Motor Vehicle Accidents

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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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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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In Castiglione v. Kruse – a personal injury/car accident/pedestrian knockdown case – the Appellate Division, Second Department reversed the lower court and granted the injured pedestrian-plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment on the issue of liability. The injured plaintiff was struck by defendants’ vehicle, which was making a left turn from Keith Lane to proceed eastbound on…

Read More Plaintiff Wins Summary Judgment in Pedestrian Knockdown Case
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Pepsi and double parking? That sounds familiar. Interestingly, a recent personal injury case, Barry v. Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co., involves both. This case stands for the proposition that illegal double-parking – while perhaps illustrating societal stupidity or even signifying the onset of a dictatorship – is not necessarily the proximate cause of an accident in which the double parker…

Read More Double-Parked, Rear-Ended Pepsi Defendant Wins Dismissal of Car Accident Personal Injury Lawsuit
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