Matter of Di Bari v. Reilly

86 N.E.2d 571, 299 N.Y. 220, 1949 N.Y. LEXIS 971
CourtNew York Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 26, 1949
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 86 N.E.2d 571 (Matter of Di Bari v. Reilly) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Matter of Di Bari v. Reilly, 86 N.E.2d 571, 299 N.Y. 220, 1949 N.Y. LEXIS 971 (N.Y. 1949).

Opinion

Lewis, J.

Upon this appeal the single question for our decision is whether the coverage of a workmen’s compensation insurance policy issued by the appellant insurance carrier extends to work being done by the claimant respondent at the location where his injuries occurred.

For a period of thirteen years prior to the date of the accident which befell the claimant, the respondent Reilly — to whom reference will be made as the employer — had operated a bar and grill in a building which he leased at 1103 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. When the lease expired in March, 1945, he continued *222 in possession of those premises as a month-to-month tenant until December, 1946, when the building was sold and the new owner demanded possession. Thereupon the employer arranged to take possession of space in a building across the street at 1102 Manhattan Avenue under a lease which required him to make such renovations and do such interior decorating as might be necessary to accommodate the business of his bar and grill.

The claimant was engaged by the employer to do whatever plastering was required at 1102 Manhattan Avenue. On December 30, 1946, while working in the building at that location the claimant fell from a ladder and sustained injuries for which he has been awarded compensation by the Workmen’s Compensation Board. That award was unanimously affirmed by an order of the Appellate Division which we now review upon appeal by the insurance carrier taken with our permission. No appeal was taken by the employer.

The evidence is not disputed that prior to his being hired to do plastering work at 1102 Manhattan Avenue the claimant had never before done work for the employer. It also appears that at the time of the accident the employer had not yet moved.his bar and grill across the street from 1103 to 1102 Manhattan Avenue but was still conducting that business as usual at the former address.

Upon the question whether the standard policy of workmen’s compensation insurance issued to the employer by the appellant covered work being done at 1102 Manhattan Avenue where claimant’s injuries occurred, the Workmen’s Compensation Board found: “6. At the time of the accident of December 30, 1946, the employer was not conducting a business at 1102 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. However, whatever work was performed at this latter address, including the work performed by the claimant therein, was done in and in connection with and incidental to the bar and grill business carried on by the employer at 1103 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. Therefore, the workmen’s compensation insurance policy hereinafter referred to, covered the risk in this case and the insurance carrier under said policy was liable to the claimant for compensation.”

*223 We think the policy coverage set forth in the finding quoted above transcends limits defined by subdivision 4 -of section 54 of the Workmen’s Compensation Law and by the policy in suit. Subdivision 4 of section 54 (id.) provides in part: 4. Limitation of indemnity agreements. * * * Every such contract or agreement of insurance issued by an insurance carrier covering the liability of an employer for the payment of the compensation and for the payment into the special funds provided by this chapter shall be deemed to include all employees of the employer employed at or in connection with the business of the employer carried on, maintained, or operated at the location or locations set forth in such contract or agreement and employees for whose injuries a contractor may become liable under the provisions of section fifty-six of this chapter.” (Emphasis supplied.)

The standard policy issued by the appellant insurance carrier included the following provision: Six. This agreement shall apply to such injuries so sustained by reason of the business operations described in said Declarations which, for the purpose of this insurance, shall include all operations necessary, incident or appurtenant thereto, or connected therewith, whether such operations are conducted at the work places defined and described in said Declarations or elsewhere in connection with, or in relation to, such work places.”

The policy was subject to express “ Conditions ” one of which was in part as follows: “A. The premium is based upon the entire remuneration earned, during the Policy Period, by all employees of this Employer engaged in the business operations described in said Declarations together with all operations necessary, incident or appurtenant thereto, or connected therewith whether conducted at such work places or elsewhere in connection therewith or in relation thereto ”.

It also appears from “ Conditions ” written into the insurance contract that the policy was issued by the carrier upon statements, designated as Declarations ” which form a part of the policy, and in consideration of statements made in those declarations respecting the policy’s premium and the payment thereof. Among those declarations are the following:

*224 Item 1. Name of this Employer — JAMES J. REILLY D/B/AS REILLY’S BAR & GRILL
P. 0. Address —1103 MANHATTAN AVENUE, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK # * *
Item 3. Locations of all factories, shops, yards, buildings, premises or other workplaces of this Employer, by Town or City, with Street and Number — 1103 MANHATTAN AVENUE, BROOKLYN, N. Y. All business operations, including the operative management and superintendence thereof, conducted at or from the location and premises defined above as declared in each instance by a disclosure of estimated remuneration of employees under such of the following Divisions as are undertaken by this Employer. 1. All industrial operations upon the premises. 2. All office forces. 3. All repairs or alterations to premises. 4. Specially rated operations on the premises. 5. Operations not on the premises.
Classification of Operations 1(a) RESTAURANT INCLUDING CLERICAL OFFICE EMPLOYEES — (MUSICIANS, ENTERTAINERS OR PLAYERS TO BE SEPARATELY RATED) . . #9079 * * *
Item 4. The foregoing enumeration and description of employees include all persons employed in the service of this Employer in connection with the business operations above described to whom remuneration of any nature in consideration of service is paid, allowed or due together with an estimate for the Policy Period of all such remuneration. * * * The foregoing estimates of remuneration are offered for the purpose of computing the advance premium. * * *
Item 5. This Employer is conducting no other business operations at this or any other location not herein disclosed — except as herein stated: NO EXCEPTIONS ”.

In the circumstances disclosed by this record we cannot agree with the argument advanced in support of the award — that at *225

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Leslie v. Hartford
110 A.D.3d 1306 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 2013)
Aragona v. Karl's K. K. Trade Shop, Inc.
44 A.D.2d 860 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1974)
Claim of Scammell v. Deleece Pastries, Inc.
13 A.D.2d 597 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1961)
D. K. MacDonald & Co. v. Alaska Industrial Board
116 F. Supp. 555 (D. Alaska, 1953)
Claim of Blenner v. Joseph Landis, Inc.
277 A.D.2d 489 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1950)
Claim of Vissa v. Williamson
276 A.D.2d 662 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1950)
Claim of Walker v. Johnson
276 A.D.2d 1033 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1950)
Claim of Ginsberg v. Hollywood Luggage Corp.
276 A.D.2d 875 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1949)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
86 N.E.2d 571, 299 N.Y. 220, 1949 N.Y. LEXIS 971, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matter-of-di-bari-v-reilly-ny-1949.