Emery v. Village of Clinton
Plaintiff Robert Emery, an employee of the Town of Kirkland Highway Department, was injured at a construction site in the Village of Clinton while attempting to reinsert a pin into an excavator's thumb to change its functionality. The pin ejected and struck him in the head. Emery and his wife sued the Village of Clinton and John Spinella Excavation Company, Inc. alleging negligence and violations of Labor Law §§ 200, 240, and 241 (6). The court dismissed all claims against the Village of Clinton and dismissed the Labor Law §§ 240 and 241 (6) claims against Spinella Excavating. However, the court denied Spinella Excavating's motion for summary judgment on the Labor Law § 200 and common-law negligence claims, allowing these claims to proceed to trial due to unresolved questions of fact regarding Spinella, Sr.'s control and potential breach of duty.