The Fourth Department, over an extensive dissent, determined a release from liability for flooding on plaintiff’s land did not encompass a breach of contract action concerning the failure of a drainage system. As part of the settlement agreement in the prior action stemming from the flooding, defendant agreed to construct a drainage system which, plaintiff alleges, did not alleviate the flooding:
It is well settled that settlement agreements and general releases are “governed by principles of contract law”… . Viewing the facts as alleged in the first and second causes of action, for breach of contract, in the light most favorable to plaintiff and affording plaintiff all favorable inferences … ,we conclude that the release does not “evince an intention to encompass the distinct contractual obligations defendant undertook upon which plaintiff’s breach of contract causes of action are premised” … , i.e., the breach of the settlement agreement itself. Marinaccio v Town of Clarence, 2017 NY Slip Op 04962, 4th Dept 6-16-17
CONTRACT LAW (RELEASE DID NOT ENCOMPASS A BREACH OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ITSELF)/RELEASE (CONTRACT LAW, RELEASE DID NOT ENCOMPASS A BREACH OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ITSELF)