In general appealing takes take a long time. However, the length of time for an appeal can vary by department. In New York State, there are four different departments. In the first and second department in New York City and Long Island, the time for an appeal can take two years, if not longer. In the third department, an appeal might take about a year. The fourth department in Central and Western New York generally takes about a year. Plaintiffs thinking about appealing a medical malpractice case in Hudson Valley should take this into consideration.