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MATERIAL PREPARED FOR HOSPITAL QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEW DISCOVERABLE IN THIS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTION UNDER AN EXCEPTION TO EDUCATION LAW 6527 (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined a power point presentation made by a defendant in a medical malpractice action was discoverable, even though the power point presentation was created for a quality assurance review meeting (usually off limits for discovery pursuant to Executive Law 6527): We … conclude that the disputed materials are discoverable under the exception […]

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RESPONDEAT SUPERIOR DOCTRINE MAY BE APPLIED BASED UPON A PRINCIPAL-AGENT RELATIONSHIP INVOLVING VOLUNTEERS, HERE PLAINTIFF WAS INJURED BY A LADDER WHEN VOLUNTEERS WERE PAINTING THE BUILDING OWNED BY THE DEFENDANT, POINTING TO GAPS IN THE OPPOSING PARTY’S PROOF WILL NOT SUPPORT SUMMARY JUDGMENT (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined that the fact that the people engaged by defendant to paint the property were volunteers did not preclude the application of the doctrine of respondeat superior based upon a principal-agent relationship. Plaintiff was injured by a ladder when she left the building. Defendants’ motion for summary judgment should […]

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PLAINTIFF FELL FROM A HORSE DURING A RIDING LESSON, NEITHER THE ASSUMPTION OF THE RISK DOCTRINE NOR THE SIGNED RELEASED WARRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF DEFENDANT HORSE FARM, THE COMPLAINT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, over a dissent, determined that the assumption of the risk doctrine and the signed release did not warrant summary judgment in favor of defendant in this horseback-riding injury case. Plaintiff fell from a horse during a riding lesson: … [I]t is undisputed that plaintiff was a beginner and had […]

EVIDENCE THAT DEFENDANT’S EMPLOYEE SLIPPED ON ICE AND SNOW SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE PLAINTIFF SLIPPED AND FELL IN THE SAME PARKING LOT RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT ABOUT DEFENDANT’S CONSTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE DANGEROUS CONDITION (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined defendant’s motion for summary judgment in this parking-lot snow-ice slip and fall case was properly denied. Defendant’s submissions included evidence one of plaintiff’s employee had slipped and fallen on ice in the parking lot several hours before plaintiff fell. That evidence raised a question of fact whether defendant had constructive knowledge […]

PERSON SENDING TEXT MESSAGES TO A DRIVER DOES NOT OWE A DUTY OF CARE TO A PERSON INJURED BY THE DRIVER, OSTENSIBLY BECAUSE THE DRIVER WAS DISTRACTED BY THE TEXTS (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Troutman, determined a person who sends text messages to someone who is driving does not owe a duty of care to a person injured by the driver, ostensibly because the driver was distracted by the texts: … [I]t is the duty of the driver to see […]

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DEFENDANT COUNTY CORONER TOOK PLAINTIFF’S SON’S BRAIN MATTER FOR USE IN TRAINING CADAVER DOGS AND FATHER SUED, QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER COUNTY OBLIGATED UNDER THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW TO DEFEND AND INDEMNIFY THE CORONER (I.E., WAS THE CORONER ACTING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF HIS EMPLOYMENT?) (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant’s motion for summary judgment on his cross claim against the county (seeking a determination that the county is obligated to defend and indemnify him) should not have been granted. Plaintiff’s son was killed in a car accident. Defendant, who was then a county coroner, without permission, took […]

WHILE WORKING ON A SIGN AT EYE LEVEL PLAINTIFF SLIPPED OFF A LANDSCAPING ROCK WHICH HE DID NOT NEED TO STAND ON TO DO THE WORK, PLAINTIFF’S LABOR LAW 240 (1) AND 241 (6) CAUSES OF ACTION PROPERLY DISMISSED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department determined plaintiff’s Labor Law 240 (1) and 241 (6) causes of action were properly dismissed. Plaintiff slipped off a landscaping rock while working on a business sign. Plaintiff did not need to stand on the rock to do the work, which involved removing letters from the sign. The Labor Law 241 (6) […]

INJURY FROM A SAFETY BAR IN A BOBCAT WHICH FELL AFTER PLAINTIFF RAISED IT TO STEP OUT OF THE MACHINE DID NOT RESULT FROM A SIGNIFICANT ELEVATION DIFFERENTIAL WITHIN THE MEANING OF LABOR LAW 240 (1), LABOR LAW 241 (6) CAUSES OF ACTION WERE VIABLE HOWEVER (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined defendant’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s Labor Law 240 (1) cause of action should have been granted, but the Labor Law 241 (6) causes of action were viable. Plaintiff was injured when a safety bar in a Bobcat fell and struck him. The safety bar lowers […]

ALTHOUGH THE MONTHLY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS STOPPED IN 2008, THE DEBT WAS NEVER ACCELERATED UNTIL THE INSTANT FORECLOSURE ACTION WAS BROUGHT IN 2015, THE ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AS TIME-BARRED (FOURTH DEPT).

The Fourth Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the foreclosure action was not time barred. The mortgage payments stopped in 2008. But the debt was never accelerated until the foreclosure action was commenced in 2015: Where, as here, a loan secured by a mortgage is payable in installments, separate causes of action accrue for each unpaid […]

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