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PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION AND NEGLIGENT INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS ACTION AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STEMMING FROM THE ALLEGED RAPE OF PLAINTIFF ON SCHOOL GROUNDS SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined plaintiff’s motion for leave to file a late notice of claim should have been granted for the negligent supervision and negligent infliction of emotional distress causes of action against the Department of Education stemming from the the sexual assault of the plaintiff on school grounds:

The DOE had actual knowledge, within the statutory period or a reasonable time thereafter, of the facts constituting [the] claims, which arose as a result of the alleged rape that occurred on September 28, 2017 … . Furthermore, in light of the DOE’s actual knowledge of the essential facts constituting the claims of negligent supervision and negligent infliction of emotional distress, the plaintiff met her initial burden of establishing a lack of substantial prejudice to the DOE in maintaining a defense with respect to those claims … . In opposition, the DOE failed to make a particularized evidentiary showing that it would be substantially prejudiced if the late notice with respect to those claims was allowed … . “[W]here there is actual notice and an absence of prejudice, the lack of a reasonable excuse will not bar the granting of leave to serve a late notice of claim” … . Doe v City of New York, 2020 NY Slip Op 03768, Second Dept 7-8-20

 

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QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER THE POLICE OFFICER, ANSWERING A CALL, ACTED RECKLESSLY IN THIS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT CASE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined there was a question of fact whether the defendant police officer (McMahon) acted recklessly in this traffic accident case. The officer, responding to a call, passed a line of cars by straddling the yellow line without siren or lights and struck plaintiff as plaintiff was attempting to make a left turn:

“[T]he reckless disregard standard of care in Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1104(e) only applies when a driver of an authorized emergency vehicle involved in an emergency operation engages in the specific conduct exempted from the rules of the road by Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1104(b). Any other injury-causing conduct of such a driver is governed by the principles of ordinary negligence”… . Conduct exempted from the rules of the road by Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1104(b) includes disregarding regulations governing the direction of movement or turning in specified directions … .

Here, the defendants established that the reckless disregard standard of Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1104 was applicable to McMahon’s conduct because he was responding to a radio call of a motor vehicle accident with unknown injuries … . However, the defendants failed to establish their prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law because their moving papers presented a triable issue of fact regarding whether McMahon was reckless in straddling the double-yellow line to pass a row of vehicles without using his warning siren or lights when he collided with the plaintiff’s vehicle … . Rodriguez-Garcia v Southampton Police Dept., 2020 NY Slip Op 03813, Second Dept 7-8-20

 

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THE COURT WAS TROUBLED BY NEW YORK CITY OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE TRIAL AND HEARINGS’ (OATH’S) REQUIREMENT THAT PETITIONER PAY THE ORDERED RESTITUTION OF OVER $234,000 BEFORE PETITIONER COULD APPEAL THE DETERMINATION; THE ISSUE WAS NOT RAISED BY THE PARTIES AND THEREFORE COULD NOT BE DECIDED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department noted it was troubled by the New York City Office of Administrative Trial and Hearings’ (OATH’S) requirement that petitioner pay the ordered restitution as a prerequisite to appealing the determination. The issue was not raised by the parties so the First Department could not decide it:

Although neither specifically preserved nor raised on appeal, we are troubled by the constitutional ramifications of an administrative tribunal insulating its decision by making judicial review contingent on satisfaction of its order, including, as here, the payment of money … . It seems patently unfair to force a litigant to pay restitution as a condition for filing an appeal where the litigant has received a waiver of prior payment of his fine due to financial hardship … . Petitioner here is excused from paying a $5,000 fine as a condition to filing an appeal based on financial hardship, but, notwithstanding its financial hardship, it is forced to pay almost a quarter of a million dollars ($234,152.57) before it can file an appeal. Under this system, if you do not have the financial means to pay, you cannot come into court and seek review regardless of the merits of the challenged administrative determination … . Nonetheless, because this constitutional issue was not fully briefed before us, we do not decide it. Matter of Sahara Constr. Corp. v New York City Off. of Admin. Trials & Hearings, 2020 NY Slip Op 03715, First Dept 7-2-20

 

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DESPITE EVIDENCE THAT BOTH DRIVERS WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE INTERSECTION WHERE THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT OCCURRED, PLAINTIFFS’ EXPERT RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER PROPER SIGNAGE COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ACCIDENT; THE TOWN’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiffs’ expert raised a question of fact whether proper signage at the intersection where the traffic accident occurred could have prevented the collision. The fact that both drivers were familiar with the intersection did not require that the town’s motion for summary judgment be granted (as Supreme Court had found):

