Gipson v. Veley

• Decision Date: 15 April 1993
• Citation: Gipson v. Veley, 596 N.Y.S.2d 548, 192 A.D.2d 826 (N.Y. App. Div. 1993)
• Parties: Mary GIPSON, Respondent, v. Lester V. VELEY et al., Defendants, and Richard A. Jones et al., Appellants.
• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

Page 548

596 N.Y.S.2d 548

192 A.D.2d 826

Mary GIPSON, Respondent, v. Lester V. VELEY et al., Defendants and Richard A. Jones et al., Appellants.

Supreme Court, Appellate Division Third Department.

April 15, 1993.

Friedman, Hirschen, Miller, Coughlin & Campito, P.C. (Robyn D. Ringler, of counsel), Schenectady, for appellants.

James M. Woolsey Jr., P.C. (James M. Woolsey Jr., of counsel), Albany, for respondent.

Before WEISS, P.J., and YESAWICH, LEVINE, CREW and MAHONEY, JJ.

CREW, Justice.

Appeal from an order of the Supreme Court (Keegan, J.), entered May 13, 1992 in Albany County, which denied certain defendants' motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint and cross claims against them.

Defendants Richard A. Jones and Delores Jones own real property that adjoins property owned by defendants Lester V. Veley and Phyllis J. Veley and leased to defendant Shirley P. Dubray, doing business as the Limrickville Market & Deli (hereinafter the Deli). The two properties are separated by adjoining driveways. On January 17, 1986 plaintiff was walking on the public sidewalk, which abuts the two properties, and as she proceeded on the sidewalk immediately in front of and abutting the Deli's driveway, she slipped and fell on ice, thereby sustaining personal injuries. As a result, plaintiff commenced this negligence action against both property owners and the Deli. After issue was joined and discovery concluded, the Joneses moved for summary judgment. Supreme Court denied the motion and this appeal by the Joneses ensued.

We reverse. The Joneses' duty as landowners was to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition, exercising reasonable care under the circumstances (see, Basso v. Miller, 40 N.Y.2d 233, 241, 386 N.Y.S.2d 564, 352 N.E.2d 868). The uncontroverted facts as revealed by this record are that plaintiff fell on ice located on the sidewalk abutting the Deli's...