Woods v. Dador
The plaintiffs, Burton Woods, an employee of Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) at Brookhaven National Laboratories, and his co-plaintiffs, appealed an order from the Supreme Court, Suffolk County. The initial order granted summary judgment to defendants AUI and Dr. Emanuel Dador, an AUI employee, dismissing a medical malpractice complaint. Woods had been treated by Dr. Dador at the Lab's occupational health clinic after falling ill on the job, allegedly suffering a heart attack due to Dr. Dador's delayed diagnosis. The Supreme Court dismissed the complaint, citing Workers’ Compensation Law § 29 (6) as the exclusive remedy. The appellate court affirmed this decision, holding that when an employer provides medical services exclusively to its employees, treatment received as a consequence of employment falls within the scope of the Workers' Compensation Law, barring a separate medical malpractice action.