Section 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.