From Casetext: Smarter Legal Research

DiChiaro v. Gapanoff

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 27, 2000
270 A.D.2d 450 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000)

Opinion

Submitted February 16, 2000.

March 27, 2000.

In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, etc., the plaintiffs appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Suffolk County (Hall, J.), dated March 16, 1999, which granted the defendants' motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

Augustine Steuerwald, LLP, Bellport, N.Y. (Harold A. Steuerwald of counsel), for appellants.

Epstein, Hill, Grammatico Gann (Hodgson, Russ, Andrews, Woods Goodyear, LLP, New York, N.Y. [Michael E. Maxwell and Alan Muraidekh] of counsel), for respondents.

Before: CORNELIUS J. O'BRIEN, J.P., MYRIAM J. ALTMAN, LEO F. McGINITY, NANCY E. SMITH, JJ.


DECISION ORDER

ORDERED that the order is affirmed, with costs.

The then-11-year-old infant plaintiff was playing on a trampoline in the defendants' backyard when she fell and injured her elbow. The plaintiffs subsequently commenced this action against the defendants, alleging that the injuries that the infant plaintiff sustained resulted from the defendants' negligence in entrusting a dangerous instrument to her.

The determination of whether a particular instrument is dangerous depends upon the "nature, complexity, and size of the instrument as well as the age and proficiency of the infant utilizing it" (see, Sorto v. Flores, 241 A.D.2d 446, 447 ). Where the record is sufficiently developed, such a determination may be made as a matter of law (see, Sorto v. Flores, supra). Under the circumstances of this case, the Supreme Court properly concluded as a matter of law that the trampoline was not a dangerous instrument.


Summaries of

DiChiaro v. Gapanoff

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department
Mar 27, 2000
270 A.D.2d 450 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000)
Case details for

DiChiaro v. Gapanoff

Case Details

Full title:LISA DiCHIARO, etc., et al., Appellants, v. DELORES GAPANOFF, et al.…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department

Date published: Mar 27, 2000

Citations

270 A.D.2d 450 (N.Y. App. Div. 2000)
706 N.Y.S.2d 340

Citing Cases

Panlilio v. Vergakis

With regard to negligent entrustment, "a parent owes a duty to protect third parties from harm that is…

Lasek v. Miller

Supreme Court properly denied the motion of defendants for summary judgment dismissing the complaint against…