New York Consolidated Laws, Second Class Cities Law - SCC § 244. Liability of city in certain actions;  commencement of actions

No civil action shall be maintained against the city for damages or injuries to person or property sustained in consequence of any street, highway, bridge, culvert, sidewalk or crosswalk being defective, out of repair, unsafe, dangerous or obstructed unless it appears that written notice of the defective, unsafe, dangerous, obstructed condition of such street, highway, bridge, culvert, sidewalk or crosswalk was actually given to the commissioner of public works, and that there was a failure or neglect within a reasonable time after the giving of such notice to repair, or remove the defect, danger or obstruction complained of, or, in the absence of such notice, unless it appears that such defective, unsafe, dangerous or obstructed condition existed for so long a period that the same should have been discovered and remedied in the exercise of reasonable care and diligence.  But no such action shall be maintained for damages or injuries to the person sustained solely in consequence of the existence of snow or ice upon any sidewalk, crosswalk or street, unless written notice thereof, relating to the particular place, was actually given to the commissioner of public works and there was a failure or neglect to cause such snow or ice to be removed, or the place otherwise made reasonably safe within a reasonable time after the receipt of such notice.  The city shall not be liable in a civil action for damages or injuries to persons or property or invasion of personal or property rights, of any name or nature whatsoever, whether casual or continuing, arising at law or in equity, alleged to have been caused or sustained, in whole or in part, by or because of any omission of duty, wrongful act, fault, neglect, misfeasance or negligence on the part of the city, or any of its agents, officers or employees, unless a notice of claim shall have been made and served in compliance with section fifty-e of the general municipal law.  Every action upon such claim shall be commenced pursuant to the provisions of section fifty-i of the general municipal law.