Reardon v. Presbyterian Hosp

In Reardon v. Presbyterian Hosp., 292 A.D.2d 235 (1st Dep't 2002), plaintiff fell while being helped down from an examination table by her physician. In finding that the claim sounded in negligence, and not medical malpractice, the First Department held that the "'essence of the plaintiff's allegations is the failure to exercise ordinary and reasonable care to insure that no unnecessary harm befell the patient.'" (Id. at 237.) "The decision of defendant doctor to help plaintiff's decedent off of the examining table by himself, rather than calling over another employee of defendant hospital for assistance, was not the type of decision requiring the input of an expert with medical training who has earned the degree of M.D." (Reardon, supra at 237.)