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Wells v. Golub Corporation

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department
Apr 9, 1992
182 A.D.2d 927 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)

Opinion

April 9, 1992

Appeal from the Supreme Court, Clinton County (Ryan, Jr., J.).


In a slip and fall case such as we have here, to establish a prima facie case of negligence plaintiffs were required to establish constructive or actual notice of the condition which caused the fall (see, Lewis v Metropolitan Transp. Auth., 99 A.D.2d 246, affd 64 N.Y.2d 670). To do so necessitated proof that defendant created the condition or had a reasonable opportunity to remedy the situation (see, supra). The evidence presented by plaintiffs in this case was insufficient insofar as it failed to indicate how the substance which caused the fall got on the floor of defendant's store or how long it had been there (see, Torri v Big V, 147 A.D.2d 743). As Supreme Court noted, there was no evidence that the substance, apparently mayonnaise, was dirty or that it had been tracked through. Under these circumstances plaintiffs could not rely on a theory of constructive notice (see, Anderson v Klein's Foods, 139 A.D.2d 904, affd 73 N.Y.2d 835). There was also no showing that defendant created the condition or received any reports that the substance was on the floor (see, Torri v Big V, supra). Finally, there was no evidence of actual notice. Supreme Court, therefore, properly granted defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

Mikoll, P.J., Yesawich Jr., Mercure, Crew III and Casey, JJ., concur. Ordered that the order is affirmed, with costs.


Summaries of

Wells v. Golub Corporation

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department
Apr 9, 1992
182 A.D.2d 927 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)
Case details for

Wells v. Golub Corporation

Case Details

Full title:GERTRUDE T. WELLS et al., Appellants, v. GOLUB CORPORATION, Respondent

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Third Department

Date published: Apr 9, 1992

Citations

182 A.D.2d 927 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)
582 N.Y.S.2d 557

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