Brown v. Save-a-Lot

15 Pa. D. & C.5th 376
Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County·Decided June 29, 2010·No. no. 1443·Published

Opinion

MASSIAH-JACKSON, J,

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On February 1,2008, it was pouring rain all morning. Mrs. Diane Brown, age 58, arrived at Save-A-Lot supermarket in Folcroft, Pennsylvania, after 12:30 p.m. N.T. 57-58. She went into the store alone while her husband, Clement Brown, parked the car. N.T. 59.

When Mrs. Brown entered the vestibule area of the store, she wiped her feet on the mat then proceeded toward the shopping carts. She slipped on the wet floor and fell very hard on her buttocks. N.T. 60-62. Mrs. Brown thought she had broken her tailbone due to the severe pain. She had put her left hand out to break her fall and her hand started to swell. She felt pains in her tailbone, back and left arm going into her shoulder. N.T. 63-65. Mrs. Brown is left-handed. N.T. 70. She became nauseous and was not able to stand.

The store personnel called an ambulance and she was taken to Taylor Hospital. N.T. 71-75. Mrs. Brown treated with Delaware County Pain Management for eight months, however, she continues to suffer continuing pain, stiffness and swelling, in her hips, back and arm. N.T. 77-89.

Plaintiff Brown commenced this litigation against Save-A-Lot and SuperValu Inc. in July 2008. After two [379] days of trial, in November 2009, a jury awarded Diane Brown $100,000 for non-economic damages. (All references to the trial transcript are November 16, 2009, unless otherwise indicated.)

After considering the motions for post-trial relief filed by defendant Save-A-Lot, and for the reasons which follow, the motions for new trial and/or judgment nov are denied.

II. LEGAL DISCUSSION

The jury had the opportunity to see extensive video surveillance tapes of the vestibule and lobby area of the store. The Save-A-Lot tape was played several times by counsel and was referenced by all witnesses and counsel throughout the trial. The jury had the opportunity to observe one of the Save-A-Lot employees, Ms. Daniels, slip and fall on the wet vestibule floor shortly before plaintiff Brown fell, N.T. 162-65, 172-73. Ms. Daniels fell while the store manager was mopping the vestibule area. N.T. 159-63.

A. Save-A-Lot Has Failed To Present Sufficient Grounds for Judgment n.o.v.

Save-A-Lot asserts that it is entitled to judgment n.o.v. because the defendant had no actual or constructive notice that the vestibule floor was wet on February 1, 2008. Defendant’s post-trial brief at page 15:

“Here, no evidence was presented that defendant Save-A-Lot had actual notice of the condition of water on the floor at the entrance to its facility. In fact, only minutes before plaintiff’s accident, store employees had placed an additional mat in the vestibule to the store and had [380] mopped the area. The uncontradicted evidence thus presented was that Save-A-Lot not only conducted a careful survey only minutes before plaintiff’s fall, but took eveiy reasonable precaution to protect patrons to the store.”

The record does not support this claim.

There are only two bases upon which a court may enter judgment n.o.v. The first is when the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The second is when the evidence is such that no two reasonable minds could disagree that the outcome should have been rendered in favor of the movant. Quinby v. Plumsteadville Family Practice Inc., 589 Pa. 183, 204, 907 A.2d 1061, 1074 (2006); Moure v. Raeuchle, 529 Pa. 394, 401, 604 A.2d 1003, 1007 (1972). Considering only the evidence which supports the verdict, the court must give the verdict winner the benefit of all doubt and of every fact and inference deducible from the evidence. Griffin v. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center — Braddock Hospital, 950 A.2d 996, 999 (Pa. Super. 2008); Robertson v. Atlantic Richfield, 371 Pa. Super. 49, 59, 537 A.2d 814. 819 (1987).

In this case, judgment n.o.v. is not appropriate. The jury heard the store manager testify that it was raining hard the entire morning of February 1, 2008. N.T. 155. They observed the video of Ms. Daniels bringing a mat into the vestibule area at 12:43 p.m. N.T. 159-62. The jury watched Ms. Daniels fall on the floor. N.T. 163. Plaintiff Brown entered the store at 12:48 p.m. when she fell and was injured. N.T. 172.

Clearly the evidence presented demonstrated that Save-A-Lot knew of the harmful/dangerous conditions due to the rain. Mr. Edwards testified that he worked over [381] and above the store “protocol” to engage in dry mopping, to place a caution cone in the area, and to add at least two 15-foot mats in the vestibule. N.T. 158-73, 185-87, 195-96. Restatement (Second) of Torts, §343A; Zito v. Merit Outlet Stores, 436 Pa. Super. 213, 647 A.2d 573 (1994) (reviewing the duty of care of a store owner to a business invitee). The evidence of actual notice was sufficient to preclude entry of judgment n.o.v.

B. Save-A-Lot Has Failed To Present Sufficient Grounds for a New Trial

Save-A-Lot asserts that it is entitled to a new trial because the jury watched surveillance video and saw the store employee, Ms. Daniels, put a third 15-foot mat on the vestibule floor after plaintiff Brown fell. Defendant’s post-trial brief, pages 16-21.

In order to constitute reversible error, an evidentiary ruling must be not only erroneous, but also harmful to the complaining litigant, e.g. Gunn v. Grossman, 748 A2d 1235 (Pa. Super. 2000); Johnson v. Hyundai Motor America, 698 A.2d 631 (Pa. Super. 1997), holding that a new trial is warranted when there is a palpable abuse of discretion or an error of law which controls the outcome of the case. Under the circumstances presented here, a new trial is not warranted.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Brown v. Save-a-Lot, 15 Pa. D. & C.5th 376 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2010).

15 Pa. D. & C.5th 376 (Brown v. Save-a-Lot) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Commonwealth v. Noll
662 A.2d 1123 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1995)
Moure v. Raeuchle
604 A.2d 1003 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)
American Future System, Inc. v. Better Business Bureau of Eastern Pennsylvania
872 A.2d 1202 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2005)
Haines v. Raven Arms
640 A.2d 367 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1994)
Harding v. Consolidated Rail Corp.
620 A.2d 1185 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1993)
WAGNER BY WAGNER v. York Hosp.
608 A.2d 496 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)
Phatak v. United Chair Co.
756 A.2d 690 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2000)
Robertson v. Atlantic Richfield Petroleum Products Co.
537 A.2d 814 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1987)
Zito v. Merit Outlet Stores
647 A.2d 573 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1994)
Prather v. H-K Corp.
423 A.2d 385 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1980)
Kemp v. Philadelphia Transportation Co.
361 A.2d 362 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1976)
Bey v. Sacks
789 A.2d 232 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2001)
Rachlin v. Edmison
813 A.2d 862 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2002)
Gunn v. Grossman
748 A.2d 1235 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2000)
Griffin v. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Braddock Hospital
950 A.2d 996 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2008)
Botek v. Mine Safety Appliance Corp.
611 A.2d 1174 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1992)
Quinby v. Plumsteadville Family Practice, Inc.
907 A.2d 1061 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2006)
Johnson v. Hyundai Motor America
698 A.2d 631 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1997)
Mendralla v. Weaver Corp.
703 A.2d 480 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1997)
Smalls v. Pittsburgh-Corning Corp.
843 A.2d 410 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2004)