Opinion
Index No.: 1721/12 Motion Cal. No.: 112 Motion Seq. No.: 1
08-27-2013
Xiao Xiao Tu, Plaintiff, v. Ean Holdings LLC, Ean Holdings LLC d/b/a Enterprise, Elrac LLC, Aidong Ma and Lisa A. Figueroa, Defendants.
Short Form Order
Present: HONORABLE BERNICE D. SIEGAL
Justice
The following papers numbered 1 to 13 read on this motion for an order (a) pursuant to CPLR §3212 awarding summary judgment to the defendants, Ean Holdings LLC, Ean Holdings LLC d/b/a Enterprise, Elrac LLC, and Aidong Ma; and (b) dismissing plaintiff's complaint.
| PAPERS NUMBERED | |
| Notice of Motion - Affidavits-Exhibits | 1 - 4 |
| Affirmation in Opposition | 5 - 9 |
| Affirmation in Opposition | 10 - 11 |
| Reply Affirmation | 12 - 13 |
Upon the foregoing papers, it is hereby ordered that the motion is resolved as follows:
Defendants Ean Holdings LLC, Ean Holdings LLC d/b/a Enterprise, Elrac LLC, and Aidong Ma move for an order pursuant to CPLR §3212 granting summary judgment to the moving defendants and dismissing plaintiff's complaint.
Facts
Xiao Xiao Tu ("plaintiff") brought the within action against Ean Holdings LLC. and Elrac & Aidong Ma ("movants") for a two car accident that occurred on December 26, 2011 on US Route 6. Defendant Lisa Figueroa ("Figueroa") was making a left turn onto the east bound lane of US Route 6. Figueroa after completing the left turn onto US Route 6 lost control of her vehicle because her hands became entangled within the steering wheel. The entanglement caused Figueroa's car to cross the double yellow medium into oncoming traffic and was then struck by a vehicle driving westbound along US Route 6 operated by defendant Aidong Ma ("Ma"). The plaintiff was a passenger in defendant Aidong Ma's vehicle.
Trooper Tinnrello ("Trooper"), a nonparty witness, responded to the accident. The Trooper, in his deposition, confirmed the defendant Figueroa crossed over from the eastbound lane and struck Ms. Ma's vehicle. Further, the Trooper testified that Figueroa seemed very apologetic as if to indicate acknowledgment of fault in the accident. The Trooper also testified that Ms. Ma, the operator of the second vehicle, was not at fault nor did she contribute to the accident.
Defendant Figueroa testified that when she crossed the double yellow median of US Route 6 that Ms. Ma's vehicle was approximately "a hundred feet" away and that "[a] few seconds" elapsed before impact. Figuero also testified that prior to the accident she was "barely moving" and was "hoping that [MA] would see [her] and stop but it didn't happen." Prior to the impact with Figueroa's vehicle Ms. Ma only had time to state "it's finished. Oh, no it's finished". Figueroa also testified that Ms. Ma did not apply her breaks or swerve, which was confirmed in Ms. Ma's deposition.
Movant's motion for summary judgment is granted as more fully set forth below.
Discussion
Summary judgment motions may be made by any party to an action after the issue has been joined. CPLR 3212 (a). To meet its burden for summary judgment movant must foreclose any genuine issue of material fact showing it is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. (Bush v. St. Clare's Hosp., 82 N.Y 2d 738 [1993] (reasoning that if a question of fact exists the court is precluded from granting a summary judgment motion); Winegrad v. New York Univ. Med. Center, 64 N.Y 2d 851 [1985]; Zuckerman v. New York, 49 N.Y. 2d 557 [1980].) To do so "the proponent of a motion for summary judgment must make a prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment as a matter of law, tendering sufficient evidence to eliminate all material issues of fact from the case." (Winegrad v. New York Univ. Med. Center, 64 N.Y 2d 851 [1985].) According to the Court of Appeals,
"one opposing a motion for summary judgment must produce evidentiary proof in admissible form sufficient to require a trial of material questions of fact on which he rests his claim or must demonstrate acceptable excuse for his failure to meet the requirement of tender in admissible form; mere conclusions, expressions of hope or unsubstantiated allegations or assertions are insufficient." Zuckerman v. City of New York, 49 N.Y. 2d 557 (1980).
