October 25, 2011

Court reviews the foreseeability of plaintiff's harm and the possible liability of a condominium complex

MARQUETTE WEAVER v. FOUR MAPLES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION and WESTWOOD MANAGEMENT CORPORATION (Tenn. Ct. App. October 25, 2011)

This is a premises liability case in which the Plaintiff/Appellant, a resident of Defendants/Appellees' condominium complex, was assaulted by unknown individuals. Appellant filed suit, asserting negligence on the part of Appellees in failing to timely repair a vehicle access gate on the property.

The trial court granted summary judgment to Appellees, finding that Appellees owed no duty to Appellant as the harm was not reasonably foreseeable. We conclude that the evidence creates a dispute as to whether the underlying assault was foreseeable and, therefore, the grant of summary judgment was erroneous. Reversed and remanded.

Opinion available at:
http://www.tba2.org/tba_files/TCA/2011/weaverm_102511.pdf