She’s too smart to be hurt.
Columbia University is trying to argue that a former student’s post-graduate success is proof that she wasn’t badly injured when a dorm-room ceiling collapsed on her head, The Post has learned.
Veronica Couzo, 26, who filed a personal-injury lawsuit, graduated magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School this year.
During a deposition with Couzo’s mother, who was moving her daughter into the West 111th Street dorm when chunks of concrete, plaster and tiles crashed down on her head, Columbia lawyer Eric Strober suggested the young woman was faking injuries given her achievements.
“Columbia should have a shame hat on for this,” said miffed mom Lidia Couzo.
The transcript of Lidia’s recent deposition has not been released, but Veronica said Strober used the same line of questioning in her 2012 testimony.
After grilling the political-science major about her herniated disk, how the pain prevented her from sleeping well, and her need to take muscle relaxants, Strober asked Veronica if the injuries have affected her schoolwork.
“Have you had any difficulty academically?” Strober asked, according to the June 2012 transcript.
“No I don’t let anything affect my academics,” Veronica answered.
Strober pressed, “You’re able to pay attention in class?”
Veronica confirmed, “Yes.”
“And you’re able to take your exams?” Strober continued.
“Yes” she said.
“And you have gotten good grades?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
In an interview with The Post, the Ivy League grad said, “They treat me like, ‘You’re totally fine. You’re making this up.’ ”
“But I’m not going to let the pain and the headaches that I have stop me from doing well or working hard,” she added.
Strober referred questions to the university press office. Spokesman Robert Hornsby declined to comment.
Veronica sued her alma mater in June 2011 for unspecified damages after the May 2010 incident because Columbia had ignored warnings from students about deteriorated conditions at the dorm. She described the unit as “a disaster.”
“The wooden floors clearly hadn’t been refinished in a long time, the cabinets were essentially falling apart, the floor of the kitchen was black—and it was not supposed to be black,” she said.
And according to city records, the building is still in disrepair.
The six-story, 28-unit complex has four open Department of Housing violations, including one going back to 2004.