Ellerbe v. Port Auth. of New York & New Jersey, 91 A.D.3d 441 (N.Y. App. Div. 2012). · Go Syfert
Ellerbe v. Port Auth. of New York & New Jersey, 91 A.D.3d 441 (N.Y. App. Div. 2012). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
53 citation events (53 in the last 25 years) across 3 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Pillco v. 160 Dikeman St., LLC (nyappdiv, 2025-07-30)
Treatment trajectory · 2012 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
2012 2019 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 26 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Pillco v. 160 Dikeman St., LLC
N.Y. App. Div. · 2025 · signal: cf. · confidence medium
Group, LLC , 169 AD3d 706 , 708; cf. Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [site safety manager testified that he inspected and climbed the ladder immediately after the plaintiff's fall and, in an affidavit, averred that based upon his inspection of the ladder, the accident could not have happened as the plaintiff claimed]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Gonzalez v. GP-UHAB Hous. Dev. Fund Corp.
N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty. · 2025 · confidence medium
“Where credible evidence reveals differing versions of the accident, one under which defendants would be liable and another under which they would not, questions of fact exist making summary judgment inappropriate” (Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]; see also Santiago v Fred-Doug 117, L.L.C., 68 AD3d 555, 556 [1st Dept 2009]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Hempstead v. Hammer & Steel, Inc.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2025 · confidence medium
While there is at least some testimony that plaintiff's shirt may have caught on the mixer and brought it down with him as he came off the trailer, the record is not sufficiently clear to find that to be the definitive version of events, leaving issues of fact as to the manner in which plaintiff's accident occurred ( see Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Monzon v. Rusk Renovations, Inc.
N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty. · 2024 · confidence medium
The conflict between Monzon and Elliot's testimony as to the circumstances of his fall, along with the discrepancies between Monzon' s testimony and his post-accident statements as to the cause of his fall, creates an issue of fact as to whether Monzon' s fall was due to an inadequate ladder or because he simply lost his footing, precluding summary judgment on plaintiff's Labor Law 240(1) claim at this juncture 1 (See~ Ellerbe v Port Auth. of New York and New Jersey, 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]; Antenucci v Three Dogs, LLC, 41 AD3d 205, 206 [1st Dept 2007]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Callan v. RCB3 Nominee LLC
N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty. · 2024 · confidence medium
“Where credible evidence reveals differing versions of the accident, one under which defendants would be liable and another under which they would not, questions of fact exist making summary judgment inappropriate” (Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]; see also Santiago v Fred-Doug 117, L.L.C., 68 AD3d 555, 556 [1st Dept 2009]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) PV Holding Corp. v. Fernandez
N.Y. App. Div. · 2024 · confidence medium
Fernandez testified that he followed company policy to rent the vehicle, but Laura Perez, a Unit Manager for plaintiffs, testified that no rental agreement existed, which is completed when anyone rents a vehicle ( see Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Cafisi v. L&L Holding Co., LLC
N.Y. App. Div. · 2023 · confidence medium
Perez v Folio House, Inc. , 123 AD3d 519, 519 [1st Dept 2014]; Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Cafisi v. L&L Holding Co., LLC
N.Y. App. Div. · 2023 · confidence medium
Perez v Folio House, Inc. , 123 AD3d 519, 519 [1st Dept 2014]; Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]).
cited Cited as authority (rule) McKinney v. Empire State Dev. Corp.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2023 · confidence medium
The conflicting testimony presents an issue of fact ( see Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]; Sunun v Klein , 188 AD3d 507 , 509 [1st Dept 2020]).
cited Cited as authority (rule) McKinney v. Empire State Dev. Corp.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2023 · confidence medium
The conflicting testimony presents an issue of fact ( see Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]; Sunun v Klein , 188 AD3d 507 , 509 [1st Dept 2020]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Fundus v. Scarola
N.Y. App. Div. · 2023 · confidence medium
The court correctly found that issues of fact were raised by the conflicting testimony of plaintiff and his coworker that precluded summary judgment in plaintiffs' favor on the Labor Law § 240(1) claim against defendant ( see Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Fundus v. Scarola
N.Y. App. Div. · 2023 · confidence medium
The court correctly found that issues of fact were raised by the conflicting testimony of plaintiff and his coworker that precluded summary judgment in plaintiffs' favor on the Labor Law § 240(1) claim against defendant ( see Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Lewis v. 96 Wythe Acquisition LLC
N.Y. App. Div. · 2022 · confidence medium
These two versions of how the accident happened, each given by plaintiff, the sole witness to the incident, are inconsistent with each other and give rise to an issue of fact as to whether plaintiff's accident was caused by a failure of a safety device within the purview of section 240(1) ( see Albino v 221- 223 W. 82 Owners Corp. , 142 AD3d 799, 800-801 [1st Dept 2016]; Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]; see also Rodriguez v Margaret Tietz Ctr. for Nursing Care , 84 NY2d 841 [1994] [Labor Law § 240(1) not implicated where beam fell out of worker's hands] …
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Romano v. One City Block LLC
N.Y. App. Div. · 2020 · confidence medium
Because plaintiff could not have slipped off of the ladder while descending , and at the same time fallen from the fourth rung while performing work, issues of fact and credibility exist as to how the accident occurred ( see Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]; compare Nolan v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 162 AD3d 488 [1st Dept 2018]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Mitchell v. City of New York
