Atlantic Chiropractic, P.C. v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 2016 WL 3748486
With respect to the effect of a prior DJ Action where the insurer won on the defense of EUO no shows, the Court stated as follows:
The Supreme Court judgment declared that the failure of plaintiff’s assignor to appear for duly scheduled EUOs constituted a material breach of a condition to coverage and that, as a result, defendant is not obligated to pay first-party no-fault benefits related to the subject accident. The Civil Court denied defendant’s motion on the ground that the default declaratory judgment in the Supreme Court action had not been entered by the Bronx County Clerk and served with notice of entry. However, contrary to the determination of the Civil Court, defendant’s moving papers established that the judgment had been entered on May 21, 2013. Moreover, defendant’s failure to serve the Supreme Court’s judgment with notice of entry is not fatal in view of the binding and conclusive effect of the declaratory judgment (see Great Health Care Chiropractic, P.C. v American Tr. Ins. Co., 44 Misc 3d 143[A], 2014 NY Slip Op 51324[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2014]; All Boro Psychological Servs., P.C. v Travelers Prop. Cas. Co. of Am., 44 Misc 3d 48 [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists *2 2014]). Consequently, in light of the Supreme Court’s declaratory judgment, defendant’s motion for summary judgment should have been granted based on res judicata (see EBM Med. Health Care, P.C. v Republic W. Ins., 38 Misc 3d 1 [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2012]), as any judgment in favor of plaintiff in this action would destroy or impair rights or interests established by the judgment in the declaratory judgment action (see Schuylkill Fuel Corp. v Nieberg Realty Corp., 250 NY 304, 306-307 [1929]; Flushing Traditional Acupuncture, P.C. v Kemper Ins. Co., 42 Misc 3d 133[A], 2014 NY Slip Op 50052[U] [App Term, 2d Dept, 2d, 11th & 13th Jud Dists 2014]; EBM Med. Health Care, P.C., 38 Misc 3d 1).
The troubling thing here is the Court forgave non compliance with CPLR 5513. Entry is important for lots of reasons: judgments do not begin collecting interest until they are entered, and appeals cannot be taken from an order that was not entered.