De La Reguera v. City of Mount Vernon

Decision Date22 June 2010
Citation904 N.Y.S.2d 108,74 A.D.3d 1127
PartiesMercedes DE LA REGUERA, respondent, v. CITY OF MOUNT VERNON, appellant.
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

Loretta J. Hottinger, Corporation Counsel, Mount Vernon, N.Y. (Hina Sherwani and Joana H. Aggrey of counsel), for appellant.

Abraham, Lerner & Arnold, LLP, New York, N.Y. (Charles M. Arnold of counsel), for respondent.

REINALDO E. RIVERA, J.P., RUTH C. BALKIN, JOHN M. LEVENTHAL, and SHERI S. ROMAN, JJ.

In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, the defendant appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Smith J.), dated May 20, 2009, which denied its motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is reversed, on the law, with costs, and the defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is granted.

On August 30, 2006, the plaintiff allegedly was injured when she tripped on a pothole in the "permit only" area of a parking lot owned by the defendant, the City of Mount Vernon. The plaintiff possessed a City-issued permit allowing her to park in the "permit only" parking spaces within the parking lot, for which she paid a fee. The plaintiff commenced this action against the City and, thereafter, the City moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that it had not received prior written notice of the alleged defect, as required by the City's prior written notice law ( see Charter of the City of Mount Vernon § 265). The Supreme Court denied the motion. We reverse.

"Where, as here, a municipality has enacted a prior written notice statute, it may not be subjected to liability for injuries caused by an improperly maintained roadway unless either it has received prior written notice of the defect or an exception to the prior written notice requirement applies" ( Griesbeck v. County of Suffolk, 44 A.D.3d 618, 619, 843 N.Y.S.2d 162). The only recognized exceptions to the prior written notice requirement involve situations in which either the municipality created the defect through an affirmative act of negligence, or a "special use" confers a special benefit upon the municipality ( see Yarborough v. City of New York, 10 N.Y.3d 726, 728, 853 N.Y.S.2d 261, 882 N.E.2d 873; Amabile v. City of Buffalo, 93 N.Y.2d 471, 474, 693 N.Y.S.2d 77, 715 N.E.2d 104).

The City established its prima facia entitlement to judgment as a matter of law by presenting evidence that it had not received prior written...

To continue reading

Request your trial
23 cases
  • Dutka v. Odierno
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • December 7, 2016
    ...99 A.D.3d 741, 952 N.Y.S.2d 245 ; Miller v. Village of E. Hampton, 98 A.D.3d 1007, 951 N.Y.S.2d 171 ; De La Reguera v. City of Mount Vernon, 74 A.D.3d 1127, 904 N.Y.S.2d 108 ; Schleif v. City of New York, 60 A.D.3d 926, 875 N.Y.S.2d 259 ). "The only recognized exceptions to the statutory pr......
  • Masotto v. City of N.Y.
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court
    • January 25, 2013
    ...affirmative act of negligence, or a special use' confers a special benefit upon the municipality” (De La Reguera v. City of Mount Vernon, 74 A.D.3d 1127, 1127, 904 N.Y.S.2d 108 [2d Dept 2010] ). Neither of these exceptions has been alleged or argued by plaintiff. 17. Administrative Code § 7......
  • Donadio v. City of N.Y.
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • March 18, 2015
    ...99 A.D.3d 741, 952 N.Y.S.2d 245 ; Miller v. Village of E. Hampton, 98 A.D.3d 1007, 951 N.Y.S.2d 171 ; De La Reguera v. City of Mount Vernon, 74 A.D.3d 1127, 904 N.Y.S.2d 108 ; Schleif v. City of New York, 60 A.D.3d 926, 875 N.Y.S.2d 259 ). The Court of Appeals has recognized two exceptions ......
  • Yauch v. Cnty. of Nassau
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court
    • April 1, 2021
    ... ... written notice requirement applies. (Trela v City of Long ... Beach, 157 A.D.3d 747, 749 [2d Dept 2018]; Palka v ... City of New York, ... 81 A.D.3d 788 [2d Dept 2011]; De La Reguera v. City of ... New York, 74 A.D.3d 1127 [2d Dept 2010]; Schleif v ... see, San Marco v. Village/Town of Mount Kisco, 16 ... N.Y.3d 111 [2010]; Yarborough v. City of New York, ... 10 ... [2006]; Perrington v City of Mount Vernon, ... 37 A.D.3d 571, 572 [2007]) ...          It is ... not ... ...
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT