Helen Ornstein, Appellant v. New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, Respondents

Summary

The New York Court of Appeals reversed the Supreme Court judgment and the Appellate Division order that limited the plaintiff's emotional‑distress damages to six months after a needle‑stick HIV exposure. The Court held that the plaintiff presented sufficient prima facie evidence of ongoing post‑traumatic stress disorder beyond six months, and therefore the six‑month limitation was not a matter of law. The case was remanded for a new trial on damages.