Kepner v. FEDERAL NAT. MORTG. ASS'N
Plaintiffs Edward and Penelope Kepner sued Federal National Mortgage Association and other defendants for injuries Edward sustained after falling through an unsecured floor opening while re-keying a lock at a foreclosed property. Plaintiffs alleged common-law negligence and violations of various New York Labor Law sections. The court dismissed all Labor Law claims, reasoning that re-keying a lock did not constitute construction or repair work covered by the statutes, and the property was not a construction site. However, the court denied both parties' motions for summary judgment on the negligence claim, finding numerous unresolved factual disputes regarding duty of care, breach, causation, and comparative negligence. Consequently, the negligence claim will proceed to trial.