Court Opinion

ID: 9958731
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-09 20:10:11.154186+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:18:39.681406
License: Public Domain

de Alcantara v FANUC Ltd.
               2024 NY Slip Op 31096(U)
                      April 1, 2024
           Supreme Court, New York County
        Docket Number: Index No. 153424/2020
                 Judge: Mary V. Rosado
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                                                                                                            INDEX NO. 153424/2020
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 73                                                                                  RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/02/2024

                                 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
                                           NEW YORK COUNTY
            PRESENT:           HON. MARY V. ROSADO                                        PART                             33M
                                                                               Justice
            -·································-····-···-·-····--·-----·---···-·····-··X   INDEX NO.         153424/2020
             NIDIA LORA DE ALCANTARA, RICARDO ALCANTARA,
                                                                                          MOTION DATE        12/02/2023
                                                     Plaintiff,
                                                                                          MOTION SEQ. NO.          2
                                             - V .

             FANUC LTD., FANUC CORPORAT ION, FANUC AMER ICA
             CORPORATION, FANUC ROBOTICS CORPORATION,
                                                                                            DECISION + ORDER ON
             FANUC EDM CORPORATION, METHODS MACHINE
             TOOLS, INC .•FARMINGTON MACHINE TOOLS, LLC
                                                                                                  MOTION

                                                     Defendant.

            ··-··-·-··-·--·--···--····-·························-------X
            The following e•filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 002) 37, 38, 39, 40, 41,
            42,43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 , 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 , 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70,
            71 , 72
            were read on this motion to/for                                 SUMMARY JUDGMENT (AFTER JOINDER)

                     Upon the foregoing documents, and after oral argument, which took place on October 3,

            2023, where Marissa D. Geyer, Esq. appeared on behalf of the plaintiff\ Nidia Lora de ,\lcantara

            and Ricardo Alcantara, Yelena Graves, Esq. appeared on hehalf of Defendant, FANUC America

            Corporation (''FAC"), and Anthony Bianchi, Esq. appeared on behalf of Defendant, Methods

            Machine Tools Inc., FAC's mmion for an order for summary j udgment dismissing all claims and

            cross•claims against it, is denied.

            Background
                     In this product liability action, Nidia Lorn de Alcantara alleges that she was inj ured at

            work on April 28, 2017, while operating a FANUC Robodrill at Putnam Precision Products, foe.

            ("Putnam") (NYSCEF Docs. 39, 48). Ms. Alcantara's husband, Ricardo Alcantara (Mr. and Ms

            Alcantara, collectively "Plaintiff") brought a derivati ve cause of action for damages .

                     In the fi rst cause of action, Plaintiff claims that all Defendants are strictly liable because

            the FANUC Robodrill was "dangerous and defective" in its design and manufacture and

            contained inadequate warnings (NYSCEF Doc. 1).

             153424/2020 LORA DE ALCANTARA, NIDIA ET AL vs. FANUC LTD. ET AL                                 Pago 1 of 5
             Motion No. 002

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  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 73                                                                       RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/02/2024

                   The second cause of action alleges negligence on the part of all Defendants in that I.he

            injuries "were caused solely through the fault, negligence and culpable conduct'' of the Defendants

            (NYSCEF Doc. I). The Complaint did not allege any separate basis for negligence other than the

            defective design, manufacturing, and warnings. The third cause of action alleges breach of "alt

            warranties" made i.n connection with the Fanuc Robodri ll (NYSCEF Doc. I).

                   Plainti ('f's also named FANUC Ltd., FANUC Corporation, f ANUC Robotics Corporation,

            and FANUC EDM Corporation as Defendants, but never served these entities.

            Parties' Contentions

                   FA C seeks summary j udgmenl dismissing the complaint and crnss-claim of Methods

            Machine Tools, Inc. ("Methods") for common law indemn i Ii cation and contribution because it

            was not in the chain of distribution of the Robodrill involved in the accident. FAC asserts that it

            did not design, manufacture, purchase, distribute, supply, sell or service the subject Robodrill and,

            as such, cannot be held liable under theories of strict products liability or breach of warranties as a

            matler o flaw (NYSCEF Docs. 38, 39, 49).

