DEFENDANT’S GENERAL AWARENESS THAT PUDDLES FORMED IN THE AREA OF PLAINTIFF’S SLIP AND FALL AND THAT WATER TURNS TO ICE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO DEMONSTRATE DEFENDANT HAD CONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE OF THE ICY CONDITION (SECOND DEPT).

The Second Department, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff did not demonstrate defendant had constructive notice of the icy condition where she slipped and fell. The fact that defendant may have been aware that puddles of water formed in that area was not enough:

The plaintiff’s submissions demonstrated that the defendant had a general awareness that puddles of water formed on the portion of the sidewalk or pathway where the plaintiff fell. However, the defendant’s general awareness that puddles of water formed in the precise location of the plaintiff’s fall is not sufficient to impute actual or constructive notice of the specific ice condition that caused her to fall … . The plaintiff submitted no evidence to show that the defendant was aware that ice formed in the area of the puddled water where the plaintiff fell … . General awareness that water can turn to ice is legally insufficient to constitute constructive notice of the particular ice condition that caused the plaintiff to fall … . The plaintiff’s submissions also failed to establish, prima facie, that the ice condition was otherwise visible and apparent, and had formed a sufficient period of time before the accident for the defendant to have discovered and remedied the condition … .  McDonnell v Our Lady of Mercy R.C. Church, 2022 NY Slip Op 05686, Second Dept 10-12-22

Practice Point: Defendant’s general awareness that puddles form in the area where plaintiff slipped and fell and that water turns to ice did not demonstrate defendant had constructive notice of the icy condition.