SMALL DECORATIVE LANDSCAPING STONES ON THE PARKING LOT WERE OPEN AND OBVIOUS, SLIP AND FALL COMPLAINT PROPERLY DISMISSED.
The Second Department determined small decorative stones (used for landscaping), two or three of which were on the parking lot where plaintiff slipped and fell, constituted an open and obvious condition which was not actionable:
The [defendant] Olive Garden used small decorative stones outside as part of its landscaping, and the plaintiff alleged that two or three of the stones were in the parking lot. After exiting the Olive Garden at approximately 1:00 p.m. on June 17, 2008, the plaintiff walked to the parking lot toward her car, but fell before reaching it. She alleged that her fall resulted from stepping on one of the Olive Garden’s stones.
The Olive Garden made a prima facie showing that the complained-of condition was both open and obvious, i.e., readily observable by those employing the reasonable use of their senses, and not inherently dangerous … . In opposition, the plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact. Lawrence v Darden Rests., Inc., 2017 NY Slip Op 04826, 2nd Dept 6-14-17
NEGLIGENCE (SLIP AND FALL, SMALL DECORATIVE LANDSCAPING STONES ON THE PARKING LOT WERE OPEN AND OBVIOUS, SLIP AND FALL COMPLAINT PROPERLY DISMISSED)/SLIP AND FALL (SMALL DECORATIVE LANDSCAPING STONES ON THE PARKING LOT WERE OPEN AND OBVIOUS, SLIP AND FALL COMPLAINT PROPERLY DISMISSED)/OPEN AND OBVIOUS (SLIP AND FALL, SMALL DECORATIVE LANDSCAPING STONES ON THE PARKING LOT WERE OPEN AND OBVIOUS, SLIP AND FALL COMPLAINT PROPERLY DISMISSED)