Rosenblatt v. St. George Health & Racquetball Associates, LLC

119 A.D.3d 45, 984 N.Y.S.2d 401
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedApril 30, 2014
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 119 A.D.3d 45 (Rosenblatt v. St. George Health & Racquetball Associates, LLC) 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
Rosenblatt v. St. George Health & Racquetball Associates, LLC, 119 A.D.3d 45, 984 N.Y.S.2d 401 (N.Y. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Leventhal, J.

The defendant St. George Health and Racquetball Associates, LLC, doing business as Eastern Athletic Club (hereinafter Eastern Athletic), operates a fitness center in Brooklyn. In May 2009, the plaintiff, who was 72 years old at the time, attended a morning body sculpting class held at Eastern Athletic. During the class, a substitute instructor, the defendant Trevor Douglin, gave the plaintiff an exercise ball to sit on and use. The plaintiff allegedly fell off the exercise ball and sustained injuries.

[48]*48At her deposition, the plaintiff testified that she joined Eastern Athletic in 2007, and attended fitness classes there twice a week. Those classes were generally taught by nonparty fitness instructor James Martinelli. During the body sculpting classes, the students would lie on mats and perform various exercises, stretch, and lift weights. On the date of the accident, Douglin gave all the students exercise balls to sit on; the plaintiff had not previously used an exercise ball. When the plaintiff sat down on the ball, she and the ball rolled over and she fell. At that time, she did not require medical assistance, did not tell Douglin that she required assistance, and remained in the class almost to the end.

The plaintiff testified that Douglin failed to supervise her use of the exercise ball and never asked her if she had ever used such a ball before. The plaintiff acknowledged that she was responsible for her own safety in the class, which included deciding for herself what types of activities she could safely perform within her own abilities. In addition, the plaintiff testified that when Douglin gave her the ball, she never expressed concern to him over her lack of experience with it, and did not tell him that she did not want to use it.

At his deposition, Douglin testified that, prior to teaching a class, he instructed the students that it was up to each individual to decide what he or she will attempt in the class and at what skill level. Prior to the plaintiffs accident, and before giving the students the exercise balls, he asked the class if they wanted to try them and everyone said yes. He had never before had anyone fall off an exercise ball during class. Douglin recalled that while everyone was working with an exercise ball on the date of the accident, the plaintiff fell off her ball.

By summons and verified complaint, the plaintiff commenced this action against Eastern Athletic and Douglin to recover damages for personal injuries. The complaint alleged, inter alia, that Eastern Athletic was negligent in its failure to adequately train, supervise, or provide for an appropriate instructor.

In its answer, Eastern Athletic asserted that any injuries sustained were caused by the plaintiffs culpable conduct, and that pursuant to the doctrine of primary assumption of risk, the plaintiff was barred from recovery.

Following the completion of discovery, Eastern Athletic moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against it on the ground that the plaintiff “voluntarily and knowingly assumed the obvious risk of injury inherent in [49]*49attempting to balance while seated on an exercise ball while participating in the ‘Body Sculpting’ ” class. In support of its motion, Eastern Athletic submitted, inter alia, the pleadings, an unsigned and uncertified copy of the plaintiff’s deposition transcript, and an unsigned copy of Douglin’s deposition transcript.

In opposition, the plaintiff argued that copies of the deposition transcripts submitted by Eastern Athletic were “not in evidentiary form given that they are unverified and unsubscribed.” On the merits, the plaintiff argued that because she had never used an exercise ball prior to her accident, the doctrine of primary assumption of risk did not apply with the same force as it would in the case of an experienced athlete.

In reply, Eastern Athletic argued that the copy of the plaintiffs unsigned deposition transcript was admissible pursuant to CPLR 3116 (a) because on January 5, 2011, its counsel forwarded to the plaintiff’s attorney the original transcript of the plaintiffs deposition. In support of its argument, Eastern Athletic submitted a letter dated January 5, 2011, sent to the plaintiffs counsel, indicating that attached thereto was “the original transcript” of the plaintiff’s deposition. In the letter, Eastern Athletic asked that the plaintiff’s counsel have the plaintiff sign the enclosed deposition transcript before a notary public and return it to Eastern Athletic, at which time Eastern Athletic would provide the plaintiff with a conformed copy. Eastern Athletic advised the plaintiffs counsel that failure to execute the enclosed transcript within 60 days would result in the transcript being deemed executed pursuant to CPLR 3116 (a). Eastern Athletic asserted that, since the plaintiff had failed to return a copy of the signed transcript within 60 days after receipt of the same, the transcript could be used as though it were signed.

In the order appealed from dated August 17, 2011, the Supreme Court denied Eastern Athletic’s motion on two grounds. First, the court stated that Eastern Athletic failed to attach a copy of all the pleadings to the motion, as required by CPLR 3212 (b). In this regard, the court noted that, although Eastern Athletic had submitted a complaint and an “answer to amended verified complaint,” no amended complaint had been submitted on the motion. Second, the court concluded that the unsigned copy of the plaintiff’s deposition transcript that Eastern Athletic had submitted in support of the motion was not in admissible form. While the court noted that Eastern [50]*50Athletic had submitted a letter establishing that the plaintiffs deposition transcript had been sent to her in accordance with CPLR 3116 (a), the court determined that the transcript was not certified by the court reporter and, as such, it was not admissible in accordance with CPLR 3116 (b). The court stated that Eastern Athletic did not point to any other evidence to support its contentions, and observed that it was not for the court “to review voluminous transcripts to find portions therein that may support a summary judgment movant’s position.”

On appeal, Eastern Athletic argues that the Supreme Court erred in holding that it had failed to provide all of the pleadings in support of its motion for summary judgment, as there was no amended complaint. In this regard, Eastern Athletic asserts that the reference in its answer to an amended complaint was a mere error. Moreover, Eastern Athletic asserts that the court erred in, sua sponte, denying its motion on the ground that the plaintiff’s uncertified deposition transcript was inadmissible pursuant to CPLR 3116 (b). Eastern Athletic contends that because it had forwarded the plaintiff’s original deposition transcript to the plaintiffs counsel, and the plaintiff had failed to return it within 60 days, the lack of a certification was not a valid basis to decline to consider a deposition transcript. In addition, Eastern Athletic maintains that the Supreme Court should have granted its motion because the plaintiff voluntarily assumed the obvious risks of exercising while seated on an exercise ball. We reverse.

“[T]he proponent of a summary judgment motion must make a prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment as a matter of law, tendering sufficient evidence to demonstrate the absence of any material issues of fact” (Alvarez v Prospect Hosp., 68 NY2d 320, 324 [1986]).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
119 A.D.3d 45, 984 N.Y.S.2d 401, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rosenblatt-v-st-george-health-racquetball-associates-llc-nyappdiv-2014.