Motor Vehicle Accidents

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In Bhatia v Cummings, 2016 NY Slip Op 00918 (App. Div. 2d Dept. Feb. 10, 2016), plaintiff was driving his car when he was struck in the rear by a vehicle operated by defendant. Plaintiff sued, and defendant (the rear-ender) asserted a counterclaim for negligence. The Supreme Court granted plaintiff’s motion dismissing defendant’s counterclaim; the Appellate Division…

Read More Leading Car’s Alleged Slamming on Brakes and Improper Signaling Creates Fact Issue in Rear-End Car Accident Case
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In Foley v. Santucci, 2016 NY Slip Op 00330 (App. Div. 2nd Dept. Jan. 20, 2016), a car accident case, the court reversed the denial of plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment. It explained: [Non-party witness affidavits] demonstrated that the sole proximate cause of the subject accident was the defendant driver’s violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law §…

Read More Left Turn Without Yielding Right of Way Results in Summary Judgment for Plaintiff in Car Accident Case
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Negligence cases, particularly those arising from car accidents, involve many facts, and hence questions of fact that are typically for a jury. However, there are situations where a plaintiff might be entitled to judgment as a matter of law. One example of such a situation is the case of State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v.…

Read More Plaintiff Awarded Summary Judgment in Auto Accident Case Where Defendant’s “Sneezing Fit” Was Documented in Police Report
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In car accident litigation, a police report often supplies useful information. But is it admissible in court? That was an issue addressed by the Second Department in Memenza v. Cole, 2015 NY Slip Op 06789 (App. Div. 2d Dept. Sept. 16, 2015). The court summarized the law as follows: Facts stated in a police report…

Read More Improperly-Admitted Redacted Police Accident Report Results in New Trial Following Defense Verdict in Personal Injury (Pedestrian Knockdown) Case
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In Velasquez v. MTA Bus Co., 2015 NY Slip Op 07536 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Oct. 15, 2015), the court unanimously affirmed Supreme Court Judge Arlene Bluth’s Order granting plaintiff – an injured bicyclist – summary judgment on the issue of liability. In reaching its decision, the court cited to Vehicle and Traffic Law §§ 1122[a] and 1128.…

Read More Plaintiff Bicyclist Entitled to Summary Judgment in Bus Accident Personal Injury Case
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Generally, by bringing a personal injury lawsuit a plaintiff waives the physician-patient privilege, but only with respect to medical records relevant to the injuries for which compensation is sought. This point is illustrated by the decision today in Kenneh v. Jey Livery Serv., 2015 NY Slip Op 06993 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Sept. 29, 2015), in which the…

Read More Defendants Not Entitled to Medical Records Relating to Preexisting Diabetic Condition in Car Accident Personal Injury Case
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In Chou v. Ocean Ambulette Serv., Inc., 2015 NY Slip Op 06876 (App. Div. 2nd Dept. 2015), the court held that the plaintiff – a pedestrian who was injured when she was struck by an ambulette – was entitled to summary judgment on the issue of liability. Here are the facts that, in the court’s view,…

Read More Pedestrian Gets Summary Judgment in Car Accident Knockdown Case
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From Gyabaah v Rivlab Transp. Corp., 2015 NY Slip Op 04741 [129 AD3d 447] (App. Div. 1st Dept. June 4, 2015): Plaintiff made a prima facie showing of her entitlement to judgment as a matter of law on the issue of liability by submitting her affidavit stating that the yellow school bus owned by defendant Rivlab Transportation Corp. struck…

Read More Pedestrian Gets Summary Judgment in Knockdown Case
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One of the most serious types of car accidents is the so-called “pedestrian knockdown” case, in which a motor vehicle hits a pedestrian. Unsurprisingly and for obvious reasons, in the “car v. pedestrian” scenario, the pedestrian is at significantly greater risk. In Zhu v. Natale (App. Div. 2nd Dept. 8/19/15), plaintiff was walking in a crosswalk…

Read More Pedestrian Wins on Liability in Auto Accident Knockdown Case
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In Shenkelbakh v. Riera (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Qns. Cty Aug. 17, 2015), a personal injury bicycle accident case, plaintiff bicyclist sued after being hit by defendant driver. The jury returned a verdict in defendant’s favor, and absolved defendant of liability. The court granted plaintiff’s CPLR 4404(a) motion to set aside the jury verdict. Here are the undisputed facts,…

Read More Injured Bicyclist Wins New Trial on Liability
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