You are here: / / ALTHOUGH PLAINTIFF’S COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE IS NOT A BAR TO SUMMARY...
, ,

ALTHOUGH PLAINTIFF’S COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE IS NOT A BAR TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON LIABILITY, IT IS A VALID AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE WHICH IS RELEVANT TO DAMAGES; THE COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined defendant’s comparative-negligence affirmative defense should not have been dismissed. Although plaintiff’s comparative negligence is no longer a bar to summary judgment on liability, it is relevant to damages:

Plaintiff was injured when he was struck by the wheelchair ramp of a bus. That bus was owned by defendants and operated by an employee of defendants. The bus operator testified that he deployed the ramp and saw it hit plaintiff. He testified that he gave warnings in a loud voice before lowering the ramp, which made a “very loud” beeping noise that was “excruciating.”

Plaintiff met his prima facie burden by submitting evidence, including his deposition testimony, that the operator was negligent in lowering the ramp onto the sidewalk when it was not reasonably safe to do so … . In opposition, defendants did not offer any nonnegligent explanation for the accident … . This accident was not within plaintiff’s exclusive knowledge, because it occurred in the presence of a potential witness, namely the operator … . Defendants’ remaining arguments effectively assert comparative negligence by plaintiff, which he was not required to disprove to be entitled to partial summary judgment … .

Supreme Court should not, however, have dismissed the affirmative defense of comparative negligence. At summary judgment, issues of credibility may not be resolved, and all reasonable inferences must be drawn in favor of the nonmoving party … . Prendergast v New York City Tr. Auth., 2023 NY Slip Op 05378, First Dept 10-24-23

Practice Point: Even where a plaintiff is entitled to summary judgment on liability, a defendant’s comparative-negligence affirmative defense remains relevant to damages.

 

You might also like
HERE THE LEVEL-THREE STOP AND FRISK FOR A SUSPECTED FIREARM WAS VALID; CRITERIA EXPLAINED (FIRST DEPT).
QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER AN OPEN AND OBVIOUS CONDITION–A STEEP EMBANKMENT NEXT TO A GRASSY WALKWAY–SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE SAFE BY THE INSTALLATION OF A RAILING OR BARRIER (FIRST DEPT).
Defense Counsel, Not Defendant, Has the Ultimate Authority to Determine Whether Defendant Should Testify Before the Grand Jury
ACCIDENT DID NOT INVOLVE AN ELEVATION-RELATED RISK, DEFENDANT SUBCONTRACTORS DID NOT EXERCISE CONTROL OF THE PLAINTIFF, THE AREA OR THE WORK, DEFENDANTS’ SUMMARY JUDGMENT MOTIONS ON THE LABOR LAW 240 (1), 241 (6) AND 200 CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).
Supreme Court Used the Wrong Standards When It Denied Petitioner’s Request for Documents Relating to Complaints Alleging the Improper Use of School Property by an Employee of the Department of Education (the Employee Gave a Speech on School Property Which May Have Violated the Chancellor’s Regulations re: the Use of School Property for Political Purposes)—Correct Analytical Criteria Explained and Applied
PLAINTIFF WAS INJURED WHEN A DRILL FELL FROM A CO-WORKER WHO WAS STANDING ON AN A-FRAME LADDER; THE DRILL SHOULD HAVE BEEN TETHERED TO THE CO-WORKER’S PERSON; PLAINTIFF IS ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON THE LABOR LAW 240(1) CAUSE OF ACTION (FIRST DEPT).
PLAINTIFF NEED NOT SHOW LADDER WHICH FELL WAS DEFECTIVE TO BE ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON LABOR LAW 240 (1) CAUSE OF ACTION.
DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE WAS PROPERLY DENIED, DEFENDANT DID NOT DEMONSTRATE WHEN THE AREA WAS LAST INSPECTED OR CLEANED AND DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A LACK OF CONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE OF WATER ON THE FLOOR (FIRST 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

PETITIONER FIREFIGHTER WAS INJURED WHEN HE BECAME DEHYDRATED DURING TRAINING;... PLAINTIFF PASSENGER SUED THE DRIVER WHO STRUCK A CAR FROM BEHIND; PLAINTIFF...