Trombley v. Socha
The case involves a dispute over a third-party indemnification claim against an employer, Sullivan, by Socha Builders, stemming from an injury sustained by a plaintiff. Socha Builders sought indemnification based on a rider signed by Sullivan in July 2004, stipulating that Sullivan would indemnify Socha Builders for claims arising from Sullivan's actions. The central issue was whether this rider constituted an express agreement for Sullivan to indemnify Socha Builders for future work, as required by Workers’ Compensation Law § 11. The court found the rider ambiguous regarding its applicability beyond a specific contract and concluded there was no sufficient "meeting of the minds" for an enforceable indemnification agreement covering the injury. Consequently, the judgment affirming that third-party plaintiffs failed to establish an express indemnification agreement was upheld.