Failure to Eliminate Comparative Negligence Precluded Summary Judgment to Plaintiff In Car-Accident Action

In reversing the grant of summary judgment to the defendant in a car accident case, the Second Department noted there can be more than one proximate cause of an accident and defendant failed to demonstrate freedom from comparative fault:

“There can be more than one proximate cause of an accident”…. A driver who has the right-of-way may still be found partially at fault for an accident if he or she fails to use reasonable care to avoid a collision with another vehicle in an intersection…. Indeed, a movant seeking summary judgment is required to make a prima facie showing that he or she is free from comparative…. Here, the transcripts of the deposition testimony of the plaintiff and the defendant, which were submitted in support of the defendant’s motion, raised a triable issue of fact as to what actions the defendant took in order to avoid the collision. Therefore, the defendant failed to establish her prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law … .  Jones v Vialva-Duke, 2013 NY Slip Op 03816, 2nd Dept, 5-29-13

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS