Liam Parke v. Vishal Vishwam

CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 18, 2024
Docket23A-CT-00245
StatusPublished

This text of Liam Parke v. Vishal Vishwam (Liam Parke v. Vishal Vishwam) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Liam Parke v. Vishal Vishwam, (Ind. Ct. App. 2024).

Opinion

FILED Jun 18 2024, 8:41 am

CLERK Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals and Tax Court

IN THE

Court of Appeals of Indiana Liam Parke, Appellant-Plaintiff

v.

Vishal Vishwam, Appellee-Defendant

June 18, 2024 Court of Appeals Case No. 23A-CT-245 Appeal from the Delaware Circuit Court The Honorable John M. Feick, Judge Trial Court Cause No. 18C04-2203-CT-35

Opinion by Judge May Judges Bailey and Foley concur.

May, Judge.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 23A-CT-245 | June 18, 2024 Page 1 of 18 [1] Liam Parke appeals the trial court’s grant of summary judgment to Vishal

Viswam 1 in the personal injury action Parke brought against Viswam after

Parke fell and injured himself on property owned by Viswam. Parke argues

genuine issues of material fact made the trial court’s grant of summary

judgment inappropriate. We affirm the grant of summary judgment for

Viswam because he had no duty to Parke under the facts and circumstances

herein.

Facts and Procedural History [2] In December 2020, Viswam purchased a house on Main Street in Muncie,

Indiana, that he intended to own as a rental investment (hereinafter “the

house”). At the time of his purchase, the prior owner – Marcus Klepper – had

rented the house to five college students – Jordan New, Allan Kassel, William

Houser, McKade Schuldt, and Caleb Hasenour – under a one-year contract that

commenced in August 2020. That lease rented the whole house to the five

students collectively and provided, in relevant part:

BY THIS AGREEMENT made and entered into on _________ between Marcus C Klepper, herein referred to as Lessor, and William Houser[,] Allan Kassel[,] Jordan New[,] McKade Schuldt[,] Caleb Hasenour[,] herein referred to as Lessee, Lessor leases to Lessee the premises situated at 829 W. North, in the

1 The trial court’s docket and orders spell the Appellee-Defendant’s name “Vishwam”; however, the parties briefs on appeal and their motions in the trial court all spell his name “Viswam.” We found one document in the Record that contains the Appellee-Defendant’s signature, and while his signature is illegible, the typed version of his name thereunder is “Vishal Viswam.” (Appellant’s App. Vol. 2 at 57.) We spell his name herein to match his signature, but we maintain the spelling from the trial court’s caption on our cover sheet.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 23A-CT-245 | June 18, 2024 Page 2 of 18 City of Muncie, County of __________, State of IN, and more particularly described as follows: _______________, together with all appurtenances, for a term of one year to commence on 8- 1-2020, and to end on 7-31-2021 at ____ o’clock A.m.

1. Rent. Lessee agrees to pay, without demand, to Lessor as rent for the demised premises the sum of one thousand five hundred Dollars ($1,500.00), per month in advance on the ____ day of each calendar month . . . .

2. Security Deposit. On execution of this lease, Lessee deposits with Lessor one thousand five hundred Dollars ($1,500.00), receipt of which is acknowledged by Lessor, as security for the faithful performance by Lessee of the terms hereof, to be returned to Lessee, without interest, on the full and faithful performance by the Lessee of the provisions hereof.

3. Quiet Enjoyment. Lessor covenants that on paying the rent and performing the covenants herein contained, Lessee shall peacefully and quietly have, hold, and enjoy the demised premises for the agreed term.

4. Use of Premises. The demised premises shall be used and occupied by Lessee exclusively as a private single family residence, and neither the premises nor any part thereof shall be used at any time during the term of this lease by Lessee for the purpose of carrying on any business, profession, or trade of any kind, or for any purpose other than as a private single family residence. Lessee shall comply with all the sanitary laws, ordinances, rules, and orders of appropriate governmental authorities affecting the cleanliness, occupancy, and preservation of the demised premises, and the sidewalks connected thereto, during the term of this lease.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 23A-CT-245 | June 18, 2024 Page 3 of 18 5. Number of Occupants. Lessee agrees that the demised premises shall be occupied by no more than 5 persons, consisting of 5 adults and 0 children under the age of ___ years, without the written consent of Lessor.

6. Condition of Premises. Lessee stipulates that he has examined the demised premises, including the grounds and all buildings and improvements, and that they are, at the time of this lease, in good order, repair, and a safe, clean, and tenantable condition.

*****

11. Utilities. Lessee shall be responsible for arranging for and paying for all utility services required on the premises, except that NONE shall be provided by Lessor.

12. Maintenance and Repair. Lessee will, at Lessee’s sole expense, keep and maintain the leased premises and appurtenances in good and sanitary condition and repair during the term of this lease and any renewal thereof. In particular, Lessee shall keep the fixtures in the house or on or about the leased premises in good order and repair; keep the furnace clean; keep the electric bells in order; keep the walks free from dirt and debris; and, at Lessee’s sole expense, shall make all required repairs to the plumbing, range, heating, apparatus, and electric and gas fixtures whenever damage thereto shall have resulted from Lessee’s misuse, waste, or neglect or that of Lessee’s employee, family, agent, or visitor. Major maintenance and repair of the leased premises, not due to Lessee’s misuse, waste, or neglect or that of his employee, family, agent, or visitor, shall be the responsibility of Lessor or his assigns.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 23A-CT-245 | June 18, 2024 Page 4 of 18 22. Other Terms[.] TENANTS AGREE TO CARRY RENTERS INSURANCE AND HOLD LANDLORD BLAMELESS FOR ANY LOSSES THAT MAY OCCUR.

(Appellant’s App. Vol. 2 at 58-59) (emphases in original).

[3] On or about January 20, 2021, Parke visited the house to see one of the tenants.

As Parke was leaving, he slipped and fell on stairs that were covered with

“snow and/or ice” and acquired “serious injuries.” (Id. at 9.) Specifically,

Parke fell on the lower set of stairs that can be seen in this photo:

(Id. at 32.)

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 23A-CT-245 | June 18, 2024 Page 5 of 18 [4] Parke filed a complaint for damages against Viswam on March 3, 2022. The

complaint asserted:

3. That it was the duty of the defendant to use ordinary care and diligence to keep and maintain the said premises in a condition reasonably safe for its intended uses and free from all defects and conditions which would render the premises dangerous and unsafe for plaintiff, or present an unreasonable risk of harm to plaintiff in [his] lawful use of same.

4. That it was the duty of the defendant to exercise reasonable care to protect plaintiff, by inspection and other affirmative acts, from the danger of reasonably foreseeable injury occurring from reasonably foreseeable use of said premises.

5. That it was the duty of the defendant to have available sufficient personnel and equipment to properly inspect and maintain the aforesaid premises in a condition reasonably safe for plaintiff and free from defects and conditions rendering the premises unsafe.

6. That it was the duty of the defendant to warn plaintiff of the dangerous and unsafe condition existing on said premises.

7. That the defendant knew or should have known of the unreasonable risk of danger to the plaintiff but failed either to discover it or to correct it after discovery.

8.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
Liam Parke v. Vishal Vishwam, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/liam-parke-v-vishal-vishwam-indctapp-2024.