Summary judgment on an attorney's account stated claim.

Practice point:  The Appellate Division reversed, and granted plaintiff-attorney's motion. Plaintiff made a prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment as a matter of law by demonstrating that it entered into a retainer agreement with defendant and that defendant did not object to the invoices that were sent pursuant to that agreement.

Although defendant claims he signed the retainer agreement only in his capacity as agent and principal for nonparty LLCs, the agreement is addressed to defendant individually, and he signed it individually, not on behalf of the LLCs. Therefore, he is liable for the legal fees.

In addition, defendant did not timely object to the invoices. The parties' agreement provided that "[f]ailure to object to any bill within thirty days from the mailing shall be deemed an acknowledgment of the amount owed ...." Plaintiff sent defendant regular invoices, and defendant did not make any objections until plaintiff's commencement of a prior action. Such belated protest is insufficient to defeat summary judgment. The Appellate Division noted that the only evidence of a protest is defendant's affidavit, asserting, without any details, that he advised plaintiff that its invoices were incorrect. This is insufficient to raise a triable issue of fact.

Student note: A plaintiff does not have to establish the reasonableness of its legal services in an action for an account stated, as plaintiff's failure to object to the invoices is construed as acquiescence as to their correctness.

Case:  Mintz & Gold LLP v. Daibes, NY Slip Op 01388 (1st Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Tomorrow's issue:  Attorney work product.

A plaintiff's inability to identify the cause of the fall.

Practice point:  The Appellate Division affirmed the dismissal of this slip and fall action. The defendant established its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law through the plaintiff's deposition testimony, which demonstrated that the plaintiff could not identify the cause of his fall without resorting to speculation.  In opposition, the plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact.

Student note:  A plaintiff's inability to identify the cause of the fall is fatal to a claim of negligence in a slip-and-fall case because a finding that the defendant's negligence, if any, proximately caused the plaintiff's injuries would be based on speculation.

Case:  Calciano v Tarragon Corp., NY Slip Op 01234 (2d Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Tomorrow's issue:  Summary judgment on an attorney's account stated claim.

Liability for a fall on a public sidewalk.

Practice point:  Generally, liability for injuries sustained as a result of dangerous and defective conditions on public sidewalks is placed on the municipality, and not the abutting landowner. However, an abutting landowner will be liable to a pedestrian injured by a defect in a sidewalk where the landowner created the defect, caused the defect to occur by some special use of the sidewalk, or breached a specific ordinance or statute which obligates the owner to maintain the sidewalk.

Student note:  Administrative Code of the City of New York § 7-210, which became effective September 14, 2003, shifted tort liability for injuries arising from a defective sidewalk from the City of New York to the abutting property owner.  However, this liability shifting provision does not apply to "one-, two- or three-family residential real property that is (i) in whole or in part, owner occupied, and (ii) used exclusively for residential purposes."

Case:  Bisono v. Quinn, NY Slip Op 01230 (2d Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Tomorrow's issue:  A plaintiff's inability to identify the cause of the fall.

Perfecting an appeal by appendix.

Practice point:  The appeal was dismissed because the appendix did not contain critical exhibits and material excerpts from transcripts of testimony. These omissions made it impossible for the Appellate Division  to render an informed decision on the merits.

Student note:  The appendix must contain those portions of the record necessary for the court to fully consider the issues which will be raised by the appellant and the respondent, including material excerpts from transcripts of testimony or from papers in connection with a motion.

Case:  Beizer v. Swedish, NY Slip Op 01229 (2d Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Monday's issue: Liability for a fall on a public sidewalk.

An appeal from a judgment entered upon a default.

Practice point:  No appeal lies from a judgment entered upon a default of the appealing party, pursuant to CPLR 5511.

Student note: The appeal from the intermediate order was dismissed because the right to appeal therefrom terminated with the entry of judgment.

Case:  Anonymous v Nowicki, NY Slip Op 01228 (2d Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Tomorrow's issue: Perfecting an appeal by appendix.

CPLR 3121 and a demand for a further independent medical examinations.

Practice point:  The Appellate Division reversed the granting of defendants' motion to direct plaintiff to appear for a further independent medical examination (IME) by a physician designated by defendants.

While CPLR 3121 does not limit the number of examinations to which a plaintiff may be subjected, a defendant seeking a further examination must demonstrate the necessity for it.  In addition, after a note of issue has been filed, as here, a defendant must demonstrate that unusual and unanticipated circumstances developed subsequent to the filing of the note of issue to justify an additional examination.

Student note:  The fact that defendants' examining physician was placed on a three-year suspension subsequent to his examination of plaintiff and the filing of the note of issue does not justify an additional examination by another physician. Defendants made no showing of unusual and unanticipated circumstances, as the bill of particulars was served before the IME, and there were no allegations of new or additional injuries.

Case:  Rebollo v. Nicholas Cab Corp., NY Slip Op 00978 (1st Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Tomorrow's issue: An appeal from a judgment entered upon a default.

Court holiday.

Tomorrow's issue:  CPLR 3121 and a demand for a further independent medical examination.

A motion to change venue denied.

Practice point:  The Appellate Division reversed, and denied the motion, as defendant failed to establish entitlement to a change of venue pursuant to CPLR 510(3). Defendant failed to contact purported material witnesses to determine if they were willing to testify, the substance of their testimony, or the manner in which they will be inconvenienced if they must testify in New York County.  Instead, the motion is based solely on counsel's conclusory affirmation.

Student note:  Defendant's assertion that his insufficient showing resulted from plaintiff's failure to provide defendant with HIPAA and school authorizations permitting him to contact these witnesses is unsupported by any documentation, and defendant did not explain why he did not seek to compel such discovery prior to making the motion.

Case:  Vilches v. Guadagno, NY Slip Op 00977 (1st Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Tuesday's issue: CPLR 3121 and a demand for a further independent medical examination.

Court holiday.

Tomorrow's issue:  A motion to change venue denied.

Evidence of inspection and cleaning as it relates to constructive notice.

Practice point:  The Appellate Division reversed, and reinstated this premises liability claim. Although defendant presented evidence that it neither created nor had actual notice of the alleged condition, it failed to demonstrate that it did not have constructive notice of the condition, as defendant failed to tender any evidence establishing when the accident area was inspected and cleaned prior to the accident.

Student note:  In a premises liability case, a defendant property owner who moves for summary judgment has the initial burden of making a prima facie showing that it neither created the hazardous condition nor had actual or constructive notice of the condition.

Case:  Beri v. Chung Fat Supermarket, Inc., NY Slip Op 00837 (2d Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Friday's issue:  A motion to change venue denied.

Supplemental bills of particulars and discovery rights.

Practice point:  After plaintiff exercised the right to serve a second supplemental bill of particulars concerning continuing disabilities in the cervical spine, defendant was entitled to newly exercise all discovery rights as to such newly alleged continuing disabilities, pursuant to CPLR 3043[b].

Student note:  Defendant's discovery rights include the right to take a further deposition, pursuant to CPLR 3106, and to notice a physical examination by a designated physician, pursuant to CPLR 3121[a]. In the absence of a showing of bias or prejudice, the further physical examination need not be conducted by the physician who conducted the initial examination.

Case:  Brown v. Brink El. Corp., NY Slip Op 00815 (1st Dept. 2015)

Here is the decision.

Tomorrow's issue: Evidence of inspection and cleaning as it relates to constructive notice.