Opinion
12625 Index No. 161619/19 Case No. 2020-02338
12-15-2020
LEXINGTON INSURANCE COMPANY, as Subrogor of Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Plaintiff–Respondent, v. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF NEW YORK COUNTY, as Successor Executor of the Estate of Karl W. Christian, deceased, Defendant–Appellant.
Rosenblum Newfield, LLC, White Plains (James B. Rosenblum of counsel), for appellant. Mauro Lilling Naparty LLP, Woodbury (Seth M. Weinberg of counsel), for respondent.
Rosenblum Newfield, LLC, White Plains (James B. Rosenblum of counsel), for appellant.
Mauro Lilling Naparty LLP, Woodbury (Seth M. Weinberg of counsel), for respondent.
Renwick, J.P., Gische, Gonza´lez, Scarpulla, Mendez, JJ.
Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Paul A. Goetz, J.), entered on or about April 10, 2020, which denied defendant's CPLR 3211(a) motion to dismiss plaintiff insurer's complaint for indemnification, unanimously affirmed, without costs.
A vicariously liable party can settle, then seek common law indemnity from a non-settling active tortfeasor (see Cunha v. City of New York, 12 N.Y.3d 504, 508–509, 882 N.Y.S.2d 674, 910 N.E.2d 422 [2009] ; Rosado v. Proctor & Schwartz, 66 N.Y.2d 21, 24, 494 N.Y.S.2d 851, 484 N.E.2d 1354 [1985] ; Brazell v. Wells Fargo Home Mtge., Inc., 42 A.D.3d 409, 410, 839 N.Y.S.2d 758 [1st Dept. 2007] ). The fact that there were multiple tortfeasors in the underlying action does not preclude an indemnity claim ( CPLR 1602 ; Frank v. Meadowlakes Dev. Corp., 6 N.Y.3d 687, 692, 816 N.Y.S.2d 715, 849 N.E.2d 938 [2006] ). Based on the four corners of plaintiff's complaint, the allegations manifest a cause of action for indemnification to which the limitations of General Obligations Law § 15–108 are not applicable.