Cereck v. Albertson's Inc.

NO. 81-93

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

1981

MARY CERECK,

Plaintiff and Appellant,

ALBERTSON'S INC., a corporation,

and Holiday Village Shopping Center,

a Montana corporation,

Defendant and Respondent.

Appeal from: District Court of the Eighth Judicial ~istrict,

In and for the County of Cascade

Honorable Joel G. Roth, Judge presiding.

Counsel of Record:

For Appellant:

Hoyt and Trieweiler, Gieat Falls, Montana

John Hoyt argued, Great Falls, Montana

For Respondent :

Church, Harris, Johnson & Williams, Great Falls,

Montana

Mike Anderson argued and Cresap S. McCracken argued,

Great Falls, Montana

Submitted: September 22, 1981

Decided :

ROV 2 5 1%

Filed: NQV 2 5 t9Vt

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I

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w

Clerk

Mr. Chief J u s t i c e Frank I . H a s w e l l d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of

t h e Court.

I n a damage a c t i o n by a c u s t o m e r who s l i p p e d , f e l l and

was i n j u r e d o n b u s i n e s s p r e m i s e s , t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t o f

C a s c a d e C o u n t y g r a n t e d summary j udgment t o d e f e n d a n t s .

P l a i n t i f f appeals. We reverse.

On F e b r u a r y 2 5 , 1 9 7 9 , a w a r m F e b r u a r y d a y , M r s . C e r e c k and

h e r husband t r a v e l l e d by automobile t o t h e H o l i d a y V i l l a g e

S h o p p i n g C e n t e r i n Great F a l l s , Montana, t o d o some s h o p p i n g

a t t h e A l b e r t s o n l s g r o c e r y store.

I t had snowed i n Great F a l l s p r i o r to F e b r u a r y 2 5 and t h e

snow i n t h e p a r k i n g l o t l o c a t e d n o r t h o f t h e A l b e r t s o n l s s t o r e

h a d b e e n plowed o f f t h e l o t and pushed up a l o n g t h e n o r t h e d g e o f

t h e s t o r e , f o r m i n g a snow b a n k s e v e r a l f e e t h i g h . A passageway

h a d b e e n s h o v e l e d t h r o u g h t h e snowbank t o e n a b l e p e d e s t r i a n s to

w a l k from t h e p a r k i n g l o t t h r o u g h t h e snowbank t o t h e e a s t e r n

e n t r a n c e of t h e A l b e r t s o n ' s s t o r e .

Mrs. C e r e c k l s h u s b a n d p a r k e d t h e car i m m e d i a t e l y w e s t o f

t h e shoveled passageway. Mrs. C e r e c k g o t o u t o f t h e c a r , w a l k e d

a r o u n d b e h i n d it and a p p r o a c h e d t h e p a s s a g e w a y . She o b s e r v e d a

water-puddle i n t h e p a s s a g e w a y and b e l i e v i n g s h e c o u l d n o t s t e p

o v e r i t , s h e s t a r t e d o v e r t h e snowbank to t h e r i g h t s i d e o f i t .

W h i l e a t t e m p t i n g t o so make h e r way f o r w a r d , s h e l o s t h e r

f o o t i n g , s l i p p e d , f e l l , and i n j u r e d h e r l e f t l e g and h i p . She

was h o s p i t a l i z e d f o r t h e i n j u r i e s s h e s u s t a i n e d i n t h e f a l l and

was u n a b l e t o work f o r s e v e r a l m o n t h s .

H o l i d a y V i l l a g e S h o p p i n g C e n t e r w a s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r main-

t a i n i n g t h e p a r k i n g l o t area. The s h o p p i n g c e n t e r ' s m a n a g e r was

aware t h a t a snowbank e x i s t e d a l o n g t h e n o r t h s i d e of t h e

A l b e r t s o n ' s s t o r e as a r e s u l t o f t h e snow p l o w i n g a c t i v i t i e s

w h i c h had b e e n c o n d u c t e d i n t h e p a r k i n g l o t a r e a . A janitorial

s e r v i c e had b e e n h i r e d b y t h e s h o p p i n g c e n t e r to k e e p t h e

s h o p p i n g c e n t e r e n t r a n c e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e e n t r a n c e to t h e

A l b e r t s o n l s s t o r e , f r e e o f ice and snow b u i l d u p . This job

i n c l u d e d c u t t i n g p a s s a g e w a y s t h r o u g h t h e snowbanks to allow

c u s t o m e r s access t o t h e s t o r e e n t r a n c e s . I t also included t h e

r e m o v a l o f water and t h e s p r e a d i n g o f ice m e l t a t t h e s t o r e

e n t r a n c e s when n e c e s s a r y . The A l b e r t s o n v s s t o r e p e r s o n n e l had

a l s o h e l p e d m a i n t a i n t h e walkways l e a d i n g to t h e e n t r a n c e s of t h e

A l b e r t s o n vs s t o r e .

