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Defective Handrail Could Have Been Factor in Plaintiff’s Injuries.

In reversing the trial court’s grant of a motion to set aside the verdict, the Second Department determined that the violation of an Administrative Code concerning stairway handrails could have been a factor in the injuries to the plaintiff. The plaintiff tried to stop his fall down a stairway but could not grab the handrail which was flush with the wall.  Expert testimony established that a handrail flush to the wall was dangerous and defective.  Cusumano v City of New York, 2012-00015, Index No 4207/01, Second Dept. 3-6-13

 

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Prior Written Notice Law Protects City from Liability for Dangerous Road Condition.

“Where a municipality has enacted a prior written notice law, it may not be subjected to liability for injuries arising from a dangerous roadway condition unless it has received prior written notice of the dangerous condition, or an exception to the prior written notice requirement applies…  .  The only recognized exceptions to the statutory prior written notice requirement involve situations in which the municipality created the defect or hazard through an affirmative act of negligence, or where a special use confers a benefit upon the municipality…” .  Because the City established it had not received prior written notification of the condition which caused plaintiff’s injuries it was entitled to judgment as a matter of law.  Connor v City of New York, 2012-02970, Index No 30407/05, Second Dept. 3-6-13

 

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Hospital Generally Not Liable for Negligence of Private Attending Physician.

“ ‘[I]n general, a hospital cannot be held vicariously liable for the negligence of a private attending physician’ … . Further, a hospital cannot be held concurrently liable with such a physician unless its employees commit independent acts of negligence or the attending physician’s orders are contraindicated by normal practice…’ “.  Aronov v Soukkary, 2012-00155, Index No 2061/09, Second Dept. 3-6-13

 

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10-Year-Old Plaintiff’s Testimony Should Have Been Considered—No Need for Hearing to Determine Testimonial Capacity

The trial court’s determination the testimony of the 10-year-old plaintiff at a 50-h hearing should not be considered because there was no hearing to determine the infant plaintiff’s testimonial capacity was reversed by the Second Department.  “None of the parties challenged the infant plaintiff’s capacity to testify.  Under the circumstances, neither the infant plaintiff’s age nor his responses to the questioning necessitated a hearing.”  Perez v City of New York, 2012-03711, Index No 3451/10, 2nd Dept. 3-6-13

 

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Court Has No Authority to Grant Application to File Late Notice of Claim After Statute of Limitations Has Expired.

Plaintiff filed a notice of claim and commenced a suit against the City of New York.  The complaint was amended to add the New York City Transit Authority as a defendant.  The First Department affirmed the dismissal of the complaint against the Transit Authority because no notice of claim against the Transit Authority had been filed and the motion to file a late notice of claim was made more than one year and 90 days after the incident. Martinez v City of New York, et al, 9428, 16403/03, First Dept. 3-5-13

 

 

Proof of Lack of Constructive Notice Insufficient.

The Second Department explained that “[m]ere reference to general cleaning practices, with no evidence regarding any specific cleaning or inspection of the area in question, is insufficient to establish a lack of constructive notice” in opposing a motion for summary judgment in a slip and fall case.  Mahoney vs AMC Entertainment, Inc., 2012-00582, Index No. 2258/08, Second Dept. 2-27-13

 

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Primary Assumption of Risk Precludes Student’s Sports-Related Lawsuit.

The “primary assumption of risk” doctrine precluded a student baseball player’s lawsuit against his school where the student was struck in the face by a baseball “that had been hit on the ground with a fungo bat.”  O’Connor vs Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District, 2-12-04146, Index No. 021556/09, Second Dept. 2-27-13

 

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Expert Opinion Must Be Based On Facts in Record or Personally Known.

“A written report prepared by a nontestifying doctor interpreting the results of a medical test is not admissible into evidence.  …[O]pinion evidence must be based on facts in the record or personally known to the witness …”  D’Andria vs Pesce, 2011-03506, Index No. 16320/02 Second Dept. 2-20-13

 

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Failure to Plead Res Ipsa Loquitur Does Not Preclude Application of Theory.

“Since the [res ipsa loquitur] doctrine merely permits an inference arising from the evidence in a negligence case, the plaintiff’s failure to plead res ipsa loquitur does not foreclose its application on summary judgment or at trial.”  Wicks vs Leemilt’s Petroleum, Inc., 2011-01891, Index No. 1843/08 Second Dept. 2-20-13

 

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Causes of Action Not in Notice of Claim Dismissed.

The Second Department affirmed the dismissal of a complaint because the complaint asserted theories not mentioned in the notice of claim.  “A party may not add a new theory of liability which was not included in the notice of claim …”.  Williams vs County of Westchester, 2011-10614, Index No. 15002/08 Second Dept. 2-20-13

 

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