August 1, 2008

Student Assault - Brooklyn


In the case of S.K. v. City of New York, the plaintiff SK was a 7th grader from Brooklyn who was injured during a fight with a fellow student, LC, at the end of gym class. LC assaulted SK and struck him the head. This caused SK to have a hemorrhage that necessitated approximately ten brain surgeries. There was evidence that the Board of Education of the City of New York was aware that SK had previously and repeatedly been harassed and assaulted by fellow students, including LC. There was also evidence that the Board refused to transfer SK to a safer school after repeated requests by his father. At the time of the assault, LC initially cursed at SK and then SK cursed back. LC threw the initial punch and SK hit LC back. The attorneys for the Board, who obviously forgot what it was like to be a 7th grader, argued that SK deliberately chose to continue the fight instead of retreating or seeking help from the gym teacher. They asked the judge to throw the case out of court. In response to this move, SK's father offered a detailed history of the complaints he made to the school along with four specific incidents where SK was attacked by other students in 1998. He stated he met with the principal about these incidents. He also wrote a letter wherein he detailed the incidents of harassment and physical assault and asked that his son be transferred. He detailed similar incidents throughout the year of 1999. The judge wisely refused to dismiss SK's case, stating that it was up to a jury to decide (1) if the Board should have provided closer supervision of SK or taken other action to protect him, (2) if SK was a voluntary participant in the fight with LC or was merely acting in self defense, (3) if the gym teacher provided adequate supervision of his students, (4) if SK's chronic problems with other students required closer supervision, (5) if the Board was on notice of such problems, and (6) if the Board breached its duty to adequately supervise SK. http://www.foleygriffin.com/

High Court Clarifies "Loss of Chance" Doctrine

In Massachusetts, victims of medical negligence can recover damages for reduced chance of survival even if the patient's prospect for recovery was already less than 50 percent. The Supreme Judicial Court decision stemmed from a $1 million award to the estate of a man whose doctor failed to diagnose his stomach cancer. The decision is the first time the Massachusetts court has recognized the “loss of chance” doctrine in a medical malpractice case. Unfortunately, New York is far behind and still does not recognize this right.

Playground Injury by Child


On September 7, 2004, the eight-year-old plaintiff was injured at a playground on the New York City Housing Authority's premises when she climbed on an inverted fish tank and the glass broke, causing injuries to her leg. The child's mother testified that the fish tank had not been in the playground the day before, but that it was there when she and the plaintiff arrived late in the afternoon or evening on the day of the accident. Other evidence was offered to show that the fish tank had been in a "drop area" adjacent to the playground for one or two weeks and that a child dragged it into the playground when the plaintiff arrived on the day of the accident. The defendant moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint. The Court refused to dismiss the case. http://www.foleygriffin.com/

Allstate Commits Bad Faith

Court Uphold Bad Faith Judgment Against Allstate
A Missouri appellate panel upheld a $16 million bad faith judgment against Allstate Insurance Company. The Missouri Court of Appeals found that, based on the evidence presented in the case, it was reasonable to infer that the insurer had acted in bad faith. The cases stemmed from a 2000 drunken driving accident in which Allstate refused to settle claims on behalf of the victims.

Punitive Damages as Punishment

State Court Upholds Punitive Damages Against Automaker
The family of an 8-month-old boy killed in a 2001 auto accident will receive $13 million in punitive damages from DaimlerChrysler following a Tennessee Supreme Court decision. According to the wrongful-death lawsuit, the defective seat construction in the Dodge Caravan was to blame for the boy’s death.