Accomplishments

In March 2011, Scott G. Christesen received a decision from the Appellate Division Second Department which affirmed the June 2009 jury verdict obtained by Alan Fumuso, in an action involving claims of obstetrical malpractice against our client. It was asserted that the plaintiff sustained significant neurological injuries due to hypoxia experienced shortly before her birth. The appellate court determined that the favorable jury verdict was reached after a fair and reasonable view of the evidence and that the trial court had appropriately rendered evidentiary rulings during the course of the trial.

In October 2010, Scott G. Christesen received a decision from the Appellate Division Second Department which affirmed the finding of the Supreme Court in favor of our clients on a motion seeking summary judgment and dismissal of plaintiff’s complaint. This was a claim that the defendant family practice and gastroenterologists failed to timely diagnose and treat the plaintiff for a rare uterine cancer. Importantly, plaintiff counsel opposed this motion with three separate expert affidavits, totaling over 50 pages of text. Plaintiff subsequently moved for leave to the Court of Appeals and that application was denied.

In May 2010, Alan J. Fumuso obtained a defense verdict in a case brought against North Shore University Hospital. It was alleged that the physicians and nursing staff were negligent in allowing a stage four sacral decubitus ulcer to develop following open heart surgery, and that this ulcer remained open and draining for a period of two years. It was the position of the defense that because of the patients debilitated condition and multiple co-morbidities, the development, extent, and duration of the sacral ulcer was unavoidable, and occurred in spite of appropriate care. The jury returned a unanimous verdict on behalf of North Shore Hospital in less than one hour.

On April 26, 2010, Alan J. Fumuso obtained a procedural dismissal of a medical malpractice action brought in Supreme Court, Nassau County against the Chief of Cardiology at North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset. The action alleged negligence and lack of informed consent regarding the performance of a cardiac catheterization and stenting procedure, and the medications used during the procedure. On cross-examination, the plaintiff’s medical expert withdrew his testimony given on direct exam regarding medical departure, and gave equivocal testimony on the issue of proximate causation. A motion was made at the conclusion of the plaintiff’s case to dismiss for failure to establish a prima facie case, and this motion was granted by Judge Antonio Brandveen.