From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

Pipas v. Syracuse Home Association

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Apr 19, 1996
226 A.D.2d 1097 (N.Y. App. Div. 1996)

Opinion

April 19, 1996

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Onondaga County, Mordue, J.

Present — Green, J.P., Pine, Fallon, Doerr and Davis, JJ.


Order unanimously affirmed without costs. Memorandum: Supreme Court did not abuse its discretion in granting defendants' motion to consolidate plaintiff's actions against Syracuse Home Association and individual members of the staff of Syracuse Home Association ( see, CPLR 602 [a]; Berman v. Greenwood Vil. Community Dev., 156 A.D.2d 326, 326-327). Defendants' motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint also was properly granted. The tort causes of action, which relate to the retaliatory discharge, are barred by plaintiff's election to assert a Labor Law § 740 cause of action ( see, Labor Law § 740; cf., Kraus v. Brandstetter, 185 A.D.2d 302). Plaintiff's cause of action pursuant to Labor Law § 740 was properly dismissed because defendants met their burden of proving that any alleged violation of law, rule or regulation did not create or present "a substantial and specific danger to the public health or safety" (Labor Law § 740 [a]; see, Kern v. DePaul Mental Health Servs., 152 A.D.2d 957, lv denied 74 N.Y.2d 615), and plaintiff failed to present evidence sufficient to raise a triable issue of fact.

The court properly denied plaintiff's motion to amend the complaint because the proposed amendments are without merit ( see, Ramsey v. H.M.S. Inc., 198 A.D.2d 868, lv denied 83 N.Y.2d 754). Plaintiff's motion for sanctions against defendants' attorneys was properly denied because there is no evidence that the attorneys engaged in frivolous conduct ( see, 22 NYCRR 130-1.1 [a], [c]).


Summaries of

Pipas v. Syracuse Home Association

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department
Apr 19, 1996
226 A.D.2d 1097 (N.Y. App. Div. 1996)
Case details for

Pipas v. Syracuse Home Association

Case Details

Full title:JOHN E. PIPAS, Appellant, v. SYRACUSE HOME ASSOCIATION et al., Respondents

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Fourth Department

Date published: Apr 19, 1996

Citations

226 A.D.2d 1097 (N.Y. App. Div. 1996)
641 N.Y.S.2d 768

Citing Cases

Rotwein v. Sunharbor Manor Res. Health Care Facility

As the Court in Clarke also observed, however, there are other Federal decisions to the contrary. In…

Owitz v. Beth Israel Med. Ctr.

The Fourth Department has held that the mere institution of a Labor Law § 740 claim triggers the statute's…