Here is a short but complete description of duplicitive pleading in professional negligence cases. It is found in Delphi Healthcare PLLC v Petrella Phillips LLP 2018 NY Slip Op 01012 Decided on February 9, 2018 Appellate Division, Fourth Department.
“Causes of action for negligence, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty are duplicative of professional malpractice causes of action where they are based on the same factual allegations and seek similar damages (see Board of Trustees of IBEW Local 43 Elec. Contrs. Health & Welfare, Annuity & Pension Funds v D’Arcangelo & Co., LLP, 124 AD3d 1358, 1360 [4th Dept 2015]; Dischiavi v Calli [appeal No. 2], 68 AD3d 1691, 1693 [4th Dept 2009]; TVGA Eng’g, Surveying, P.C. v Gallick [appeal No. 2], 45 AD3d 1252, 1256 [4th Dept 2007]). Here, the negligence and breach of fiduciary duty causes of action are duplicative of the accounting malpractice cause of action inasmuch as they share the same set of underlying facts and seek the same damages as that cause of action. Moreover, the allegation in the breach of fiduciary duty cause of action that defendants concealed their errors and omissions from plaintiffs does not differentiate that cause of action from the accounting malpractice cause of action inasmuch as “there is no independent cause of action for concealing’ malpractice” (Zarin v Reid & Priest, 184 AD2d 385, 387 [1st Dept 1992]).
Upon construing the complaint liberally, and affording plaintiffs the benefit of every possible favorable inference (see generally Leon v Martinez, 84 NY2d 83, 87-88 [1994]), we reject defendants’ contention that the breach of contract cause of action is duplicative of the accounting malpractice cause of action. The breach of contract cause of action is based on allegations that defendants breached their agreements with plaintiffs by failing to perform certain services, and that plaintiffs are entitled to recover all compensation paid to defendants for those unperformed services. That is separate and distinct from the allegations in the accounting malpractice cause of action, which seeks damages based on allegations that defendants did perform services pursuant to the contract but failed to comply with the accepted standards of care.”