New York’s AVOID Act Imposes 90-Day Deadline For Third-Party Claims

The New York Avoiding Vexatious Overuse of Impleading to Delay (AVOID) Act became effective on April 18, 2026, establishing new deadlines for third-party complaints. Under this Act, a third-party plaintiff must file their complaint within 90 days of serving the initial answer pursuant to CPLR § 1007(b).¹

Any third-party complaint against a plaintiff’s employer, however, must be filed within 90 days of the later of (1) discovering the employer’s identity; or (2) determining that the plaintiff sustained a “grave injury” as defined by Section 11 of the Workers’ Compensation Law. CPLR § 1007(e).²

The Act prohibits filing a third-party complaint after the note of issue unless upon good cause shown or in the interest of justice. CPLR § 1007(c).³

A third-party action filed in violation of this subdivision shall be severed or dismissed without prejudice. CPLR § 1007(d).⁴ Any severed actions that are initiated as new actions cannot then be consolidated. CPLR § 1007(f).⁵

Regarding retroactivity: an amendment clarifies that the Act applies to all cases commenced on or after the April 18, 2026 effective date.⁶ Be advised that as of April 16, 2026, the New York State website has not yet integrated this amendment into the statutory text.⁷ Lexis captures this update in the editor’s notes,⁸ and Westlaw includes it within the proposed legislation section.⁹
Footnotes

^{1 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007} 

^{2 https://wwenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007} 

^{3 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007} 

^{4 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007} 

^{5 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007} 

^{6 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8809} 

^{7 https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVP/1007} 

^{8 2026 N.Y. ALS 79 ; 2026 N.Y. Laws 79 ; 2026 N.Y. Ch. 79 ; 2026 N.Y. SB 8809}

^{9 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/NFE11DA10E4E211F0AA39CB673CF36EC6/View/FullText.html?navigationPath=Search/v1/results/navigation/i0a93b86c0000019d9c1ba0e5c3a0e723?ppcid=44f5a950322a4255ae42b3e5a5e57b22&Nav=MULTIPLECITATIONS&fragmentIdentifier=NFE11DA10E4E211F0AA39CB673CF36EC6&parentRank=0&startIndex=1&contextData=%28sc.Search%29&transitionType=UniqueDocItem&listSource=Search&listPageSource=781efccd7c647a1b5673e671cb33d842&list=MULTIPLECITATIONS&sessionScopeId=a4a94ca7e43970d7bb6b9036b5ab4e414796eb2f36e0a800dc47d1459a582deb&ppcid=44f5a950322a4255ae42b3e5a5e57b22&originationContext=NonUniqueFindSelected&transitionType=UniqueDocItem&contextData=(sc.Search)w.nys}

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