“As a general rule, the question of proximate cause is to be decided by the finder of fact,” but it may be decided as a matter of law “where only one conclusion may be drawn from the established facts” … . Here, in support of its motion for summary judgment, the Town submitted evidence revealing that the drivers had some familiarity with the intersection, together with expert proof that the existing markings and traffic control devices were appropriate and consistent with applicable design standards. However, plaintiffs countered the Town’s showing with evidence that additional devices, such as a stop sign and painted stop bar, as well as pavement markings indicating the proper turning radius, were required for the subject intersection by applicable design standards; plaintiffs’ expert opined that the absence of such markings and devices was a substantial contributing factor to this collision. Notably, “a disagreement . . . between experts merely creates a question of credibility to be resolved by the finder of fact” … . Upon review, we do not find the opinions expressed by plaintiffs’ expert in this matter to be lacking in either substance or foundation … . O’Keefe v Wohl, 2020 NY Slip Op 03579, Third Dept 6-25-20

 

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THE MEDICAL RECORDS DID NOT PROVIDE NOTICE TO THE HOSPITAL OF A POTENTIAL MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTION AND PETITIONER FAILED TO SHOW THE HOSPITAL WOULD NOT BE PREJUDICED BY THE DELAY IN SERVING A NOTICE OF CLAIM; LEAVE TO SERVE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined leave to file a late notice of claim should not have been granted in this action against NYC Health & Hospitals Corp (HHP) alleging a failure to timely diagnose breast cancer. The medical records did not alert HHP to injury from malpractice and petitioner failed to show the HHP was not prejudiced by the delay in serving a notice of claim:

Petitioner failed to show that HHC had actual notice of her claim within 90 days of accrual of the claim, or a reasonable time thereafter. HHC’s “mere possession or creation of medical records does not ipso facto establish that it had actual knowledge of a potential injury where the records do not evince that the medical staff, by its acts or omissions, inflicted any injury on plaintiff'” … . Here, HHC records of petitioner’s treatment do not on their face show any negligence, malpractice or injury to plaintiff, and plaintiff did not submit a physician’s affirmation to make such a showing … .

Likewise, petitioner failed to demonstrate the lack of any prejudice to HHC from the delay, as HHC’s “possession of medical records that could not alert it to a claim of malpractice obviously cannot, ipso facto, establish a lack of prejudice” … . Because petitioner offered no other basis for the lack of prejudice to HHC, the burden never shifted to HHC to show prejudice from the delay … . Matter of Atkinson v New York City Health & Hosps. Corp., 2020 NY Slip Op 03609, First Dept 6-25-20

 

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PLAINTIFFS WERE ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT FINDING DEFENDANT-LANDLORD VIOLATED NYC LOCAL LAW NO. 1 BY FAILING TO TAKE REASONABLE MEASURES TO ADDRESS THE HAZARDOUS LEAD-PAINT CONDITION IN PLAINTIFFS’ APARTMENT; HOWEVER DEFENDANTS RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER DEFENDANTS’ NEGLIGENCE WAS THE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF THE CHILD’S INJURIES (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Moulton, determined plaintiffs demonstrated defendants violated Local Law No. 1 of the City of New York in failing to take reasonable measures to address the hazardous lead-based paint condition in plaintiffs’ apartment. However defendants’ medical expert raised a question of fact whether defendants’ negligence was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s child’ (S.T.’s) injuries:

Under Local Law 1 defendants’ liability is not predicated on their observations of peeling paint or whether they are informed of it. Defendants’ liability does not depend on the mother demonstrating that she credibly complained about each and every instance or location of peeling paint. Even assuming that the mother never complained about the paint condition, defendants are charged with notice of the hazardous lead-based paint condition under Local Law 1 from the time that defendants were aware that S.T. moved into apartment. Moreover, Local Law 1 imposes on landlords “a specific duty to ameliorate hazardous levels of lead-based paint” … . Defendants cannot avoid liability by attempting to shift their statutory obligation to the mother by questioning her memory or her credibility, or for failing to inform them when the paint began to peel. Shifting the burden to the mother is inconsistent with the purpose of Local Law 1 which “is unquestionably intended to protect a definite class of persons [plaintiffs] from a particular hazard they are incapable of avoiding themselves” … . S.T. v 1727-29 LLC, 2020 NY Slip Op 03630, First Deptp 6-25-20

 

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VILLAGE DID NOT DEMONSTRATE IT DID NOT CREATE THE DEFECT IN THIS SIDEWALK/TREE-WELL SLIP AND FALL CASE; THEREFORE THE VILLAGE’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the village’s motion for summary judgment in this sidewalk/tree-well slip and fall case should not have been granted. The Village demonstrated it did not have the required written notice of the defect, but did not demonstrate it did not create the defect:

” A municipality that has adopted a prior written notice law cannot be held liable for a defect within the scope of the law absent the requisite written notice, unless an exception to the requirement applies'” … . “Two exceptions to the prior written notice requirement have been recognized, namely, where the locality created the defect or hazard through an affirmative act of negligence and where a special use confers a special benefit upon the locality” … .

