Second Department – Page 382 – New York Appellate Digest

COMPLAINT STATED CAUSES OF ACTION FOR CONVERSION AND TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH A CONTRACT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, modifying Supreme Court, determined the complaint (supplemented with affidavits) stated causes of action for conversion and tortious interference with contract which should not have been dismissed. Plaintiff, a dog trainer, purchased a dog and allegedly entered a contract with the seller of the dog (America' Best) to train the dog. Plaintiff and defendant were in a relationship at the time they agreed to purchase the dog. The complaint alleged that defendant took possession of the dog:

Two key elements of conversion are the plaintiff's (1) legal ownership or an immediate superior right of possession to a specific identifiable thing, and (2) the defendant's unauthorized dominion over the thing in question or interference with it, to the exclusion of the plaintiff's right… . Here, accepting the facts alleged in the complaint as true, and according the plaintiff the benefit of every possible favorable inference, the complaint sufficiently alleges that the plaintiff is the owner of the dog, that the defendant has unauthorized possession of the dog, and that the defendant has refused to return the dog.

… The elements of tortious interference with a contract are: “(1) the existence of a contract between plaintiff and a third party; (2) defendant's knowledge of the contract; (3) defendant's intentional inducement of the third party to breach or otherwise render performance impossible; and (4) damages to plaintiff” … . The complaint, as supplemented by the plaintiff's affidavits, sufficiently alleges the elements of a cause of action to recover damages for tortious interference with a contract, including that the defendant's intentional interference with the America's Best contract rendered performance impossible … . Nero v Fiore, 2018 NY Slip Op 06755, Second Dept 10-10-18

CONVERSION (COMPLAINT STATED CAUSES OF ACTION FOR CONVERSION AND TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH A CONTRACT (SECOND DEPT))/TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH CONTRACT (COMPLAINT STATED CAUSES OF ACTION FOR CONVERSION AND TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH A CONTRACT (SECOND DEPT))/CIVIL PROCEDURE (COMPLAINT STATED CAUSES OF ACTION FOR CONVERSION AND TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH A CONTRACT (SECOND DEPT))/CPLR 3211 (COMPLAINT STATED CAUSES OF ACTION FOR CONVERSION AND TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH A CONTRACT (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Employment Law, Negligence

THERE IS A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER THE DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY INJURED PLAINTIFF WAS AN EMPLOYEE OR A SUBCONTRACTOR WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF THE THREE DEFENDANTS, THE OTHER TWO DEFENDANTS DEMONSTRATED THE DRIVER WAS NOT AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLING THEM TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, modifying Supreme Court, determined the summary judgment motions brought by two of the defendants in this traffic accident case should have been granted. There was a question of fact whether the driver (Koureichi) who allegedly injured the plaintiff was an employee or a subcontractor of defendant Hudson. But the other two defendants, Stop & Shop and Subcontracting Concepts (SCI), demonstrated Koureichi was not an employee:

As a general rule, an employer who hires an independent contractor, as distinguished from an employee or servant, is not liable for the negligent acts of the independent contractor … . Control of the method and means by which the work is to be done is the critical factor in determining whether one is an independent contractor or an employee for purposes of tort liability … . Factors relevant to assessing control include whether a worker (1) worked at [her or] his own convenience, (2) was free to engage in other employment, (3) received fringe benefits, (4) was on the employer's payroll, and (5) was on a fixed schedule … .

Contrary to Hudson's contention, the evidence it submitted in support of its motion, including, inter alia, a transcript of Koureichi's deposition testimony, did not eliminate all triable issues of fact as to whether Koureichi was an independent contractor when the accident occurred … . Among other things, the evidence submitted by Hudson indicated that Koureichi worked for Hudson six days per week, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., that he was required to call a supervisor employed by Hudson if he could not report to work, that he wore a t-shirt provided by Hudson, for which he paid Hudson, which had “Same-Day Delivery” printed on it, and that he had a two-way radio provided by Hudson, for which Koureichi also paid Hudson. In light of Hudson's failure to establish its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law, we agree with the Supreme Court's denial of Hudson's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against it, without regard to the sufficiency of the plaintiffs' opposition papers … .

