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EVIDENCE THE AREA WAS INSPECTED ONCE A MONTH DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A LACK OF CONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE OF THE CONDITION OF THE DRIVEWAY IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE; DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court in this slip and fall case, determined there were questions of fact about the cause of the fall (cracks in the asphalt), whether the defendant had notice of the condition, and whether the defect was trivial. Evidence the area was inspected once a month was no sufficient. Therefore defendant’s motion for summary judgment should not have been granted:

The defendant … failed to establish, prima facie, that it did not have constructive notice of the alleged hazardous condition of the driveway … . To meet its initial burden to show a lack of constructive notice, the defendant must offer probative evidence demonstrating a proximity in time between when the area in question was last cleaned or inspected relative to the time when the plaintiff fell … . The affidavit of the defendant’s maintenance worker submitted in support of the defendant’s motion referred only to his general inspection practices but did not refer to any specific inspection in the area of the plaintiff’s fall relative to the date of the incident. Another employee of the defendant averred in an affidavit that she had inspected the driveway approximately seven weeks prior to the plaintiff’s fall and found all routes were clear of obstructions. She also averred that the defendant’s maintenance department inspected the driveway at least once per month. This evidence was insufficient to establish, prima facie, lack of constructive notice … .

The defendant also failed to establish its prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law on the basis that the alleged defect was trivial. The defendant failed to establish, prima facie, that the cracked condition of the driveway was trivial as a matter of law, and thus, nonactionable … . Croshier v New Horizons Resources, Inc., 2020 NY Slip Op 03892, Second Dept 7-15-20

 

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OUT OF POSSESSION LANDLORD DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A LACK OF ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF A LEAKING WATER HEATER IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE, LANDLORD’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT PROPERLY DENIED (SECOND DEPT).
Criteria for Arbitrability of Dispute Involving Public Employees Succinctly Explained
Evidence of General Cleaning Practices, As Opposed to Evidence When the Area of the Slip and Fall Was Last Inspected and Cleaned, Is Not Sufficient to Demonstrate the Absence of Constructive Notice of the Dangerous Condition
A CAUSE OF ACTION ALLEGING LEGAL MALPRACTICE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED; CRITERIA EXPLAINED (SECOND DEPT).
MOTIONS FOR SEVERANCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED, CRITERIA EXPLAINED (SECOND DEPT).
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