Furthermore, as the matter involves a motor vehicle accident, any violation of the Vehicle and Traffic law will be considered negligence as a matter of law by the violator. (Briggs v. Russo, 98 A.D. 3d 547 [2nd Dept. 2012]; Francavilla v. Doyno, 96 A.D. 3d 714 [2nd Dept. 2012]; Duran v. Simon, 83 A.D. 3d 654 [2nd Dept. 2011].)
The Emergency doctrine establishes that,
"when an actor is faced with a sudden and unexpected circumstance which leaves little or no time for thought, deliberation or consideration, or causes the actor to be reasonably so disturbed that the actor must make a speed decision without weighting the alternative course of conduct, the actor may not be negligent if the actions taken are reasonable and prudent in the emergency context." (Rivera v. New York City Tr. Auth., 77 N.Y. 2d 322 [2nd Dept. 2012].)
The existence of an emergency situation does not "automatically absolve one from liability for his conduct." Ferrer v. Harris, 55 N.Y. 2d 285 [1982]; see also Alvarado v. New York City Transit Authority, 106 A.D. 3d 845 [2nd Dept.]; Weiss v. Metropolitan, 106 A.D. 3d 727 [2nd Dept. 2013].) The standard for ones conduct in an emergency situation "remains that of a reasonable man under the given circumstances, except that the circumstances have changed." Ferrer v. Harris, 55 N.Y. 2d 285 [1982].)
Here, neither party is disputing whether the defendant Figueroa created an emergency situation for Ms. Ma as it is well settled that "[a] driver is not obligated to anticipate that a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction will cross over onto oncoming traffic. Such an event constitutes a classic emergency situation, thus implicating the "emergency doctrine." (Gajjar v. Shah, 31 A.D. 3d 377 [2nd Dept. 2006]; see Lopez v. Young, 69 A.D. 3d 724 [2nd Dept. 2012]; see also Ardila v. Cox 88 A.D. 3d 829 [2nd Dept. 2011].) Thus, the question is whether an issue of material fact exists as to Ms. Ma's reasonableness in light of the emergency situation created by co-defendant Figueroa.
Generally, "[b]oth the existence of an emergency and the reasonableness of a party's response thereto will ordinarily present questions of fact." (Williams v City of New York, 88 A.D.3d 989, 990 [2nd Dept 2011].) The two drivers, Ms. Ma and Figueroa, both confirm that Ms. Ha did not apply the brakes or swerve to avoid Figueroa's car. It may have been unreasonable for Ms. Ma to swerve or apply her breaks given the circumstances. The Second Department has generally held that summary judgment is inappropriate absent clear evidence of a reasonable response by the movant in an emergency situation. (Summers v. Stedford, 299 A.D. 2d 476 [2nd Dept. 2002] (denying summary judgment when "no evidence as to whether the defendant's actions in responding to the emergency were reasonable under the circumstances" existed); Babcock v. Roche, 262 A.D. 2d 512 [2nd Dept. 1999] (finding summary judgment should have been denied when no evidence existed that plaintiff's actions were reasonable in the emergency situation created by defendant's vehicle crossing a double yellow line); McNally v. Fitzgerald, 260 A.D. 2d 355 [2nd Dept. 1999].)
However, in an emergency situation created by a vehicle crossing a double yellow line, the Second Department has more recently held that "speculation that the driver in the opposing lane of traffic could have done something to avoid a vehicle crossing over a double yellow line is insufficient to defeat a summary judgment." (Eichenwald v. Chaudhry, 17 A.D. 403 [2nd Dept. 2005]; Gadon v. Oliva, 294 A.D. 2d 397 [2nd Dept. 2002]. Therefore, mere speculation that Ms. Ma improperly failed to brake or swerve, given the emergency situation created by a vehicle crossing a double yellow line, is insufficient to defeat a motion for summary judgment.
Conclusion
For the reasons set forth above, Movant's motion for summary judgment is granted and the complaint is dismissed as to Ean Holdings LLC, Ean Holdings LLC d/b/a Enterprise, Elrac LLC, and Aidong Ma.
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Bernice D. Siegal J.S.C.