Court Opinion

ID: 9929195
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-02-01 21:08:32.658681+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:05:41.831821
License: Public Domain

Matter of Travelers Home & Marine Ins. Co. v
                        Barowitz
               2024 NY Slip Op 30326(U)
                     January 24, 2024
           Supreme Court, New York County
        Docket Number: Index No. 650092/2020
                  Judge: Debra A. James
Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip
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                                                                                                                      INDEX NO. 650092/2020
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 118                                                                                           RECEIVED NYSCEF: 01/24/2024

                                   SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
                                             NEW YORK COUNTY
            PRESENT:             HON. DEBRA A. JAMES                                              PART   59
                                                                                       Justice
            ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------X   INDEX NO.          650092/2020
             IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF THE
             TRAVELERS HOME AND MARINE INSURANCE                                                  MOTION DATE         01/24/2024
             COMPANY S/H/A TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY,
                                                                                                  MOTION SEQ. NO.    001 004 004
                                                         Petitioner,

                                                 - V -

             FOR AN ORDER STAYING THE SUPPLEMENTARY
                                                                                                    DECISION + ORDER ON
             UNDERINSURED MOTORISTS ARBITRATION
             DEMANDED BY ELLIOTT BAROWITZ and ZACHARY                                                     MOTION
             BARO WITZ,

                                                         Respondents.
            ------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------X

            The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 001) 14, 18, 19, 20, 21,
            22,23,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38, 63, 64, 70, 71
            were read on this motion to/for                                                           STAY

            The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 004) 95, 96, 97, 98, 99,
            100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,114,115
            were read on this motion to/for                                       CONFIRM/DISAPPROVE AWARD/REPORT

            The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 004) 95, 96, 97, 98, 99,
            100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,114,115
            were read on this motion to/for                                               MISC. SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS

                                                                            ORDER

                      Upon the foregoing documents, it is

                      ORDERED that the motion pursuant to CPLR 4403 of respondent

            Elliott Barowitz for an order that rejects that portion of the

            report of Special Referee Lance Hewitt, dated October 3, 2023,

            ("the Report")                  that determined that "the automobile liability

            policy was not in effect on May 22, 2019, the date upon which

            Barowitz sustained serious injuries due to being struck by a
             650092/2020 IN THE MATTER OF THE vs. FOR AN ORDER STAYING THE                                            Page 1 of 5
             Motion No. 001 004 004

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                                                                                                  INDEX NO. 650092/2020
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 118                                                                       RECEIVED NYSCEF: 01/24/2024

            car, he was not a "resident" of Zachary Barowitz's household for

            the purpose of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage" is

            GRANTED; and it is further

                   ORDERED that to the extent that its seeks an order

            confirming the report of the Special Referee dated October 3,

            2023, that determined that "taking the totality of the evidence

            together,       [Elliott] Barowitz was a               'resident' of the household

            of Zachary Barowitz for the purpose of uninsured/underinsured

            motorist coverage under the Maine automobile policy issued to

            Zachary Barowitz by petitioner during the term of the policy",

            the motion pursuant to CPLR 4403 of respondent Elliott Barowitz

            is GRANTED; and it is further

                   ADJUDGED that the petition to stay the subject arbitration is

            denied in all respects, and the proceeding is dismissed, with costs

            and disbursements to respondents; and it is further

                   ADJUDGED        that     the    parties        shall      proceed    to     arbitration

            forthwith       and    respondents'         counsel      shall     serve    a    copy of       this

            judgment upon the arbitral tribunal; and it is further

                   ADJUDGED          that       respondents,            having     an         address           at

                                                    , do recover from petitioner, having an

            address at                                        ,   costs and disbursements in the

            amount of $                           as taxed by the Clerk, and that respondent

            have execution therefor.

             650092/2020 IN THE MATTER OF THE vs. FOR AN ORDER STAYING THE                        Page 2 of 5
             Motion No. 001 004 004

                                                          2 of 5
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                                                                                   INDEX NO. 650092/2020
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 118                                                        RECEIVED NYSCEF: 01/24/2024

                                                        DECISION

                    By Order dated September 26, 2022, as directed by the Order

            dated September 6, 2022, of the Appellate Division, First

            Department, this court referred the matter of "whether

            respondent Elliott Barowitz, the insured, is a resident of the

            household of Zachary Barowitz for the purposes of

            uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage under the subject Maine

            automobile liability policy" to a Special Referee for a framed

            hearing to Hear and Report.

                    On May 3, 2023, such evidentiary hearing was held before

            Special Referee Lancelot B. Hewitt, who issued the Report on

            October 3, 2023.

