THE CONTRACTOR HIRED TO CLEAN THE HOTEL LOBBY LAUNCHED AN INSTRUMENT OF HARM BY POURING CLEANING SOLUTION ON THE FLOOR AND FAILING TO PUT DOWN MATS OR POST WARNINGS; PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AGAINST THE CONTRACTOR IN THIS SLIP AND FALL CASE SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (FIRST DEPT).

The First Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court, determined the defendant cleaning contractor launched an instrument of harm by pouring cleaning solution on the floor in this slip and fall case. Therefore plaintiff was entitled to summary judgment against the contractor:

Plaintiff alleged [the cleaning contractor] poured a large amount of cleaning solution onto the lobby’s floor without barricading the location to prevent hotel guests from entering the area while he was cleaning, failed to place down safety mats to provide people with a safe passage through the area while the floor was wet, and failed to post appropriate warning signs.

There is video surveillance footage of the accident; no party disputes that the floor was dry when plaintiff first walked through the area to enter the restroom and that it was wet when he returned about five minutes later.

Plaintiff is entitled to partial summary judgment as against Town House, the outside cleaning contractor, since the evidence showed that Town House’s employee launched a force or instrument of harm by negligently mopping or leaving a puddle of water near the guest elevators in the lobby before plaintiff’s fall … . Tobola v 123 Wash., LLC, 2021 NY Slip Op 03537, First Dept 6-3-21