JPP’s suit vs. ESPN to proceed

JASON Pierre-Paul scored a big win Thursday in his invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against ESPN.

A Florida judge said Pierre-Paul can sue the sports news network and reporter Adam Schefter for posting his private medical records online for millions to see.

Schefter and ESPN had tried to get Pierre-Paul’s suit tossed, citing First Amendment protections. But Miami Dade County Judge Marcia G. Cooke didn’t buy that argument.

She denied ESPN’s motion to dismiss the claim and also denied a motion from ESPN that tried to get Pierre-Paul’s lawyers sanctioned for filing a frivolous lawsuit.

Schefter had gotten hold of PierrePaul’s medical records after the NFL star blew off a finger during a July 4 fireworks accident last year.

Schefter had “improperly obtained” Pierre-Paul’s medical chart and tweeted a picture of it to his 4 million followers, JPP’s lawyers said.

“The court correctly ruled that Jason properly stated an invasion of privacy claim against ESPN and Adam Schefter, who we allege improperly published Jason’s medical records,” said Mitchell Schuster, a lawyer with Meister Seelig & Fein LLP.

“Today’s ruling is a recognition of Jason’s right, as a professional athlete, to oppose the publication of his medical records without his consent,” Schuster said in a statement.

ESPN declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.

Florida, a state with strict privacy laws, specifically prohibits the public disclosure of medical records without the consent of the patient.

Pierre-Paul’s lawsuit — for unspecified damages — is similar to litigation filed last year in Florida court by former University of Miami pitching coach Lazaro Collazo.

He claimed Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez violated his privacy and state law by publishing his Biogenesis medical records and supplying them to federal authorities.