Establishing liability and proving injury in premises liability cases

• Author: R. John Naranja
• Pages: 761-828

ESTABLISHING LIABILITY

AND PROVING INJURY IN

PREMISES LIABILITY CASES

25-1

CHAPTER 25

ESTABLISHING LIABILITY

AND PROVING INJURY IN

PREMISES LIABILITY CASES

I. GOVERNING LAW

A. Who Are Owners, Occupiers and Possessors of Land?

B. Duties Owed by Owners, Occupiers and Possessors of Land

§25-1 Duty of Reasonable Care

§25-2 Other “Duties of Care” That May Apply

§25-3 Restatement (Second) of Torts, §343

§25-4 Duty to Warn

C. Breach of Duty and Proximate Cause

D. Immunities

§25-5 Common Law Immunity

§25-6 Statutory Immunity

§25-7 School Immunity

[§§25-8 – 25-9 Reserved]

E. Other Defenses

§25-10 Notice

§25-11 Foreseeability

§25-12 Open and Obvious

[§§25-13 – 25-14 Reserved]

II. DAMAGES: COMMON INJURIES IN PREMISES LIABILITY CASES

A. Traumatic Injuries to the Foot and Ankle

§25-15 Fractures of the Foot

§25-15.1 Types of Fractures

§25-16 Fractures of the Ankle

§25-16.1 Ankle Anatomy

§25-16.2 Types of Fractures

B. Traumatic Injuries to the Knees

§25-17 Anatomy of the Knee

§25-18 Types and Causes of Knee Injuries

§25-19 Symptoms and Signs of Injury

§25-20 Mechanisms and Treatment of Specif‌ic Knee Injuries

[Editor’s Note: All medical illustrations that appear or are referenced in this chapter are available online – in full-size

and most in four-color – through James Publishing Digital Access.]

ESTABLISHING LIABILITY

AND PROVING INJURY IN

PREMISES LIABILITY CASES

Medical Evidence 25-2

§25-21 Wrist Injuries

§25-21.1 Wrist Anatomy

§25-22 Finger Injuries

[§§25-23 – 25-24 Reserved]

C. Traumatic Injuries to the Shoulder

§25-25 Shoulder Anatomy

§25-26 Fractures

§25-27 Joint Injuries

§25-28 Rotator Cuff Tear

D. Traumatic Brain Injuries

§25-29 In General

E. Tests and Treatments

§25-30 Traumatic Injuries to the Spine

§25-31 Diagnostic Tests

§25-32 Common Hardware Used to Treat Fractures

[§§25-33 – 25-34 Reserved]

III. COMMON SLIP AND FALL FACT PATTERNS

A. Snow and Ice Cases

§25-35 The Natural Accumulation Rule

§25-36 Contractual Relationship Exception

§25-37 Immunity for Snow Removal on Residential Property

B. Defects in Sidewalks and Walkways

§25-38 The De Minimis Rule

C. Failure to Provide Safe Ingress and Egress

D. Pleadings in Slip and Fall Cases

§25-39 Initial Pleadings

Form 25-39.1 Sample Complaint – Premises Liability

IV. PROVING A PREMISES LIABILITY CASE

A. Gathering Liability and Medical Evidence Before Trial

§25-40 Client Information

§25-40.1 Checklist: Initial Client Interview

§25-41 First Responder Reports and Preliminary Medical Reports

§25-42 Incident Reports

§25-42.1 Sample Business Owner’s Incident Report

§25-43 Third-Party Witnesses

§25-43.1 Checklist: Sample Field Questions to Potential Parties or Fact Witnesses

§25-44 Mechanism of Injury

§25-44.1 Checklist: Deposition of Treating Orthopedic Physician

§25-45 Your Client’s Deposition

§25-46 Written Discovery

Form 25-46.1 Sample Fact Witness Interrogatories

Form 25-46.2 Sample Request for Production of Documents to Defendants

[§§25-47 – 25-49 Reserved]

B. Proving Liability and Medical Issues at Trial

§25-50 Jury Instructions

§25-50.1 Sample Form Jury Instructions

§25-51 Motions in Limine

Form 25-51.1 Sample Motion in Limine – Premises Liability Case

§25-52 Witness Testimony

§25-52.1 Treating Orthopedic Physician

§25-52.2 Plaintiff ’s Testimony

§25-53 Demonstrative Evidence

§25:54 [Reserved]

ESTABLISHING LIABILITY

AND PROVING INJURY IN

PREMISES LIABILITY CASES

25-3 Establishing Liability and Proving Injury in Premises Liability Cases

V. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN DOG BITE CASES

A. Establishing Liability

§25-55 Basic Law: Statutory Language

§25-56 Benef‌its of Filing a Statutory Claim

B. Practice Tools

1. Initial Client Interview

§25-57 Governing Principles

§25-58 Checklist: Initial Client Interview and Preliminary Investigation

2. Filing the Lawsuit

§25-59 Elements of Statutory Claim

§25-60 Form: Sample Complaint

3. Written Discovery

§25-61 Form: Sample Document Request

§25-62 Form: Sample Interrogatories

4. Depositions and Witness Examinations

§25-63 Checklist: Deposition or Direct Trial Examination Questions for Plaintiff’s Plastic Surgeon

§25-64 Checklist: Deposition or Direct Trial Examination

Questions for Plaintiff’s Treating Child Psychologist

C. Practice Points

[§§25-65 – 25-79 Reserved]

VI. FORMS AND CHECKLISTS

§25-80 Checklist: Ankle Fracture Evaluation

§25-81 Checklist: Cartilage Injury Evaluation

§25-82 Checklist: SLAP Lesion Evaluation

§25-83 Checklist: TFCC Tear Evaluation

§25-84 Checklist: Vertebral Body Fracture Evaluation.

[§§25-85 – 25-89 Reserved]

§25-90 Motion in Limine re: References to Prior Parties No Longer Involved

§25-91 Motion in Limine re: References to Prior Claims, Lawsuits or Settlements

§25-92 Motion in Limine re: Sanctions for Defendant’s Spoliation of Evidence

§25-93 Motion in Limine re: References to Plaintiff’s Consumption of Alcohol