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

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

People v. Distributors Division, Smoked Fish Workers Union, Local No. 20377

The Attorney-General initiated an action seeking a permanent injunction against the Distributors Division, Smoked Fish Workers Union, Local No. 20377, its president Murray Brodsky, and business agent Jack Flaum. The complaint alleged that the defendants engaged in an illegal combination, violating New York's Donnelly Anti-Trust Law (General Business Law § 340), by coercing manufacturers and retailers in the smoked fish industry to deal exclusively with Distributors Division members. Although the defendants claimed exemption as a bona fide labor union, the court found that the Distributors Division was merely a jobbers association disguised as a union to create a monopoly and restrain trade. The organization's activities involved threats, intimidation, and misleading picketing to compel adherence to its demands, ultimately harming competition and forcing retailers to pay higher prices. Consequently, the court ruled that the injunction should be granted, concluding that the Distributors Division was not a legitimate labor union and its practices were illegal.

anti-trustmonopolylabor unioninjunctiontrade restraintGeneral Business LawDonnelly Actjobbers associationcoercionpicketing
References
3
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Landgraff v. 1579 Bronx River Avenue, LLC

This personal injury action arises from allegations that plaintiff Anthony Landgraff sustained injuries during employment with J.H. Loewy, Inc., a plumbing subcontractor, while removing a sprinkler system at premises owned by 1575 Bronx River Avenue, LLC and renovated by LSK Smoked Turkey Products, Inc. The injured plaintiff fell from a scaffold due to insufficient safety devices. The appellate court reversed the lower court's decision, granting the plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment as to liability under Labor Law § 240 (1). The court also granted 1575 Bronx River Avenue, LLC's cross-motion for contractual indemnification against J.H. Loewy, Inc. and LSK Smoked Turkey Products, Inc., and LSK Smoked Turkey Products, Inc.'s cross-motion for contractual indemnification against J.H. Loewy, Inc. Additionally, 1575 Bronx River Avenue, LLC was found entitled to common-law indemnification from LSK Smoked Turkey Products, Inc. However, the court declined to grant summary judgment for 1575 Bronx River Avenue, LLC against J.H. Loewy, Inc. on common-law indemnification and against LSK Smoked Turkey Products, Inc. on contractual indemnification due to an inadequate record. The matter was remanded for further proceedings.

personal injuryscaffold accidentLabor Lawabsolute liabilityindemnificationcontractual indemnificationcommon-law indemnificationgrave injurysummary judgmentappellate review
References
17
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

In Re G. Marine Diesel Corp.

The Debtor, G. Marine Diesel Corp., objected to a claim filed by An-Frank Metal Fabricating Industries, Inc. (Creditor) for services rendered as a subcontractor on U.S. Navy ship repairs. The Debtor argued the claim included unauthorized work and excessive wage rates. The Court, after reviewing evidence and testimony, found that the Creditor's proof of claim established prima facie validity. However, the Debtor successfully rebutted portions related to unauthorized interest charges, unnecessary re-engineering costs, and unsubstantiated acceleration costs. Consequently, the Creditor's original claim of $298,763.20 was reduced by $145,404.53. The Court allowed the remaining sum of $153,358.67 as an unsecured claim against the Debtor's estate.

BankruptcyClaim ObjectionSubcontractorGovernment ContractEquitable AdjustmentInterest ChargesRe-engineering CostsAcceleration CostsBurden of ProofPrima Facie Evidence
References
12
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Argento v. Morse-Diesel International

The Supreme Court of New York County rendered a judgment on October 6, 1998, after a jury trial, granting the plaintiff's Labor Law § 240 (1) claim and defendants' common-law indemnification claim against third-party defendant Fortunato Sons, Inc., while denying the plaintiff's motion to set aside the damages award as insufficient. The appellate court modified this judgment, vacating the damages award for past pain and suffering and remanding the matter for a new trial solely on this issue. The court affirmed the judgment regarding common-law indemnification, finding Morse-Diesel's liability solely statutory under Labor Law § 240 (1), without evidence of direction or control over work. Claims by Fortunato regarding a time-bar and the anti-subrogation rule were deemed unavailing due to waiver and lack of evidence, respectively.

Labor LawConstruction site accidentDirected verdictIndemnificationThird-party actionDamages awardPain and sufferingAppellate reviewRemandJury verdict
References
3
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Mar 04, 2002

Masciotta v. Morse Diesel International, Inc.

Plaintiff James Masciotta, a carpenter employed by W. Property Resources, Inc. (Property), was injured in a construction accident involving a ladder. Morse Diesel International, Inc. (Morse), the project manager, moved for partial summary judgment seeking contractual indemnification from Property. The Supreme Court denied Morse's motion, but the Appellate Court unanimously reversed this decision. The court found that the indemnification provision in the subcontract between Morse and Property was enforceable, as Masciotta's injuries arose from Property's work and the use of the ladder, and there was no evidence of Morse's active negligence. General Obligations Law § 5-322.1 did not bar enforcement because Morse was held strictly liable under Labor Law § 240 (1) without its own negligence.