However, the Supreme Court should have granted Stop & Shop's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against it. The evidence submitted by Stop & Shop established, prima facie, its entitlement to judgment as a matter of law. That evidence included Koureichi's deposition testimony that he did not know the names of any of Stop & Shop's managers, that he had no contact with them, and that Stop & Shop's managers did not control the hours that he worked or how he made deliveries. That evidence established, prima facie, that Stop & Shop did not control the means and method of Koureichi's work. In opposition, the plaintiffs failed to raise a triable issue of fact.

The Supreme Court also erred in denying SCI's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against it. The evidence submitted by SCI, including Koureichi's deposition testimony that he did not have any contact with anyone at SCI, and that he didn't know SCI's function, other than to issue his paychecks, established that SCI did not control the means and method of Koureichi's work, and therefore, established SCI's prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law. In opposition, the plaintiffs failed to raise a triable issue of fact. Nachman v Koureichi, 2018 NY Slip Op 06752, Second Dept 10-10-18

NEGLIGENCE (EMPLOYMENT LAW, TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, THERE IS A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER THE DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY INJURED PLAINTIFF WAS AN EMPLOYEE OR A SUBCONTRACTOR WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF THE THREE DEFENDANTS, THE OTHER TWO DEFENDANTS DEMONSTRATED THE DRIVER WAS NOT AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLING THEM TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT))/EMPLOYMENT LAW (NEGLIGENCE, TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, THERE IS A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER THE DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY INJURED PLAINTIFF WAS AN EMPLOYEE OR A SUBCONTRACTOR WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF THE THREE DEFENDANTS, THE OTHER TWO DEFENDANTS DEMONSTRATED THE DRIVER WAS NOT AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLING THEM TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT))/TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS (NEGLIGENCE, EMPLOYMENT LAW, THERE IS A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER THE DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY INJURED PLAINTIFF WAS AN EMPLOYEE OR A SUBCONTRACTOR WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF THE THREE DEFENDANTS, THE OTHER TWO DEFENDANTS DEMONSTRATED THE DRIVER WAS NOT AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLING THEM TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT))/SUBCONTRACTORS (NEGLIGENCE, THERE IS A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER THE DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY INJURED PLAINTIFF WAS AN EMPLOYEE OR A SUBCONTRACTOR WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF THE THREE DEFENDANTS, THE OTHER TWO DEFENDANTS DEMONSTRATED THE DRIVER WAS NOT AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLING THEM TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Education-School Law, Negligence

SCHOOL’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION ACTION STEMMING FROM A STABBING WAS PROPERLY DENIED, THE INADEQUATE SECURITY CAUSE OF ACTION, HOWEVER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, modifying Supreme Court, determined the negligent supervision cause of action against the school district properly survived summary judgment, but the inadequate security cause of action should have been dismissed. Plaintiff was stabbed by another student in the hallway at school. The school district did not demonstrate the assault was not foreseeable and did not demonstrate negligent supervision was not the proximate cause of plaintiff’s injuries. However the inadequate security cause of action should have been dismissed because no special relationship between the school and the plaintiff was demonstrated:

“Schools are under a duty to adequately supervise the students in their charge and they will be held liable for foreseeable injuries proximately related to the absence of adequate supervision”… . “In determining whether the duty to provide adequate supervision has been breached in the context of injuries caused by the acts of fellow students, it must be established that school authorities had sufficiently specific knowledge or notice of the dangerous conduct which caused injury; that is, that the third-party acts could reasonably have been anticipated”… . Actual or constructive notice to the school of prior similar conduct generally is required, and “an injury caused by the impulsive, unanticipated act of a fellow student ordinarily will not give rise to a finding of negligence” … . A plaintiff also must establish that the alleged breach of the duty to provide adequate supervision was a proximate cause of the injuries sustained … . The adequacy of a school’s supervision of its students is generally a question left to the trier of fact to resolve, as is the question of whether inadequate supervision was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injury … .

