Smith v. State, 121 A.D.3d 1358 (N.Y. App. Div. 2014). · Go Syfert
Smith v. State, 121 A.D.3d 1358 (N.Y. App. Div. 2014). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
14 citation events (14 in the last 25 years) across 2 distinct courts.
Top citers, strongest first. 11 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Salamone v. Ginsberg's Inst. Foods, Inc.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2023 · confidence medium
A driver is negligent per se when he or she commits an unexcused violation of the Vehicle and Traffic Law ( see Smith v State of New York , 121 AD3d 1358, 1359 [3d Dept 2014]; Baker v Joyal , 4 AD3d 596, 597 [3d Dept 2004], lv denied 2 NY3d 706 [2004]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Scheuer v. State of New York
N.Y. App. Div. · 2021 · confidence medium
Based upon the foregoing, and according due deference to the court's unchallenged credibility determinations, the liability determination and apportionment of liability is supported by the record ( see Mosley v State of New York , 150 AD3d at 1661 ; Smith v State of New York , 121 AD3d 1358, 1360 [2014]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Fabiano v. State of New York
N.Y. App. Div. · 2019 · confidence medium
According deference to the credibility determinations of the Court of Claims ( see Smith v State of New York , 121 AD3d 1358, 1359 [2014]), the record establishes that Fabiano's fall caused him to suffer injuries that included a fractured vertebra.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Krahforst
nycohoescityct · 2016 · confidence medium
In any event, failure to see two police units with flashing lights under these circumstances would be a breach of defendant’s duty to exercise due care because due care encompasses “the legal concept that every driver has a duty to see what is there to be seen through the proper use of his or her senses” (Smith v State of New York, 121 AD3d 1358, 1359 [3d Dept 2014]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Diaz v. State of New York (2×)
N.Y. App. Div. · 2016 · confidence medium
Claimant argues that other trial evidence cast doubt upon Woytach’s account and, “[w]hen reviewing a determination after a nonjury trial, this Court independently considers the weight of the evidence and may grant whatever judgment is warranted by the record, all while deferring to the trial judge’s factual findings, especially where those findings are based on credibility determinations” CSmith v State of New York, 121 AD3d 1358, 1358-1359 [2014]; see Medina v State of New York, 133 AD3d 943, 944 [2015], lv denied 27 NY3d 905 [2016]).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Lassiter Properties, Inc. v. State of New York
N.Y. App. Div. · 2015 · confidence medium
In “reviewing a determination after a nonjury trial, this Court independently considers the weight of the evidence and may grant whatever judgment is warranted by the record, all while deferring to the trial judge’s factual findings, especially where those findings are based on credibility determinations” (Smith v State of New York, 121 AD3d 1358, 1358-1359 [2014]; see St.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Miller v. State
N.Y. App. Div. · 2015 · confidence medium
According deference to the trial court’s finding that claimant credibly described his experience during the period that he was wrongfully confined by DOCCS (see Smith v State of New York, 121 AD3d 1358, 1358-1359 [2014]), we can only categorize that experience as Kafkaesque.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Miller v. State
N.Y. App. Div. · 2015 · confidence medium
According deference to the trial court’s finding that claimant credibly described his experience during the period that he was wrongfully confined by DOCCS (see Smith v State of New York, 121 AD3d 1358, 1358-1359 [2014]), we can only categorize that experience as Kafkaesque.
discussed Cited "see" Latham Land I LLC v. TGI Friday's Inc.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2015 · signal: see · confidence high
Lawrence Factory Stores v Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Auth., 121 AD3d 1226 , 1227 [2014] [internal quotation marks and citations omitted]; see Smith v State of New York, 121 AD3d 1358, 1358-1359 [2014]).
discussed Cited "see" Latham Land I LLC v. TGI Friday's Inc.
N.Y. App. Div. · 2015 · signal: see · confidence high
Lawrence Factory Stores v Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Auth., 121 AD3d 1226 , 1227 [2014] [internal quotation marks and citations omitted]; see Smith v State of New York, 121 AD3d 1358, 1358-1359 [2014]).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Ruberti v. Butler
N.Y. App. Div. · 2024 · signal: see also · confidence medium
Altogether, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to plaintiff, questions of fact remain as to whether Butler was comparatively at fault for failing to see what was to be seen, and whether she failed to exercise due care to avoid colliding with plaintiff ( see Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1146 [a]; Khalil v Garcia-Olea , 222 AD3d 853 , 854 [2d Dept 2023]; Gonzalez v Gonzales , 212 AD3d 716, 717 [2d Dept 2023]; Ellis v Vazquez , 155 AD3d 694, 695 [2d Dept 2017]; Brenner v Dixon , 98 AD3d 1246, 1248 [4th Dept 2012]; see also Smith v State of New York , 121 AD3d 1358, 1359 [3d Dept 2014]…
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Mary Margaret Smith
v.
State of New York
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Oct 23, 2014.
121 A.D.3d 1358
Devine, Lahtinen, McCarthy, Rose, Stein.
Cited by 13 opinions  |  Published
McCarthy, J.

