Senate Bill S9421

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to applications for enhanced attorneys fees in medical, dental or podiatric malpractice cases

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Judiciary Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2021-S9421 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A10452
Current Committee:
Senate Judiciary
Law Section:
Judiciary Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §474-a, Judy L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:
S2410, A7450

2021-S9421 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Updates the procedure for applying for attorney's fees in medical, dental or podiatric malpractice cases in excess of the statutory contingent fee schedule in circumstances where the amounts set forth in such fee schedule are inadequate to compensate the attorney for the legal services rendered.

2021-S9421 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S9421 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9421
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 25, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
 
 AN ACT to amend the judiciary  law,  in  relation  to  applications  for
   enhanced  attorney's fees in medical, dental and podiatric malpractice
   cases
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Subdivision  4  of section 474-a of the judiciary law, as
 amended by chapter 485 of the laws  of  1986,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   4.  In  the  event that claimant's or plaintiff's attorney believes in
 good faith that HE OR SHE IS ENTITLED TO GREATER COMPENSATION  THAN  THE
 AMOUNTS  PROVIDED  IN  the  fee schedule set forth in subdivision two of
 this section[, because of extraordinary circumstances, will not give him
 adequate compensation], AN application for greater compensation  may  be
 made  upon  affidavit with written notice and an opportunity to be heard
 to the claimant or plaintiff and other persons holding liens or  assign-
 ments  on the recovery. Such application shall be made to the justice of
 the trial part to which the action had been sent for trial;  or,  if  it
 had  not been sent to a part for trial, then to the justice presiding at
 the trial term calendar part of the court in which the action  had  been
 instituted;  or,  if  no action had been instituted, then to the justice
 presiding at the trial term calendar part of the Supreme Court  for  the
 county  in  the judicial department in which the attorney has an office.
 Upon such application, the  justice,  in  his  OR  HER  discretion,  [if
 extraordinary  circumstances are found to be present, and without regard
 to the claimant's or plaintiff's consent,] may fix as reasonable compen-
 sation for legal services rendered an amount greater than that specified
 in the schedule set forth in subdivision two of this section,  provided,
 however,  that such greater amount shall not exceed the fee fixed pursu-
 ant to the contractual arrangement, if  any,  between  the  claimant  or
 plaintiff  and  the  attorney.  FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE COURT IN
 DETERMINING WHETHER TO GRANT AN APPLICATION FOR AN ENHANCED FEE PURSUANT
 TO THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE  LIMITED  TO  WHETHER  THE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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