Case Name: Erick S. Lauricella, Respondent, v. Heather A. McKinney et al., Appellants
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 2001-06-08
Citations: 284 A.D.2d 939
Docket Number: 
Parties: Erick S. Lauricella, Respondent, v Heather A. McKinney et al., Appellants.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 284
Pages: 939–939

Head Matter:
Erick S. Lauricella, Respondent, v Heather A. McKinney et al., Appellants.
[726 NYS2d 510]

Opinion:
—Order unanimously affirmed with costs. Memorandum: Plaintiff commenced this action to recover damages for personal injuries that he sustained in a one-car accident in the State of Michigan. The automobile in which plaintiff was a passenger struck a pool of water during a heavy rainstorm, spun out of control and rolled over. Defendants moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint based on the "sudden emergency doctrine" under Michigan law (see, Moore v Spangler, 401 Mich 360, 382-383, 258 NW2d 34, 43; Vander Laan v Miedema, 385 Mich 226, 231-232, 188 NW2d 564, 567). Supreme Court properly denied the motion. Whether the circumstances constituted a "sudden emergency" and whether defendants' conduct was reasonable in light of those circumstances are issues for the trier of fact (see, Sacco v Phillippsen, 272 AD2d 889; see also, Kuci v Manhattan & Bronx Surface Tr. Operating Auth., 88 NY2d 923, 924). (Appeal from Order of Supreme Court, Erie County, Burns, J. — Summary Judgment.) Present — Pigott, Jr., P. J., Hayes, Wisner, Scudder and Lawton, JJ.