Opinion
2002-11166.
Decided May 17, 2004.
In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, the third-party defendant appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County (M. Garson, J.), dated October 22, 2002, which denied its motion to dismiss the third-party complaint on the grounds of laches and spoliation of evidence.
White McSpedon, P.C., New York, N.Y. (Peter Cusick, Timothy M. Wenk, and Tracey Jarzombek of counsel), for third-party defendant-appellant.
Michael A. Cardozo, Corporation Counsel, New York, N.Y. (Leonard Koerner and Ronald E. Sternberg of counsel), for defendants third-party plaintiffs-respondents.
Before: MYRIAM J. ALTMAN, J.P., GLORIA GOLDSTEIN, THOMAS A. ADAMS, STEPHEN G. CRANE, JJ.
DECISION ORDER
ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.
An action for indemnification such as the third-party action in this case, is an action at law ( see McDermott v. City of New York, 50 N.Y.2d 211, 217, n 2). The doctrine of laches has no application to such an action at law ( see Roth v. Black Star Publ. Co., 302 A.D.2d 442, 443).
Further, the appellant's contention that a ladder the plaintiff borrowed from the third-party plaintiffs constituted a key piece of evidence which was lost ( cf. Kirkland v. New York City Hous. Auth., 236 A.D.2d 170, 173) is based on pure speculation. In any event, the appellant failed to establish any intentional or negligent conduct on the part of the third-party plaintiffs ( see Kulhan v. Minxray, Inc., 255 A.D.2d 364).
ALTMAN, J.P., GOLDSTEIN, ADAMS and CRANE, JJ., concur.