Here, the District failed to demonstrate, prima facie, that the assault on the plaintiff was not foreseeable or that the District’s alleged negligent supervision was not a proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries … . The District failed to eliminate triable issues of fact as to whether it had knowledge of the offending student’s dangerous propensities based on his involvement in other assaultive altercations with fellow students in the recent past … . Thus, the District failed to establish, prima facie, that it lacked sufficiently specific knowledge or notice of the dangerous conduct that caused the alleged injuries to the plaintiff. As to proximate cause, the District failed to demonstrate, prima facie, that the subject incident occurred so quickly and spontaneously “that even the most intense supervision could not have prevented it” … . …

However, the District established, prima facie, its entitlement to judgment as a matter of law dismissing the cause of action alleging inadequate security by demonstrating that there was no special relationship giving rise to a special duty to protect the plaintiff. Gaston v East Ramapo Cent. Sch. Dist., 2018 NY Slip Op 06720, Second Dept 10-10-18

NEGLIGENCE (EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW, SCHOOL’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION ACTION STEMMING FROM A STABBING WAS PROPERLY DENIED, THE INADEQUATE SECURITY CAUSE OF ACTION, HOWEVER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT))/EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW (NEGLIGENCE, SCHOOL’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION ACTION STEMMING FROM A STABBING WAS PROPERLY DENIED, THE INADEQUATE SECURITY CAUSE OF ACTION, HOWEVER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT))/NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION (EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW, SCHOOL’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION ACTION STEMMING FROM A STABBING WAS PROPERLY DENIED, THE INADEQUATE SECURITY CAUSE OF ACTION, HOWEVER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT))/INADEQUATE SECURITY (EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW, SCHOOL’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION ACTION STEMMING FROM A STABBING WAS PROPERLY DENIED, THE INADEQUATE SECURITY CAUSE OF ACTION, HOWEVER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT))/THIRD PARTY ASSAULT (EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW, SCHOOL’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION ACTION STEMMING FROM A STABBING WAS PROPERLY DENIED, THE INADEQUATE SECURITY CAUSE OF ACTION, HOWEVER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Contract Law, Labor Law-Construction Law, Negligence

PLAINTIFF ALLEGEDLY TRIPPED OVER CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) AND 241 (6) ACTION, INDEMNIFICATION CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BECAUSE THE DEFENDANTS COULD NOT DEMONSTRATE THEY WERE FREE FROM NEGLIGENCE, BUT THE CONTRIBUTION CAUSE OF ACTION PROPERLY SURVIVED, CRITERIA FOR INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION EXPLAINED IN SOME DEPTH (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, modifying Supreme Court, determined that the contractual and common law indemnification causes of action against defendant STAT should have been dismissed, but the contribution cause of action properly survived summary judgment. Plaintiff alleged he slipped and fell on construction debris and brought actions under Labor Law 240 (1) and 241 (6). The indemnification causes of action should have been dismissed because the defendants (Granite and Kulka) would not be able to prove they were free from negligence. The contribution claim was viable because STAT employees played some role in the accumulation of the debris:

STAT demonstrated that Granite and Kulka had certain responsibilities with respect to the removal of the construction debris and, thus, that they would not be able to prove themselves free from negligence in the event that the injured plaintiff was successful on his claims against Granite (seeGeneral Obligations Law § 5-322.1 ,,,). For this same reason, STAT established its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law dismissing the common-law indemnification third third-party cause of action and cross claim against it … .

