MIMIKOS v. CITY OF NEW YORK (2018)

Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Margaret A. Chan, J.), entered January 23, 2017, which granted defendant City of New York's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, unanimously affirmed, without costs.

The City established its entitlement to judgment as a matter of law in this action where plaintiff was injured when she slipped and fell on snow and ice while crossing the street within the crosswalk.  The City submitted, inter alia, climatological data showing that there was a storm in progress when the accident happened, which plaintiff does not dispute (see Weinberger v. 52 Duane Assoc., LLC, 102 A.D.3d 618, 959 N.Y.S.2d 154 [1st Dept. 2013];  Rusin v. City of New York, 133 A.D.3d 648, 19 N.Y.S.3d 84 [2d Dept. 2015] ).

In opposition, plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact.  The certified expert report she submitted does not address how the City created or exacerbated the icy condition of the crosswalk and only states that it was created during the heavy snow falling when the accident happened (see Sevilla v. Calhoun Sch., Inc., 127 A.D.3d 446, 4 N.Y.S.3d 520 [1st Dept. 2015];  Sing Ping Cheung v. City of New York, 234 A.D.2d 91, 650 N.Y.S.2d 687 [1st Dept. 1996] ).  Plaintiff's claim that the City may be held liable for failing to adhere to its snow removal protocols is unpersuasive, because liability “cannot be based on the violation of an internal rule imposing a higher standard of care than the law, at least where there is no showing of detrimental reliance by the plaintiff” (Prince v. New York City Hous. Auth., 302 A.D.2d 285, 286, 756 N.Y.S.2d 158 [1st Dept. 2003] ).  Nor can the City be held liable for failing to salt the roadway before the storm, because such alleged inaction does not constitute an affirmative act of negligence that caused, created or exacerbated the icy condition (see Schlausky v. City of New York, 41 A.D.2d 156, 158, 341 N.Y.S.2d 548 [1st Dept. 1973] ).