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THE ALLEGATION THE A-FRAME LADDER SHIFTED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WARRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE LABOR LAW 240(1) CAUSE OF ACTION, NOTWITHSTANDING DEFENDANT’S EXPERT’S OPINION THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT THE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF PLAINTIFF’S INJURIES (FIRST DEPT). ​

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court in this A-frame ladder-fall case, determined plaintiff was entitled to summary judgment based upon the allegation the ladder shifted for no apparent reason. The facts that plaintiff inspected the ladder before using it, there were no witnesses and defendant’s expert opined the accident was not the proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries did not preclude summary judgment on liability:

It is irrelevant that plaintiff inspected the ladder and found it to be in good order before using it, as plaintiff is not required to demonstrate that the ladder was defective in order to make a prima facie showing of entitlement to summary judgment on his Labor Law § 240(1) claim … .

… [P]laintiff is entitled to summary judgment in his favor even though he was the only witness to his accident, as “nothing in the record controverts his account of the accident or calls his credibility into question” … . While the opinions of defendants’ expert engineer might relate to the issue of proximate causation of plaintiff’s damages, i.e., whether plaintiff’s claimed injuries were proximately caused by his accident … , they do not raise material issues … as to liability on the Labor Law § 240(1) claim. Pinzon v Royal Charter Props., Inc., 2022 NY Slip Op 06891, First Dept 12-6-22

Practice Point: Here the allegation the A-frame ladder shifted for no apparent reason warranted summary judgment on liability pursuant to Labor Law 240(1). The facts that there were no witnesses, plaintiff inspected the ladder before use, and defendant’s expert opined plaintiff’s injuries were not proximately caused by the fall did not preclude summary judgment.

 

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