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Friday, October 14, 2005

Law - NY court rules "Same-sex partner can't sue for malpractice"

Newsday.com reports today that:

A divided state appeals court ruled Thursday that a Vermont man cannot sue a Manhattan hospital for malpractice in the death of his longtime partner, saying it could not provide a "judicial imprimatur" for same-sex marriages.

The court overturned a Long Island judge's 2003 decision that John Langan could sue St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan for alleged malpractice in the death of Neil Conrad Spicehandler.

The Appellate Division, in a 3-2 vote, decided that Langan had no standing to sue the hospital despite the couple's 2000 civil union in Vermont. Attorneys for Langan claimed the civil union gave him standing as a spouse to sue the hospital under New York law.

The decision is Langan v. St. Vincent's Hospital of New York (10/11/05). Access it here.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on October 14, 2005 11:09 AM
Posted to General Law Related