Opinion
2012-11-20
Arianit SIMONI, Plaintiff–Respondent, v. Elizabeth COSTIGAN, Defendant–Appellant, Ann Morgan Bernardone, et al., Defendants. Arianit Simoni, Plaintiff–Respondent, v. Paul J. Napoli, Esq., et al., Defendants–Respondents.
Lewis Johs Avallone Aviles, LLP, Melville (Seth M. Weinberg of counsel), for appellant. The Dauti Law Firm, P.C., New York (Ylber Albert Dauti of counsel), for Arianit Simoni, respondent.
Lewis Johs Avallone Aviles, LLP, Melville (Seth M. Weinberg of counsel), for appellant. The Dauti Law Firm, P.C., New York (Ylber Albert Dauti of counsel), for Arianit Simoni, respondent.
Ropers Majeski Kohn & Bentley, New York (Andrew L. Margulis of counsel), for Paul J. Napoli, Marc J. Bern, Alan S. Ripka, Napoli Bern Ripka, LLP and Jeffrey W. Varcadipane, respondents.
Order, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Laura G. Douglas, J.), entered February 17, 2011, which, inter alia, denied defendant Costigan's motion to consolidate two personal injury actions with a legal malpractice action, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
Although the personal injury actions and the legal malpractice action involve “a common question of law or fact” (CPLR 602[a] ), consolidation could engender jury confusion and prejudice the defendants in the malpractice action ( see Addison v. New York Presbyt. Hosp./Columbia Univ. Med. Ctr., 52 A.D.3d 269, 860 N.Y.S.2d 32, [1st Dept. 2008]; *859Brown v. Brooklyn Union Gas Co., 137 A.D.2d 479, 524 N.Y.S.2d 228 [2nd Dept. 1988] ).