In Bard v. Jahnke, the New York Court of Appeals addressed whether a property owner could be held liable for injuries caused by a domestic animal—specifically, a dairy bull—under a common-law negligence theory. The court considered whether an owner could be held responsible for failing to warn or restrain an…
In Scurry v New York City Housing Authority, the New York Court of Appeals considered whether the Housing Authority could avoid liability where intruders gained access to buildings through doors with broken locks and committed violent attacks. The key question was whether the targeted nature of the attacks severed the…
In product liability law, plaintiffs often sue under both strict products liability and breach of implied warranty. In Denny v. Ford Motor Co., 87 N.Y.2d 248 (1995), the New York Court of Appeals addressed whether a manufacturer could be held liable under one theory but not the other. The court…
In K.B. v. City of Mount Vernon, 2024 NY Slip Op 04299, the Appellate Division, Second Department addressed whether the City of Mount Vernon could be held liable for injuries allegedly caused by a defect in a public park. The infant plaintiff was injured when a hinged metal panel covering…
In product liability cases, courts often examine how a product was used at the time of the accident and whether it had been changed from its original condition. In the case of Cacciola v. Selco Balers, Inc., the court had to decide whether a manufacturer could be held responsible for…
In Cover v. Cohen, the New York Court of Appeals reviewed whether a car manufactured by General Motors was defective under strict products liability. The case also considered whether the evidence presented at trial was proper and whether the judgment against both General Motors and the car dealer, Kinney Motors,…
In Jones v. State of New York, 33 N.Y.2d 275 (1973), the New York Court of Appeals considered whether the State could be held liable for the wrongful death of a State employee killed during the retaking of Attica Correctional Facility following a prison uprising. The case raised questions about…
In a personal injury case arising from a workplace fall, the court addressed whether a jury’s award for pain and suffering was excessive. The plaintiff, Thomas J. Young, sustained serious injuries and sued under Labor Law § 240(1). Background Facts Thomas J. Young fell 18 feet while working in April…
In Cover v. Cohen, the New York Court of Appeals reviewed whether a car manufactured by General Motors was defective under strict products liability. The case also considered whether the evidence presented at trial was proper and whether the judgment against both General Motors and the car dealer, Kinney Motors,…
The Appellate Division, First Department, decided the case of Dibrino v. Rockefeller Center North, Inc. on July 2, 2024. The case involved a construction worker who fell from a ladder on a commercial job site in Manhattan. The key question was whether the defendants violated New York Labor Law §…