Opinion
14714 Index No. 150252/19 Case No. 2021–01892
11-30-2021
71 LAFAYETTE AVENUE LLC et al., Plaintiffs–Respondents, v. NEW YORK MARINE AND GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY et al., Defendants–Appellants.
Fleischner Potash LLP, New York (Alexandra E. Rigney of counsel), for appellants. Rivkin Radler LLP, Uniondale (Joanne M. Engeldrum of counsel), for respondents.
Fleischner Potash LLP, New York (Alexandra E. Rigney of counsel), for appellants.
Rivkin Radler LLP, Uniondale (Joanne M. Engeldrum of counsel), for respondents.
Renwick, J.P., Mazzarelli, Moulton, Scarpulla, Higgitt, JJ.
Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Louis L. Nock, J.), entered on or about December 1, 2020, which, to the extent appealed from as limited by the briefs, granted plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment declaring that defendant New York Marine and General Insurance Company has a primary duty to indemnify plaintiff 71 Lafayette Avenue LLC (Lafayette) in the underlying action, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
Plaintiffs established prima facie that defendant has a duty to indemnify Lafayette as an additional insured in the underlying action. The underlying personal injury action alleges that the plaintiff was injured when he fell through a cellar door which was used by the tenant at the leased premises. The additional insured provision provides plaintiff landlord Lafayette coverage for claims of bodily injury "arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of that part of the premises leased to" the subject tenant. Contrary to defendant's contention, the outside staircase that was used by Lafayette's tenant for access in and out of its space was, by implication, part of the premises leased to the tenant (see ZKZ Assoc. v. CNA Ins. Co., 89 N.Y.2d 990, 657 N.Y.S.2d 390, 679 N.E.2d 629 [1997] ; Wesco Ins. Co. v. Travelers Prop. Cas. Co. of Am., 188 A.D.3d 476, 135 N.Y.S.3d 384 [1st Dept. 2020] ). The accident also arose out of the tenant's "use" of the leased premises, as the injured person was traversing the staircase door to deliver items for the tenant's business when the accident occurred (see ZKZ Assoc., 89 N.Y.2d at 991, 657 N.Y.S.2d 390, 679 N.E.2d 629 ; Wesco Ins. at 477, 135 N.Y.S.3d 384 ).