Legal Question in Insurance Law in New York

Co-op fire

I own a co-op. My neighbor hired a contractor to fix a leaky pipe in her bathroom. The fully insured contractor started a fire btwn the walls thus destroying my bathroom and most of the bedroom. I did not have co-op insurance at the time of the fire. I have not been able to live there since Dec 22, 2007. I d like to know how i go about getting compensation from the contractor for what was destroyed and other losses.


Asked on 5/01/08, 5:50 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
Kevin Connolly Kevin J. Connolly

Re: Co-op fire

Sue him. There is no other way you will ever be compensated. Do not bother with an insurance claim against the contractor, as that will only delay matters.

The bathroom should be covered by the building's insurance, however, since it is required to maintain the certificate of occupancy. The coop should have notified its carrier of this part of the claim. If they did not, you may have a hard time getting anything that way. You are responsible in a coop for tenant's improvements and personal property, such as furniture. The landlord--the coop--is responsible for the building.

As a result, you're going to name the coop and the neighbor as defendants in the lawsuit. It's a mess, and it certainly does not help that more than four months have passed without you starting the lawsuit.

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Answered on 5/01/08, 5:58 pm
Steven Czik CZIK LAW PLLC

Re: Co-op fire

You would need to initiate legal action against the contractor and probably the neighbour well. They should both be insured.

We are very experienced in handling these types of cases, however, we would need some more information before making a complete and proper determination. You are welcome to contact us for a free consultation.

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STEVEN J. CZIK, P.C.

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New York, New York 10013

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The information provided by The Law Offices of Steven J. Czik (LOSJC) is for general educational purposes only. There is no attorney-client relationship established by this communication and no privilege attaches to such communication. LOSJC is not taking and will not take any action on your behalf and will not be considered your attorney until both you and LOSJC have signed a written retainer agreement. There are strict deadlines, called statutes of limitation, within which claims or lawsuits must be filed. Therefore, if you desire the services of an attorney and decide not to retain LOSJC on terms acceptable to LOSJC, you are advised to immediately seek the services of another attorney

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Answered on 5/01/08, 6:14 pm


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