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Frankl v. Costco Wholesale Corp.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
Oct 10, 2018
165 A.D.3d 760 (N.Y. App. Div. 2018)

Opinion

2017–07997 Index No. 10617/15

10-10-2018

Regina FRANKL, appellant, v. COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION, respondent.

Bernstone and Grieco, LLP, New York, N.Y. (Matthew A. Schroeder of counsel), for appellant. Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, New York, N.Y. (Rachel A. Rubin of counsel), for respondent.


Bernstone and Grieco, LLP, New York, N.Y. (Matthew A. Schroeder of counsel), for appellant.

Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, New York, N.Y. (Rachel A. Rubin of counsel), for respondent.

WILLIAM F. MASTRO, J.P., SANDRA L. SGROI, SYLVIA O. HINDS–RADIX, VALERIE BRATHWAITE NELSON, JJ.

DECISION & ORDER

In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, the plaintiff appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Dawn Jimenez–Salta, J.), dated June 5, 2017. The order granted the defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.

The plaintiff allegedly was injured inside the defendant's store when she fell after she grabbed the side of a mesh wire bin. The bin was on wheels and moved forward when the plaintiff grabbed it. The plaintiff subsequently commenced this action against the defendant to recover damages for personal injuries. The defendant moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, and the Supreme Court granted the motion. The plaintiff appeals.

While a landowner has a duty to maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition (see Basso v. Miller , 40 N.Y.2d 233, 241, 386 N.Y.S.2d 564, 352 N.E.2d 868 ), there is no duty to protect or warn against an open and obvious condition that is not inherently dangerous (see Gerner v. Shop–Rite Uniondale, Inc. , 148 A.D.3d 1122, 50 N.Y.S.3d 459 ; Cupo v. Karfunkel , 1 A.D.3d 48, 52, 767 N.Y.S.2d 40 ). Here, the defendant established, prima facie, that the wheels on the bin were open and obvious and readily observable by the reasonable use of one's senses, and that the bin was not inherently dangerous (see Bartholomew v. Sears Roebuck & Co. , 159 A.D.3d 786, 69 N.Y.S.3d 813 ; Gerner v. Shop–Rite Uniondale, Inc. , 148 A.D.3d at 1123, 50 N.Y.S.3d 459 ; Stern v. Costco Wholesale , 63 A.D.3d 1139, 1140, 882 N.Y.S.2d 266 ). In opposition, the plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact.

The parties' remaining contentions either are without merit or need not be reached in light of our determination.

Accordingly, we agree with the Supreme Court's determination to grant the defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

MASTRO, J.P., SGROI, HINDS–RADIX and BRATHWAITE NELSON, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Frankl v. Costco Wholesale Corp.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department
Oct 10, 2018
165 A.D.3d 760 (N.Y. App. Div. 2018)
Case details for

Frankl v. Costco Wholesale Corp.

Case Details

Full title:Regina Frankl, appellant, v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, respondent.

Court:SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department

Date published: Oct 10, 2018

Citations

165 A.D.3d 760 (N.Y. App. Div. 2018)
2018 N.Y. Slip Op. 6719
82 N.Y.S.3d 902

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