However, we agree with the Supreme Court's determination to deny those branches of STAT's motion which were for summary judgment dismissing Granite's third third-party cause of action for contribution and Kulka's cross claim for contribution. As opposed to indemnification, which shifts the entire liability to the negligent party, “where a party is held liable at least partially because of its own negligence, contribution against other culpable tort-feasors is the only available remedy” … . In the context of a construction site accident, where a plaintiff's injuries arise not from the manner in which the work was performed but rather due to an allegedly dangerous condition present thereat, liability under a common-law negligence theory “may be imposed upon a subcontractor where it had control over the work site and either created the allegedly dangerous condition or had actual or constructive notice of it” … . Fedrich v Granite Bldg. 2, LLC, 2018 NY Slip Op 06717, Second Dept 10-10-18

LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW (PLAINTIFF ALLEGEDLY TRIPPED OVER CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) AND 241 (6) ACTION, INDEMNIFICATION CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BECAUSE THE DEFENDANTS COULD NOT DEMONSTRATE THEY WERE FREE FROM NEGLIGENCE, BUT CONTRIBUTION CAUSE OF ACTION PROPERLY SURVIVED, CRITERIA FOR INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION EXPLAINED IN SOME DEPTH (SECOND DEPT))/INDEMNIFICATION (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGEDLY TRIPPED OVER CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) AND 241 (6) ACTION, INDEMNIFICATION CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BECAUSE THE DEFENDANTS COULD NOT DEMONSTRATE THEY WERE FREE FROM NEGLIGENCE, BUT CONTRIBUTION CAUSE OF ACTION PROPERLY SURVIVED, CRITERIA FOR INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION EXPLAINED IN SOME DEPTH (SECOND DEPT))/CONTRIBUTION (LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGEDLY TRIPPED OVER CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) AND 241 (6) ACTION, INDEMNIFICATION CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BECAUSE THE DEFENDANTS COULD NOT DEMONSTRATE THEY WERE FREE FROM NEGLIGENCE, BUT CONTRIBUTION CAUSE OF ACTION PROPERLY SURVIVED, CRITERIA FOR INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION EXPLAINED IN SOME DEPTH (SECOND DEPT))/CONTRACT LAW (INDEMNIFICATION, LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW, PLAINTIFF ALLEGEDLY TRIPPED OVER CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) AND 241 (6) ACTION, INDEMNIFICATION CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BECAUSE THE DEFENDANTS COULD NOT DEMONSTRATE THEY WERE FREE FROM NEGLIGENCE, BUT CONTRIBUTION CAUSE OF ACTION PROPERLY SURVIVED, CRITERIA FOR INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION EXPLAINED IN SOME DEPTH (SECOND DEPT))/NEGLIGENCE (PLAINTIFF ALLEGEDLY TRIPPED OVER CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS IN THIS LABOR LAW 240 (1) AND 241 (6) ACTION, INDEMNIFICATION CAUSES OF ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BECAUSE THE DEFENDANTS COULD NOT DEMONSTRATE THEY WERE FREE FROM NEGLIGENCE, BUT CONTRIBUTION CAUSE OF ACTION PROPERLY SURVIVED, CRITERIA FOR INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION EXPLAINED IN SOME DEPTH (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Land Use, Zoning

PETITIONER MUST EXHAUST ITS ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES BY APPEALING THE DENIAL OF A BUILDING PERMIT BY THE TOWN BUILDING DEPARTMENT TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS BEFORE BRINGING A COURT ACTION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined petitioner was required to exhaust its administrative remedies by appealing the town building department's ruling to the zoning board of appeals before bringing a court action. Petitioner's request for a permit to put in a convenience store in a rural use district had been denied by the building department:

… [T]he petitioner was required to exhaust its administrative remedies before commencing the instant proceeding/action. The petitioner's constitutional challenges to the Building Department's determination did not excuse the petitioner's failure to exhaust its administrative remedies through an appeal to the Zoning Board of Appeals… . Furthermore, the petitioner did not establish that the Building Department's determination was “wholly beyond its grant of power” or that the pursuit of administrative remedies would cause the petitioner irreparable injury … . Matter of Vineland Commons, LLC v Building Dept. of Town of Riverhead, 2018 NY Slip Op 06748, Second Dept 10-10-18

