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THE HISTORY OF THE INTERACTION BETWEEN INFANT PLAINTIFF AND ANOTHER STUDENT RAISED A QUESTION OF FACT ABOUT WHETHER THE ATTACK ON INFANT PLAINTIFF WAS FORESEEABLE FROM THE SCHOOL’S PERSPECTIVE (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the negligent supervision action against defendant school should not have been dismissed. Infant plaintiff (E.E.) had been attacked and seriously injured by another student (J.H.). Supreme Court found the attack was not foreseeable. The Third Department found the evidence of foreseeability sufficient to raise a question of fact:

The record contains evidence of the following. J.H. had a school disciplinary history of 18 incidents between 2015 and 2018, which resulted in numerous detentions and suspensions. Of these 18 incidents, it appears that at least five involved acts of violence on J.H.’s part. One of the suspensions was for lighting a fellow student’s hair on fire, while another suspension was for her previous attack on E.E. That particular incident involved J.H. borrowing rings from other students in order to maximize the injuries that she could inflict upon E.E. J.H. was also suspended for obtaining unclothed photos of E.E. and posting them online under the guise that it was E.E. who was posting them. By the spring of 2017, school officials were aware that J.H. was suffering from anxiety and depression, had been the subject of a PINS petition, was a runaway risk, exhibited violent behavior, had “no judgment” and was “very unpredictable.” At some point around the middle of the 2017-2018 school year, J.H. screamed at E.E. in a school hallway, “what are you looking at?”, and E.E. reported this to a teacher. Approximately two weeks before the incident in question, J.H.’s mother called a school guidance counselor and warned that J.H. was planning to do something to get herself expelled from school. The district superintendent stated that if she had been made aware of this call, she would have advised the high school principal about it and ensured that there was a safety plan in place.

While we are mindful that there were no specific incidents between J.H. and E.E. for a number of months prior to the subject assault, the evidence of J.H.’s extensive disciplinary history, including acts of violence together with the prior incidents aimed at E.E. herself, as well as the recent warning call from J.H.’s mother, was sufficient to raise triable issues of fact with respect to whether J.H.’s attack on E.E. was foreseeable and whether it was a consequence of a lack of adequate supervision on defendant’s part … . To the extent that defendant argues a lack of foreseeability by pointing to J.H.’s deposition testimony wherein she indicated that she did not plan the attack in advance, we are unpersuaded. “The issue is not the speed of the punch, but the circumstances leading up to and surrounding that conduct” … . In light of the foregoing, it was error to grant defendant’s motion for summary judgment. T.E. v South Glens Falls Cent. Sch. Dist., 2024 NY Slip Op 05934, Third Dept 11-27-24

Practice Point: Consult this decision for insight into the proof necessary to raise a question of fact about the foreseeability of an attack on a student by another student.

 

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THE ERRORS MADE IN THE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE WERE NOT MADE IN BAD FAITH AND DID NOT PREJUDICE THE MUNICIPAL DEFENDANT; THEREFORE AMENDMENT OF THE NOTICE OF CLAIM SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the erroneous incident-date in the notice of claim did not justify dismissal of the action in this sidewalk slip and fall case. The error was not made in bad faith and did not prejudice the municipal defendant:

The Transit defendants … moved … pursuant to CPLR 3211(a) to dismiss the complaint … on the ground that the notice of claim did not comply with General Municipal Law § 50-e(2), as it incorrectly listed the date of the accident as March 5, 2016, instead of April 5, 2016, and identified the plaintiff as “Maria Hernandez,” instead of “Maria Hernandez-Panell.” …

General Municipal Law § 50-e(2) requires that a notice of claim set forth … “the time when, the place where and the manner in which the claim arose” … . “[I]n determining compliance with the requirements of General Municipal Law § 50-e, courts should focus on the purpose served by a Notice of Claim: whether based on the claimant’s description municipal authorities can locate the place, fix the time and understand the nature of the accident” … . Pursuant to General Municipal Law § 50-e(6), a court has discretion to grant leave to serve an amended notice of claim where the error in the original notice was made in good faith and where the other party has not been prejudiced thereby … .