                    On motion of respondent Elliott Barowitz, this court

            rejects that portion of the findings of fact and conclusion of

            such Report that stated "the automobile liability policy was not

            in effect on May 22, 2019, the date upon which Barowitz

            sustained serious injuries due to being struck by a car, he was

            not a "resident" of Zachary Barowitz's household for the purpose

            of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage", as entirely

            unsupported by the evidence produced at the hearing, as recorded

            and transcribed.

                    In his Report, Special Referee Hewitt stated, in pertinent

            part,

                           I find that taking the totality of the evidence
                           together, Barowitz was a "resident" of the household
                           of Zachary Barowitz for the purpose of
                           uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage under the
                           Maine automobile liability policy issued to Zachary
             650092/2020 IN THE MATTER OF THE vs. FOR AN ORDER STAYING THE         Page 3 of 5
             Motion No. 001 004 004

                                                           3 of 5
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                                                                                                INDEX NO. 650092/2020
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 118                                                                     RECEIVED NYSCEF: 01/24/2024

                           Barowitz by petitioner during the term of the of the
                           policy from June 26, 2017 through June 26, 2018 {see,
                           LaPlante v. Peerlesss Insurance Company, 2017
                           WL2634640]-[Where the Court determined that whether an
                           individual is a "resident" of a household is "fact
                           specific" and that the "subjective intent" of the
                           party seeking coverage is a primary factor in guiding
                           the court in deciding the issue of residency. The
                           Court also determined that what is also important to
                           this decision is whether in the totality of the
                           circumstances that person maintains a physical
                           presence in the household with the intent to remain
                           for more than a mere transitory period, or that the
                           person has a reasonably recent history of physical
                           presence together with circumstances that manifest
                           intent to return to the residence within a reasonably
                           foreseeable period. Additionally, the Court
                           determined that certain additional factors were
                           important, including [for example] the existence of a
                           second place of lodging; use of the home address on
                           important personal documentation; the individual's
                           receipt of mail at the home; the individual's
                           retention of a bedroom at the home; the individual's
                           storage of personal belongings at the home, the nature
                           of the individual's continuing activity while at the
                           home; and the frequency of the individual's overnight
                           visits to the home]).

                   While there was ample evidence, most notably the testimony of

            respondent       Elliott       Barowi tz,      his     spouse      and   their    son   Zachary

            Barowi tz,      to    support      the    finding       of   the    Special      Referee      that

            respondent Elliott Barowitz was a resident of the household of his

            son,   respondent Zachary Barowitz from June 26,                         2017 through June

            26,    2018,    there        is   no     evidence      cited by the Referee             for       his

            conclusion that Elliott Barowitz ceased to be a resident of his

            son's household after June 26, 2018.                         This court has scoured the

            transcripts of the proceeding and finds no testimony that supports

            a finding that, between June 27, 2018, and May 22, 2019, the date

             650092/2020 IN THE MATTER OF THE vs. FOR AN ORDER STAYING THE                      Page 4 of 5
             Motion No. 001 004 004

                                                          4 of 5
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                                                                                                                INDEX NO. 650092/2020
  NYSCEF DOC. NO. 118                                                                                RECEIVED NYSCEF: 01/24/2024

            of the subject accident in which respondent Elliott Barowitz, as

            a pedestrian, was struck by a vehicle in New York City, ceased to

            reside          in       his     son's         household           for          the           purpose               of

            uninsured/underinsured                 coverage       under      the       Maine          motor          vehicle

            liability policy.                Nor     does     cross     movant          petitioner                cite         any

            evidence for the proposition that something changed as of June 27,

            2018, whereby respondent Elliott Barowitz was no longer a resident

            of the household of his son respondent Zachary Barowitz.                                                 On such

            basis, to the extent that it determined respondent Elliott Barowitz

            ceased to be a resident of his son's household sometime after June

            26, 2018, this court rejects the Report.                               See Poster v Poster, 4

            AD3d 145 (1 st Dept 2004).

                                                                               P-~ fl - } ~
                                                                             20240124172823DJAMESF68A6A29F7D544688A9D888D4604430A

                    1/24/2024
                      DATE                                                            DEBRA A. JAMES, J.S.C.

                                                                        ~
             CHECK ONE:                    CASE DISPOSED                    NON-FINAL DISPOSITION

                                           GRANTED         □ DENIED         GRANTED IN PART                   □ OTHER
             APPLICATION:                  SETTLE ORDER                     SUBMIT ORDER

             CHECK IF APPROPRIATE:         INCLUDES TRANSFER/REASSIGN       FIDUCIARY APPOINTMENT             □ REFERENCE

             650092/2020 IN THE MATTER OF THE vs. FOR AN ORDER STAYING THE                                       Page 5 of 5
             Motion No. 001 004 004

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