You are here: / / RECORD WAS INSUFFICIENT TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF PREJUDICE CAUSED BY PLAINTIFF’S...
, , ,

RECORD WAS INSUFFICIENT TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF PREJUDICE CAUSED BY PLAINTIFF’S FAILURE TO PRESERVE THE PHONE WHICH ALLEGEDLY CAPTURED IMAGES OF THE INCIDENT AT THE HEART OF THE LAWSUIT, DISMISSAL OF THE COMPLAINT REVERSED AND MATTER REMITTED FOR FURTHER DISCOVERY (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Garry, determined that the record was not sufficient to conclude whether dismissal of the complaint was a proper sanction for spoliation of evidence. Plaintiff alleged defendant negligently or intentionally struck defendant with an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Defendant asked plaintiff to preserve a phone which allegedly contained images of the incident. Plaintiff did not preserve the phone but provided one image and one video which were alleged to have been on the phone. Supreme Court dismissed the complaint as a sanction for spoliation. The Third Department noted there was evidence that all the metadata on the phone had been preserved and remitted the matter for discovery and, if necessary, an appropriate sanction:

… [T]he factors to be considered in determining the appropriate sanctions for such failures are “the extent that the spoliation of evidence may prejudice a party and whether a dismissal will be necessary as a matter of elementary fairness” … . …

… [W]e remit to Supreme Court with direction for plaintiff to promptly obtain and provide to defendant all photos, videos and metadata pertinent to the incident that have been preserved in any source, or to provide defendant with full access to any such stored photos, videos and metadata. The retrieval and examination of this information — or the continued failure to do so — will permit Supreme Court to reexamine, upon a full record, whether pertinent electronic information has been lost as a result of plaintiff’s failure to preserve the phone, to what extent defendant has been prejudiced by that loss and, thus, whether dismissal, an adverse inference charge or some other sanction may be appropriate … . LaBuda v LaBuda, 2019 NY Slip Op 05372, Third Dept 7-3-19

 

You might also like
THE LAW REQUIRING THAT SEX OFFENDERS CANNOT RESIDE WITHIN 1000 FEET OF SCHOOL GROUNDS IS NOT UNCONSTITUTIONAL, EVEN AS APPLIED TO AN OFFENDER WHOSE SEX OFFENSES INVOLVED ADULTS (THIRD DEPT).
Parole Conditions Did Not Require Parolee to Report Brief, Incidental Contact with Children to His Parole Officer—Parole Violation Determination Annulled
DRIVER FOR A MEDICAL DELIVERY SERVICE WAS AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS, NOTWITHSTANDING THE DRIVER’S CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY PAYROLL COMPANY.
REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES WHICH LIMITED THE AVAILABILITY OF ATTORNEY’S FEES IN THE EARLY STAGES OF A CLAIM CONFLICT WITH THE CONTROLLING STATUTE (THIRD DEPT).
SCHOOL NOT LIABLE FOR STUDENT’S FALL ON SNOW-COVERED, ICY PLAYGROUND, STUDENTS TOLD TO STAY OFF PLAYGROUND.
ALTHOUGH A TYPED NAME ON AN EMAIL MAY SUFFICE AS A SIGNATURE FOR STATUTE OF FRAUD PURPOSES, THE SAME IS NOT TRUE FOR AN ATTACHMENT TO AN EMAIL, WHICH CAN EASILY BE SIGNED BY THE SENDER (THIRD DEPT).
SNOW REMOVAL CONTRACTORS NOT LIABLE FOR PARKING LOT SLIP AND FALL, ESPINAL EXCEPTIONS DID NOT APPLY (THIRD DEPT).
TEACHERS EMPLOYED AT STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WORKED FROM SEPTEMBER TO JUNE BUT WERE PAID AN ANNUAL SALARY; WHEN EXTRA SUMMER WORK WAS CANCELLED DUE TO COVID THEY APPLIED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS; BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT UNEMPLOYED THEY WERE NOT ENTITLED TO BENEFITS (THIRD DEPT)

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

ARBITRATOR’S AWARD OF ATTORNEY’S FEES TO PLAINTIFF IN THIS BREACH... VIRGINIA MURDER CONVICTION WHICH REQUIRED DEFENDANT TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER...