Cusick v. Lutheran Medical Center

Decision Date05 November 1984
Citation105 A.D.2d 681,481 N.Y.S.2d 122
PartiesTheresa CUSICK, etc., Plaintiff-Respondent, v. LUTHERAN MEDICAL CENTER, et al., Defendants-Respondents; New York City Transit Authority, et al., Appellants.
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

Richard K. Bernard, Brooklyn (Lawrence Heisler, Brooklyn, of counsel), for appellants.

McLaughlin, McLaughlin & Neimark, Brooklyn (Harold J. McLaughlin, Brooklyn, of counsel), for plaintiff-respondent.

Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr., Corp. Counsel, New York City (Larry A. Sonnenshein and Elizabeth S. Natrella, New York City, of counsel), for defendant-respondent New York City Health and Hospitals Corp.

Garbarini, Scher & DeCicco, P.C., New York City (Leo Rothbard, New York City, of counsel), for defendant-respondent Stephen Gilbert, M.D.

Before GIBBONS, J.P., and O'CONNOR, WEINSTEIN and LAWRENCE, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY THE COURT.

In an action, inter alia, to recover damages for wrongful death based upon medical malpractice, defendants New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County, dated September 23, 1982, which denied their motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint as against them.

Order reversed, on the law, with costs payable to appellants by plaintiff-respondent, motion granted, complaint dismissed as against appellants, action against them severed from the action against the remaining defendants, all cross claims by and against MTA dismissed, and all cross claims by and against NYCTA converted into third-party complaints.

Plaintiff brought this action to recover damages for the alleged wrongful death of her husband, a bus driver, employed by defendant NYCTA. Plaintiff, however, is barred by the exclusivity of remedy provision of section 11 of the Workers' Compensation Law from suing her husband's employer.

The complaint and cross claims by and against MTA must also be dismissed. It is well settled, as a matter of law, that the functions of the MTA with respect to public transportation are limited to financing and planning, and do not include the operation, maintenance, and control of any facility (Wenthen v. Metropolitan Transp. Auth., 95 A.D.2d 852, 464 N.Y.S.2d 212; Bujosa v. Metropolitan Transp. Auth., 44 A.D.2d 849, 355 N.Y.S.2d 800; Matter of Abrams v. New York City Tr. Auth., 48 A.D.2d 69, 368 N.Y.S.2d 165, affd. 39 N.Y.2d 990, 387 N.Y.S.2d 235, 355 N.E.2d 289; Prinz...

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  • Puzhayeva v. City of N.Y.
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • June 21, 2017
    ...control of any facility (see Delacruz v. Metropolitan Transp. Auth., 45 A.D.3d 482, 483, 846 N.Y.S.2d 160 ; Cusick v. Lutheran Med. Ctr., 105 A.D.2d 681, 681, 481 N.Y.S.2d 122 ). In opposition, the plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact. The Supreme Court erred in denying the Cit......
  • Bak v. Metro-North R.R. Co.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York
    • April 16, 2015
    ...its functions “do not include the operation, maintenance, and control of any facility.” See, e.g., Cusick v. Lutheran Med. Ctr., 105 A.D.2d 681, 681, 481 N.Y.S.2d 122 (N.Y.App.Div.1984). Plaintiff argues that the MTA has assumed control over the Bridgeport Train Station, but inexplicably co......
  • Williams v. Mta Bus Co.
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court
    • June 23, 2014
    ...¶ 13.) The Authorities argue that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority does not own buses, citing Cusick v. Luteran Medical Center, 105 A.D.2d 681, 481 N.Y.S.2d 122 (2d Dept.1984) The Authorities also argue that the notice of claim lacks sufficient detail.A. Summary judgment is granted......
  • Greene v. Long Island R. Co.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Eastern District of New York
    • June 2, 2000
    ...v. Long Island Railroad, 158 A.D.2d 392, 393, 551 N.Y.S.2d 232, 233 (1st Dep't 1990). quoting, Cusick v. Lutheran Medical Center, 105 A.D.2d 681, 681, 481 N.Y.S.2d 122, 123 (2d Dep't 1984). Those opinions, however, arose in the context of negligence lawsuits where it was held that the prope......
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