Burns v. City of Chicago

2016 IL App (1st) 151925, 59 N.E.3d 846
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJuly 19, 2016
Docket1-15-1925
StatusUnpublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 2016 IL App (1st) 151925 (Burns v. City of Chicago) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Burns v. City of Chicago, 2016 IL App (1st) 151925, 59 N.E.3d 846 (Ill. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

2016 IL App (1st) 151925

No. 1-15-1925

Opinion filed July 19, 2016

Second Division

IN THE

APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS

FIRST DISTRICT

) Appeal from the Circuit Court LLOYD BURNS, ) of Cook County. ) Plaintiff-Appellant, ) ) No. 13 L 1068 v. ) ) The Honorable THE CITY OF CHICAGO, a Municipal ) Janet A. Brosnahan, Corporation, ) John P. Callahan, Jr., ) Susan Zwick, Defendant-Appellee. ) Judge, presiding. )

JUSTICE HYMAN delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion

Presiding Justice Pierce and Justice Neville concurred in the judgment and opinion.

OPINION

¶1 This is a trip and fall case involving a crosswalk with a surface in compliance with

Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Plaintiff Lloyd Burns alleges the defendant City

of Chicago (i) negligently installed the ADA sensory tiles; (ii) failed to inspect the area of

sidewalk where he tripped; (iii) failed to repair that portion of sidewalk; and (iv) failed to warn

him of the dangerous nature of the sensory tiles. After the trial court dismissed Burns’ allegations

with regard to failure to warn, the City moved for and was granted summary judgment. Burns

challenges these rulings. 1-15-1925

¶2 We affirm, finding (i) exposure of the raised ADA sensory tiles was de minimis; (ii) the

trial court properly dismissed Burns’ failure to warn allegations; (iii) the City lacked constructive

notice of the raised tiles; and (iv) the tiles were an open and obvious condition.

¶3 BACKGROUND

¶4 The ADA directs municipalities to install detectable warning surfaces at crosswalks to

provide a sensory cue to visually impaired individuals of where a sidewalk ends and a roadway

begins. ADA Compliance Guide ¶ 446 (Thompson Information Services 2014). ADA sensory

tiles consist of truncated domes aligned in a square or radial grid pattern laid on top of fresh

concrete. New sidewalk construction and reconstruction of existing sidewalks must meet ADA

standards. The concrete foundation can last up to 15 years and the tiles wear out in 5 to 10 years.

Michael Drake, the general superintendent of the City’s department of transportation, testified

the tiles can be pushed out of alignment with the sidewalk when trucks drive over them or if an

individual attempts to remove the metal screws securing the tiles to the cement foundation.

¶5 The City annually installs tiles in 2500 to 3000 new locations. The City maintains

existing tiles through the 311 system, which is initiated when an individual calls and reports a

defect in a tile. In January 2010, the City installed tiles at the intersection of North Parkside

Avenue and West North Avenue. Photographs on the Google Maps website from June 2011

show the tiles were not raised.

¶6 On August 15, 2012, around 6 p.m., Burns was walking home on West North Avenue and

reached the intersection of North Parkside Avenue. There was “medium” light at the time, it was

raining, and Burns did not have a raincoat or an umbrella. Traffic was light. Burns tripped and

fell over the tiles at the intersection and was injured. Burns confirmed in his deposition that he

-2­ 1-15-1925

crosses this intersection at least once a week and had never noticed the condition of the tiles

before he tripped. Burns testified he was not distracted when he approached the intersection and

was watching the traffic as he tripped.

¶7 Although Burns did not see what he tripped on before he fell, afterwards he noticed the

tiles were raised above the sidewalk level. In his deposition, Burns estimated the difference was

1½ inches. Burns’ counsel took photographs of the tiles and the adjacent sidewalk. One

photograph using a ruler indicates the tiles Burns tripped over were raised three-fourths of an

inch above the sidewalk.

¶8 Burns filed a two-count complaint against the City and Arrow Road Construction. The

count against Arrow was later dismissed by agreement. In his second amended complaint, Burns

alleged the City (i) negligently installed the tiles; (ii) failed to inspect the area of sidewalk where

he tripped; (iii) failed to repair that portion of sidewalk; and (iv) failed to warn him of the

dangerous nature of the tiles.

¶9 The City moved to dismiss Burns’ failure to warn claim under section 2-619(a)(9) of the

Code of Civil Procedure (Code) (735 ILCS 5/2-619(a)(9) (West 2012)), arguing that it was

precluded from liability for its failure to provide barricades or warning signs in pedestrian areas

under section 3-104 of the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity

Act (Tort Immunity Act or Act) (745 ILCS 10/3-104 (West 2012)). The trial court granted the

motion.

¶ 10 Burns filed a third amended complaint, adding an additional claim under the doctrine of

res ipsa loquitor. Burns alleged the City was liable for his injuries because his tripping over the

-3­ 1-15-1925

tiles constituted an unusual and unexpected result, which does not ordinarily occur absent

negligence on the part of the City.

¶ 11 The City moved for summary judgment under section 2-1005(c) of the Code (735 ILCS

5/2-1005(c) (West 2012)), arguing (i) the complained-about condition was de minimis; (ii) the

City had neither actual nor constructive notice of the condition; and (iii) the condition was open

and obvious. The trial court granted summary judgment.

¶ 12 Burns challenges the orders granting the City’s motion to dismiss and motion for

summary judgment. He argues that (i) the tiles are warning devices; (ii) the raised tiles were not

a de minimis condition; (iii) the City had constructive notice of the raised tiles; and (iv) the City

owed Burns a duty because the raised tiles were open and obvious.

¶ 13 STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 14 This court reviews ruling on a motion to dismiss under section 2-619 de novo. 735 ILCS

5/2-619 (West 2012); Bjork v. O’Meara, 2013 IL 114044, ¶ 21. Section 2-619(a)(9) provides for

involuntary dismissal when affirmative matter avoids the legal effect of or defeats the claim

asserted against the defendant. 735 ILCS 5/2-619(a)(9) (West 2012); Patrick Engineering, Inc. v.

City of Naperville, 2012 IL 113148, ¶ 31 (“A section 2-619 motion to dismiss admits the

sufficiency of the complaint, but asserts a defense outside the complaint that defeats it.”). In

reviewing a section 2-619(a)(9) dismissal, this court construes all pleadings and supporting

documents in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, here, plaintiff. Bjork, 2013 IL

114044, ¶ 21.

¶ 15 We also review a summary judgment ruling de novo. Abrams v. City of Chicago, 211 Ill.

2d 251, 258 (2004). In considering summary judgment, we determine whether a genuine issue of

-4­ 1-15-1925

material fact exists and whether the moving party will prevail solely as a matter of law. Adams v.

Northern Illinois Gas Co., 211 Ill. 2d 32, 42-43 (2004). The court does not try issues of fact, but

must ascertain if any exist. Gilbert v. Sycamore Municipal Hospital, 156 Ill. 2d 511, 517 (1993).

The trial court may grant summary judgment where “the pleadings, depositions, and admissions

on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material

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

Related

Banks v. Walmart Inc.
N.D. Illinois, 2025
Ward v. Menard, Inc.
N.D. Illinois, 2020
Winters v. MIMG LII Arbors at Eastland, LLC
2018 IL App (4th) 170669 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2018)
Monson v. City of Danville
2018 IL 122486 (Illinois Supreme Court, 2018)
Burns v. City of Chicago
2016 IL App (1st) 151925 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2016 IL App (1st) 151925, 59 N.E.3d 846, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burns-v-city-of-chicago-illappct-2016.