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PLAINTIFF BICYCLIST ALLEGED HE STRUCK A FALLEN SIGNPOST WHICH WAS OBSTRUCTING THE SIDEWALK; THE TOWN DID NOT DEMONSTRATE IT DID NOT HAVE NOTICE OF THE CONDITION; PLAINTIFF DEMONSTRATED HE WAS ENTITLED TO DISCOVERY OF TOWN DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE REPAIR OF TOWN SIGNS (FOURTH DEPT). ​

The Fourth Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined (1) the town did not demonstrate it did not have written notice of the fallen signpost on the sidewalk (which plaintiff bicyclist allegedly struck), and (2) plaintiff demonstrated the town should comply with discovery demands for documents relating to the existence and repair of signs by the town:

The Town had the initial burden on the motion of establishing that no prior written notice of the alleged condition was given to either the Town Clerk or the Town Superintendent of Highways … . In support of its motion, the Town submitted, inter alia, the deposition testimony of an administrative aide in the Town Highway Department and the Town’s sign shop fabricator, each of whom testified that he did not learn of the fallen sign until he received the police report for the incident. However, neither employee testified that he searched the Highway Department’s or the Town Clerk’s records. Thus, the Town failed to establish as a matter of law that neither the Town Clerk nor the Town Superintendent of Highways received prior written notice of the alleged condition … . * * *

… [W]e conclude that plaintiff met his burden of establishing that the discovery documents were material and necessary to the prosecution of the action (see generally CPLR 3101 [a]). In opposing the motion, the Town failed to establish that the discovery requests were unduly burdensome … . Garcia v Town of Tonawanda, 2022 NY Slip Op 06584, Fourth Dept 11-18-22

Practice Point: Because the town did not demonstrate that it searched the highway department and town clerk’s records it did not demonstrate it had not received notice of the fallen signpost plaintiff bicyclist allegedly struck. Plaintiff was entitled to discovery of town documents relating to the repair of signs.

 

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