IN RE: John MARTORANA (2023)

Judgment (denominated an order), Supreme Court, New York County (Debra A. James, J.), entered November 25, 2022, denying the petition to annul respondents’ determination, dated December 20, 2019, which denied petitioner's application for accidental disability retirement benefits, and dismissing the proceeding brought pursuant to CPLR article 78, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

The court properly concluded that respondents’ determination was based on credible evidence in the record, which was cited by the Medical Board.  The Medical Board found that petitioner's foot pain was caused by a preexisting neuroma and osteoarthritis, rather than the plantar plate tear that resulted from petitioner's accident.  Based on its physical examination of petitioner, the Medical Board determined that the plantar tear had healed, and the medical literature it cited in its opinion supported that conclusion.  The Medical Board specifically noted that during its physical examination, petitioner experienced pain from the squeeze test in the area of the neuroma and that there was no instability in his foot.  Respondent Board of Trustees was entitled to rely on the Medical Board's opinion that the disability was not caused by the line-of-duty accident (see Matter of Christian v. New York City Employees’ Retirement Sys., 56 N.Y.2d 841, 843, 453 N.Y.S.2d 166, 438 N.E.2d 872 [1982];  Matter of Bailey v. Kelly, 11 A.D.3d 208, 209, 782 N.Y.S.2d 263 [1st Dept. 2004]).

Petitioner did not establish through medical or other evidence that his asymptomatic preexisting conditions were exacerbated by the accident (see Matter of Russell v. New York City Fire Pension Fund, 192 A.D.3d 442, 443, 139 N.Y.S.3d 805 [1st Dept. 2021];  Matter of Pastalove v. Kelly, 120 A.D.3d 419, 420, 991 N.Y.S.2d 39 [1st Dept. 2014]).