Court: NY App. Div. Dept. 1

In Rosario v. City of New York, a trip-and-fall case, the Appellate Division, First Department reversed the trial court’s denial of defendant’s motions for a directed verdict and/or judgment notwithstanding the verdict. “To impose liability on defendant City for a defective condition of a tree well, plaintiff must show that the municipality either received prior written…

Read More Citing Lack of Prior Written Notice, Court Dismisses Tree Well Trip-and-Fall Case
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In Godbolt v Verizon N.Y. Inc., the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s claims that he was terminated from his employment on the basis of his race and past criminal convictions in violation of the New York State and City Human Rights Laws. “Defendant explained that it terminated plaintiff because he failed to…

Read More Court Holds That “Stray Remarks” Doctrine May Apply to Claims Brought Under the New York City Human Rights Law
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In Luna v New York City Transit Authority, the Appellate Division, First Department reinstated a $1 million jury award for the plaintiff who was injured after falling on defendant NYCTA’s bus. The jury awarded plaintiff $500,000 for past pain and suffering and $500,000 for future pain and suffering over 34 years. The trial court (Supreme Court, Bronx…

Read More Court Reinstates $1 Million Jury Award for City Bus Passenger
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In Joplin v. City of New York, the First Department unanimously reversed the trial court’s decision which granted defendants’ motion to renew plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment on the issue of liability and, upon renewal, denied plaintiff’s motion. Initially, the trial court “granted plaintiff’s motion based on the undisputed evidence that plaintiff’s car was stopped at…

Read More Trial Court Should Have Denied Defendant’s Renewal Motion in Rear-End Collision Case
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Today in Ferreyr v. Soros, a five-judge panel of the Appellate Division, First Department modified a trial court order, thereby dismissing all of plaintiff Adriana Ferreyr’s claims against her ex-boyfriend George Soros except for assault and battery. In her 2011 complaint, Mr. Ferreyr accused Mr. Soros of reneging on a promise to buy her an apartment and physically attacking…

Read More Court Dismisses All But Adriana Ferreyr’s Assault and Battery Claims Against George Soros
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In Salemi v Gloria’s Tribeca Inc., the Appellate Division, First Department unanimously upheld a jury’s $1.6 million award – comprising $400,000 in compensatory (emotional distress) damages and $1.2 million in punitive damages – for lesbian chef Mirella Salemi. The court explained: The record evidence, which is extensive and corroborated by multiple witnesses, amply supports the jury’s…

Read More First Department Affirms $1.6 Million Award in Sexual Orientation Discrimination and Retaliation Case
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In Abott v. City of New York, the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed a directed verdict for the defendant City of New York. Plaintiff sued to recover for injuries sustained after stepping into a pothole. This scenario implicates New York City’s “Pothole Law”, codified as New York City Administrative Code § 7-201. Section 7-201(c)(2) of that statute…

Read More Repairs to Pothole Over One Year Before Accident Defeats Injury Claim Against City of New York
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In Ferraro v. New York City Dept. of Education, the Appellate Division, First Department reversed the dismissal of plaintiff’s allegations of employment discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment, observing: “To the extent plaintiff alleges acts that occurred more than one year before he commenced this action (see Education Law § 3813[2-b]), it cannot be said, as…

Read More Discrimination Claims Based on Alleged Pattern of Unlawful Conduct Not Subject to Dismissal on Statute of Limitations Grounds
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In Swift v. New York Transit Authority, the Appellate Division, First Department modified the trial court’s order to deny defendant’s motion for summary judgment to dismiss plaintiff’s claims of “permanent consequential and significant limitations in use of the knees and a 90/180-day injury.” In order to proceed in court, plaintiff was required to present evidence…

Read More Plaintiff Raises Triable Issue of Fact that Knee Injury Was a “Serious Injury” Under Insurance Law 5102(d)
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In Johnson v. KS Transportation, a car accident case, the Appellate Division, First Department modified a summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s complaint on the ground that plaintiff did not suffer a “serious injury” within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d). Section 5104(a) of New York’s No-Fault Law provides, in pertinent part, that “in any action by or…

Read More Fact Issue as to Whether Knee Injury Meets “Serious Injury” Threshold Precludes Summary Judgment for Defendant in Car Accident Case
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