N.Y. App. Div. · 2019 · confidence medium
There is no viable Labor Law § 240(1) claim where, as here, "plaintiff simply lost his footing while [descending] a properly secured, non-defective extension ladder that did not malfunction" ( Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. , 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) DiCembrino v. Verizon New York Inc.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2017 · confidence medium
Thus, the conflict inherent in the injured plaintiff’s own account of the accident raised an issue of fact as to whether it was caused by defendants’ failure to provide an adequate safety device, or solely by plaintiff’s own conduct (see Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]; Hamill v Mutual of Am.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) DaSilva v. Everest Scaffolding, Inc.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2016 · signal: cf. · confidence medium
Plaintiff established prima facie that his accident was proximately caused by a violation of Labor Law § 240 (1) through his testimony that he fell off a scaffolding frame onto a scaffolding platform when the scaffolding moved while he was attempting to remove a staple from a plastic covering on the building exterior while propping himself up on a cross-brace of the frame; he had climbed onto the cross-brace because the staple was about six feet above his reach when he stood on the platform (see Fanning v Rockefeller Univ., 106 AD3d 484 [1st Dept 2013]; cf. Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J.…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) O'Brien v. Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J. (2×)
N.Y. App. Div. · 2015 · confidence medium
City, 1 NY3d 280, 288-290 [2003]; Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Degen v. Uniondale Union Free School District
N.Y. App. Div. · 2014 · confidence medium
Here, the plaintiffs’ own submissions demonstrated the existence of triable issues of fact, inter alia, as to how the injured plaintiffs accident occurred, including whether he fell because he merely lost his balance (see Robinson v Goldman Sachs Headquarters, LLC, 95 AD3d 1096, 1097-1098 [2012]; Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [2012]; Chin-Sue v City of New York, 83 AD3d 643, 644 [2011]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Degen v. Uniondale Union Free School District
N.Y. App. Div. · 2014 · confidence medium
Here, the plaintiffs’ own submissions demonstrated the existence of triable issues of fact, inter alia, as to how the injured plaintiffs accident occurred, including whether he fell because he merely lost his balance (see Robinson v Goldman Sachs Headquarters, LLC, 95 AD3d 1096, 1097-1098 [2012]; Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [2012]; Chin-Sue v City of New York, 83 AD3d 643, 644 [2011]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Taylor v. One Bryant Park, LLC
N.Y. App. Div. · 2012 · confidence medium
Although summary judgment is not warranted where “credible evidence reveals differing versions of the accident” (Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [2012]), the evidence upon which defendants rely is neither credible, nor admissible.
discussed Cited "see" Csikos v. S.M. Construction & Contracting, Incorporated
S.D.N.Y. · 2022 · signal: see · confidence high
See Ellerbe v. Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 A.D.3d 441, 442 (1st Dep’t 2012) (affirming denial of summary judgment where “a triable issue of fact [existed] as to whether [Plaintiff’s] accident in fact resulted from a violation of [§ 240(1)],” even though “plaintiff made out a prima facie case”).
discussed Cited "see" RAULS, BRIAN v. DIRECTV, INC.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2014 · signal: see · confidence high
Contrary to plaintiff’s further contention, we conclude that the court properly denied his motion for partial summary judgment on liability under Labor Law § 240 (1) inasmuch as he did not establish as a matter of law that “the absence of or defect in a safety device was [a] proximate cause of his . . . injuries” (Tronolone v Praxair, Inc., 22 AD3d 1031, 1033 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see generally Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 ; Arigo v Spencer, 39 AD3d 1143, 1144-1145 ).
discussed Cited "see" Rauls v. DirecTV, Inc.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2014 · signal: see · confidence high
Contrary to plaintiff’s further contention, we conclude that the court properly denied his motion for partial summary judgment on liability under Labor Law § 240 (1) inasmuch as he did not establish as a matter of law that “the absence of or defect in a safety device was [a] proximate cause of his . . . injuries” (Tronolone v Praxair, Inc., 22 AD3d 1031, 1033 [2005] [internal quotation marks omitted]; see generally Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [2012]; Arigo v Spencer, 39 AD3d 1143, 1144-1145 [2007]).
discussed Cited "see" Rauls v. DirecTV, Inc.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2014 · signal: see · confidence high
Contrary to plaintiff’s further contention, we conclude that the court properly denied his motion for partial summary judgment on liability under Labor Law § 240 (1) inasmuch as he did not establish as a matter of law that “the absence of or defect in a safety device was [a] proximate cause of his . . . injuries” (Tronolone v Praxair, Inc., 22 AD3d 1031, 1033 [2005] [internal quotation marks omitted]; see generally Ellerbe v Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 91 AD3d 441, 442 [2012]; Arigo v Spencer, 39 AD3d 1143, 1144-1145 [2007]).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Rudzikewycz v. 164 W. 79th St. Corp.
N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty. · 2025 · signal: see also · confidence medium
Consequently, neither plaintiff nor any of the defendants and third-party defendants established prima facie entitlement to judgment on the Labor Law § 240(1) claim (Orellana, 173 AD3d 888 ; see also Ellerbe v Port Auth. of New York & New Jersey, 91 AD3d 441, 442 [1st Dept 2012] [“Where credible evidence reveals differing versions of the accident, one under which defendants would be liable and another under which they would not, questions of fact exist making summary judgment inappropriate”]).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Leonard Ellerbe
v.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Jan 5, 2012.
91 A.D.3d 441
Cited by 35 opinions  |  Published

