The Second Department determined the building owner’s motion for summary judgment in this slip and fall case should have been granted. The property was leased by a restaurant. Plaintiff fell through an open trapdoor. The trapdoor functioned properly and the fact that the trap door may have been installed without a permit did not raise a question of fact about the owner’s liability:
The trapdoor itself was not defective or unsafe when closed, but allegedly became unsafe only upon being left open … . This is the case even assuming the truth of the plaintiffs’ allegation of a statutory violation based upon the installation of the trapdoor without a permit … . Accordingly, under the circumstances of this case, the owner demonstrated that there was no basis for imposing liability upon it … . Curran v 201 W. 87th St., L.P., 2017 NY Slip Op 05064, 2nd Dept 6-21-17
NEGLIGENCE (SLIP AND FALL, PLAINTIFF FELL THROUGH OPEN TRAPDOOR IN LEASED PREMISES, DOOR WAS NOT DEFECTIVE, NO BASIS FOR LIABILITY OF BUILDING OWNER)/SLIP AND FALL (OPEN TRAPDOOR, PLAINTIFF FELL THROUGH OPEN TRAPDOOR IN LEASED PREMISES, DOOR WAS NOT DEFECTIVE, NO BASIS FOR LIABILITY OF BUILDING OWNER)/TRAPDOOR (PLAINTIFF FELL THROUGH OPEN TRAPDOOR IN LEASED PREMISES, DOOR WAS NOT DEFECTIVE, NO BASIS FOR LIABILITY OF BUILDING OWNER)