                   In opposition, Methods claims that the motion shou ld be denied in its entirety pursuant to

            CPLR § 32 12(f), without leave to renew, since the motion i.s premature due to substantial,

            material and necessary outstanding discovery, including responses to Plaintiffs Notice for

            Discovery and Inspection and Interrogatories dated September 2, 2022, and depositions o f alt

            parties and non-party w itnesses (NYSCEF Doc. 53).

                   Additionally, per the Preliminary Conference Order of this Court dated Septem ber I,

            2022, FAC was to produce a witness for a deposition on January 19, 2023. Instead, FAC

            submilled on ly the Affidavi t or its Vice President. l\folhods argues that the outstanding discovery

            must be completed prior to Fi\C seeking summary judgment since issues raised in the instant

            motion require information that is within the exclusive knowledge or possession of other parties.

             15342412020 LORA DE ALCANTARA, NIDIA ET A L vs. FANUC LTD. ET AL                       Pago 2 of 5
             Motion No. 002

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  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 73                                                                      RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/02/2024

                   Methods also points to an online press release, dated December 17, 2013, on Defendant

            Fi\C's website armouncing that FANUC had merged all of its operations in the Americas into a

            single company named FANUC America Corporation (NYSCEF Doc. 59). Therefore, further

            discovery is needed to explore whether FANIJC Fi\ America Corporation is another name for. or

            a predecessor company to, FAC which would place FAC in 1he chain of distribution (NYSCEF

            Doc. 53).

                   Methods seeks additional facts through discovery, incl uding whether FAC, as the

            successor entity of FANUC Robotics Corporation and/or FANUC EDM Corporation, can be

            found to have distributed, supplied, sold and/or serviced Robodrills prior to Plaintiffs accident.

                   Method asse1ts that questions of fact exist as to the functional unity and control between

            FAC and Fan uc Corporation f/k/ai Fanuc Ltd. and that discovery is needed to explore any control,

            supervision and/or management that Fi\C may have exercised over the operations of FANUC

            Corp. in the Americas prior to the accident, or whether a principal/agent relationship existed

            (NYSCEF Doc 53).

            Standard

                   The proponent of a summary judgment motion must make a prima Ji1cie showing of

            entitlement to judgment as a maller of law, tendering sufficient evidence to eliminate any material

            issues of fact from the case (Winegrad v New York Univ. Med. Ctr., 64 NY2d 851, 853 [1985];

            Alvarez v Prospect Hosp., 68 NY2d 320, 324 [1986]). Failure lo make a prima(<1cie showing

            requires a denial of the motion, regardless of the sufliciency of the opposing papers (Id.) The

            moving party's "burden is a heavy one" and the "facts must be viewed in the light most favorable

            to the non-moving party" (Jacobsen v New York City Health and Hosps. Corp., 22 NY3d 824,

            833 [2014'1). Once this showing is made, the burden shifts to the opposing palty to produce

            cvidentiary proof, in admissible form, sufficient to establish the existence of material issues of

            fact which require a trial of'lhe action" (Alvarez at 324; 7.uckerman v City <!f'New York, 49 NY2d
             153424/2020 LORA DE A LCANTARA, NIDIA ET AL vs. FANUC LTD. ET AL                      Page 3 of 5
             Motion No. 002

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                                                                                                 INDEX NO. 153424/2020
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 73                                                                     RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/02/2024

           557,562 l 1980]; Vega v Resrani Const. Corp., 18 l\Y3d 499, 503 [20 12]). Summary judgment is

           a drastic remedy and shoul d not be granted where there is any doubt as lo the existence of a

           triable issue of fact (Roruha Ertruders, Inc. v Ceppos, 46 NY2d 223,23 1 [1978]). Mere

           conclusions, speculation, or unsubstantiated assertions are insufficient to defeat a motion for

           sununary j udgment (:t,uckerman at 562; Butler-Francis v New York City l /ous. Awh., 38 AD3 d

           433, 434 [1st Dept 2007]).

