WHETHER THE SIDEWALK DEFECT WHICH ALLEGEDLY CAUSED PLAINTIFF’S SLIP AND FALL IS SHOWN ON A BIG APPLE MAP MUST BE RESOLVED BY A JURY (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined there was a question of fact whether the sidewalk defect which allegedly caused plaintiff to fall was depicted on the Big Apple map. Therefore the question whether the city had written notice of the defect was for the jury:
Administrative Code of the City of New York § 7-201(c)(2) “limits the City’s duty of care over municipal streets and sidewalks by imposing liability only for those defects or hazardous conditions which its officials have been actually notified exist at a specified location” … . Accordingly, “prior written notice of a defect is a condition precedent which plaintiff is required to plead and prove to maintain an action against the City” … . …
“Big Apple is a corporation established by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association for the purpose of giving notices in compliance with [Administrative Code of City of New York § 7-201(c)(2)]. It does so through maps on which coded symbols are entered to represent defects” … . “A Big Apple map submitted to the Department of Transportation may serve as prior written notice of a defective condition” … . …
” Where [, as here,] there are factual disputes regarding the precise location of the defect that allegedly caused a plaintiff’s fall, and whether the alleged defect is designated on the [Big Apple] map, the question should be resolved by a jury'” … . Harrison v City of New York, 2020 NY Slip Op 03401, Second Dept 6-17-20