ZONING (PETITIONER MUST EXHAUST ITS ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES BY APPEALING THE DENIAL OF A BUILDING PERMIT BY THE TOWN BUILDING DEPARTMENT TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS BEFORE BRINGING A COURT ACTION (SECOND DEPT))/CIVIL PROCEDURE (ZONING, PETITIONER MUST EXHAUST ITS ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES BY APPEALING THE DENIAL OF A BUILDING PERMIT BY THE TOWN BUILDING DEPARTMENT TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS BEFORE BRINGING A COURT ACTION (SECOND DEPT))/ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (ZONING, CIVIL PROCEDURE (ZONING, PETITIONER MUST EXHAUST ITS ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES BY APPEALING THE DENIAL OF A BUILDING PERMIT BY THE TOWN BUILDING DEPARTMENT TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS BEFORE BRINGING A COURT ACTION (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Employment Law, Municipal Law

PROBATIONARY CITY EMPLOYEE WAS NOT GIVEN SEVEN DAYS NOTICE OF HIS TERMINATION, REMEDY IS TO PAY THE EMPLOYEE FOR THE SEVEN DAYS (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined petitioner, a probationary city employee, was not given the requisite seven day's notice of termination. The remedy was to provide petitioner with seven days pay:

… [T]he petitioner correctly contends that, in terminating his employment, the City failed to comply with 4 NYCRR 4.5(b)(5)(iii). That regulation requires, among other things, that a probationer who is to be discharged from employment for unsatisfactory service receive written notice at least one week prior to termination (see 4 NYCRR 4.5[b][5][iii]). Here, the petitioner received written notice on the day his employment was terminated, and the City did not rebut the petitioner's assertion that he had not received oral notice prior to that date. Accordingly, it cannot be said that the City substantially complied with 4 NYCRR 4.5(b)(5)(iii)… .

Under the circumstances of this case, including that the petitioner was deprived of the required seven days' notice but was notified of his discharge prior to the expiration of his period of probation … , we deem it appropriate to award him the relief he has requested on appeal for the failure to comply with 4 NYCRR 4.5(b)(5)(iii), specifically, one day's pay, at the salary he was earning at the time of his discharge, for each of the seven days he was not provided the requisite notice … . The Court of Appeals has determined that such a remedy is appropriate in the analogous context in which a school authority fails to give a probationary teacher 30 days' written notice of termination, as required by Education Law § 3019-a … . Seven days of pay is what the petitioner would have received had the City complied with the applicable regulation by making the petitioner's discharge effective seven days after it provided the written notice. Matter of Santucci v City of Mount Vernon, 2018 NY Slip Op 06745, Second Dept 10-10-18

MUNICIPAL LAW (EMPLOYMENT LAW, PROBATIONARY CITY EMPLOYEE WAS NOT GIVEN SEVEN DAYS NOTICE OF HIS TERMINATION, REMEDY IS TO PAY THE EMPLOYEE FOR THE SEVEN DAYS (SECOND DEPT))/EMPLOYMENT LAW (MUNICIPAL LAW, PROBATIONARY CITY EMPLOYEE WAS NOT GIVEN SEVEN DAYS NOTICE OF HIS TERMINATION, REMEDY IS TO PAY THE EMPLOYEE FOR THE SEVEN DAYS (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Evidence, Negligence

ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE COMPANY PROPERLY GRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS (ALLEGEDLY) MISALIGNED ELEVATOR SLIP AND FALL CASE, THE MAINTENANCE COMPANY DEMONSTRATED IT DID NOT HAVE NOTICE OF THE CONDITION AND PLAINTIFFS FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE THE DOCTRINE OF RES IPSA LOQUITUR APPLIED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined summary judgment was properly granted to the elevator maintenance company in this (allegedly)”misaligned elevator” slip and fall case. The maintenance company demonstrated it did not have notice of the condition and plaintiffs did not demonstrate that the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur applied:

“An elevator company which agrees to maintain an elevator in safe operating condition may be liable to a passenger for failure to correct conditions of which it has knowledge or failure to use reasonable care to discover and correct a condition which it ought to have found”… . Here, the defendant submitted sufficient evidence to establish, prima facie, that it did not have actual or constructive notice of a misleveling condition, and that it did not fail to use reasonable care to correct a condition about which it should have been aware … .

