In Antoine v. Brooklyn Maids 26, Inc. et al, 19-cv-5676, 2020 WL 5752186 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 26, 2020), the court, inter alia, awarded a sexual harassment plaintiff $375,000 in punitive damages (on default). This case involves shocking allegations of sexual harassment (which included, in the court’s description, conduct that was “tantamout to rape”). The reader is…
Read More $375,000 Punitive Damages Award to Sexual Harassment PlaintiffFrom Rubino v. 330 Madison Co., LLC, 2017 NY Slip Op 04210 (App. Div. 1st Dept. May 25, 2017): The court properly granted plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary judgment on the Labor Law § 241(6) claim as against appellants. It is undisputed that violations of Industrial Code (12 NYCRR) § 23-1.13(b)(3) and (4) proximately caused…
Read More Electrocuted Worker Entitled to Summary Judgment Under New York Labor Law § 241(6)In Vera v. Low Income Mktg. Corp., 2016 NY Slip Op 08318 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Dec. 13, 2016), a personal injury/construction accident case, the court explained its decision to grant plaintiff’s, and deny defendant’s, motion for summary judgment. At issue was plaintiff’s status. From the decision: The motion court properly granted plaintiffs’ motion for partial summary…
Read More Workers’ Compensation Board Finding Regarding “Employment” Was Not Preclusive in Construction Accident (Labor Law § 240(1)) Case; Injured Plaintiff Was Not a “Volunteer”In Goodwin v. Dix Hills Jewish Ctr., 2016 NY Slip Op 07293 (App. Div. 2nd Dept. Nov. 9, 2016), a construction accident case, the court held that plaintiff established a violation of New York Labor Law § 240(1). It therefore modified a lower court order denying plaintiff’s, and granting defendant’s, motion on that issue. Here are the…
Read More Injured Worker Who Fell From Ladder Entitled to Summary Judgment on Labor Law 240(1) Claim; Work Was Ancillary to Covered Activity of “Altering”A recent decision, Joseph v. City of New York, 2016 NY Slip Op 06649 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Oct. 11, 2016), illustrates the limitation of New York Labor Law 240(1), which imposes strict liability in certain construction-related accidents. From the decision: Plaintiff Lindy Joseph was struck by a pipe while it was being flushed clean with…
Read More Pressure, Not Gravity, Caused Pipe-Related Injury; Labor Law 240(1) Claim DismissedIn Ocana v. Quasar Realty Partners L.P., 2016 NY Slip Op 01902 (App. Div. 1st Dept. March 17, 2016), the court unanimously affirmed an order granting plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment on the issue of liability on his Labor Law § 240(1) cause of action. From the decision: Plaintiff made a prima facie showing of his…
Read More Wobbly Ladder Leads to Summary Judgment for Plaintiff in Labor Law 240(1) Construction Accident CaseIn Domaszowec v. Residential Mgmt. Grp. LLC, No. 16697, 2016 WL 208299 (N.Y. App. Div. Jan. 19, 2016), the First Department held that the plaintiff was entitled to summary judgment on her Labor Law § 240(1) claim. Labor Law § 240(1), the so-called “Scaffold Law”, provides in pertinent part: All contractors and owners and their…
Read More Window Cleaner Died While “Cleaning” Within Meaning of NY’s “Scaffold Law”, Labor Law § 240(1), Court HoldsIn O’Brien v. Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. (App. Div. 1st Dept. Sept. 8, 2015), the Appellate Division, First Department held that plaintiff – an operating engineer at the World Trade Center Freedom Tower construction site – was entitled to summary judgment on his claim under Labor Law § 240(1). Plaintiff was injured when he “slipped…
Read More WTC Worker Who Fell Down Stairway Entitled to Summary Judgment on Labor Law § 240(1) ClaimIn Caceres v. Standard Realty Assoc., Inc. (App. Div. 1st Dept. Aug. 25, 2015), plaintiff worker was injured when he fell from a ladder. The appellate court reversed the lower court and granted plaintiff summary judgment on liability on his claim under New York Labor Law § 240(1) (the so-called “scaffold law”). Here are the facts…
Read More Fall From A-Frame Ladder; Plaintiff Gets Summary Judgment on Labor Law § 240(1) ClaimNew York Labor Law § 240(1) is a formidable statute that, when applicable, holds “contractors and owners and their agents” absolutely liable for certain injuries sustained by construction workers. The statute’s reach, however, is not absolute. By its terms, Labor Law § 240(1) affords protection to workers engaged in the “erection, demolition, repairing, altering, painting, cleaning or pointing…
Read More Worker Struck on Head by Falling Tree Trunk Not Protected by Labor Law § 240(1)