Storms v. Dominican College of Blauvelt
The plaintiff, a laborer employed by Schaeffer Construction Co., fell 25 feet while dismantling scaffolding at a residence hall construction site for Dominican College of Blauvelt. The plaintiff asserted claims of negligence and Labor Law violations against Dominican College of Blauvelt and the general contractor, Fred L. Holt, Inc. The Supreme Court denied Holt's cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint due to unresolved factual issues regarding proximate cause and safety measures. Holt's claim for indemnification against Schaeffer was also denied based on Workers’ Compensation Law § 11 and the anti-subrogation rule. However, Dominican College of Blauvelt was granted summary judgment on its common-law and contractual indemnification claims against both Holt and Schaeffer, as there was no evidence Dominican directed or controlled the work's safety. Additionally, certain appeals by Holt and Schaeffer were dismissed.