In opposition, the plaintiffs failed to raise a triable issue of fact. The affidavit of the plaintiffs' expert, which was speculative, lacking in foundation, and conclusory, was insufficient to raise a triable issue of fact … .

The doctrine of res ipsa loquitur was not applicable as the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that the accident “was one that would not ordinarily occur in the absence of someone's negligence” … . Daconta v Otis El. Co., 2018 NY Slip Op 06716, Second Dept 10-10-18

NEGLIGENCE (ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE COMPANY PROPERLY GRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS (ALLEGEDLY) MISALIGNED ELEVATOR SLIP AND FALL CASE, THE MAINTENANCE COMPANY DEMONSTRATED IT DID NOT HAVE NOTICE OF THE CONDITION AND PLAINTIFFS FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE THE DOCTRINE OF RES IPSA LOQUITUR APPLIED (SECOND DEPT))/ELEVATORS (SLIP AND FALL, ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE COMPANY PROPERLY GRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS (ALLEGEDLY) MISALIGNED ELEVATOR SLIP AND FALL CASE, THE MAINTENANCE COMPANY DEMONSTRATED IT DID NOT HAVE NOTICE OF THE CONDITION AND PLAINTIFFS FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE THE DOCTRINE OF RES IPSA LOQUITUR APPLIED (SECOND DEPT))/SLIP AND FALL (ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE COMPANY PROPERLY GRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS (ALLEGEDLY) MISALIGNED ELEVATOR SLIP AND FALL CASE, THE MAINTENANCE COMPANY DEMONSTRATED IT DID NOT HAVE NOTICE OF THE CONDITION AND PLAINTIFFS FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE THE DOCTRINE OF RES IPSA LOQUITUR APPLIED (SECOND DEPT))/RES IPSA LOQUITUR (ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE COMPANY PROPERLY GRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS (ALLEGEDLY) MISALIGNED ELEVATOR SLIP AND FALL CASE, THE MAINTENANCE COMPANY DEMONSTRATED IT DID NOT HAVE NOTICE OF THE CONDITION AND PLAINTIFFS FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE THE DOCTRINE OF RES IPSA LOQUITUR APPLIED (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Education-School Law, Labor Law-Construction Law, Municipal Law, Negligence

PETITIONER’S REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN A POTENTIAL LABOR LAW 200, 240 (1), 241 (6) ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined petitioner's request for leave to file a late notice of claim in a potential Labor Law 200, 240 (1) and 241 (6) action should not have been granted. Petitioner was struck by a falling plank when he was standing on a scaffold during renovation work at a school:

Although the petitioner made no attempt to proffer a reasonable excuse for the failure to serve a timely notice claim, “[n]either the presence nor absence of any one factor is determinative”; thus, “[t]he absence of a reasonable excuse is not necessarily fatal” … .

The petitioner failed to establish that the municipal parties acquired actual knowledge of the essential facts constituting the claim within 90 days of its accrual, or within a reasonable time thereafter. Notably, the record is devoid of evidence showing that any of the municipal parties was aware, prior to the commencement of this proceeding, that the petitioner's accident had occurred—let alone that the petitioner was claiming violations of Labor Law §§ 200, 240(1), and 241(6) … . Contrary to the petitioner's contention, a delay of four months following the expiration of the 90-day notice period does not constitute a “reasonable time” within the meaning of General Municipal Law § 50-e(5) … .

