Matter of Spencer v City of Fulton

Holding The court confirmed the City’s determination denying the retired firefighter’s application for benefits, finding it supported by substantial evidence. The court held that the Hearing Officer was entitled to weigh conflicting medical evidence and assess witness credibility, particularly regarding the preexisting nature of the injuries.

The court’s words

Substantial evidence is a minimal standard that requires less than a preponderance of the evidence and demands only that a given inference is reasonable and plausible, not necessarily the most probable

2026 NY Slip Op 04633, at the official text

was entitled to weigh the parties' conflicting medical evidence and to assess the credibility of the witnesses, and [w]e may not weigh the evidence or reject [the Hearing Officer's] choice where the evidence is conflicting and room for a choice exists

2026 NY Slip Op 04633, at the official text