Fields v. Lambert Houses Redevelopment Corp.

105 A.D.3d 668, 965 N.Y.S.2d 23

This text of 105 A.D.3d 668 (Fields v. Lambert Houses Redevelopment Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fields v. Lambert Houses Redevelopment Corp., 105 A.D.3d 668, 965 N.Y.S.2d 23 (N.Y. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

Order, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Ben R. Barbato, J.), entered January 31, 2012, which, to the extent appealed from as limited by the briefs, denied defendants’ motion to strike or vacate plaintiffs amended bill of particulars, and denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint’s first cause of action, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

On January 28, 2006, plaintiff filed a summons and complaint asserting, among other things, causes of action for personal [669]*669injury due to mold exposure in his apartment, which was owned and managed by defendants. He alleged that he was “caused to sustain asthma, sinusitis, chronic headaches, facial swelling, nose bleeds and other serious personal injuries” due to defendants’ failure to remove the mold and prevent its growth. Plaintiffs verified bill of particulars alleged that his exposure to mold commenced in or about August 2003. It further asserted that he was treated at the emergency room of Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center on February 12, 2003 and September 30, 2003.

Plaintiff testified at his deposition that he first saw mold in his apartment in January 2003. He stated that he had started to experience sinusitis, sleeplessness, headaches and depression in February 2003, and sought medical treatment at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center that month. He further testified that, during that visit, he explained to the doctor that he had mold in his apartment, and that the doctor attributed his symptoms to the conditions in his apartment.

Plaintiff filed a note of issue on November 10, 2009. The IAS court vacated the note of issue on March 12, 2010 pursuant to a stipulation between the parties whereby defendants were permitted to conduct a medical examination of plaintiff and plaintiff was permitted to supplement his bill of particulars to include special damages.

Before plaintiff refiled his note of issue, defendants moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, arguing, among other things, that plaintiffs personal injury claims were time-barred. In support, they cited plaintiffs deposition testimony in which he claimed that he first saw mold in his apartment in January 2003, that he first sought treatment for symptoms in February 2003, and that his doctors had attributed his symptoms to mold exposure during that visit. They argued that the evidence demonstrated that plaintiff discovered his injury by February 2003, and that as a result, the three-year statute of limitations afforded by CPLR 214-c (2) had expired by February 2006, four months before the commencement of this action. Two days after defendants moved, plaintiff served a supplemental bill of particulars, which differed from his original bill of particulars only insofar as it added estimated medical expenses.

Plaintiff subsequently submitted his affidavit in opposition to defendants’ motion. He stated that he had mistakenly testified at his deposition that he went to the emergency room in February 2003 for symptoms related to his exposure to mold in his apartment. Indeed, he stated that his February 2003 hospital visit did not relate to his mold exposure, but instead to anxiety resulting from his home having recently been burglarized. He [670]*670added that he did not seek treatment for injuries related to mold exposure until September 2003. He attributed his failure to give accurate information at the deposition to the facts that when it was held, 6V2 years had already passed since the relevant events, and that he failed to review his hospital records prior to his deposition. After oral argument of the motion, plaintiff served an amended bill of particulars, which deleted any reference to treatment in February 2003.

After agreeing to withdraw their motion for summary judgment, without prejudice, and to refile within 45 days, defendants renewed the motion.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
105 A.D.3d 668, 965 N.Y.S.2d 23, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fields-v-lambert-houses-redevelopment-corp-nyappdiv-2013.