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Case Law Database

Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Mar 03, 2005

Hunt v. State

The claimant, arrested for grand larceny in 1998, was unable to post bail and was sexually assaulted by another inmate while in the Manhattan Detention Center. Despite a court directive for protective custody on September 18, 1998, state court officers failed to properly record this order on the securing order. Consequently, the claimant was returned to general population and assaulted again on September 21. The Court of Claims initially dismissed the claimant's action for damages against the State. However, the appellate court reversed this decision, finding that the court officers' failure to record the protective custody order was a breach of a ministerial duty, thereby establishing state liability. The case has been remanded for a trial to determine the damages for the September 21 assault.

Inmate AssaultProtective CustodyMinisterial NegligenceState LiabilityCourt Officer DutySecuring OrderDamages RemandAppellate ReversalCorrectional Facility NegligencePrisoner Safety
References
7
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Jun 28, 1993

Gagliardi v. Trapp

The plaintiff, a correction officer, appealed an order granting summary judgment to the defendants in her action for assault and negligence. She alleged physical and mental harm after being punched by a fellow correction officer, Darrell Harris, and claimed her employers, New York City Department of Correction and the City of New York, attempted to conceal the incident and discriminated against her. The Supreme Court correctly determined that her negligence claim was barred by Workers’ Compensation Law as she had already received benefits, and her allegations did not meet the high standard for an intentional tort to circumvent the exclusivity provision. Furthermore, her discrimination claims under Executive Law § 296 were found to be conclusory and unsupported.

AssaultNegligenceWorkers' CompensationSummary JudgmentDiscriminationExclusive RemedyAppellate DecisionCorrection OfficerRikers IslandEmployers' Liability
References
11
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Prave v. State

The State of New York appealed 17 separate orders from the Court of Claims that denied its motion for summary judgment in actions alleging intentional assault stemming from the Attica uprising. The State contended that the claimants' acceptance of workers' compensation benefits barred their intentional tort claims, constituting an election of remedies. Claimants argued they never applied for benefits and should not be bound by such an election. The Appellate Division held that accepting benefits, even if initiated by the employer, generally precludes a subsequent tort action if the Workers' Compensation Board determined the injuries were compensable. To pursue their tort claims, claimants must first seek to rescind the Board's prior determination that their injuries were accidental. Therefore, the Court unanimously reversed the lower court's orders, granted summary judgment to the State, and dismissed the claims without prejudice for claimants to seek a redetermination from the Workers' Compensation Board.

Attica UprisingWorkers' CompensationIntentional TortExclusive RemedySummary JudgmentCollateral AttackWorkers' Compensation BoardRescission of AwardElection of RemediesCourt of Claims
References
6
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Salvamoser v. Pratt Institute

The plaintiff appealed an order granting summary judgment to the defendants, Pratt Institute and 205 Ashland Associates, for personal injuries resulting from a criminal assault. The plaintiff was robbed on a public street near her residence, owned by 205 Ashland Associates and leased by Pratt Institute, then forced into her apartment and to a bank. She alleged negligence by the defendants for a defective or open front door, contending they failed to provide adequate security. The Supreme Court found the defendants' actions were not a substantial cause of the injury, as the criminal act originated off-premises and the plaintiff would have been compelled into her apartment regardless of the door's security. The appellate court affirmed the summary judgment dismissal, concluding that the causal connection between any negligence and the criminal act was too attenuated as a matter of law.

Personal InjuryCriminal AssaultNegligencePremises LiabilitySummary JudgmentCausationProximate CauseLandlord LiabilityAppellate ReviewSecurity Measures
References
5
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Nov 13, 1987

People v. Stevenson

The defendant was convicted of two counts of attempted murder in the second degree, one count of assault in the first degree, and two counts of assault in the second degree after repeatedly stabbing his wife and forcing his stepdaughter out a window. On appeal, the court considered whether a lesser included offense charge for reckless assault should have been given, concluding that there was insufficient evidence of intoxication to warrant it. The court also held that the conviction for assault in the second degree under the fourth count of the indictment should be reversed and dismissed as it constituted a lesser included offense of assault in the first degree, and a defendant cannot be simultaneously convicted of both. The judgment was largely affirmed, but modified to dismiss the aforementioned assault charge.

