De Souza v. Empire Transit Mix, Inc.
The plaintiff, Jefferson De Souza, an employee of a subcontractor, sustained eye injuries at a construction site due to a malfunctioning concrete hose. He sued LIC Res, LLC (the owner) and McGowan Builders, Inc. (the construction manager), among others. LIC Res, LLC sought summary judgment on its cross-claim for contractual indemnification against McGowan Builders, Inc., based on an agreement requiring McGowan to indemnify the owner for claims arising from its work or omissions. The Supreme Court denied this motion. The Appellate Division, Second Department, reversed the lower court's decision, finding that LIC Res, LLC, had established its prima facie entitlement to contractual indemnification and was not negligent, while McGowan failed to raise a triable issue of fact.