89 A.D.2d 782 | N.Y. App. Div. | 1982
Order unanimously affirmed, with costs. Memorandum: General Motors Corporation (GMC), third-party defendant, appeals from Special Term’s order denying its motion to dismiss the third-party complaint. The sole question is whether the release given by Gregg Smith, defendant in the main action and the third-party plaintiff, in return for $10,000 on December 19, 1979 was intended to cover only his claim for personal injuries suffered in a one-car automobile accident, or whether, as GMC claims, it was intended also to include Smith’s claim for contribution arising out of the injuries sustained by his passenger, Patricia Lanni, the plaintiff in the main action. Smith and his passenger were injured on June 8, 1977, when Smith’s GMC pickup truck left the highway and collided with a tree. On December 19, 1979, Smith settled his personal injury case against GMC for $10,000 and gave a release to GMC, prepared by his personal attorney on a standard form which contained the usual printed terms covering all claims “for, upon, or by reason of, any matter, cause or thing whatsoever, from the beginning of the world to the day of the date of these presents and particularly, but .without in any manner limiting the foregoing, on account of” followed by a blank space. In the space in the form following the printed words there appeared the typewritten insert: “[on account ofj the personal injuries suffered by him in the motor vehicle accident occurring on June 8, 1977, on Bernd Road in the Town of LeRoy, New York in which Gregg Smith was driving a 1977 Chevrolet pick-up truck, vehicle identification number CCL 2471111261” (emphasis added). Seven days later, Smith’s no-fault and property damage insurance carrier gave a release to GMC on an identical form containing the same printed language and this typewritten insert: “[on account ofj the no-fault claim and property damages paid by the Hartford to Gregg Smith as the result of the motor vehicle accident occurring on June 8,1977, on Bernd Road in the Town of LeRoy, New York, in which Gregg Smith sustained personal injuries and the 1977 Chevrolet truck which he was driving sustained damage” (emphasis added). As stated by this court, in interpreting a release, “ ‘general words of release are limited by a recital of a particular claim’ ” (Dury v Dunadee, 52 AD2d 206, 209, app dsmd 40 NY2d 845, quoting Topat Equip. Co. v Porter, 50 AD2d 1098). “[I]f, from the recitals therein or otherwise, it appears that the release is. to be limited to only particular claims, demands, or obligations, the instrument will be operative as to those matters alone, and will not release other claims, demands, or obligations” (49 NY Jur, Release