“[T]he prima facie showing which a defendant must make on a motion for summary judgment is governed by the allegations of liability made by the plaintiff in the pleadings” … . Here, the plaintiff alleged in her complaint and bill of particulars that the Village affirmatively created the defect that caused the accident. Therefore, in order to establish its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law, the Village had to demonstrate both that it did not have prior written notice of the defect and that it did not create the defect … . The Village established, prima facie, that it did not have prior written notice of the defect, but it failed to establish, prima facie, that it did not affirmatively create the alleged defect … . Nigro v Village of Mamaroneck, 2020 NY Slip Op 03518, Second Dept 6-24-20

 

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JURY SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED ON THE RES IPSA LOQUITUR DOCTRINE AND INSTRUCTED THAT THE VIOLATION OF THE NYC ADMINISTRATIVE CODE IS SOME EVIDENCE OF NEGLIGENCE IN THIS FALLING OBJECT CASE, NEW TRIAL ORDERED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court and ordering a new trial, determined the jury should have been instructed on the res ipsa loquitur doctrine and the violation of the NYC Administrative Code was some evidence of negligence. Plaintiff was allegedly injured when a towel dispenser/trash receptacle (TD/TR) fell out of the wall:

… [W]e find that the trial court improvidently exercised its discretion in declining to charge the jury on res ipsa loquitur. A res ipsa charge “merely permits the jury to infer negligence from the circumstances of the occurrence” … . The doctrine does not require “sole physical access to the instrumentality causing the injury” … . The trial court should also have charged that a violation of Administrative Code of the City of New York § 28-301.1, which requires property owners to maintain their buildings in a safe condition, constitutes “some evidence of negligence” … . To the extent that the TD/TR unit allegedly fell out of the wall eight months after installation by defendant John Spaccarelli, the court erred by failing to allow plaintiff to fully question the credentials of Mr. Spaccarelli and his qualifications as an expert … . Galue v Independence 270 Madison LLC, 2020 NY Slip Op 03463, First Dept 6-18-20

 

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WHETHER THE SIDEWALK DEFECT WHICH ALLEGEDLY CAUSED PLAINTIFF’S SLIP AND FALL IS SHOWN ON A BIG APPLE MAP MUST BE RESOLVED BY A JURY (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined there was a question of fact whether the sidewalk defect which allegedly caused plaintiff to fall was depicted on the Big Apple map. Therefore the question whether the city had written notice of the defect was for the jury:

Administrative Code of the City of New York § 7-201(c)(2) “limits the City’s duty of care over municipal streets and sidewalks by imposing liability only for those defects or hazardous conditions which its officials have been actually notified exist at a specified location” … . Accordingly, “prior written notice of a defect is a condition precedent which plaintiff is required to plead and prove to maintain an action against the City” … . …

“Big Apple is a corporation established by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association for the purpose of giving notices in compliance with [Administrative Code of City of New York § 7-201(c)(2)]. It does so through maps on which coded symbols are entered to represent defects” … . “A Big Apple map submitted to the Department of Transportation may serve as prior written notice of a defective condition” … . …

” Where [, as here,] there are factual disputes regarding the precise location of the defect that allegedly caused a plaintiff’s fall, and whether the alleged defect is designated on the [Big Apple] map, the question should be resolved by a jury'” … . Harrison v City of New York, 2020 NY Slip Op 03401, Second Dept 6-17-20

 

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PLAINTIFF WAS NOT BARRED FROM SEEKING RENT OVERCHARGES BASED UPON A 1986 RENT REDUCTION ORDER (SECOND DEPT).

he Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff could seek rent overcharges based upon a 1986 rent reduction order:

… [T]he plaintif’s first cause of action to recover damages for rent overcharges based upon the May 1, 1986, rent reduction order was not barred by the then-applicable four-year statute of limitations and the “look-back rule,” precluding examination of the rental history prior to the four-year period preceding commencement of the action (see former Rent Stabilization Law of 1969 [Administrative Code of City of NY] § 26-516[a][2]; former CPLR 213-a; Matter of Regina Metro. Co., LLC v New York State Div. of Hous. & Community Renewal, _____ NY3d _____, 2020 NY Slip Op 02127). Since rent reduction orders impose a continuing obligation on landlords, tenants are entitled to recover for any rent overcharges occurring during the applicable limitations period by reference to rent reduction orders that remain in effect during that period, even if the rent reduction order was initially issued outside the limitations period … . Santana v Fernandez, 2020 NY Slip Op 03383, Second Dept 6-17-20

 

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