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QUESTIONS OF FACT PRECLUDED SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON MOST (BUT NOT ALL) OF THE CAUSES OF ACTION IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6), 200, COMMON-LAW NEGLIGENCE AND INDEMNIFICATION ACTION STEMMING FROM A FALL INVOLVING A MAKESHIFT PLATFORM PLAINTIFF WAS USING TO INSTALL SPRINKLERS; THE DECISION HAS GOOD SUMMARIES OF THE ELEMENTS OF ALL OF THE CAUSES OF ACTION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, in a substantive decision which explains the elements of Labor Law 240 (1), 241 (6), 200, common-law negligence and indemnification causes of action, determined questions of fact precluded summary judgment on most of the causes of action. Plaintiff was installing sprinklers and fell when he was attempting to position a plank he was using as a platform to stand on. With respect to Labor Law 240 (1), the court wrote:

Here, the [defendants] failed to demonstrate, prima facie, that the plaintiff was the sole proximate cause of his fall and subsequent injuries … . Although they submitted evidence that there were ladders at the site and available to the plaintiff, and that the plaintiff used one such ladder in order to climb to the top of the wall, they also submitted the plaintiff’s deposition testimony, which demonstrated the existence of triable issues of fact as to whether the plaintiff was recalcitrant or whether he was following his supervisor’s instructions and performing the work in the only way possible. In addition, the plaintiff and [defendant] employees testified at their respective depositions that, although [defendant] was aware that the dropped ceiling grids had been installed prior to the sprinklers, no one from [defendant], which had the authority to stop any unsafe work practices, sought to stop the plaintiff from working as he did. Thus, we agree with the Supreme Court’s determination denying those branches of the motions of [defendants] which were for summary judgment dismissing the cause of action alleging a violation of Labor Law § 240(1) … .

However, we agree with the Supreme Court that the plaintiff failed to demonstrate his prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law on the issue of liability on the cause of action alleging a violation of Labor Law § 240(1) … . Triable issues of fact exist as to whether the [defendants] should have provided safety devices or whether the plaintiff’s act in erecting and using a scaffolding board was a recalcitrant act which was the sole proximate cause of his injury. Graziano v Source Bldrs. & Consultants, LLC, 2019 NY Slip Op 06477, Second Dept 9-11-19

 

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