Contractual IndemnificationSummary JudgmentConstruction AccidentLabor LawLadder FallSubcontractor LiabilityGeneral ContractorActive NegligenceStrict LiabilityGeneral Obligations Law
References
15
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Danielson v. United Seafood Workers Smoked Fish & Cannery Union, Local 359

The case involves a petition by Sidney Danielson, Regional Director of the NLRB, seeking a preliminary injunction against United Seafood Workers Smoked Fish & Cannery Union, Local 359, AFL-CIO. The union was charged with unfair labor practices, specifically secondary boycotts, targeting several fish businesses (charging parties) at the New York Fulton Fish Market to coerce them into recognizing Local 359 as their employees' bargaining agent. An evidentiary hearing revealed a concerted effort by union members, often directed by union officials like Carmine Romano and Anthony O’Connor, to obstruct the charging parties' ability to buy and deliver fish, leading to significant business disruption. The court found reasonable cause to believe the union had violated the National Labor Relations Act, holding Local 359 responsible under theories of mass action and agency for its members' and officials' conduct. Concluding that the charging parties faced irreparable harm, the court granted the preliminary injunction to prevent further unlawful activities, while also finding union officials in civil contempt but delaying the imposition of penalties.

Labor LawSecondary BoycottUnfair Labor PracticeNational Labor Relations Act (NLRA)Preliminary InjunctionCollective BargainingUnion LiabilityMass Action TheoryCivil ContemptFulton Fish Market
References
24
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Jan 27, 1999

Claim of Wilson v. Reddy Construction Co.

The claimant appealed a Workers’ Compensation Board decision filed on January 27, 1999. The Board had ruled that the death of the claimant's decedent was not causally related to his employment, thereby denying her claim for workers’ compensation death benefits. The decedent, a shop supervisor and diesel mechanic, suffered a fatal myocardial infarction on April 22, 1994. The claimant contended that the death resulted from stressful and strenuous work activities, invoking the presumption of compensability under Workers’ Compensation Law § 21 (1). However, the Board found that the employer successfully rebutted this presumption with evidence indicating the death was solely due to the decedent's significant preexisting coronary risk factors. The court affirmed the Board's decision, highlighting the employer's consulting cardiologist's testimony that the myocardial infarction was caused exclusively by preexisting conditions like heavy smoking and family history, unrelated to employment activity. Furthermore, a co-worker testified that the decedent had not been assigned strenuous tasks and was doing paperwork on the day of his death.

Workers' CompensationDeath BenefitsMyocardial InfarctionCausationEmployment-Related DeathPreexisting ConditionsPresumption of CompensabilityMedical TestimonyAppellate ReviewBoard Decision Rebuttal
References
5
Case No. 09-cv-4229
Regular Panel Decision

Serby v. First Alert, Inc.

Plaintiff Victor M. Serby, an attorney proceeding pro se, brought this action against First Alert, Inc. and BRK Brands, Inc. for breach of a pre-existing settlement agreement. Serby alleged the Defendants failed to pay royalties for smoke detectors incorporating his '434 Patent, stemming from a prior patent infringement litigation. Defendants countered that their new SA340 model smoke alarm did not meet the 'unopenable' condition of the settlement agreement, thus absolving them of royalty payments. Serby moved for summary judgment and to strike Defendants' affirmative defenses, arguing that the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel barred these defenses due to the previous litigation and settlement. The Court denied Serby's motion in its entirety, finding that genuine issues of material fact existed regarding the similarity of the smoke alarm models and that neither res judicata, collateral estoppel, nor contractual estoppel applied. Furthermore, the Court determined that the heightened pleading standards of Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly do not extend to affirmative defenses.

Patent InfringementBreach of ContractSummary JudgmentRes JudicataCollateral EstoppelContractual EstoppelPleading StandardsSmoke DetectorsRoyalties'434 Patent
References
19
Case No. LBO 0383984
Regular
Dec 27, 2007

PATRICK ESPOSITO vs. NORTHWEST AIRLINES, INC., LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board denied reconsideration, affirming the finding that Patrick Esposito's injury sustained while falling from a hotel balcony to smoke was compensable. The Board adopted the reasoning that the act of smoking fell under the "personal comfort and convenience" and "commercial traveler" doctrines, making it incidental to his employment as a flight attendant on layover. The Court found that the employee's poor decisions after being locked out did not negate the compensability of the injury.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARDPATRICK ESPOSITONORTHWEST AIRLINESLIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCEORDER DENYING RECONSIDERATIONworkers' compensation administrative law judgepersonal comfort and convenience doctrinecommercial traveler ruleon callper diem
References
11
Case No. ADJ8804613
Regular
Jun 03, 2016

KIM LARSEN vs. UKIAH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board denied the defendant school district's petition for reconsideration of an award for acute myeloid leukemia. The Board found the applicant's exposure to diesel exhaust while employed by the school district was an injurious exposure contributing to the cancer. The Board ruled that the agreed medical evaluator's reports were admissible and constituted substantial medical evidence of the link between diesel exhaust and leukemia. Therefore, the school district was held liable as the last employer where the applicant was exposed to the hazard.

acute myeloid leukemiadiesel exhaust exposurecumulative traumalast injurious exposureagreed medical evaluatorlabor code section 5500.5reasonably probable causationsubstantial medical evidencebenzene exposurefirefighter
References
7
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