Further, the petitioner failed to present “some evidence or plausible argument” supporting a finding that the municipal parties were not substantially prejudiced by the four-month delay from the expiration of the 90-day statutory period … . Matter of Moroz v City of New York, 2018 NY Slip Op 06743, Second Dept 10-10-18

NEGLIGENCE (PETITIONER'S REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN A POTENTIAL LABOR LAW 200, 240 (1), 241 (6) ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT))/MUNICIPAL LAW (PETITIONER'S REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN A POTENTIAL LABOR LAW 200, 240 (1), 241 (6) ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT))/NOTICE OF CLAIM (MUNICIPAL LAW, EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW, PETITIONER'S REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN A POTENTIAL LABOR LAW 200, 240 (1), 241 (6) ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT))/EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW (NEGLIGENCE, NOTICE OF CLAIM, PETITIONER'S REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN A POTENTIAL LABOR LAW 200, 240 (1), 241 (6) ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT))/LABOR LAW-CONSTRUCTION LAW (MUNICIPAL LAW, EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW, PETITIONER'S REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN A POTENTIAL LABOR LAW 200, 240 (1), 241 (6) ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Municipal Law, Negligence

TOWN DID NOT HAVE WRITTEN NOTICE OF A RUSTY DRAINAGE PIPE IN THE WATER AT A TOWN BEACH AND WAS THEREFORE NOT LIABLE FOR THE INJURY TO THE INFANT PLAINTIFF WHO CUT HIS FOOT ON THE PIPE WHEN WALKING IN THE WATER (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department determined a rusty drainage pipe under the water at a town beach was a culvert within the meaning of the town code, requiring written notice of the condition before the town could be held liable for an injury, Infant plaintiff cut his foot on the pipe when he was walking in the water:

… [T]he Town demonstrated by the submission of the affidavit of its expert engineer, that the drainage pipe at issue is a culvert and, thus, falls within the ambit of the statute. In opposition, the plaintiffs failed to raise a triable issue of fact as to the nature of the subject drainage pipe.

“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” … . “The only two recognized exceptions to a prior written notice requirement are the municipality's affirmative creation of a defect or where the defect is created by the municipality's special use of the property” … .

Insofar as is relevant here, the Town established its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law by demonstrating that it did not have prior written notice of the alleged defect through the submission of, inter alia, the affidavit of an employee of the Town's Department of Highways, who averred that his search of the Town's records revealed no prior written notice of any hazardous condition of the culvert where the accident occurred … . Coventry v Town of Huntington, 2018 NY Slip Op 06715, Second Dept 10-10-18

NEGLIGENCE (TOWN DID NOT HAVE WRITTEN NOTICE OF A RUSTY DRAINAGE PIPE IN THE WATER AT A TOWN BEACH AND WAS THEREFORE NOT LIABLE FOR THE INJURY TO THE INFANT PLAINTIFF WHO CUT HIS FOOT ON THE PIPE WHEN WALKING IN THE WATER (SECOND DEPT))/MUNICIPAL LAW (NEGLIGENCE, WRITTEN NOTICE, TOWN DID NOT HAVE WRITTEN NOTICE OF A RUSTY DRAINAGE PIPE IN THE WATER AT A TOWN BEACH AND WAS THEREFORE NOT LIABLE FOR THE INJURY TO THE INFANT PLAINTIFF WHO CUT HIS FOOT ON THE PIPE WHEN WALKING IN THE WATER (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Constitutional Law, Land Use, Municipal Law, Zoning

TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER’S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER’S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Scheinkman, determined that the town's attempt to recover consulting fees and set up an escrow account in connection the petitioner's requests for a special use permit and a variance to construct an antenna for a ham radio exceeded the town's authority and was preempted by a federal regulation:

