Mileski v. MSC Indus. Direct Co., Inc.
Drena Mileski, as administratrix of Ronald P. Mileski's estate, initiated a wrongful death action following Ronald's death from injuries sustained operating a lathe machine. The plaintiff sought to amend the complaint to include Burns Real Estate, LLC, Nijon Tool Co., Inc., Island Machine Supply Corp., and John Raymond Burns as additional defendants, relying on the relation-back doctrine. The Supreme Court granted this amendment. However, the Appellate Division reversed, ruling that the relation-back doctrine was inapplicable. The court reasoned that if the new defendants were united in interest with the employer, they would share the employer's immunity under the Workers' Compensation Law, rendering the claims time-barred.