Davis v. Riverside Court Condominium Ass'n Phase II, Inc.

154 So. 3d 643, 2014 La.App. 4 Cir. 0023, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 2733, 2014 WL 5861224
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 12, 2014
DocketNo. 2014-CA-0023
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 154 So. 3d 643 (Davis v. Riverside Court Condominium Ass'n Phase II, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. Riverside Court Condominium Ass'n Phase II, Inc., 154 So. 3d 643, 2014 La.App. 4 Cir. 0023, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 2733, 2014 WL 5861224 (La. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

SANDRA CABRINA JENKINS, Judge.

_|¿This is a personal injury suit. Plaintiff, Daffney Davis, sustained scald burns from the bathwater at her leased condominium. Plaintiff filed suit against the owner and lessor of her condominium unit, Gulf Property Investments, L.L.C. (“GPI”), and other defendants, asserting claims of strict liability and negligence. GPI filed a motion for summary judgment seeking dismissal of plaintiffs claims against it. Plaintiff then filed a motion for partial summary judgment against GPI on the issue of liability. The trial court denied plaintiffs motion for partial summary judgment, granted summary judgment in favor of GPI, and dismissed plaintiffs claims against GPI with prejudice.

Plaintiff now appeals the trial court’s judgment granting GPI’s motion for summary judgment. After de novo review, we affirm.

[646]*646FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

In July, 2007, plaintiff leased condominium unit # 381 at Riverside Court Condominiums (“Riverside”) from the unit owner, GPI. GPI owns only one individual unit at IgRiverside, which comprises 198 units. All condominium units at Riverside are managed by the condominium association, Riverside Court Condominium Association Phase II, Inc. (“RCCA”).

While living at unit #381, on January 21, 2011, plaintiff drew a bath for herself. As plaintiff stepped into the bathtub, the water scalded her; and before she could get out of the bathtub, plaintiff sustained severe burns. Plaintiff called 911 for help, and an ambulance arrived and took her to East Jefferson General Hospital. Due to the severity of her burns, plaintiff was transported to Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia. Plaintiff was treated for 40% body surface area burns, and she remained hospitalized for two to three months.

On July 11, 2011, plaintiff filed suit against GPI, RCCA, Catlin Specialty Insurance Company,1 and Saia Plumbing Company2 seeking damages for the injuries she sustained at Riverside unit # 381 on January 21, 2011. Within the petition, plaintiff asserted claims of negligence and strict liability against both GPI and RCCA. Plaintiff alleged that both defendants had complete custody and control of the leased premises and of the systems providing hot water to the leased premises. Plaintiff also alleged that both defendants owed and breached their respective duties to inspect the premises, make all necessary repairs, and discover any vices or defects in the premises. Plaintiff further alleged that GPI and RCCA were both strictly liable as the owner and custodian of the premises and the hot water system, pursuant to La. C.C. arts. 2317 and 2317.1. Finally, in plaintiffs |3second supplemental and amending petition, plaintiff alleged that GPI breached the warranties against vices and defects pursuant to La. C.C. arts. 2696, 2697, and 2698.

On October 23, 2012, GPI filed a motion for summary judgment seeking dismissal of all claims asserted against it by plaintiff. GPI argued that, the lease agreement with plaintiff relieved GPI of the lessor’s warranty against vices or defects in the premises; and plaintiff assumed responsibility for the condition of the premises, pursuant to La. R.S. 9:3221. GPI also argued there is no evidence to support plaintiffs claims of negligence or strict liability against it, because GPI had no custody, control, or responsibility for the hot water system or any alleged defect causing plaintiffs injuries. GPI owed no duty to plaintiff with respect to those things that were not within its custody or control; and furthermore GPI neither knew nor could have known of the alleged defect in the leased premises. Without custody or control of the thing or knowledge of the defect, GPI argued, there was no evidence to support plaintiffs negligence or strict liability claims.

On June 20, 2013, plaintiff filed an opposition to GPI’s motion for summary judgment, and, on July 22, 2013, plaintiff filed a motion for partial summary judgment against GPI on the issue of liability.

On September 20, 2013, the trial court held a hearing on the cross motions for summary judgment. In consideration of the parties’ arguments and all exhibits introduced into the record, the trial court [647]*647granted summary judgment in favor of GPI and denied plaintiffs motion for summary judgment. Plaintiff now appeals |4the trial court’s judgment, signed on October 15, 2013, granting GPI’s motion for summary judgment and dismissing all claims against GPI with prejudice.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

Appellate courts review summary judgment de novo, using the same criteria that govern the trial court’s determination on the motion for summary judgment, i.e., whether there is any genuine issue of material fact and whether the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Schultz v. Guoth, 10-0343, pp. 5-6 (La.1/19/11), 57 So.3d 1002, 1005-06 (citing Samaha v. Rau, 07-1726, p. 4 (La.2/26/08), 977 So.2d 880, 883.)

Summary judgment is properly rendered “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions, together with the affidavits, if any... show that there is no genuine issue of material fact, and that mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” La. C.C.P. art. 966(B)(2). The initial burden of producing evidence to support the motion for summary judgment is on the moving party, “who can ordinarily meet that burden by submitting affidavits or by pointing out the lack of factual support for an essential element in the opponent’s case.” Schroth v. Estate of Samuel, 11-1385, p. 3 (La.App. 4 Cir. 4/18/12), 90 So.3d 1209, 1211 (quoting Schultz, 10-0343 p. 4, 57 So.3d at 1006). The moving party need not negate all essential elements of the adverse party’s claim; rather the moving party must point out to the court the absence of factual support for one or more elements essential to the adverse party’s claim. Smith v. Treadaway, 13-0131, p. 4 (La.App. 4 Cir. 11/27/13), 129 So.3d 825, 828; La. C.C.P. art. [S966(C)(2). “At that point, the party who will bear the burden of proof at trial must present sufficient evidence to demonstrate that he or she will be able to carry that burden at trial.” Id. If the moving party has properly supported the motion for summary judgment, then “the failure of the non-moving party to produce evidence of material factual dispute mandates the granting of the motion.” Wright v. Louisiana Power & Light, 06-1181, p. 16 (La.3/9/07), 951 So.2d 1058, 1070 (quoting Babin v. Winn-Dixie Louisiana, Inc., 00-0078, p. 4 (La.6/30/00), 764 So.2d 37, 40).

DISCUSSION

In her first and second assignments of error, plaintiff contends there are genuine issues of material fact that preclude summary judgment regarding GPI’s liability for plaintiffs injuries. First, plaintiff asserts that GPI has ownership, custody and control of the premises; therefore, GPI is strictly hable for injuries caused by vices or defects in those premises. Plaintiff further asserts that GPI is strictly liable under the lessor’s warranties in the Civil Code which plaintiff did not waive pursuant to La. R.S. 9:3221. Finally, plaintiff argues that GPI is hable for negligence for its failure to prevent or warn of the unreasonably dangerous condition on the premises that caused plaintiffs injuries.

Strict Liability

Under Louisiana law, a party is responsible not only for damage resulting from one’s own act, but also for damage caused by things within one’s custody. La. C.C. art. 2317.

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Bluebook (online)
154 So. 3d 643, 2014 La.App. 4 Cir. 0023, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 2733, 2014 WL 5861224, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-riverside-court-condominium-assn-phase-ii-inc-lactapp-2014.