CONFLICTING EXPERT EVIDENCE ABOUT ICE ON THE PARKING LOT BEFORE THE SNOW STORM BEGAN PRECLUDED SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN THIS SLIP AND FALL ACTION (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing Supreme Court, over a two-justice dissent, determined there were questions of fact raised by conflicting expert evidence in this ice slip and fall case. Although it was snowing at the time of the fall, there were questions of fact whether the ice was there before it began snowing:

… [W]e find that [defendant] established triable issues of fact as to whether the ice that he slipped on existed prior to the storm that was in progress and whether defendants had actual or constructive notice of same … . Plaintiff’s experts based their opinions on weather data similar to that of defendant’s expert, as well as additional sources of meteorological data. In reviewing this data, it cannot be said that plaintiff’s experts’ affidavit was not based on data or was conclusory … . Significantly, any disagreements between the experts would present a credibility determination appropriate for the finder of fact, such that summary judgment was inappropriate … . Marra v Zaichenko, 2023 NY Slip Op 01335, Third Dept 3-16-23

Practice Point: Where there is conflicting expert evidence in a slip and fall case, here concerning the presence of ice before the snow began to fall, summary judgment is not appropriate.