Golding v. Powell & Dempsey, Inc.

• Court: New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
• Writing for the Court: Before ROSENBLATT
• Citation: Golding v. Powell & Dempsey, Inc., 669 N.Y.S.2d 323, 247 A.D.2d 510 (N.Y. App. Div. 1998)
• Decision Date: 17 February 1998
• Parties: , 1998 N.Y. Slip Op. 1523 Michael R. GOLDING, etc., Respondent, v. POWELL & DEMPSEY, INC., d/b/a Reunion Coffee Shop, Appellant.

Page 323

669 N.Y.S.2d 323

247 A.D.2d 510, 1998 N.Y. Slip Op. 1523

Michael R. GOLDING, etc., Respondent, v. POWELL & DEMPSEY, INC., d/b/a Reunion Coffee Shop, Appellant.

Supreme Court, Appellate Division Second Department.

Feb. 17, 1998.

Ahmuty, Demers & McManus, Albertson (Frederick B. Simpson and Brendan T. Fitzpatrick, of counsel), for appellant.

Julien & Schlesinger, P.C., New York City (Michael S. Schlesinger, of counsel), for respondent.

Before ROSENBLATT, J.P., and SULLIVAN, JOY, ALTMAN and LUCIANO, JJ.

MEMORANDUM BY THE COURT.

In a negligence action to recover damages for personal injuries, the defendant appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Silverman, J.), entered July 11, 1997, which denied its motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is reversed, on the law, with costs, the motion is granted, and the complaint is dismissed.

In order to establish a prima facie case of negligence, the plaintiff is required to prove that the defendant either created or had actual or constructive notice of the allegedly dangerous condition that caused his injuries (see, Piacquadio v. Recine Realty Corp., 84 N.Y.2d 967, 622 N.Y.S.2d 493, 646 N.E.2d 795; Capraro v. Staten Is. Hosp., 245 A.D.2d 256, 664 N.Y.S.2d 826; DeChirico v. Church of St. Clare, 241 A.D.2d 536, 663 N.Y.S.2d 996 ). "To constitute constructive notice, a defect must be visible and apparent and it must exist for a sufficient length of time prior to the accident to permit defendant's employees to discover and remedy it" (Gordon v. American Museum of Natural History, 67 N.Y.2d 836, 837, 501 N.Y.S.2d 646, 492 N.E.2d 774).

In the instant case, the defendant established that it...