In Doe v. NYC Dept. of Education (decided March 24, 2015), the Appellate Division, First Dept. affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s complaint alleging improper sexual conduct between a teacher and a student. It was “undisputed that defendant Agosto, a substitute teacher at another school and the infant plaintiff’s track coach, had unlawful sexual intercourse with the…
Read More Underage Student Sex Case DismissedIn Derrick v. American Intl. Group, Inc. (App. Div. 1st Dept. March 19, 2015), the Appellate Division, First Department reversed the lower court’s order granting defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint and denying plaintiff’s motion to amend her complaint. In this case, plaintiff asserts claims for race, national origin, and gender discrimination and harassment. Citing NY…
Read More Adverse Unemployment Decision Does Not Preclude Discrimination Claims, Court HoldsNazi dentists are terrifying. Drunk dentists may be a close second. New York’s whistleblower statutes – codified at Labor Law §§ 740 and 741 – are notoriously (and, from a plaintiffs’ lawyer’s perspective, frustratingly) narrow. It is, therefore, refreshing to see a plaintiff prevail, if “only” on a motion for summary judgment. This victory – arguably the…
Read More Plaintiff Fired After Complaining About Drunk Dentist Survives Summary Judgment on Labor Law § 741 Whistleblower ClaimIn Steele v. Santana (App Div. 1st Dept. 2/19/15), a personal injury injury car accident case, the Appellate Division, First Department reversed the lower court’s determination that plaintiff did not suffer a “serious injury” within the meaning of section 5102(d) of the New York Insurance Law. In this case, plaintiff alleges that she suffered injuries to…
Read More Evidence of Tendon and Rotator Cuff Tears Present Triable Issue of Fact Relating to “Serious Injury” in Car Accident CaseCase law establishes that drivers have a duty “to see that which, through the proper use of senses, should have been seen”. In Sarac-Marshall v. Mikalopas (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 26, 2015), a personal injury bicycle accident case, the court applied this principle and unanimously affirmed the plaintiff-bicyclist’s motion for summary judgment on the issue of…
Read More Bicyclist Hit By Car Entitled to Summary Judgment on LiabilityIn Clark v. Allen & Overy, LLP, 2015 NY Slip Op 01398, 125 AD3d 497 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 17, 2015), the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed the lower court’s order granting defendant law firm’s motion to compel plaintiff to submit to a mental examination. (I wrote about a development in this case here.) The…
Read More Discrimination Plaintiff Seeking Emotional Distress Damages Must Submit to Mental Examination, First Dept. HoldsIn Pion v. New York City Hous. Auth. (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 10, 2015), the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed the denial of defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s complaint. In this personal injury premises liability lawsuit, plaintiff alleged that he was injured when he tripped and fell down a staircase in defendant’s building.…
Read More “Trap” Stairway Trip-Fall Case ContinuesIn Rebollo v. Nicholas Cab Corp. (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 5, 2015), the Appellate Division, First Department reversed the lower court’s order granting defendants’ motion to “appear for a further independent medical examination (IME) by a physician designated by defendants.” In holding that a further medical exam was not warranted, the court reasoned: Plaintiff…
Read More Defendants Prohibited From Conducting Further “Independent” Medical Exam (IME) of PlaintiffIn Rajkumar v. Budd Contracting Co. (App. Div. 1st Dept. 2/5/15), the Appellate Division, First Department unanimously revered the lower court’s order granting summary judgment to defendant. From the decision: Plaintiff, an employee of a framing contractor, commenced this action alleging that he slipped and was injured while carrying a framed mirror when his foot…
Read More Construction Paper Trip-Fall Case ContinuesConstruction sites can be dangerous – not only for workers, but also for pedestrians. In Porteous v J-Tek Group, Inc. et al., a personal injury case, plaintiff sued to recover “damages for injuries he sustained when a falling piece of wood struck him in the head as he was walking on the sidewalk in front of…
Read More Plaintiff Struck by Falling Wood May Continue Personal Injury Case Against Building Owner and Independent Contractor