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A REPORT OF A ROAD DEFECT SUBMITTED THROUGH A CITY’S ONLINE REPORTING SYSTEM MAY CONSTITUTE “WRITTEN NOTICE” TRIGGERING MUNICIPAL LIABILITY FOR INJURY CAUSED BY THE DEFECT (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in full-fledged opinion by Judge Garcia, determined there was a question of fact whether the online reporting of a road defect constituted “written notice” of the defect such that the municipality may be liable for plaintiff’s motorcycle accident. The Court noted that the plaintiff also raised a question of fact whether the city created the road defect, obviating the need for written notice, and the doctrine of sovereign immunity does not apply to the proprietary function of road repair:

Plaintiff was injured when he lost control of his motorcycle on Lark Street in the City of Albany. He brought this lawsuit claiming that the accident was caused by a road defect that the City knew about and had failed to repair. The primary issue on appeal is whether certain reports submitted to the City through an online reporting system called “SeeClickFix” (SCF) served as “written notice” of that defect and, if so, whether those reports were “actually given” to the official designated by statute to receive such notice. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to plaintiff, based on the implementation and use of the SCF system by the City and its Department of General Services (DGS), we hold that plaintiff raised a triable issue of fact as to prior written notice to the appropriate City official. We further hold that plaintiff raised a triable issue of fact regarding the affirmative negligence exception to the prior written notice requirement, and that the City lacks governmental immunity from suit. We therefore affirm. * * *

… [A]t the time of the accident, the City’s prior written notice statute provided:

“No civil action shall be maintained against the City for damages or injuries to person or property sustained in consequence of any street . . . being defective, out of repair, unsafe, dangerous or obstructed unless, previous to the occurrence resulting in such damages or injury, written notice of the defective, unsafe, dangerous or obstructed condition of said street . . . was actually given to the Commissioner of Public Works and there was a failure or neglect within a reasonable time after the receipt of such notice to repair or remove the defect, danger or obstruction complained of” (Albany City Code former § 24-1 …). Calabrese v City of Albany, 2024 NY Slip Op 06289, CtApp 12-17-24

Practice Point: Here a report of a road defect had been submitted through an online reporting system implemented by the city. There was a question of fact whether such a report constituted “written notice” of the road defect, and whether the notice was actually given to the commissioner of public works.

 

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