           Discussion

                  CPLR § 3212(f) permits denial of a summary judgment mo!ion as premature, and the

           nonmovant to have further discovery, when it appears that "facts essential to justify opposition

           may exi st but cannot then be stated" (Sapp v S.J. C 308 Lenox A ve. Family Ltd Partnership, 150

           AD3d 525, 527 fl st Dept 20 16J).

                  To avail oneself of CPLR § 32l 2(f), a party must demonstrate that the needed proof is

           within the exc lusi ve knowledge of the moving party, that the claims in opposition are supported

           by something other than mere hope or conjecture, and that the party has at least made some

           attempt to discover facts al variance with the moving party's proof (Voluto Ventures. LLC v

           Jenkens & Gilchrist Parker Chapin LLP, 44 AD3d 557 (1st Dept 2007] [internal citations

           omitted]). !\ grant o f summary judgment cannot he avoided by a c laimed need for discovery

           unless some evident.iary basis is offered to suggest that discovery may lead to relevant evidence

           (13ailey v New York City Tr. Auth., 270 AD2d 156, 157 l I st Dept 2000]).

                  ]( is clear, however, that a party should be permitted a reasonable opportunity for

           disclosure prior to the determination of a summary judgment motion (Boyer v New York Prop.

           Ins. Underwriters Ass'n, 90 J\D2d 737, 738 [ I st Dept I 9R2J). In light of the incomplete stale of

           discovery, including the fact that no party has yet been deposed. the summary judgment motion is

           premature (Wilson v Yemen Realty Corp., 74 AD3d 544, 545 11st Dept 20 I OJ). Plaintiff is enti tled

           to complete discovery in their effort to establish the precise relationships among the various

            15342412020 LORA DE A LCANTARA, NIDIA ET AL vs. FANUC LTD. ETAL                       Page 4 of 5
            Motion No. 002

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  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 73                                                                             RECEIVED NYSCEF: 04/02/2024

           FAJ\llJC entities and their relationship to FAC. Significantly, this information is solely within the

           control of<lefen<lants (Curry v Hundreds ofHats, Inc. , 146 A.D3d 593,594 List Dept 20 17]).

                    Accordingly, it is

                     ORDERED that De Cendant FANUC America Corp.'s motion for an order for summary

           j udgment dismissing all claims and cross-claims against it, is denied; and it is fu1ther

                     ORDERED that on or hefore Apri l 5, 2024, the active parties shall subm it a proposed

            preliminary conference order via e-mail to SPC-Pa1t33-Clerk@?.nycou1ts.gov. If thc parties arc

            unable to agree to a proposed prelimi nary conference order, the parties are directed 10 appear for

           an in-person preli minary conference on April 17, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 442, 60 Centre

           Street, New York, New York; and it is further

                     ORDERED that within ten days of entry, counsel for Defendant FANUC America Corp.

           sha ll serve a copy of this Decis ion and Or<ler with notice of entry on all pa1ties to this action; and

           it is further

                    ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court is directed l.o enter j udgment accord ingly.

                    This constitutes the Decision and Order of the court.

                      4/1/2024
                        DATE                                                                  ARY V. ROSADO, J.S.C.

             CHECK ONE:                    CASE DISPOSED                  X    NON-FINAL DISPOSITION

                                           GRA,NTEO        0    DENIED         GRANTED IN PART            □ OTHER
             APPLICATION :                 SETTLE ORDER                        SUBMIT ORDER

             CHECK IF APPROPRIATE:         INCLUDES TRANSFER/REASSIGN          FIDUCIARY APPO INTMENT     □ REFERENCE

             15342412020 LORA DE ALCANTARA, NIDIA ET AL vs. FANUC LTD. ET AL                            Page 5 of 5
             Motion No. 002

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