The i s s u e on a p p e a l is w h e t h e r t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t

e r r e d i n g r a n t i n g t h e d e f e n d a n t s v m o t i o n f o r summary

j udgment .

The p u r p o s e o f t h e summary j u d g m e n t p r o c e d u r e is to

e n c o u r a g e j u d i c i a l economy by e l i m i n a t i n g u n n e c e s s a r y t r i a l s , and

i t is p r o p e r u n d e r R u l e 5 6 ( c ) , M.R.Civ.P., o n l y when t h e r e is no

g e n u i n e i s s u e o f m a t e r i a l f a c t and t h e moving p a r t y is e n t i t l e d

t o a j u d g m e n t as a m a t t e r o f l a w . Reaves v. Reinbold ( 1 9 8 0 ) ,

Mont . , 6 1 5 P.2d 8 9 6 , 37 S t . R e p . 1500.

I t is w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t a p a r t y moving f o r sum-

m a r y j u d g m e n t h a s t h e b u r d e n o f showing a c o m p l e t e a b s e n c e

o f a n y g e n u i n e i s s u e a s t o a l l f a c t s deemed m a t e r i a l i n

l i g h t of the substantive p r i n c i p l e s t h a t e n t i t l e t h a t party

t o a judgment a s a matter of l a w . Reaves, s u p r a ; Harland v.

A n d e r s o n ( 1 9 7 6 ) , 1 6 9 Mont. 4 4 7 , 548 P.2d 6 1 3 ; Bahm v .

Dormanen ( 1 9 7 5 ) , 1 6 8 Mont. 4 0 8 , 5 4 3 P.2d 379. A l l reaso-

n a b l e i n f e r e n c e s t h a t may be drawn from t h e o f f e r e d p r o o f

a r e t o be d r a w n i n f a v o r o f t h e p a r t y o p p o s i n g t h e summary

judgment. R e a v e s , s u p r a ; M a l l y v. A s a n o v i c h ( 1 9 6 7 ) , 1 4 9 Mont.

9 9 , 4 2 3 P.2d 294.

When a d u t y is imposed upon t h e d e f e n d a n t and t h e

plaintiff I s a l l e g a t i o n s , i f p r o v e n , would s u p p o r t a f i n d i n g

o f a b r e a c h o f t h e d u t y , summary j u d g m e n t is i m p r o p e r .

R e n n i c k v . Hoover ( 1 9 8 0 ) , Mont . r 6 0 6 P.2d 1 0 7 9 , 37

St.Rep. 308.

I n Montana t h e d u t y imposed upon a p r o p e r t y o w n e r d e p e n d s

upon t h e s t a t u s o f t h e i n j u r e d p a r t y o n t h e p r e m i s e s . In

t h i s case M r s . C e r e c k was a b u s i n e s s i n v i t e e . Montana cases

have h e l d t h a t t h e p r o p e r t y o w n e r ' s d u t y toward a n i n v i t e e

i s t o u s e o r d i n a r y care t o k e e p t h e p r e m i s e s r e a s o n a b l y safe

a n d t o warn t h e i n v i t e e o f a n y h i d d e n o r l u r k i n g d a n g e r s ;

t h e d u t y is s a t i s f i e d i f t h e c o n d i t i o n is o b v i o u s o r

a c t u a l l y known. R e n n i c k , s u p r a ; Luebeck v . Safeway S t o r e s ,

Inc. ( 1 9 6 8 ) 1 1 5 2 Mont. 8 8 , 446 P.2d 921. Regedahl v.

S a f e w a y S t o r e s , I n c . ( 1 9 6 7 ) , 1 4 9 Mont. 2 2 9 , 4 2 5 P.2d 335.

