No Demonstrated Connection Between Stair-Related Code Violations and Injury

In affirming the grant of summary judgment to the defendant in a slip and fall case, the Second Department noted that there was evidence the step risers and tread did not meet code requirements, but there was insufficient evidence connecting the defect with the accident:

The defendants made a prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment as a matter of law by establishing that the plaintiff was unable to identify the cause of her fall … . In opposition, the plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact. The plaintiff submitted expert evidence that the step risers and treads did not comply with various sections of, inter alia, the New York City Building Code. However, the plaintiff’s assertion that these alleged stairway defects proximately caused her accident is based on sheer speculation …, and is, in fact, contradicted by the record. Humphrey v Merivil, 2013 NY Slip Op 05799, 2nd Dept 9-11-13