An individual sued the tenant in the adjoining office, the building owner, and the property management company for smoke drifting into his office from the adjoining office. The court found that the complaining tenant could proceed to trial with his claim for breach of the covenant of quiet enjoyment. Additionally, the court found that the tenant could proceed with his nuisance claim against his neighbor but not against the building owner or property management company because they did not have control of the property. The court dismissed the tenant’s claims for violation of a state and local law regulating smoking because the state law does not allow for a private cause of action and the local law allows smoking in a private office if no more than three people are present, as was the case here.
Herbert Paul, CPA, PC v. 370 Lex, L.L.C., 794 N.Y.S.2d 869 (2005).
Some jurisdictions allow an individual or organization to initiate an action against another private party who is not following a particular law. For example, a person may sue a restaurant that allows smoking despite a smoke free law. If the plaintiff is claiming the violation of the law caused physical harm, this may also be a personal injury case.
An individual or organization may seek civil damages against a tobacco company based on the claim that the use of tobacco products causes disease or death. Some of these cases will relate to general tobacco products, while others will relate to specific subcategories of tobacco products--for example, light or low products, menthol or other flavored products. Additionally, there may be cases relating to exposure to secondhand smoke.
A claim for violating a law protecting tenants or home owners, such as the covenant of quiet enjoyment, the warranty of habitability, constructive eviction, or trespass. For example, a tenant could sue a neighbor or the property owner when exposed to drifting secondhand smoke in their home.
Type of Tobacco Product
None
Limitations regarding the use of quotes The quotes provided here reflect statements from a specific decision. Accordingly, the International Legal Consortium (ILC) cannot guarantee that an appellate court has not reversed a lower court decision which may influence the applicability or influence of a given quote. All quotes have been selected based on the subjective evaluations undertaken by the ILC meaning that quotes provided here may not accurately or comprehensively represent a given court’s opinion or conclusion, as such quotes may have originally appeared alongside other negative opinions or accompanying facts. Further, some quotes are derived from unofficial English translations, which may alter their original meaning. We emphasize the need to review the original decision and related decisions before authoritatively relying on quotes. Using quotes provided here should not be construed as legal advice and is not intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter in any jurisdiction. Please see the full limitations at https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/about.
"Although the chapter of the Administrative Code of the City of New York in effect at the time did
not have a provision limiting private causes of action, as Public Health Law § 1399-w does, no such
private cause of action is specifically granted under the chapter. In any event, defendants 370 and Murray
Hill have demonstrated that they are entitled to summary judgment on that portion of plaintiff's second
cause of action because only two people occupied the suite of defendant Anderson. They both consented to smoking therein, and agreed that, if so, they would not violate any laws. Plaintiff's argument that the number of plaintiff's employees exceeded the limit of that Administrative Code of the City of New York provision misses the point. The material number of employees thereunder was the number who were employed in the office where the smoking was taking place, not the number in plaintiff's suite. Plaintiff has not shown that there is any question of fact as to that part of the second cause. of action, and thus, by this court's separate decision and order, that branch too has been dismissed as against defendants 370 and Murray Hill. Although defendant Anderson may be liable to plaintiff for a private nuisance (see Copart Indus. v Consolidated Edison Co. of N.Y., 41 NY2d 564, 569-570 [1977]), defendants 370 and Murray Hill are not. They did not create the smoke infiltration condition which plaintiff claims constituted a nuisance, and they gave up control of the premises to defendant Anderson by leasing possession thereof to him (see Bernard v, 345 E. 73rd Owners Corp., 181 AD2d at 544). Thus, the nuisance cause of action has been dismissed as against defendants 370 and Murray Hill."
Limitations regarding the use of quotes The quotes provided here reflect statements from a specific decision. Accordingly, the International Legal Consortium (ILC) cannot guarantee that an appellate court has not reversed a lower court decision which may influence the applicability or influence of a given quote. All quotes have been selected based on the subjective evaluations undertaken by the ILC meaning that quotes provided here may not accurately or comprehensively represent a given court’s opinion or conclusion, as such quotes may have originally appeared alongside other negative opinions or accompanying facts. Further, some quotes are derived from unofficial English translations, which may alter their original meaning. We emphasize the need to review the original decision and related decisions before authoritatively relying on quotes. Using quotes provided here should not be construed as legal advice and is not intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter in any jurisdiction. Please see the full limitations at https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/about.
An individual sued the tenant in the adjoining office, the building owner, and the property management company for smoke drifting into his office from the adjoining office. The court found that the complaining tenant could proceed to trial with his claim for breach of the covenant of quiet enjoyment. Additionally, the court found that the tenant could proceed with his nuisance claim against his neighbor but not against the building owner or property management company because they did not have control of the property. The court dismissed the tenant’s claims for violation of a state and local law regulating smoking because the state law does not allow for a private cause of action and the local law allows smoking in a private office if no more than three people are present, as was the case here.