Duty is a term that one may hear frequently in a personal injury lawsuit. In any negligence action, it is one of four elements that must be proven at trial to hold a defendant liable for her, his, or its actions. The duty to act in a certain manner to ensure the safety of others is often created by statute. However, certain duties are strengthened or lessened by case law formed by one or more appellate decisions. This can be seen in a recently issued wrongful death case, Bernier vs. Smitty’s Sports Pub, Inc. (No. 14-P-1967).
In this case, the decedent patron had entered the rear entrance of a pub. He opened a door with an “Employees Only” sign, thinking it was the bathroom. The bathroom’s door and the “Employees Only” door looked similar. However, the “Employees Only” door opened into a concrete staircase with a large drop. This door was typically locked during business hours but was unlocked at this time, causing the man to fall and injure himself. The man died a couple of weeks later as a result of his injuries. His estate filed suit against the pub, alleging negligence, and a jury found the pub to be 80% negligent and the deceased to be 20% negligent.
The pub appealed, arguing that they did not owe a duty to the man because he was a trespasser. Under case law, a landowner owes a duty to those it invites onto its property. The premises must be maintained in a reasonably safe condition, with the owner acting as a reasonable person would act. A court will consider the likelihood of injury to others, the seriousness of the injury, and the burden of avoiding the risk. However, if the person is a trespasser, this duty disappears. A landowner is only required to refrain from reckless or wanton conduct that could cause harm to a trespasser. A trespasser cannot file a negligence action against the owner of the property.
The appellate court looked at the evidence to see whether or not the trial court erred by denying the directed verdict the defendant pub sought at trial. The court felt there was enough evidence for the jury to determine the defendant was negligent. The pub testified that the door created a dangerous condition for someone who did not know what was on the other side, and the door normally remained locked during business hours. There was nothing presented to contradict the deceased patron’s intent to use the restroom. The court held the standard duty for invitees applied and affirmed the jury verdict in favor of the estate.
The Massachusetts attorneys at the Law Office of James K. Meehan have the experience you need to help you with your personal injury case, including premises liability and wrongful death lawsuits. Call our office today at 508.822.6600.
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