RIVERA v. (and a third-party action). (2006)

In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, the defendant appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County (G. Aronin, J.), dated August 11, 2004, which granted the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment on the issue of liability on his cause of action pursuant to Labor Law § 240(1).

ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.

The plaintiff established a prima facie case of liability on his Labor Law § 240(1) cause of action (see Klein v. City of New York, 89 N.Y.2d 833, 835, 652 N.Y.S.2d 723, 675 N.E.2d 458;  Schuler v. Kings Plaza Shopping Ctr. & Mar., 294 A.D.2d 556, 558, 743 N.Y.S.2d 141;  Sinzieri v. Expositions, Inc., 270 A.D.2d 332, 333, 704 N.Y.S.2d 293;  Dasilva v. A.J. Contr. Co., 262 A.D.2d 214, 694 N.Y.S.2d 353;  cf. Alava v. City of New York, 246 A.D.2d 614, 615, 668 N.Y.S.2d 624).   The plaintiff was injured while attempting to demolish a 10-foot high ceiling.   At the time, the plaintiff was standing on an unsecured eight-foot tall A-frame ladder, at a height of approximately six feet.   When a large portion of the ceiling collapsed, the ladder became unsteady, causing the plaintiff to fall.   It is undisputed that no safety devices were provided which might have prevented the accident.   The fact that the accident was unwitnessed does not preclude granting summary judgment to the plaintiff (see Yurkovich v. Kvarner Woodworking, 289 A.D.2d 183, 184, 735 N.Y.S.2d 518;  Cruz v. Turner Constr. Co., 279 A.D.2d 322, 323, 720 N.Y.S.2d 10;  Bras v. Atlas Constr. Corp., 166 A.D.2d 401, 560 N.Y.S.2d 467;  see also Klein v. City of New York, supra at 834, 652 N.Y.S.2d 723, 675 N.E.2d 458).

In opposition, the defendant failed to raise a triable issue of fact.   The defendant did not offer any evidence, other than mere speculation, that undermined the prima facie case or presented a bona fide issue regarding the plaintiff's credibility as to a material fact (see Klein v. City of New York, supra at 835, 652 N.Y.S.2d 723, 675 N.E.2d 458;  Pineda v. Kechek Realty Corp., 285 A.D.2d 496, 497, 727 N.Y.S.2d 175;  Rodriguez v. Forest City Jay St. Assocs., 234 A.D.2d 68, 69-70, 650 N.Y.S.2d 229;  Figueroa v. Manhattanville Coll., 193 A.D.2d 778, 779, 598 N.Y.S.2d 77).