Summary
holding a property owner has no duty to warn of dangers "that are readily observable by the reasonable use of one's senses"
Summary of this case from Levine v. Sears Roebuck and Co., Inc.Opinion
Argued April 12, 2001.
May 29, 2001.
In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, the plaintiff appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Suffolk County (Hall, J.), entered December 18, 2000, which granted the defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.
Gerald L. Lotto (Sweetbaum Sweetbaum, Lake Success, N Y [Marshall D. Sweetbaum] of counsel), for appellant.
Torino Bernstein, P.C., Mineola, N.Y. (Eva J. Tompkins of counsel), for respondent.
Before: FRED T. SANTUCCI, J.P., DANIEL F. LUCIANO, SANDRA J. FEUERSTEIN, THOMAS A. ADAMS, JJ.
ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.
The plaintiff fell off a furniture display platform, approximately eight inches high, having just stepped up onto the platform from the opposite side. On its motion for summary judgment the defendant established that the platform was clearly visible, and that the plaintiff was not looking where she was going just before she fell. A property owner has no duty to warn of dangers that are readily observable by the reasonable use of one's senses (see, Canetti v. AMCI, A.D.2d [2d Dept., Mar. 5, 2001]; Connor v. Taylor Rental Ctr., 278 A.D.2d 270; Speirs v. Dick's Clothing Sporting Goods, 268 A.D.2d 581; Breem v. Long Is. Lighting Co., 256 A.D.2d 294; Wint v. Fulton St. Art Gallery, 263 A.D.2d 541; Binensztok v. Marshall Stores, 228 A.D.2d 534). The plaintiff failed to raise an issue of fact in opposition to the defendant's prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment as a matter of law. Accordingly, the defendant's motion was properly granted.
SANTUCCI, J.P., LUCIANO, FEUERSTEIN and ADAMS, JJ., concur.