Plaintiff allegedly sustained injuries when he fell from an extension ladder he had ascended in order to perform steel deckwork on a construction project. Defendant The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey owned the property, and defendant Bovis Lend Lease was the project’s construction manager. Defendants contracted with plaintiff’s employer, nonparty Cornell Steel, to perform steel erection at the project. According to Ellerbe’s deposition, the ladder from which he fell[*442] had only been “tied off’ at the top right side and the ladder had “reared back” when he attempted to dismount from the top of the ladder by stepping to his left onto the deck floor.

However, Bovis site safety manager Omar Jackson testified that plaintiff told him, immediately after the fall and while plaintiff was still on the ground, that he fell because he “lost his footing.” This account was memorialized in a Bovis incident report completed by Jackson that day. Jackson also testified that he inspected and climbed the ladder immediately after plaintiffs fall, finding it to be stable, since its feet were wedged between cells in the corrugated steel floor, and its upper right column was also secured. In an affidavit, Jackson averred that, based upon his inspection of the ladder, the accident could not have happened as plaintiff claims.

On this record, Supreme Court correctly denied plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment as to liability under Labor Law § 240 (1). While it is undisputed that plaintiff made out a prima facie case, the aforementioned incident report and testimony of Jackson, which is inconsistent with Ellerbe’s account, raises a triable issue of fact as to whether Ellerbe’s accident in fact resulted from a violation of the statute. Where credible evidence reveals differing versions of the accident, one under which defendants would be liable and another under which they would not, questions of fact exist making summary judgment inappropriate (see Santiago v Fred-Doug 117, L.L.C., 68 AD3d 555 [2009]; Antenucci v Three Dogs, LLC, 41 AD3d 205 [2007]; Boccia v City of New York, 46 AD3d 421 2007] [2007]).

Defendants would not be subject to statutory liability if plaintiff simply lost his footing while climbing a properly secured, non-defective extension ladder that did not malfunction (see Buckley v J.A. Jones/GMO, 38 AD3d 461, 462 [2007]; Taglioni v Harbor Cove Assoc., 308 AD2d 441, 442 [2003]; Chan v Bed Bath & Beyond, 284 AD2d 290 [2001]). Contrary to plaintiffs contentions, Jackson’s affidavit was not inconsistent with his deposition testimony and thus, did not constitute an attempt to create a feigned issue of fact (see Nesper v Goldmag Hacking Corp., 77 AD3d 598 [2010]).

Jackson’s testimony concerning defendants’ policy of using stair towers instead of ladders did not constitute an admission that the ladder was an inappropriate safety device for the work. Plaintiff submitted no evidence that an otherwise non-defective ladder would be a per se inadequate device for the task at hand, i.e., climbing up a single story (compare Carino v Webster Place Assoc., LP, 45 AD3d 351 [2007]). Concur — Saxe, J.E, Sweeny, Moskowitz, Manzanet-Daniels and Román, JJ.