The First Department determined plaintiff was entitled to summary judgment in this falling objects case. Plaintiff was making an opening in a concrete wall when cinderblocks above the opening fell on him. The court held that the cinderblocks should have been secured and no safety device had been employed. Expert evidence that no safety device was needed did not create a question of fact:
… [T]he testimony and expert opinion that a safety device was neither necessary nor customary “is insufficient to establish the absence of a Labor Law § 240 (1) violation” … . O'Brien v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. (29 NY3d 27 [2017]) is not to the contrary. Unlike in O'Brien, the experts here do not differ as to whether a safety device that was provided was adequate, but rather differ as to whether a safety device was required at all … . In light of the uncontroverted fact that no safety devices were provided, it would be error to submit to the jury for their resolution the conflicting expert opinion as to what safety devices, if any, should have been employed … . Gonzalez v Paramount Group, Inc., 2018 NY Slip Op 00029, First Dept 1-2-18
LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW (EXPERT EVIDENCE THAT A SAFETY DEVICE WAS NOT NECESSARY IN THIS FALLING OBJECTS CASE DID NOT CREATE A QUESTION OF FACT, PLAINTIFF ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1) CAUSE OF ACTION (FIRST DEPT))/EVIDENCE (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, EXPERT EVIDENCE THAT A SAFETY DEVICE WAS NOT NECESSARY IN THIS FALLING OBJECTS CASE DID NOT CREATE A QUESTION OF FACT, PLAINTIFF ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1) CAUSE OF ACTION (FIRST DEPT))/FALLING OBJECTS (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, EXPERT EVIDENCE THAT A SAFETY DEVICE WAS NOT NECESSARY IN THIS FALLING OBJECTS CASE DID NOT CREATE A QUESTION OF FACT, PLAINTIFF ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1) CAUSE OF ACTION (FIRST DEPT))