So-called slip-and-fall cases, a species of “premises liability” cases, are deceptively easy/straightforward. Some may believe that if a person slips and falls on a foreign substance (e.g., water), the owner of the property is automatically liable. Not so. In Parietti v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 2016 NY Slip Op 04923 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dept. June…
Read More Slip/Fall Case Dismissed Against WalmartIn Godino v. Premier Salons, Ltd., No. 13705/13, 2016 NY Slip Op 05118, 2016 WL 3533532 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dept. June 29, 2016), the court affirmed the denial of defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint alleging age discrimination and hostile work environment. On a motion to dismiss a complaint for failure to state a cause…
Read More Plaintiff Hairstylist Sufficiently Alleges Age Discrimination and Hostile Work Environment; Survives CPLR 3211(a)(7) Motion to DismissIn Hinz v. Vill. of Perry, No. 15-2239-CV, 2016 WL 3435265 (2d Cir. June 20, 2016) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the judgment of the district court dismissing his claim thta he was subjected to discrimination based on his alleged disability (Chron’s disease) in violation of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.…
Read More 2nd Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Disability Discrimination Claim; Employer Lacked Knowledge of Alleged Disability (Chron’s Disease)In New York State Div. of Human Rights v. Team Taco Mexico, Corp., No. 2014-06673, 2016 WL 3265489 (N.Y. App. Div. June 15, 2016), the court held that there was “substantial evidence in the record to support the determination of the Commissioner of the [NYS Division of Human Rights] … that the respondent David Orduna…
Read More Court Upholds NYSDHR Sexual Harassment Determination and Award Against Team Taco Mexico And Individual HarasserIn Galbraith v. Westchester County Health Care Corp., 2016 NY Slip Op 04176 (App. Div. 2nd Dept. June 1, 2016), the court affirmed the trial court’s finding in favor of plaintiff, a perfusionist (Wikipedia definition here), on his whistleblower claim under New York Labor Law § 741. Here’s what happened: In October 2008, [plaintiff] was appointed as…
Read More Court Affirms $455K Award to Whistleblowing Perfusionist on Labor Law 741 ClaimIn Fough v. Aug. Aichhorn Ctr. for Adolescent Residential Care, Inc., No. 18294/13, 2016 WL 2338423 (N.Y. App. Div. 2nd Dept. May 4, 2016), the court held that the defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s “whistleblower retaliation” lawsuit under CPLR 3211(a)(7) should have been denied – i.e., that plaintiff sufficiently alleged this claim. In sum, plaintiff (a…
Read More Nurse States New York Whistleblower (Labor Law § 740) Claim Based on Alleged Improper Supervision by Unqualified PersonIn Lester v. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Pres., No. 10863/09, 2016 WL 2338530 (N.Y. App. Div. 2nd Dept. May 5, 2016), the court held that the lower court should not have dismissed plaintiff’s age discrimination claim on summary judgment. Here are the facts, as summarized by the court: [P]laintiff worked for…
Read More Lifeguard’s Age Discrimination Case Survives Summary JudgmentIn Drice v. My Merch. Servs., LLC, 2016 WL 1266866 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 4, 2016), Eastern District of New York Magistrate Judge Go recommended that plaintiff be awarded (among other damages) $20,000 for emotional distress. (Judge Brodie adopted the Magistrate’s report at 2016 WL 1266948 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 31, 2016)). The below excerpts are from the Magistrate’s report and recommendation.…
Read More Court Awards Sexual Harassment Plaintiff Emotional Distress Damages of $20,000 Following Defendants’ DefaultIn Kearney v Papish, 2016 NY Slip Op 00697 (App. Div. 2nd Dept. Feb. 3, 2016), a medical malpractice action, the court affirmed the denial of a motion to set aside a defense verdict. This decision is instructive as to when an expert has deemed material “authoritative” such that they may be confronted with it on…
Read More Medical Text Properly Used During Cross-Examination; Court Rejects Purported “Semantic Trick” as to the “Authoritative” Status of WorkIn Kamdem-Ouaffo v. Pepsico, Inc., 133 A.D.3d 825, 21 N.Y.S.3d 150, 152 (N.Y. App. Div. 2015), the Appellate Division, Second Department dismissed plaintiff’s claim brought pursuant to New York’s “whistleblower law”, codified at Labor Law § 740. Plaintiff alleged that his employment was terminated, his contract was not renewed, and he was not offered a…
Read More Court Dismisses Labor Law § 740 (Whistleblowing) Lawsuit Arising From Termination Following Formaldehyde Complaint