S e v e r a l Montana cases h a v e i n v o l v e d i n j u r i e s to i n v i t e e s

c a u s e d b y i c y c o n d i t i o n s , and t h i s C o u r t h a s h e l d t h a t t h e r e is no

l i a b i l i t y imposed upon t h e l a n d o w n e r w h e r e t h e d a n g e r c r e a t e d b y

t h e e l e m e n t s s u c h as t h e f o r m i n g o f ice and t h e f a l l i n g o f snow

i s u n i v e r s a l l y known o r a c t u a l l y known. R e n n i c k , s u p r a ; Dunham

v . S o u t h s i d e N a t i o n a l Bank ( 1 9 7 6 ) , 1 6 9 Mont. 4 6 6 , 548 p.2d 1 3 8 3 ;

Luebeck, s u p r a .

The f o l l o w i n g s t a t e m e n t from C r a w f o r d v . S o e n n i c h s e n

( 1 9 6 3 ) , 1 7 5 Neb. 8 7 , 1 2 0 N.W.2d 5 7 8 , was c i t e d w i t h a p p r o v a l b y

t h i s Court i n Luebeck, s u p r a :

" I [Tlhe g e n e r a l r u l e seems c l e a r l y t o b e t h a t a

s t o r e owner c a n n o t be c h a r g e d w i t h n e g l i g e n c e by

r e a s o n o f n a t u r a l a c c u m u l a t i o n o f ice and snow

w h e r e t h e c o n d i t i o n is as w e l l known t o t h e

p l a i n t i f f as t h e d e f e n d a n t . "

I n Luebeck, t h i s Court s p e c i f i c a l l y r e j e c t e d t h e r a t i o n a l e

t h a t n a t u r a l c o n d i t i o n s s u c h as o b v i o u s snow and ice c r e a t e s u c h

a n u n r e a s o n a b l y d a n g e r o u s c o n d i t i o n a s to r e q u i r e t h e l a n d o w n e r

to take certain precautions.

The i c y c o n d i t i o n s d i s c u s s e d i n t h e cases c i t e d a b o v e were

n a t u r a l c o n d i t i o n s caused by t h e elements. The case b e f o r e u s

d i f f e r s i n t h a t t h e n a t u r a l a c c u m u l a t i o n o f ice and snow had b e e n

altered. The p l a i n t i f f c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e h a z a r d c r e a t e d b y t h e

n a t u r a l a c c u m u l a t i o n o f ice and snow was i n c r e a s e d when t h e snow

was p i l e d n e a r t h e s t o r e e n t r a n c e .

I n W i l l i s v. S t . P e t e r ' s H o s p i t a l ( 1 9 7 1 ) , 1 5 7 Mont. 4 1 7 ,

486 P.2d 5 9 3 , a p a t r o l m a n b r o u g h t a n a c t i o n f o r i n j u r i e s

s u s t a i n e d when he a l l e g e d l y s l i p p e d o n a n a c c u m u l a t i o n of ice and

snow n e a r a h o s p i t a l s e m e r g e n c y e n t r a n c e . T h i s Court held t h a t

t h e g r a n t i n g o f summary j u d g m e n t was i m p r o p e r i n t h a t case and

stated t h a t o n e q u e s t i o n f o r t h e j u r y to d e c i d e was w h e t h e r t h e

s l i p p e r y c o n d i t i o n o f t h e snow and ice was t h e r e s u l t o f a

n a t u r a l a c c u m u l a t i o n or t h e r e s u l t o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s c a r e l e s s -

ness.

A p r o p e r t y owner may be h e l d l i a b l e f o r f a l l s o n a c c u m u l a -

t i o n s o f ice and snow where t h e h a z a r d c r e a t e d b y t h e n a t u r a l

a c c u m u l a t i o n is i n c r e a s e d o r a new h a z a r d is c r e a t e d b y a n a f f i r -

m a t i v e a c t o f t h e p r o p e r t y o w n e r ; e v e n where s u c h a c o n d i t i o n is

a c t u a l l y known or o b v i o u s , a p r o p e r t y owner may be h e l d l i a b l e i f

h e s h o u l d h a v e a n t i c i p a t e d t h a t i n j u r i e s would r e s u l t from t h e

dangerous condition. Rennick, s u p r a ; Restatement (Second ) of

T o r t s , S 343A (1) ( 1 9 6 5 ) .

Mrs. C e r e c k claims t h a t d e f e n d a n t s ' a f f i r m a t i v e a c t s

i n c r e a s e d t h e h a z a r d c a u s e d b y t h e n a t u r a l a c c u m u l a t i o n o f snow

a n d ice and t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t s s h o u l d h a v e a n t i c i p a t e d t h e

injuries that resulted.

