Randolph v. Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.

• Decision Date: 29 June 1932
• Docket Number: No. 6304.,6304.
• Citation: 2 F. Supp. 462
• Parties: RANDOLPH v. GREAT ATLANTIC & PACIFIC TEA CO.
• Court: U.S. District Court — Western District of Pennsylvania

2 F. Supp. 462

RANDOLPH v. GREAT ATLANTIC & PACIFIC TEA CO.^*

No. 6304.

District Court, W. D. Pennsylvania.

June 29, 1932.

O. K. Eaton, of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Scott Fink, of Greensburg, Pa., for plaintiff.

John A. Metz and W. C. McClure, both of Pittsburgh, Pa., for defendant.

McVICAR, District Judge.

Maggie V. Randolph, the plaintiff, Saturday evening, March 24, 1928, entered the grocery and meat store of the defendant, at Irwin, Pa., to make a purchase. Desiring to use the telephone, she walked on the way thereto near a meat block in the store. While doing so, she slipped and fell, and as a result was injured. She brought this action to recover damages on account of alleged negligence of defendant in maintaining the floor, where she fell, in a greasy, slippery, and unsafe condition. The jury returned a verdict in her favor in the sum of $7,382. The case is now before us on defendant's motion for a new trial.

Defendant contends that the law applicable to the issue of negligence in this case is the law as laid down by the federal courts and not the law as laid down by the highest courts of Pennsylvania, the state in which the accident happened. R. S. 721 (28 U. S. C. § 725 28 USCA § 725) provides: "The laws of the several States, except where the Constitution, treaties, or statutes of the United States otherwise require or provide, shall be regarded as rules of decision in trials at common law, in the courts of the United States, in cases where they apply."

Federal courts will not follow the state courts on questions of wide commercial interest, or of general jurisprudence. Swift v. Tyson, 16 Pet. 1, 10 L. Ed. 865. Federal courts will follow the state courts as to the duties which a master owes to his servant and his liability for negligence. Fillippon v. Albion Vein Slate Co., 250 U. S. 76, 39 S. Ct. 435, 63 L. Ed. 853. Federal courts will follow the state courts as to the presumption of ownership, etc., arising from the wearing of a uniform in a negligence case. Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Kirby, 37 F.(2d) 480 (C. C. A. 3). Federal courts will also follow the decisions of the highest state courts in all cases local in nature and character such as relate to the rights and duties of owners of real estate.

In this case there is involved the rights and duties of the defendant as the owner and proprietor of a store. This question is local in character, and the laws of Pennsylvania should control. The question, however, is immaterial, because there is no conflict between the federal decisions and the decisions of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on the issue involved.

Defendant further contends that its point for binding instructions should have been affirmed; that there was no evidence from which the jury could find that defendant had actual or constructive notice of the unsafe condition of the floor at the time and place plaintiff was injured.

"In determining a motion of either party for a peremptory instruction, the court assumes that the evidence of the opposing party proves all that it reasonably may be found sufficient to establish, and that from such facts there should be drawn in favor of the latter all the inferences that fairly are deducible from them." Gunning v. Cooley, 281 U. S. 90, 94, 50 S. Ct. 231, 233, 74 L. Ed. 720.

There was evidence in this case that the customers of defendant made use of the pay telephone in defendant's store as they desired to do so, and therefore there was an inference that defendant had installed and maintained this telephone for the accommodation and convenience of its customers; there was evidence that plaintiff was given permission to use the telephone; that the floor upon which she walked was covered with sawdust, which was renewed and replaced each day; that new sawdust had been placed on the floor the day before the accident; that the floor was made of hardwood and was smooth; that scraps of meat and scrapings of bone were almost continuously on the floor near the meat block and on the way to the telephone; that this condition had existed for several months prior to the accident; that sticky and greasy materials had been seen on the floor at different times prior to the accident, which were removed by a rake; that for several months prior to the accident the floor was slippery; that the employees frequently skated or slid across the floor; that two persons had fallen thereon within three months before the accident in question, the last one being at noon the day of the accident, of which the employees had knowledge; that plaintiff slipped, fell, and was injured by slipping on the greasy floor; that grease was found on the heel of plaintiff's shoe after the accident; and at the time thereof there were quite a few scraps of meat on the floor. Was this evidence sufficient to visit defendant with notice of the condition of the floor at the time of the accident?

In Markman v. Fred P. Bell Stores Co., 285 Pa. 378, 132 A. 178, 43 A. L. R. 862, plaintiff, the customer, fell and was injured while leaving defendant's store by reason of slipping on a step which was slippery by reason of fat meat and vegetables thereon. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, speaking by Mr. Justice Sadler said (page 382 of 285 Pa., 132 A. 178, 179, 43 A. L. R. 862):

"To recover, it was essential to show a failure to exercise reasonable care for the safety of the customer, for this is the measure of responsibility where one comes by invitation, express or implied, for the purpose of inspecting or purchasing goods offered for sale. Bloomer v. Snellenburg, 221 Pa. 25, 69 A. 1124, 21 L. R. A. (N. S.) 464; Robb v. Niles-Bement-Pond Co., 269 Pa. 298, 112 A. 459; Spickernagle v. Woolworth, 236 Pa. 496, 84 A. 909, Ann. Cas. 1914A, 132; Woodruff v. Painter, 150 Pa. 91, 24 A. 621, 16 L. R. A. 451, 30 Am. St. Rep. 786. The proprietor must keep the portion of the premises permitted to be used by the prospective buyer in proper condition, and if it is shown that the injury was caused by a neglect to do so, a recovery of damages may be had for the resulting loss. Reid v. Linck, 206 Pa. 109, 55 A. 849; Polenske v. Lit Brothers, 18 Pa. Super. Ct. 474; Brown v. Milligan, 33 Pa. Super. Ct. 244. * * *

"The mere presence of such refuse, as described, does not in...