Attempted MurderAssaultLesser Included OffenseIntoxication DefenseCriminal AppealPrior Inconsistent StatementHearsaySpousal AbuseChild EndangermentJury Charge
References
11
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Cunningham v. State

This case consolidates 20 appeals addressing whether claimants are precluded by Workers' Compensation Law from suing their employer, the State of New York, for intentional assault. The claims arose from the 1971 Attica Correctional Facility uprising. The court held that claimants who applied for and received workers' compensation benefits, or for whom the Workers' Compensation Board determined injuries were accidental and compensable, are barred from maintaining intentional tort actions against their employer. The decision emphasizes the finality and exclusive remedy provisions of the Workers' Compensation Law, asserting that such matters fall under the Board's jurisdiction. The Appellate Division's dismissal of these actions was affirmed, with the court noting that claimants' only recourse is to petition the Workers' Compensation Board for reconsideration of its determinations.

Workers' Compensation LawExclusive RemedyIntentional AssaultAttica UprisingSummary JudgmentFinality of Board DecisionsCollateral AttackEmployer LiabilityJudicial ReviewTort Claims
References
10
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Tannenbaum v. Hofbauer

The plaintiff filed a motion to set aside the dismissal of their complaint, which sought damages for an alleged assault and battery perpetrated by unidentified men acting under the direction of Powers, a business agent of the defendant union during a strike. The plaintiff's evidence indicated the tortious act was committed by a union agent in furtherance of the strike. However, there was no evidence of official union authorization for the act, nor was the agent's unlawful activity sufficiently notorious or prolonged to infer knowledge and acquiescence from the union membership. Citing established precedent, the court reiterated that to hold a voluntary, unincorporated association liable, facts must prove all members are liable, either through a public act of the association or member-approved acts of its agents. The court found that the evidence presented was insufficient to bind the entire union membership, requiring clear and convincing evidence to identify the union with the individual acts. Consequently, the plaintiff's motion to set aside the dismissal was denied.

Assault and BatteryUnion LiabilityAgency LawVoluntary Unincorporated AssociationMembership LiabilityStrike ActionTortious ActDismissal of ComplaintMotion PracticeEvidence Sufficiency
References
4
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 31, 2002

McKnight v. Mariner Restaurant

Plaintiffs, including employee Tracy McKnight, initiated a lawsuit against Lawrence Comins, owner of Mariner Restaurant, alleging negligence and assault stemming from an incident where Comins purportedly assaulted McKnight. The Supreme Court partially denied defendants' cross-motion for summary judgment, allowing the assault claim to proceed but incorrectly refusing to dismiss the negligence claim. The appellate court modified the decision, dismissing the negligence claim, affirming that Workers’ Compensation Law § 29 (6) bars negligence claims when workers' compensation benefits have been sought and received. However, the court upheld the validity of the assault claim, as intentional assault falls outside the exclusivity provisions of the Workers' Compensation Law.

Assault ClaimNegligence ClaimExclusivity ProvisionsSummary JudgmentAppellate ReviewEmployee InjuryIntentional TortJefferson CountyWorkers' Compensation Board DeterminationEmployer Liability
References
3
Case No. 2025 NY Slip Op 05850
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 23, 2025

People v. Flanigan

Defendant Razeah S. Flanigan appealed convictions for assault in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the second degree, stemming from an incident where he fired a flare gun, injuring the victim's arm. The Appellate Division, Third Department, reviewed the weight of the evidence for the assault conviction, concluding that the victim suffered a serious physical injury due to disfigurement and protracted impairment. The court affirmed the assault conviction but found that reckless endangerment in the second degree was an erroneous lesser included offense of assault in the first degree, though harmless as it was a proper lesser included offense of another count. Ultimately, the court determined that reckless endangerment in the second degree was a lesser included offense of assault in the second degree, leading to the dismissal of the reckless endangerment conviction. The judgment was modified to dismiss the conviction on count 3 and affirmed as modified.

Assault Second DegreeReckless EndangermentSerious Physical InjuryLesser Included OffenseFlare Gun InjuryCriminal Weapon PossessionJustification DefenseWeight of Evidence ReviewAppellate DivisionConviction Modification
References
16
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Jan 14, 2002

People v. Fernandez

The defendant was convicted of assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree after a jury trial in Bionx County. The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment and concurrent sentences of six years and one year, respectively. The verdict was upheld against the weight of the evidence, as the jury properly rejected the defendant's justification defense, finding his use of force unjustified despite the complainant reaching for the knife first. The court noted that the defendant inflicted severe injuries while remaining uninjured and was still advancing with a knife on the unarmed, retreating complainant when police arrived. Additionally, the court properly redacted a reference to past drug use from the complainant's medical triage sheet due to a lack of proper foundation and irrelevance to treatment. The defendant's ability to cross-examine on the complainant's drug use at the time of the incident was not precluded.

Criminal LawAssault Second DegreeCriminal Possession of a WeaponJustification DefenseSelf-DefenseWeight of EvidenceCredibility DeterminationMedical Records RedactionHearsay RuleCross-Examination
References
2
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