Opinion ID: 2655401
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Contract and Negligence Claims

Text: Finally, La Russo contends that her contract and negligence claims are not barred because the statute of limitations period -24- is longer for these causes of action and they are not duplicative of her psychiatric malpractice claim. We disagree, as did the District Court. With regard to the contract claim, “[t]he law is clear that a breach of contract claim arising out of the rendition of medical services by a physician will withstand a test to its legal sufficiency only where it is based upon an express special promise to effect a cure or to accomplish some definite result.” Monroe v. Long Island College Hospital, 84 A.D.2d 576, 576, 443 N.Y.S.2d 433, 434 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1981). La Russo fails to allege any such “special promise.” The district court correctly concluded that SGU Med.’s promotional and information materials did not promise a specific course of treatment or provide the basis for a breach of contract claim. See Catapano v. Winthrop University Hospital, 19 A.D.3d 355, 355, 796 N.Y.S.2d 158, 159 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 2005) (“[P]rovisions of the ‘Patients Bill of Rights’ do not constitute the requisite ‘express promise’ or special agreement with the patient so as to furnish the basis for a breach of contract claim.”). As such, La Russo’s contract claim is essentially a malpractice action and like the psychiatric malpractice claim, it is time-barred. See -25- Hazel v. Montefiore Medical Center, 243 A.D.2d 344, 345, 663 N.Y.S.2d 165, 165 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep’t 1997) (claims that are “merely reformulations” of malpractice claims were properly dismissed as time-barred where malpractice claim was timebarred). Similarly, La Russo’s negligence claim is merely a reformulation of her medical malpractice claim. “When the duty arises from the physician-patient relationship or is substantially related to medical treatment, the breach gives rise to an action sounding in medical malpractice, not simple negligence.” Stanley v. Lebetkin, 123 A.D.2d 854, 854, 507 N.Y.S.2d 468, 468 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1986). La Russo alleges that agents of SGU Med., including De Lucia’s faculty advisor “negligently failed to use due care in the performance of their duties” by failing to refer De Lucia to counseling or medical treatment and failing to provide him with proper psychiatric care and medical treatment. These alleged failures are substantially related to medical treatment and as such, are duplicative of the medical malpractice claims. In sum, the District Court’s rulings on La Russo’s contract and negligence claims were correct.