Here, there is no indication that the date originally listed in the notice of claim as the accident date was set forth in bad faith, and the Transit defendants did not demonstrate any prejudice as a result of the error … . Moreover, the plaintiff supplied the correct date of the accident at the hearing pursuant to General Municipal Law § 50-h and Public Authorities Law § 1212(5) … . Hernandez-Panell v City of New York, 2024 NY Slip Op 05962, Second Dept 11-27-24

Practice Point: Errors in a notice of claim against a municipality should not result in dismissal of the action if the errors were not made in bad faith and did not prejudice the municipal defendant.​

 

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DEFENDANT’ CLOTHING STORE’S EMPLOYEE ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPTED TO RECORD PLAINTIFF IN A CHANGING ROOM; THE NEGLIGENT HIRING CAUSE OF ACTION, BASED ON THE ALLEGATION THE STORE DID NOT CONDUCT A BACKGROUND CHECK BEFORE HIRING THE EMPLOYEE, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant clothing store (Gap) was entitled to summary judgment dismissing the negligent-hiring-supervision complaint. Plaintiff alleged a store employee, Medel, attempted to record her on a cell phone as she was changing in a fitting room. The negligent hiring cause of action alleged Gap did not do a background check before hiring Medel, which was alleged to have been in violation of store policy:

The Supreme Court erred in denying those branches of the store defendants’ motion which were for summary judgment dismissing the causes of action alleging negligent hiring, training, supervision, and retention insofar as asserted against them. “‘[A] necessary element of such causes of action is that the employer knew or should have known of the employee’s propensity for the conduct which caused the injury'” … . Here, the submissions of the store defendants in support of their motion demonstrated, prima facie, that they did not have notice of any propensity of Medel to commit misconduct … .

In opposition, the plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact as to whether Gap or Old Navy knew or should have known that Medel had a propensity to commit misconduct … . The plaintiff’s contention, via the affidavit of her expert, that neither Gap nor Old Navy appeared to have conducted a background check prior to hiring Medel, as was their apparent internal policy before hiring any employees, is without merit. “There is no common-law duty to institute specific procedures for hiring employees unless the employer knows of facts that would lead a reasonably prudent person to investigate the prospective employee” … . Moreover, the plaintiff failed to submit any evidence that a background check of Medel would have revealed a propensity to commit misconduct … . Hashimi v Gap, Inc., 2024 NY Slip Op 05961, Second Dept 11-27-24

Practice Point: A negligent hiring cause of action based on the allegation the employer did not conduct a background check, without more, will not survive a motion to dismiss. Plaintiff must demonstrate the employer knew of facts which should have triggered a background check.

 

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PLAINTIFF’S AFFIDAVIT DID NOT STATE IT WAS BASED ON FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE AND THE UNCERTIFIED POLICE REPORT WAS INADMISSIBLE; PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS PROPERTY-DAMAGE CASE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined summary judgment should not have been awarded plaintiff in this property-damage case. Plaintiff alleged defendant’s vehicle struck a brick wall and fence on plaintiff’s property. Plaintiff’s affidavit did not state it was based on first-hand knowledge and the uncertified police report was inadmissible:

“A plaintiff in a negligence action moving for summary judgment on the issue of liability must establish, prima facie, that the defendant breached a duty owed to the plaintiff and that the defendant’s negligence was a proximate cause of the alleged injuries” … . “‘A conclusory affidavit or an affidavit by an individual without personal knowledge of the facts does not establish the proponent’s prima facie burden’ on a motion for summary judgment” … .

Here, the plaintiff’s conclusory affidavit, which failed to set forth whether he had firsthand knowledge of the event, was insufficient to establish, prima facie, that a vehicle operated by the defendant struck a brick wall and fence located on the plaintiff’s property … . The uncertified police accident report submitted in support of the plaintiff’s motion was not admissible … . Felle v Maxaner, 2024 NY Slip Op 05959, Second Dept 11-27-24

Practice Point: Affidavits which do mot make clear the allegations are based on first-hand knowledge will not support summary judgment.

