Covert v. City of Binghamton

117 Misc. 2d 1075, 459 N.Y.S.2d 721, 1983 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3251
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 28, 1983
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 117 Misc. 2d 1075 (Covert v. City of Binghamton) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Covert v. City of Binghamton, 117 Misc. 2d 1075, 459 N.Y.S.2d 721, 1983 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3251 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1983).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Stephen Smyk, J.

The William E. Bouley Co., Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Bouley), as the construction contractor, and the City of Binghamton (hereinafter referred to as the City), as the owner, entered into a contract for the construction of the Rock Bottom Dam project. Plaintiff Gary R. Covert, an employee of Bouley, was injured during the course of construction and commenced the above-entitled action against the City alleging violations of the Labor Law. The City, in turn, asserted a third-party claim against Bouley for common-law indemnification based upon the negligence of Bouley.

Bouley now moves for summary judgment dismissing the City’s third-party complaint on the ground that, as a matter of law, the city cannot maintain an action based [1076]*1076upon a common-law right to indemnification because Bouley contractually agreed to fully indemnify the City for any liability for personal injuries resulting from any work under the construction contract. Bouley contends that this broad contractual indemnification liability supersedes any common-law liability and constitutes a “preindemnification” of the City when combined with the liability insurance coverage procured by Bouley for the City.

The construction contract between Bouley and the City contained several clauses by which Bouley agreed to be held responsible for all claims for personal injuries “occurring on account of the work” under the contract. In clause G-7.05, Bouley assumed sole responsibility and liability for any work-related injuries, whether or not they were the result of Bouley’s negligence. This clause also states that this assumption of liability was for the sole benefit of the City. This clause provided:

“G-7.05. contractor’s responsibility and liability for INJURIES TO PERSONS OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY

“The Contractor shall be solely responsible and liable for the safety and protection of property including, but not limited to, the premises, its appurtenances and equipment and for safety and protection of all persons including, but not limited to, the employees of the Owner, Engineer, Contractor, or subcontractors. The Contractor shall be solely responsible for all physical injuries, including death, to any such persons and for all damage to any such property occurring on account of the work under this Contract, whether or not due to the negligence, fault, or default of the Contractor, his officers, employees, or agents, or of a subcontractor, his officers, employees, or agents.

“The liability of the Contractor under this Contract shall be absolute and shall not be dependent upon any question of negligence on his part or on the part of his officers, agents, servants, or employees. Neither the approval by the Engineer of the methods of doing the work, nor the failure of the Engineer to call attention to improper or inadequate methods or to require a change in methods, nor the neglect of the Engineer to direct the Contractor to take any particular precautions or to refrain from doing any particular thing shall excuse the Contractor from his obli[1077]*1077gations hereunder in case of any such injury to person or damage to property.

“The provisions of this paragraph are intended for the sole benefit and protection of the Owner and shall not create any cause of action in favor of any person, corporation or entity, other than the Owner.”

In clause G-7.06, Bouley explicitly agreed to defend and indemnify the City against all liability for work-related injuries regardless of which party’s negligence caused the injury. Clause G-7.06, in pertinent part, provided:

“G-7.06. contractor’s duty of indemnification

“The Contractor shall fully protect, defend, indemnify, and save harmless the Owner and the Engineer, their officers and agents, against all liability, judgments, costs, damages and expenses upon any claims for injuries to, or death of, any persons or damage to any property occurring on account of the work hereunder, whether such damages or injuries to be attributable to the negligence of the Contractor, his officers, employees, agents, the Owner, Engineer, or others, provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to provide indemnity against the sole negligence of the Engineer.”

The contractual liability and the contractual indemnification assumed by Bouley under these clauses are clearly broader in scope than either Bouley’s common-law liability for its own negligent acts or its common-law duty to indemnify another party who has been held vicariously liable for Bouley’s negligent acts.

In addition to this broad contractual liability, Bouley also agreed to provide insurance coverage for itself and for the City to assure that Bouley would fulfill its responsibilities under these clauses. In clause G-12.01, Bouley agreed to procure comprehensive general liability insurance that included coverage for Bouley for liability assumed under the contract (Contractual Liability Insurance). Bouley also agreed to procure owners protective liability insurance and contractual liability insurance with the City as the named insured.

Clause G-12.01, in pertinent part, provided:

[1078]*1078“The Contractor shall procure (in addition to the coverage required in other sections of this Contract):

“1. Comprehensive general liability insurance providing coverage for the Contractor for legal liability and customarily covered expenses for bodily injury and property damage with respect to the work under his Contract, including but not limited to liability for bodily injury and property damage (a) arising out of operations performed for the Contractor by independent contractors or arising out of acts or omissions of the Contractor in connection with his general supervision of such operations (Contractors’ Protective Liability Insurance), (b) occurring after operations have been completed or abandoned (Completed Operations Insurance), (c) arising, after physical possession of the products has been relinquished, out of the Contractor’s products or reliance upon a representation or warranty with respect thereto (Products Liability Insurance), and (d) assumed under this Contract (Contractual Liability Insurance). The policy shall be endorsed to delete from the contractual liability coverage any exclusion for actions on a contract for a third-party beneficiary arising out of a project for a public authority. This policy shall include coverage for explosion, collapse and underground operations (XCU hazards).” (Emphasis supplied.)

Thus, the contract required Bouley to procure duplicate coverage for personal injury losses: Bouley was to obtain its own liability coverage, including coverage for contractual liability, and to also purchase liability coverage for the City. Given the broad contractual indemnification clause, Bouley would be required to indemnify the City for any liability for injuries incurred by the City. The inclusion of the clause requiring Bouley to obtain insurance coverage for its contractual liability for injuries clearly indicates the intent of the parties that, in the event of the City’s being held liable for a personal injury caused by anyone’s negligence, the loss should be charged to Bouley and be borne by the insurance carrier which insured either Bouley’s contractual liability or the City’s liability.

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Bluebook (online)
117 Misc. 2d 1075, 459 N.Y.S.2d 721, 1983 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3251, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/covert-v-city-of-binghamton-nysupct-1983.