Appeal from a judgment of the Court of Claims (Schaewe, J.), entered June 6, 2013, upon a decision of the court following a bifurcated trial in favor of claimant on the issue of liability.

Claimant sustained personal injuries when the bicycle she was riding collided with a marked State Police vehicle in the Village of Whitney Point, Broome County. Claimant was riding along a street that ends at a T intersection, and was just past the stop sign but not yet into the intersection. The trooper was driving on the other street when he began making a left turn onto the street where claimant was riding. He cut the corner a little sharp, and claimant collided with the troop car at a very shallow angle in her own lane of travel. She was thrown from the bicycle, resulting in injuries.

Claimant commenced this action against defendant based on the trooper’s negligence. After a bifurcated trial on the issue of liability, the Court of Claims apportioned liability 70% to defendant and 30% to claimant. Defendant appeals.*

We affirm. When reviewing a determination after a nonjury trial, this Court independently considers the weight of the evidence and may grant whatever judgment is warranted by the[*1359] record, all while deferring to the trial judge’s factual findings, especially where those findings are based on credibility determinations (see Town of Kinderhook v Slovak, 72 AD3d 1240, 1241 [2010]; Sherwood v Brock, 65 AD3d 738, 738-739 [2009]; Beckwith v State of New York, 42 AD3d 828, 829 [2007]). Here, the Court of Claims made credibility determinations and factual findings that were supported by “a fair and reasonable interpretation of the evidence” (Town of Kinderhook v Slovak, 72 AD3d at 1241 [internal quotation marks and citation omitted]). After weighing the eyewitness and expert testimony and considering it along with the physical evidence, the court determined that the collision occurred in claimant’s lane of travel, meaning that the trooper crossed at least somewhat into claimant’s lane in violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1120 (a). “[A]n unexcused violation of the Vehicle and Traffic Law constitutes negligence per se” (Feeley v St. Lawrence Univ., 13 AD3d 782, 783 [2004]; accord Aloi v County of Tompkins, 52 AD3d 1092, 1093 [2008]; see Hazelton v D.A. Lajeunesse Bldg. & Remodeling, Inc., 38 AD3d 1071, 1072 [2007]). The court also reasonably determined that the trooper was negligent in cutting the corner while making his left turn, in violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1160 (b) (see Murphy v Epstein, 72 AD3d 767, 768 [2010]; Boylan v Whitehouse, 229 App Div 372, 374 [1930]). Considering the trooper’s testimony that he never saw claimant until the moment of impact, along with evidence regarding the ample sight distance at the intersection and the legal concept that every driver has a duty to see what is there to be seen through the proper use of his or her senses (see Ranaudo v Key, 83 AD3d 1315, 1316 [2011]), the court properly found that the trooper was additionally negligent for violating Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1146 (a), which requires drivers to “exercise due care to avoid colliding with any bicyclist” (see Matter of Montagnino v Fiala, 106 AD3d 1090, 1091 [2013]; Shui-Kwan Lui v Serrone, 103 AD3d 620, 620-621 [2013]; Brenner v Dixon, 98 AD3d 1246, 1248 [2012]).

The Court of Claims assigned 30% liability to claimant based on testimony regarding her speed and that she did not appear to be slowing down as she approached the intersection, despite her obligation to heed the stop sign (see Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1231; Brenner v Dixon, 98 AD3d at 1247). Evidence also established that claimant had a fairly clear sight line and should have been able to see the troop car in time for her to react and possibly avoid the collision. On the other hand, claimant was required to move toward the center of the street in order to avoid parked cars, such that she did not violate Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1234 (a), which requires bicyclists to ride near the[*1360] right-hand curb. Furthermore, while the collision occurred past the stop sign, it occurred before claimant entered the intersection, rendering her in compliance with Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1172 (a) (see Vehicle and Traffic Law § 120 [a]). Thus, we defer to the apportionment of liability determined by the Court of Claims.

Lahtinen, J.E, Stein, Rose and Devine, JJ., concur.

Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, with costs.

Although the notice of appeal indicates that defendant is appealing from the May 30, 2013 decision, which is not an appealable paper (see CPLR 5512 [a]), we exercise our discretion to treat the notice of appeal as validly taken from the judgment entered on June 6, 2013 (see CPLR 5520 [c]; Evans v State of New York, 57 AD3d 1123, 1123-1124 n [2008], lv denied 12 NY3d 704 [2009]).