Practice Point: Uncertified police reports are not admissible.

 

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IN A SIDEWALK SLIP AND FALL CASE, COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY BY PHONE DOES NOT SATISFY THE WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIREMENT, EVEN IF THE COMMUNICATION WAS REDUCED TO WRITING; PLAINTIFF DID NOT DEMONSTRATE AN EXCEPTION TO THE WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIREMENT APPLIED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court in this sidewalk slip and fall case, determined the “written notice” requirement for municipal liability was not met and plaintiff did not demonstrate an exception to the written notice requirement was applicable:

While walking down a sidewalk on West 26th Street in Manhattan, plaintiff tried to navigate around other pedestrians and tripped and fell on a metal fence surrounding a tree well, known as a tree guard, where there was no longer a tree. Plaintiff seeks to hold the City of New York and New York City Parks Department and Recreation liable for his fall on the theory that defendants created a hazard by leaving the tree guard after they removed the tree. Defendants’ motion for summary judgment should have been granted.

The City sustained its initial burden of demonstrating that it did not receive prior written notice of the condition that caused plaintiff’s accident. A search of Department of Transportation and Department of Parks and Recreation records revealed only two 311 calls for the accident site. The calls resulted in service reports reflecting removal of dead trees and a direction for a City employee to investigate whether replacement of the trees was appropriate. No party disputes that the trees were not replaced before the accident. However, verbal or telephonic communication to a municipal body that is reduced to writing does not satisfy the prior written notice requirement, even if the writing includes a service report, as it does here … … .

As a result, the burden shifted to plaintiff to demonstrate that one of the exceptions to the prior written notice requirement applied … . Plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact concerning whether the City affirmatively created the defective condition through an act of negligence or that a special use resulted in a special benefit to it … . Plaintiff’s theory was that his accident was the result of a combination of inadequate lighting, the height and color of the tree well guard, and the removal of the tree without replacement. However, his expert failed to cite relevant industry-wide standards and practices regarding the construction or design of a tree well border from which the City may have deviated. Moreover, plaintiff did not show that the City’s failure to replace the trees was an affirmative act of negligence, rather than a negligent omission, that created an immediately apparent dangerous condition … . Carney v City of New York, 2024 NY Slip Op 05884, First Dept 11-26-24

Practice Point: Re: municipal liability for a sidewalk slip and fall, phone communications about the defect do not satisfy the written notice requirement even if the communications are reduced to writing.

 

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BY CLICKING ON CONTRACT TERMS ON HER SMART PHONE, PLAINTIFF AGREED TO ARBITRATE HER PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM AGAINST UBER; PLAINTIFF ALLEGED INJURY AFTER AN UBER DRIVER LEFT HER OFF IN TRAFFIC (CT APP).

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Cannataro, over a two-judge dissent, determined that plaintiff, by clicking on notifications of contract terms from Uber on her smart phone, agreed to submit her personal injury action against Uber to arbitration. Plaintiff alleged the Uber driver left her off in traffic and she was injured as a result. The opinion is too detailed to fairly summarize here. The precise language of the notifications from Uber are laid out:

On this appeal, we apply centuries-old principles of contract law to a web-based “terms of use” update containing an arbitration agreement. The parties dispute the validity of that agreement and its applicability to this personal injury action, which plaintiff commenced two months before she indicated her assent to the updated terms of use by means of a series of clicks on her smartphone.

