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Clark v. State

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
May 4, 1998
250 A.D.2d 569 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)

Opinion

May 4, 1998

Appeal from the Court of Claims (King, J.).


Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, with costs.

The claimant was injured when his tractor-trailer overturned in heavy fog at approximately 3:40 A.M. at the intersection of Routes 22 and 199 in Dutchess County. At trial., he contended that the State was negligent in resurfacing the road and in failing to extend highway markings through the intersection.

While the State must maintain its highways in a reasonably safe condition (see, Fiege v. State of New York, 189 A.D.2d 748), the State is not an insurer of the safety of its roads and no liability will attach unless the ascribed negligence of the State in maintaining its roads in a reasonable condition is a proximate cause of the accident (see, Andrews v. State of New York, 168 A.D.2d 474; Stanford v. State of New York, 167 A.D.2d 381). After trial in this case, the Court of Claims determined that the claimant had failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the State's action or inaction was a proximate cause of his accident. We find that the court's determination was supported by the weight of the evidence and should, therefore, not be disturbed (see, Tomaiko v. State of New York, 211 A.D.2d 782; Stanford v. State of New York, supra).

Bracken, J.P., Copertino, Pizzuto and Altman, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Clark v. State

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
May 4, 1998
250 A.D.2d 569 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
Case details for

Clark v. State

Case Details

Full title:JAMES CLARK, Appellant, v. STATE OF NEW YORK, Respondent

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: May 4, 1998

Citations

250 A.D.2d 569 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
672 N.Y.S.2d 747

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