Matter of Madaio v New York City Employees’ Retirement Sys.

Holding The Appellate Division affirmed the lower court’s decision to annul the denial of accidental disability retirement benefits, finding that the Board of Trustees’ determination was arbitrary and capricious. The court held that there was no rational basis for concluding that slipping on grease was a risk inherent in the work or a reasonably anticipated event.

The court’s words

there was no rational, nonspeculative basis for the conclusions of the Medical Board and the Board of Trustees

2026 NY Slip Op 06120, at the official text

the determination of the Board of Trustees denying the petitioner's application for ADR benefits was not rationally supported

2026 NY Slip Op 06120, at the official text

the petitioner told the Medical Board that grease should not have been on the platform

2026 NY Slip Op 06120, at the official text

in the more than 10 years he had been operating the street sweeper, he had never encountered such a substance

2026 NY Slip Op 06120, at the official text