We conclude that the “clickwrap” process Uber used to solicit plaintiff’s assent resulted in the formation of an agreement to arbitrate. Moreover, a key term of that agreement expressly delegates to an arbitrator the exclusive authority to resolve all disputes as to the applicability and enforceability of the agreement. Because plaintiff has not established that the delegation provision is invalid, her challenges to the portions of the agreement that purportedly apply to pending legal claims were properly directed to the arbitrator. Wu v Uber Tech., Inc., 2024 NY Slip Op 05869, CtApp 11-25-24

Practice Point: Here plaintiff was notified by Uber of updated contract terms in a message sent to her smart phone. By “clicking” agreement to the terms on her phone’s screen, plaintiff agreed to arbitrate her personal injury action against Uber.

 

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NEW JERSEY TRANSIT CORPORATION CANNOT ASSERT THE SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY DEFENSE IN THIS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT CASE; THE ACCIDENT INVOLVED A NEW JERSEY TRANSIT CORPORATION BUS AND OCCURRED IN NEW YORK CITY (CT APP). ​

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Singas, over two concurrences and a dissent, determined the New Jersey Transit Corporation could not assert the sovereign immunity defense in this traffic-accident case:

In Franchise Tax Bd. of Cal. v Hyatt, the United States Supreme Court recognized that the text and structure of the Federal Constitution not only preserved States’ pre-ratification sovereign immunity, but compelled absolute recognition of that immunity in other States’ courts as a matter of “equal dignity and sovereignty” … . However, the Court did not address how to determine whether a state-created entity is entitled to this immunity. We glean from the Court’s analysis that the relevant inquiry is whether subjecting a state-created entity to suit in New York would offend that State’s dignity as a sovereign. We hold that, to answer this question, courts must analyze how the State defines the entity and its functions, its power to direct the entity’s conduct, and the effect on the State of a judgment against the entity. Considering these factors, we conclude that maintaining this action against defendant New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) in our courts would not offend New Jersey’s sovereign dignity and accordingly hold that defendants are not entitled to invoke a sovereign immunity defense. On February 9, 2017, a bus owned and operated by NJT allegedly struck and injured plaintiff Jeffrey Colt as he traversed a crosswalk on 40th Street in Manhattan. The bus was driven by defendant Ana Hernandez, an employee of NJT. Colt and his wife, plaintiff Betsy Tsai, commenced this action on September 18, 2017, asserting causes of action for negligence, negligent hiring, and loss of consortium. Defendants answered the complaint and denied many of plaintiffs’ factual allegations. Defendants asserted—as part of an exhaustive list including many boilerplate defenses—that plaintiffs’ recovery was “barred by lack of jurisdiction over NJT” and “barred as this Court lacks jurisdiction,” and that defendants were “immune from suit.” Colt v New Jersey Tr. Corp., 2024 NY Slip Op 05867, CtApp 11-25-24

Practice Point: Here the New Jersey Transit Corporation could not invoke the sovereign immunity defense to a New York City traffic accident involving a New Jersey Transit Corporation bus.

 

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DEFENDANT DOCTOR’S EXPERT’S AFFIDAVIT IN THIS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE ACTION DID NOT ADDRESS ALL THE ALLEGATIONS IN THE BILL OF PARTICULARS, RENDERING IT CONCLUSORY AND SPECULATIVE (SECOND DEPT). ​

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendant doctor’s (Buono’s) motion for summary judgment in this medical malpractice action should not have been granted: Buono’s expert’s affidavit did not address all the allegations in the bill of particulars, rendering it conclusory and speculative:

“To prevail on a motion for summary judgment in a medical malpractice action, a defendant must establish, prima facie, either that there was no departure from good and accepted medical practice or that any departure was not a proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries” … . “In order to sustain this burden, the defendant must address and rebut any specific allegations of malpractice set forth in the plaintiff’s bill of particulars” … . Here, Buono failed to establish his prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law dismissing the cause of action alleging medical malpractice insofar as asserted against him. The plaintiff specifically alleged in his bill of particulars, inter alia, that Buono was negligent in abandoning the plaintiff in the operating room before the procedure was completed. In support of his motion, Buono submitted an affirmation of an expert who opined that Buono did not depart from good and accepted medical practice because, “as an assistant, DR. BUONO was entitled to leave the operating room as soon as his services were no longer required.” That opinion, however, failed to address certain evidence, including medical records and deposition testimony of Brady and Buono, that raised a triable issue of fact as to whether Buono was the assistant or the surgeon performing the procedure. As such, the expert’s opinion is conclusory, speculative, and wholly insufficient to establish Buono’s prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law … . The expert also failed to establish that Buono’s alleged negligence was not a proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. Woehrle v Buono, 2024 NY Slip Op 05815, Second Dept 11-20-24

