezaca, gave birth to the infant A.J.L. (hereinafter the infant) at Elmhurst Hospital Center (hereinafter Elmhurst), a facility controlled by the defendant. The infant was born prematurely at 30 weeks gestation and was treated at Elmhurst until September 16, 2015, when she was transferred to another hospital.

In July 2016, the plaintiff, as parent and natural guardian of the infant, served a notice of claim on the defendant, alleging, among other things, medical malpractice in the defendant’s treatment of the infant. * * *

The plaintiff’s experts opined that the infant suffered a massive bilateral parenchymal hemorrhage as a result of the treatment documented in Elmhurst’s records. * * *

Inasmuch as the Elmhurst records, upon independent review, suggested injury attributable to medical malpractice, those records provided the defendant with actual knowledge of the essential facts constituting the claim … .  Additionally, the plaintiff made an initial showing that the defendant would not suffer any prejudice by the delay in serving a notice of claim, and the defendant failed to rebut that showing with particularized indicia of prejudice … . The plaintiff also established a reasonable excuse for her failure to timely serve a notice of claim … . Tenezaca v New York City Health & Hosps. Corp., 2026 NY Slip Op 05208, Second Dept 9-2-25

Practice Point: In this medical malpractice action plaintiff moved to deem the late notice of claim timely served. The medical records suggested injury attributable to malpractice. Therefore the hospital was deemed to have had timely notice of the nature of the claim.