Calderon v. Gilbane Residential Constr., LLC

2024 NY Slip Op 32299(U)
New York Supreme Court, New York County·Decided July 8, 2024·Unpublished

Opinion

Calderon v Gilbane Residential Constr., LLC 2024 NY Slip Op 32299(U)

July 8, 2024

Supreme Court, New York County Docket Number: Index No. 153700/2020 Judge: Paul A. Goetz

Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York State and local government sources, including the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication.

NYSCEF DOC. NO. 96 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/08/2024

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK NEW YORK COUNTY

PRESENT: HON. PAUL A. GOETZ PART 47 Justice

----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------X INDEX NO. 153700/2020 LUCIO LARA CALDERON,

02/19/2024,

Plaintiff, MOTION DATE 04/03/2024

- V -

MOTION SEQ. NO. _ _0_0_3_0_0_4__

GILBANE RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION, LLC., GOTHAM DRYWALL INC. DECISION + ORDER ON MOTION

Defendants.

------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------X

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 003) 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80 were read on this motion to/for JUDGMENT-SUMMARY

The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 004) 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94 were read on this motion to/for SUMMARY JUDGMENT (AFTER JOINDER)

In this labor law personal injury action arising from plaintiff's fall from stilts, plaintiff moves to amend his bill of particulars to add an allegation that defendants' violation of Industrial Code§ 23-1.30 caused his damages; for summary judgment pursuant to CPLR § 3212 on the issue of defendants' liability on his Labor Law§ 241(6) claim; and directing an order that as to liability in this matter, the only issue is plaintiff's comparative negligence, if any (MS #3). Defendants move for summary judgment dismissing plaintiff's complaint or his individual causes of action for common law negligence and violations of Labor Law §§ 240( 1), 200, and 241(6) (MS #4).

BACKGROUND

Monty Two East 86 th Street Associates LLC and Monty Three East 86 th Street Associates LLC collectively own the building located at 155 East 86th Street, New York, NY 10028 (the

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NYSCEF DOC. NO. 96 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 07/08/2024

premises). Pursuant to a construction management agreement, Gilbane Residential Construction LLC (Gilbane) was hired as the general contractor for a construction project to develop a luxury residential condominium (NYSCEF Doc No 71). Gilbane hired Gotham Drywall Inc. (Gotham) as a subcontractor to complete all drywall and carpentry work required for the project (NYSCEF Doc No 73) and Gotham, in tum, sub-contracted with plaintiffs employer, Atlantic Contracting of Yonkers Inc. (Atlantic).

Plaintiff was employed as a carpenter; specifically, he performed metal framing work (NYSCEF Doc No 68, 20:3-21:6). He began working with Atlantic in 2016 (id., 36:20-37:3), and over the two and a half years of his employment, he used stilts daily (id., 51:8-12). On January 28, 2019, plaintiff arrived at the premises, where he had been working for several months (id., 53 :22-54: 10). His task that day was to install wooden boxes inside the framing of the windows on the tenth floor of the premises (id., 54:24-55:18, 58:7-8). Plaintiff was instructed by a man named Brendan 1 to use stilts to reach the windows, which were several feet higher than he could reach on his own but did not quite extend to the ceiling (id., 80:5-83: 13); he adjusted them to a height of three to four feet (id., 127:2-20). After plaintiff completed his work on one of the windows, he walked-still on his stilts2-towards a hallway to get to another window that needed framing (id., 102: 17103:5). Though the area closest to the window he had finished working on was sufficiently lit, it became "very dark" as he approached the hallway, which lacked any artificial lights (id., 96:21-99:15, 101:16-19). High up and in the dark, plaintiff failed to notice that there were metal rods 3 on the ground, protruding from the bottom of the wall (id.,

1

Plaintiff testified that Brendan White, a foreman for Gotham, "authorized the work" and gave the instructions, but that they were translated from English to Spanish for him by Miguel Gonzalez, a foreman for Atlantic (id., 56:15- 58:3, 80:8-23; NYSCEF Doc No 70, 52:12-53:2; NYSCEF Doc No 72, 74:7-15).

2

It was common practice to wear stilts throughout a shift, only removing them for lunch time (id., 109: 11-110:25).

3

The function, if any, of the metal rods is unclear. William Glynn, a Gilbane representative, speculated that they might be related to the electrical box on the wall above, but stated that he had "never seen anything like that before" and did not know their purpose (NYSCEF Doc No 60, 70:20-72: 15).

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101: 16-25). 4 Plaintiff tripped over the metal rods and fell (id., 111 :6-21). His right knee took most of the impact and he hit his head (in a hardhat) against the wall, and later felt pain in his lower back, as well (id., 154:5-155:25).

Plaintiff asserts causes of action for: (1) common law negligence; (2) violation of Labor Law§ 200; (3) violation of Labor Law§ 240(1); and (4) violation of Labor Law§ 241(6) (NYSCEF Doc No 28). In his bill of particulars, plaintiff bases his Labor Law § 241 ( 6) claim on violations ofNYS Industrial Code§§ 23-1.7(d), 23-1.7(e)(l), 23-1.7(e)(2), 23-5.22(a), 23- 5.22(d), 23-5.22(e), and 23-5.22(f) (NYSCEF Doc No 67).

DISCUSSION

Amend Bill of Particulars Plaintiff moves for leave to amend his bill of particulars to add an allegation that defendants' violation of Industrial Code § 23-1.30 caused his accident. Plaintiff argues that the original bill of particulars and parts of plaintiff's testimony put defendants on notice of his claim of insufficient illumination, and that permitting the amendment would not cause defendants any prejudice. Defendants argue that they were not on notice of plaintiff's intent to claim insufficient illumination because plaintiff alleged seven different Industrial Code violations, none of which included§ 23-1.30. They also argue that the proposed amendment would be prejudicial to them because the bill of particulars was served two and a half years ago, discovery was completed, and the note of issue was filed without defendants knowing this issue would be raised. They also assert that no extraordinary circumstances have been shown warranting this late amendment. Plaintiff replies that there is no need to show extraordinary circumstances here, as the note of issue was filed only three weeks prior to his filing the motion.

4

Plaintiff explained that "when you're working on stilts you're not supposed to look down because you can get dizzy and fall" (id., 104:20-105:6).

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