Premises Liability

• Author: T. Evan Schaeffer
• Pages: 447-478

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

§3:53 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

§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

§3:71 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

DISCOVERY COLLECTION 3-2

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 SLIP-AND-FALL 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

C. The Deposition Outline

1. Background and Thumbnail Outline

§3:130 Background Facts

§3:131 Thumbnail Outline/Deposition Checklist

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

§3:163 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

§3:167 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

3-3 PREMISES LIABILITY

IV. SAMPLE DEPOSITION: PLAINTIFF’S TREATING PHYSICIAN (PRESERVATION DEPOSI TION)

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

§3:253 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. 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

§3:284 Practice Tip: Proceed Chronologically

§3:285 Second Visit

§3:286 Third Visit

§3:287 Practice Tip: Introduce Scientific Terms Slowly

4. Opinion Testimony

§3:300 Causation

§3:301 Caution: “Magic Words” for Opinion Testimony

§3:302 Defendant’s Contentions as to Causation

5. Damage Testimony

§3:310 Past Medical Costs

§3:311 Prognosis and the Need for Future Medical Care

§3:312 Practice Tip: What if the Doctor Is No Longer Treating the Plaintiff?

§3:313 Pain and Suffering, Past and Future

§3:314 Disability, Past and Future

§3:315 Caution: Make an Emotional Connection

6. Closing

§3:320 Closing Questions

§3:321 Defendant’s Cross-Examination; Plaintiff’s Re-Direct

§3:322 Practice Tip: Know Your Opponent

V. OTHER SAMPLE DEPOSITIONS: THUMBNAIL OUTLINES

§3:330 Owner of Laundromat Where Plaintiff Slipped on Ice

§3:331 Defendant’s Human Factors Expert

§3:332 Witness to a Fall in a Store Parking Lot

VI. FORMS

Form 3:01 Complaint in a Trip-and-Fall Case [Illinois Rules]

Form 3:02 Interrogatories to a Corporate Landowner in a Slip-and-Fall Case [Illinois Rules]

Form 3:03 Requests for Production to a Corporate Landowner in a Slip-and-Fall Case [Illinois Rules]

Form 3:04 Deposition Notice for a Corporate Representative in a Slip-and-Fall Case [Illinois Rules]

Form 3:05 Notice to Take Deposition of Defendant’s Engineering Expert in a Premises-Liability Case