Miguel v. Sjs Associates, LLC

Decision Date22 May 2007
Docket Number2006-01866.
Citation837 N.Y.S.2d 193,2007 NY Slip Op 04459,40 A.D.3d 942
PartiesDENELL MIGUEL, Respondent, v. SJS ASSOCIATES, LLC, et al., Appellants.
CourtNew York Supreme Court — Appellate Division

Ordered that the order is reversed, on the law and the facts, with costs, and the motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint is granted.

The plaintiff resided in an apartment building located in Flushing, Queens (hereinafter the building). The building is owned and maintained by the defendants. The vestibule of the building had a tiled floor. A mat covered a portion of the center of the floor where several tiles were missing and the mat, when properly placed, covered the area of the missing tiles.

On August 12, 2001, at about 5:00 P.M., the plaintiff left the building to go to the supermarket two blocks away. It had been raining all day. Upon returning from the supermarket about 30 minutes later, the plaintiff entered the vestibule of her building where she tripped and fell sustaining injuries which are the subject of this lawsuit.

The bill of particulars alleged, in substance, that the plaintiff's fall was caused by wet, slippery tile from the rainfall or, alternatively, by the failure of the owner to have proper or adequate matting to remedy the slippery condition caused by the rain.

The defendants moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint and submitted proof to establish that they did not create the conditions that allegedly caused the plaintiff to fall nor did they have actual or constructive notice of such conditions prior to the occurrence in question. In support of that contention the defendants offered the deposition of the porter of the building. The porter testified that the mat in question was rather heavy and hard to move and that in the 16 years he worked at the building he had never seen the mat out of its place in the recess caused by the missing tiles. He also testified that on rainy days he mopped the tiled area frequently (at least once every two hours) with a dry mop.

"A landowner has a duty to maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition" (Rodriguez v White Plains Pub. Schools, 35 AD3d 704, 705 [2006], citing Basso v Miller, 40 NY2d 233 [1976]). "A defendant who moves for summary judgment in a slip-and-fall case has the initial burden of making a prima facie showing that it neither created the hazardous condition nor had actual or constructive notice of its existence for a sufficient length of time to discover and remedy...

To continue reading

Request your trial
8 cases
  • Ahmed v. Hossain, 2009 NY Slip Op 30671(U) (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 3/23/2009)
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court
    • March 23, 2009
    ...safe condition. Peralta v. Henriquez, 100 N.Y.2d 139, 144 (2003); Basso v. Miller, 40 N.Y.2d 233 (1976); Miguel v. SJS Associates, LLC, 40 A.D.3d 942 (2nd Dept. 2007); Rodriguez v. White Plains Pub. Schools, 35 A.D.3d 704, 705 (2nd Dept. 2006). As a general proposition, a "defendant who mov......
  • Schick v. 200 Blydenburgh Llc
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • October 4, 2011
    ...notice of the condition ( see Van Dina v. St. Francis Hosp., Roslyn, N.Y., 45 A.D.3d 673, 845 N.Y.S.2d 430; Miguel v. SJS Assoc., LLC, 40 A.D.3d 942, 837 N.Y.S.2d 193; Riley v. ISS Intl. Serv. Sys., 5 A.D.3d 754, 756, 774 N.Y.S.2d 182). Here, Pal Supply failed to make a prima facie showing,......
  • Gurmendi v. Perry St. Dev. Corp.
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • March 6, 2012
    ...N.Y., 45 A.D.3d 673, 845 N.Y.S.2d 430; Riley v. ISS Intl. Serv. Sys., 5 A.D.3d 754, 756, 774 N.Y.S.2d 182; cf. Miguel v. SJS Assoc., LLC, 40 A.D.3d 942, 837 N.Y.S.2d 193). Accordingly, J Companies and Perry did not make a prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment as a matter of law ( s......
  • Kielty v. Ajs Constr. of L.I. Inc.
    • United States
    • New York Supreme Court — Appellate Division
    • April 26, 2011
    ...that caused the accident ( see Van Dina v. St. Francis Hosp., Roslyn, N.Y., 45 A.D.3d 673, 845 N.Y.S.2d 430; Miguel v. SJS Assoc., LLC, 40 A.D.3d 942, 837 N.Y.S.2d 193; Riley v. ISS Intl. Serv. Sys., 5 A.D.3d 754, 756, 774 N.Y.S.2d 182). Here, MRP did not establish, prima facie, that it lac......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT