Rear End Collisions

A recent First Department decision, Cruz v. Lise, held that the plaintiff – whose car was rear-ended by the defendant’s car – was entitled to summary judgment. In reversing the lower court’s denial of plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment, the court held: In support of her motion, plaintiff submitted an affidavit averring that she had…

Read More But They Stopped Short! Too Bad, Says Court: Rear-Ended Plaintiff Gets Summary Judgment in Rear-End Car Accident Case
Share This:

In D’Agostino v. YRC, Inc., the Appellate Division, Second Department affirmed the denial of summary judgment on liability in favor of the plaintiff, who was struck in the rear. Here are the facts: During the late night hours of October 22, 2010, the plaintiff was driving in the northbound right lane of Interstate 87, near…

Read More Possible Explanation for Rear-End Collision Precludes Summary Judgment in Favor of Rear-Ended Plaintiff
Share This:

In Amador v. City of New York, decided August 13, 2014, the Appellate Division, Second Department explained: A rear-end collision with a stopped or stopping vehicle establishes a prima facie case of negligence on the part of the operator of the rear vehicle, thereby requiring that operator to rebut the inference of negligence by providing a…

Read More Rear-Ended Plaintiff Not Entitled to Summary Judgment in Car Accident Case
Share This:

In Dominicci v. Ford, a rear-end motor vehicle accident case decided July 3, 2014, the Fourth Department affirmed the denial of State Farm Automobile Insurance Company’s motion to quash plaintiff’s subpoena for documents. State Farm retained a physician to conduct an “independent medical examination”, or “IME”, of the plaintiff on behalf of defendant. Plaintiff then…

Read More Car Accident Plaintiff Entitled to Documents to Show Bias, Motive, or Interest of Insurance Company-Retained Examining Physician, Fourth Department Holds
Share This:

A recent Second Department decision, Fernandez v. Babylon Mun. Solid Waste, illustrates the circumstances under which a rear-ended plaintiff is not entitled to summary judgment. Plaintiff’s vehicle was struck in the rear by a vehicle owned by defendant Babylon and driven by defendant Catania. Plaintiff moved for summary judgment on the issue of liability, and…

Read More Rear-Ending Driver Not Liable as a Matter of Law
Share This:

The Supreme Court, Nassau County recently held, in Gbajumo v. Mecchella, that the plaintiff was entitled to summary judgment in a rear-end car accident case. The facts: [P]laintiff had entered the Long Island Expressway eastbound, and had been traveling in the right lane for about 100 tcct (5 car lengths) when the accident occurred. Defendant testified that:…

Read More Rear-Ended Plaintiff Awarded Summary Judgment in Car Accident Case
Share This:

In Joplin v. City of New York, the First Department unanimously reversed the trial court’s decision which granted defendants’ motion to renew plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment on the issue of liability and, upon renewal, denied plaintiff’s motion. Initially, the trial court “granted plaintiff’s motion based on the undisputed evidence that plaintiff’s car was stopped at…

Read More Trial Court Should Have Denied Defendant’s Renewal Motion in Rear-End Collision Case
Share This:

Recently, in Pichardo v. Fernandez, the Supreme Court, New York County denied a motion for summary judgment filed by the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) and the driver of a City bus involved in an accident. Plaintiff was a passenger on a NYCTA bus when it was struck from behind by a car driven and…

Read More Bus Passenger’s Personal Injury Case Continues, Where Protruding Bus Was Rear-Ended
Share This:

A recent Appellate Division, Second Department, decision, Williams v. Spencer-Hall, illustrates the application of the general rule that: When the driver of an automobile approaches another automobile from the rear, he or she is bound to maintain a reasonably safe rate of speed and control over his or her vehicle, and to exercise reasonable care…

Read More Summary Judgment Should Have Been Granted For Rear-Ended Plaintiff
Share This:

In Pacheco v. Grabowski, a rear-end car accident case, the New York Supreme Court, Queens County, granted summary judgment in favor of the driver of the front (i.e., rear-ended) car. Plaintiff Yesenia Pacheco was a passenger in a car driven by her father, defendant Angel Pacheco.  While stopped at an intersection the Pacheco car was…

Read More Court Dismisses Claims Against Lead Driver in Rear-End Collision Case
Share This: