Premises liability
| Author | Evan Schaeffer |
| Pages | 147-186 |
PREMISES LIABILITY
3-1
CHAPTER 3
PREMISES LIABILITY
I. ELEMENTS OF THE PLAINTIFF’S CAUSE OF ACTION
A. Theories of Recovery
1. General Points
§3:01 Premises Liability Is a Form of Negligence
§3:02 Caution: Consider the Law of Your Own Jurisdiction
§3:03 Practice Tip: Identify the Proper Defendants
2. The Plaintiff’s Status
§3:10 General Points
§3:11 The Invitee
§3:12 The Licensee
§3:13 The Trespasser
§3:14 Children
3. Special Rules
§3:20 Special Places
§3:21 The Defendant’s Status
§3:22 Landlord/Tenant
§3:23 Municipal Liability
§3:24 Actions of Third Parties
4. Evaluating Premises-Liability Cases
§3:30 Evaluating Slip-and-Fall Cases
§3:31 Caution: Not Every High-Damage Case Is a Good One
B. Typical Defenses in a Premises-Liability Case
§3:40 Negligence Defenses
§3:41 Disproving Plaintiff’s Case
§3:42 Statutory Limitations and Immunities
II. THE DISCOVERY PLAN
A. Sequence and Timing
§3:50 The Initial Round
§3:51 Practice Tip: Photographs
§3:52 Requests for Admissions
§3:52.1 Practice Tip: The Importance of Organized Files
§3:53 Depositions
§3:54 Opinions of Defendant’s Experts
§3:55 Practice Tip: Visit the Scene
B. Documents and Exhibits
§3:60 General Categories
§3:61 Liability Documents
PREMISES LIABILITY
Deposition Checklists and Strategies 3-2
§3:62 Practice Tip: Carefully Plan Your Written Discovery
§3:63 Damage Documents
C. Typical Deponents
1. General Points
§3:70 Depositions the Plaintiff Will Take
§3:70.1 Practice Tip: The Witness Often Takes His or Her Cues from You
§3:71 The Depositions the Defendant Will Take
2. Occurrence Witnesses
§3:80 General Points
§3:81 Practice Tip: Not Every Potential Witness Needs to Be Deposed
3. Medical Witnesses
§3:90 General Points
§3:91 Practice Tip: Supporting Your Claim for Damages
4. Experts
§3:100 Defendant ’s Expert Witnesses
§3:101 Practice Tip: The Human Factors Expert
§3:102 Practice Tip: Two More Experts for Slip-and-Fall Cases
III. SAMPLE DEPOSITION: STORE MANAGER IN A SLIPANDFALL CASE
A. Planning
§3:110 Deponents
§3:111 Timing
B. Goals, Strategy, and Preparation
§3:120 Deposition Goals
§3:121 Deposition Strategy
§3:122 Deposition Preparation
§3:123 Deposition Exhibits
§3:124 Practice Tip: Deposition Objectives
C. The Deposition Outline
1. Background and Thumbnail Outline
§3:130 Background Facts
§3:131 Thumbnail Outline/Deposition Checklist
§3:132 Practice Tip: When Preparing for a Deposition, Read all the Documents Yourself
2. Preliminary Questions
§3:140 Standard Introductory Questions
§3:141 The Witness’s Background, Including His Employment History With the Defendant
§3:142 Practice Tip: Know Why You Are Asking Each Question
§3:143 The Witness’s Preparation for the Deposition
3. Inspection Program and Practices
§3:150 Store Inspection Program
§3:151 Practice Tip: Industry Practice
§3:152 Store Inspection Practices at Other Stores
§3:153 Caution: Laying the Proper Foundation
4. The Occurrence
§3:160 Preliminary Questions
§3:161 Practice Tip: Open-Ended Questions to Set the Stage
§3:162 The Condition of the Store
§3:162.1 Practice Tip: Establishing Personal Knowledge
§3:163 Whether Inspections Procedures Were Followed
§3:163.1 Practice Tip: Weather Reports in Ice and Snow Cases
§3:164 Facts About the Spill
§3:165 The Plaintiff ’s Fall; What the Witness Saw
§3:166 The Scene After the Fall
§3:166.1 Practice Tip: Read Genuine Deposition Transcripts in the Appendix
PREMISES LIABILITY
3-3 Premises Liability
§3:167 The Witness’s Actions to Aid the Plaintiff
§3:168 Practice Tip: Always Be on the Lookout for Facts With Jury Appeal
5. Admissions
§3:180 Use of Marketing Displays
§3:181 Practice Tip: Admissions
§3:182 Admission: Plaintiff’s Status as Invitee
6. Other Witnesses
§3:190 Other Witnesses to the Occurrence
§3:191 Practice Tip: Offer to Pay Medical Bills
7. Defendant’s Response to the Occurrence
§3:200 Subsequent Remedial Measures
§3:201 Practice Tip: Evidence of Subsequent Remedial Measures
§3:202 Discipline of Employees
§3:203 Conversations About the Accident or the Lawsuit
8. Defenses
§3:210 Practice Tip: Always Ask About Defenses
§3:211 Plaintiff ’s Contributory Negligence
9. Similar Incidents
§3:220 Other Similar Incidents
§3:221 Practice Tip: Admissibility of Other Incidents
10. Closing
§3:230 Closing Questions
§3:231 Practice Tip: What to Do at the End of the Deposition
IV. SAMPLE DEPOSITION: PLAINTIFF’S TREATING PHYSICIAN (PRESERVATION DEPOSITION)
A. Planning
§3:240 Overview
§3:241 Timing
B. Goals, Strategy and Preparation
§3:250 Deposition Goals
§3:250.1 Practice Tip: Motivating Yourself for Trial: Start a Trial Notebook Early
§3:251 Deposition Strategy
§3:252 Deposition Preparation
§3:252.1 Practice Tip: The Importance of Speaking Clearly
§3:253 Deposition Exhibits
§3:254 Practice Tip: Are You Ready for Trial? A Checklist
C. The Deposition Outline
1. Background and Thumbnail Outline
§3:260 Background Facts
§3:261 Thumbnail Outline/Deposition Checklist
§3:262 Practice Tip: Who Should Read the Deposition at Trial?
2. Preliminary Questions
§3:270 Standard Introductory Questions
§3:271 Practice Tip: Stipulations to Get Before the Deposition Begins
§3:272 Educational Background and Licensure
§3:273 Practice Tip: Impress the Jury, But Do it Quickly
§3:274 Work History
§3:275 Professional Publications, Activities, Awards, Etc.
§3:276 Practice Tip: “Do You Remember?”
3. Plaintiff ’s Treatment
§3:280 Practice Tip: “Reasonable Degree of Medical Certainty ”
§3:281 First Visit
§3:282 Practice Tip: How the Plaintiff Chose the Treating Physician
§3:283 More About Adhesive Capsulitis
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