The petitioner is an amateur radio hobbyist who applied for a special use permit and an area variance that would allow him to construct a radio antenna structure on his property in the Town of LaGrange. The Town incurred more than $17,000 in legal consulting fees in connection with the applications, and informed the petitioner that he was required to reimburse the Town for these fees before any determination would be made with respect to the applications. The Town subsequently, as “an accommodation to the petitioner,” reduced the amount that it was demanding for previously incurred fees to the sum of $5,874, but also required the petitioner to maintain a minimum advance continuing escrow balance of at least $1,000 to cover the Town's future consulting costs in connection with the applications. We hold that, because the Town did not limit the consulting fees charged to the petitioner to those necessary to the decision-making function of the Town's Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, the Town exceeded its State-granted authority by requiring payment of the consulting fees and, moreover, violated a rule promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission. Matter of Landstein v Town of LaGrange, 2018 NY Slip Op 06741, Second Dept 10-10-18

MUNICIPAL LAW (TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER'S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER'S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT))/ZONING (TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER'S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER'S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT))/CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (PREEMPTION, MUNICIPAL LAW, TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER'S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER'S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT))/SPECIAL USE PERMIT (TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER'S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER'S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT))/VARIANCE (TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER'S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER'S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT))/ANTENNA (TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER'S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER'S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT))/RADIO (HAM RADIO ANTENNA, TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER'S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER'S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT))

October 10, 2018

Tag Archive for: Second Department

COMPLAINT STATED CAUSES OF ACTION FOR CONVERSION AND TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH A CONTRACT (SECOND DEPT).

THERE IS A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER THE DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY INJURED PLAINTIFF WAS AN EMPLOYEE OR A SUBCONTRACTOR WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF THE THREE DEFENDANTS, THE OTHER TWO DEFENDANTS DEMONSTRATED THE DRIVER WAS NOT AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLING THEM TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT (SECOND DEPT).

SCHOOL’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS NEGLIGENT SUPERVISION ACTION STEMMING FROM A STABBING WAS PROPERLY DENIED, THE INADEQUATE SECURITY CAUSE OF ACTION, HOWEVER, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT).

PETITIONER MUST EXHAUST ITS ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES BY APPEALING THE DENIAL OF A BUILDING PERMIT BY THE TOWN BUILDING DEPARTMENT TO THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS BEFORE BRINGING A COURT ACTION (SECOND DEPT).

PROBATIONARY CITY EMPLOYEE WAS NOT GIVEN SEVEN DAYS NOTICE OF HIS TERMINATION, REMEDY IS TO PAY THE EMPLOYEE FOR THE SEVEN DAYS (SECOND DEPT).

ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE COMPANY PROPERLY GRANTED SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS (ALLEGEDLY) MISALIGNED ELEVATOR SLIP AND FALL CASE, THE MAINTENANCE COMPANY DEMONSTRATED IT DID NOT HAVE NOTICE OF THE CONDITION AND PLAINTIFFS FAILED TO DEMONSTRATE THE DOCTRINE OF RES IPSA LOQUITUR APPLIED (SECOND DEPT).

PETITIONER’S REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO FILE A LATE NOTICE OF CLAIM IN A POTENTIAL LABOR LAW 200, 240 (1), 241 (6) ACTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

TOWN DID NOT HAVE WRITTEN NOTICE OF A RUSTY DRAINAGE PIPE IN THE WATER AT A TOWN BEACH AND WAS THEREFORE NOT LIABLE FOR THE INJURY TO THE INFANT PLAINTIFF WHO CUT HIS FOOT ON THE PIPE WHEN WALKING IN THE WATER (SECOND DEPT).

TOWN EXCEEDED ITS AUTHORITY AND VIOLATED A FEDERAL REGULATION WHEN IT ASSESSED CONSULTING FEES IN CONNECTION WITH PETITIONER’S REQUESTS FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT AND A VARIANCE TO CONSTRUCT A HAM RADIO ANTENNA ON PETITIONER’S PROPERTY (SECOND DEPT).

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.