Practice Point: In a medical malpractice action an expert affidavit in support of a defendant’s motion for summary judgment must address all the allegations in the pleadings or it will be deemed conclusory and speculative.

Similar issue and result in Bonocore v Ravindranath, 2024 NY Slip Op 05824, First Dept 11-21-24.

 

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DEFENDANTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE THE SIDEWALK DEFECT WAS TRIVIAL AS A MATTER OF LAW IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined defendants in this slip and fall case did not make out a prima facie case that the sidewalk defect was trivial as a matter of law. Therefore defendants’ summary judgment motion should not have been granted:

… [T]he evidence submitted by the defendants, including, inter alia, a transcript of the plaintiff’s deposition testimony, as well as photographs of the allegedly defective sidewalk condition, was insufficient to establish, prima facie, that the height differential was physically insignificant and that the characteristics of the defect or the surrounding circumstances did not increase the risks the alleged defect posed … . The evidence submitted did not include objective measurements of the dimensions of the defect, specifically the height of the allegedly misleveled sidewalk. The evidence further failed to sufficiently quantify or estimate the dimensions of the defect. The plaintiff identified the photographs as fairly and accurately representing the allegedly defective sidewalk condition as it existed on the date of the accident. While the photographs demonstrated the irregular nature of the sidewalk … , it is impossible to ascertain or to reasonably infer the extent of the defect from the photographs submitted … .

Therefore, the defendants failed to make a prima facie showing of their entitlement to judgment as a matter of law dismissing the complaint on the ground that the defect was trivial and not actionable. Abreu v Pursuit Realty Group, LLC, 2024 NY Slip Op 05781, Second Dept 11-20-24

Practice Point: Here the photos of the sidewalk defect were not supplemented with objective measurements. The proof did not establish the defect was trivial as a matter of law.

 

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ALTHOUGH PLAINTIFF’S EXPERT IN THIS ELEVATOR ACCIDENT CASE WAS NOT A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, HE HAD BEEN QUALIFIED AS AN EXPERT IN 120 CASES; THE JUDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE SUMMARILY DISQUALIFIED HIM (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined the trial judge should not have disqualified plaintiff’s expert in this elevator accident case. Although the expert was not a professional engineer, he had been qualified as an expert in over 120 state and federal cases:

Supreme Court erred in summarily disqualifying the opinion of Patrick A. Carrajat as an expert. Although Carrajat was not a professional engineer, he nonetheless had the requisite knowledge and experience to render an opinion on the cause of the accident, as he averred that he had been qualified as an elevator expert and testified as an expert witness 120 times in state and federal courts throughout the country … . Furthermore, challenges regarding an expert witness’ qualifications affect the weight to be accorded the expert’s views, not their admissibility … .

Plaintiff’s expert’s affidavit creates issues of fact as to both the nature of the incident, and the cause of the incident. While defendants’ experts opined that the elevator could not have malfunctioned as plaintiff described, and that the elevator descended to the lobby at regular speed, Carrajat disputed this and posited ways in which the elevator could have malfunctioned that were consistent with plaintiff’s account of the accident. Given the conflicting expert affidavits, the building defendants have not established their entitlement to summary judgment … . Escolastico v Rigs Mgt. Co., LLC, 2024 NY Slip Op 05769, First Dept 11-19-24

Practice Point: Here in this elevator-accident case plaintiff’s expert was not a professional engineer but had been qualified as an expert in over 120 cases. It was reversible error to summarily disqualify him.

 

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