The p a r t y o p p o s i n g summary j u d g m e n t is e n t i t l e d to t h e

b e n e f i t o f a l l r e a s o n a b l e i n f e r e n c e s t h a t may be drawn from t h e

offered proof. I n t h i s c a s e it may r e a s o n a b l y be i n f e r r e d

t h a t t h e p i l i n g o f snow i n f r o n t o f t h e s t o r e e n t r a n c e

i n c r e a s e d t h e h a z a r d c r e a t e d by t h e n a t u r a l a c c u m u l a t i o n o f snow

a n d ice and t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t s s h o u l d h a v e a n t i c i p a t e d t h e

injuries that Mrs. C e r e c k r e c e i v e d as a r e s u l t o f t h e d a n g e r o u s

condition.

S i n c e t h e claim made by M r s . C e r e c k would s u p p o r t a

f i n d i n g o f b r e a c h of d e f e n d a n t s t d u t y toward h e r , t h e g r a n t i n g of

summary j udgment was i m p r o p e r .

R e v e r s e d and remanded f o r t r i a l .

Chief Justice \

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u

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Mr. J u s t i c e Frank B. Morrison, J r . , c o n c u r s :

I concur i n t h e r e s u l t , b u t n o t i n a l l t h a t i s s a i d

therein.

S p e c i f i c a l l y t h i s C o u r t h a s begun t o d e p a r t from " s t a t u s "

i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h e d e g r e e of c a r e owed by a p r o p e r t y owner.

See C o r r i g a n v . Janney ( 1 9 8 1 ) , Mont., 626 P.2d 838, 38

St.Rep. 545. The p l a i n t i f f , M r s . Cereck, need n o t e n j o y t h e

s t a t u s of i n v i t e e i n o r d e r t o r e c o v e r . A g e n e r a l d u t y of

due c a r e i s owed.

The m a j o r i t y o p i n i o n c o n f i n e s p r o p e r t y owner l i a b i l i t y

f o r n a t u r a l a c c u m u l a t i o n s of i c e and snow t o t h o s e s i t u a t i o n s

where t h e p r o p e r t y owner h a s i n c r e a s e d o r changed t h e h a z a r d

t h r o u g h some a f f i r m a t i v e a c t . I would a d o p t S e c t i o n 343 A.

(1) R e s t a t e m e n t (Second) of T o r t s (1965) which p r o v i d e s a s

follows:

"A p o s s e s s o r of l a n d i s n o t l i a b l e t o h i s

i n v i t e e s f o r p h y s i c a l harm c a u s e d t o them

by any a c t i v i t y o r c o n d i t i o n on t h e l a n d

whose d a n g e r i s known o r o b v i o u s t o them,

u n l e s s t h e possessor should a n t i c i p a t e t h e

harm d e s p i t e such knowledge o r o b v i o u s n e s s . "

Admittedly, t h e restatement r u l e i s a p p l i c a b l e t o

invitees. However, though I would n o t r e c o g n i z e s t a t u s i n

" l a n d p o s s e s s o r ' s l i a b i l i t y , " I f e e l t h e r u l e t o be a p p l i c a b l e

t o f a c t s such a s those a t b a r .

I n m o p i n i o n , t h e r e s t r i c t i v e r a t i o d e c i d e n d i of t h i s

y

c a s e i s i n a d e q u a t e t o meet s i t u a t i o n s such a s f a i l u r e t o

plow. I f t h e p a r k i n g l o t i n q u e s t i o n had n o t been m a i n t a i n e d

i n any f a s h i o n , and snow were allowed t o accumulate s o t h a t

c u s t o m e r s were r e q u i r e d t o wade t h r o u g h knee deep snow, no

d u t y would be owed by t h e p o s s e s s o r under t h e r u l e a d o p t e d

by t h e m a j o r i t y . Those who do n o t h i n g i n c u r no l i a b i l i t y .

Those who plow t h e i r p a r k i n g l o t s a r e exposed.

I b e l i e v e such a r e s t r i c t i v e d u t y d o e s n o t a d e q u a t e l y

r e c o g n i z e t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s owed by t h e b u s i n e s s community,

d o e s n o t a d e q u a t e l y p r o t e c t a p u b l i c d e p e n d e n t upon t h e

s e r v i c e s p r o v i d e d by t h a t community, and d o e s n o t promote

sound p u b l i c p o l i c y .

For t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s , I concur i n t h e r e s u l t b u t

would a d o p t d i f f e r e n t l e g a l p r i n c i p l e s t o s u s t a i n t h e same

outcome.