Ames v. Norstar Building Corp.
This dissenting opinion concerns the Labor Law § 240 (1) claim brought by plaintiff Leigh Ames, a construction worker who suffered injuries from a fall at an elevated work site. Justices Gorski and Lawton argue against the majority's decision to grant defendants' motion for summary judgment, asserting that defendants failed to demonstrate a prima facie showing for dismissal. The dissent contends that Ames's accident, involving a fall while attempting to access an elevated work area, falls under the protections of Labor Law § 240 (1), challenging the majority's conclusion that a doorway threshold is not an elevated work site. Citing numerous precedents, the dissenting justices maintain that the lack of appropriate safety devices for elevated access constitutes a violation of the Labor Law. Therefore, they advocate for denying summary judgment to the defendants and modifying the existing order.