| Ferrer v City of New York |
| 2008 NY Slip Op 02474 [49 AD3d 396] |
| March 18, 2008 |
| Appellate Division, First Department |
| Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. |
| Wilfredo Ferrer, Appellant, v City of New York, Respondent. |
—[*1]
Michael A. Cardozo, Corporation Counsel, New York City (John Hogrogian of counsel), for
respondent.
Order, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Kenneth L. Thompson, Jr., J.), entered on or about August 3, 2006, which, in an action for personal injuries sustained in a fall on an icy sidewalk in front of a building owned by defendant City, granted defendant's motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, unanimously reversed, on the law and the facts, without costs, the jury's verdict reinstated in all respects except for the award for past pain and suffering, as to which a new trial is directed unless plaintiff stipulates, within 30 days of service of a copy of this order with notice of entry, to decrease the award for past pain and suffering from $1,011,240 to $600,000, and to entry of an amended judgment in accordance therewith.
The jury's verdict in favor of plaintiff is rationally supported by meteorological evidence and plaintiff's testimony showing, inter alia, that there was a four-inch accumulation of snow and ice that had developed prior to the commencement of the snow, freezing rain and plain rain that ended 22 hours before plaintiff's fall, and permitting an inference that plaintiff fell on preexisting ice (see Tubens v New York City Hous. Auth., 248 AD2d 291, 292 [1998]; Seaman v City of New York, 294 AD2d 144 [2002]). Plaintiff, 25 years old at the time of the accident, sustained a fractured right tibia that required two surgeries, and caused complications to his left knee that required surgery, and to his lower back. He was still required to use a leg brace and cane at the time of trial, six years after the accident, and, in the opinion of his doctor, is permanently [*2]disabled. However, the award for past pain and suffering deviates materially from what is reasonable compensation to the extent indicated (cf. Alvarado v City of New York, 287 AD2d 296 [2001]). Concur—Lippman, P.J., Gonzalez, Sweeny and Catterson, JJ.