Lian v. Stalick

62 P.3d 933
Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided February 11, 2003·No. 20906-7-III·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinion

62 P.3d 933 (2003)

Susan LIAN, Respondent,
v.
John J. STALICK, III & Jane Doe Stalick, husband and wife and the marital community composed thereof; & John J. Stalick, III as personal representative for the Estate of Jean D. Stalick, Deceased, Appellants.

No. 20906-7-III.

Court of Appeals of Washington, Division 3, Panel Ten.

February 11, 2003.

*934 Chris A. Bugbee, Spokane, WA, for Appellant.

Lloyd A. Herman, Christopher J. Herman, Spokane, WA, for Respondents.

KURTZ, J.

Susan Lian, now Susan White, sued her landlord (collectively Mr. Stalick) for injuries after she fell on the decrepit steps leading to her apartment. The trial court awarded Ms. White damages for breach of habitability under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA). Mr. Stalick appealed. In Lian v. Stalick, 106 Wash.App. 811, 818, 25 P.3d 467 (2001) (Lian I), this court determined that the RLTA could not support an award of personal injury damages, but that the RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF PROPERTY (Landlord & Tenant) § 17.6 (1977) provided a remedy a tenant might pursue for injuries caused by a landlord's failure to repair a dangerous condition found to constitute a breach of habitability under the RLTA. This court then reversed and remanded for clarification as to the liability theory, or theories, supporting the trial court's award of damages. On remand, the trial court determined that Mr. Stalick was liable under the RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF PROPERTY § 17.6, that he had breached the implied warranty of habitability under the RLTA, and that he had breached various common law duties owed to Ms. White. In this second appeal, Mr. Stalick contends the trial court erred by ruling that (1) he was liable under § 17.6, and that (2) he *935 had breached the implied warranty of habitability under the RLTA. We affirm the trial court's holding that Mr. Stalick was liable under § 17.6.

FACTS

Jean Stalick (deceased) owned the Benson Motel Apartments that were managed by her son, John Stalick III. Susan White rented one of the units. In July 1996, Ms. White fell while walking down the stairs leading to her unit. These stairs were the sole means of access to Ms. White's apartment. Ms. White filed this negligence action against Mr. Stalick and the Estate of Jean Stalick (collectively Mr. Stalick).

At trial, Ms. White testified that this was her second fall on the stairs and that prior to her second fall she had informed Mr. Stalick of the condition of the stairs and discussed the stairs with both Mr. Stalick and his mother. Ernest L. Corp, a forensic engineer, testified that the stairway violated the existing building code in five ways. He also stated that: (1) the treads were rotted, (2) the cleats supporting the treads were rotted or broken and coming off, and (3) the handrail had no structural capability and would tear off with any pressure from the side. Mr. Corp stated that the stairs were "extremely dangerous to use." Report of Proceedings at 53. Ms. White testified that Mr. Stalick made an effort to repair the stairs after her first fall. In contrast, Mr. Stalick testified that he made no attempt to repair the stairs before the second accident.

The trial court concluded Mr. Stalick breached the statutory duty to maintain safe premises under RCW 59.18.060 and awarded Ms. White $58,307.15 for special and general damages, plus interest, attorney fees and costs. The trial court awarded Ms. White damages for breach of habitability under the RLTA. Mr. Stalick appealed. In Lian I, 106 Wash.App. at 818, 25 P.3d 467, this court determined that the RLTA could not support an award of personal injury damages, but that the RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF PROPERTY provided a remedy a tenant might pursue for injuries caused by a landlord's failure to repair a dangerous condition found to constitute a breach of habitability under the RLTA. This court then reversed and remanded. On remand, the trial court determined that Mr. Stalick was liable under the RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF PROPERTY § 17.6.

Mr. Stalick appeals, contending the trial court erred by ruling that (1) he was liable under § 17.6, and that (2) he had breached the implied warranty of habitability under the RLTA.

ANALYSIS

The trial court's findings of fact are reviewed to determine whether they are supported by substantial evidence. Miller v. City of Tacoma, 138 Wash.2d 318, 323, 979 P.2d 429 (1999). Substantial evidence is evidence of sufficient quantity to persuade a reasonable fact finder of the truth of the declared premise. Holland v. Boeing Co., 90 Wash.2d 384, 390-91, 583 P.2d 621 (1978). We review a trial court's conclusions of law de novo. Carlstrom v. Hanline, 98 Wash. App. 780, 784, 990 P.2d 986 (2000).

The trial court concluded that Mr. Stalick was subject to liability under RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF PROPERTY for the physical harm Ms. White suffered due to Mr. Stalick's failure to repair the dangerous condition of the stairs.

RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF PROPERTY (Landlord & Tenant) § 17.6 (1977) states:

A landlord is subject to liability for physical harm caused to the tenant and others upon the leased property with the consent of the tenant or his subtenant by a dangerous condition existing before or arising after the tenant has taken possession, if he has failed to exercise reasonable care to repair the condition and the existence of the condition is in violation of:
(1) an implied warranty of habitability; or
(2) a duty created by statute or administrative regulation.

This rule applies even when the dangerous condition occurs in an area of the premises under the control of the tenant so long as the defect constitutes a violation of either the implied warranty of habitability or a duty imposed by statute or regulation. *936 Comment (a) in the Restatement explains that "[a]n overriding requirement of the rule of this section is that there be a dangerous condition on the leased property, the existence of which is in violation of either an implied warranty of habitability or a duty created by statute or administrative regulation." RESTATEMENT, supra. The fact that the tenant has notice of the dangerous condition does not mean that § 17.6 is inapplicable. RESTATEMENT, supra, cmt. b. In contrast, a landlord is subject to liability under § 17.6 only for those conditions he is aware of or for those conditions he could have known about in the exercise of ordinary care. RESTATEMENT, supra, cmt. c.

Hence, to prevail on a § 17.6 claim, the tenant must show: (1) that the condition was dangerous, (2) that the landlord was aware of the condition or had a reasonable opportunity to discover the condition and failed to exercise ordinary care to repair the condition, and (3) that the existence of the condition was a violation of an implied warranty of habitability or a duty created by statute or regulation.

Issue of dangerousness. There appears to be no real dispute that the stairs here constituted a dangerous condition.

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Lian v. Stalick, 62 P.3d 933 (Wash. Ct. App. 2003).

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