Summary Judgment Granted to Gym and Landlord in Slip and Fall Case

In the case of Rifkin v. Fitness International, LLC, No. 19-CV-5686 // 20-CV-4547 (E.D. Pa. June 15, 2022 Sitarski, J.), the court granted summary judgment in favor of the possessor of land in this slip and fall case.

According to the Opinion, the Plaintiff slipped and fell in the locker room of the gym.

The court found that, based upon the record developed during discovery, that the out-of-possession landlord did not retain control over the premises and/or the area where the Plaintiff fell.   

As such, the court found that the landlord-defendant was entitled to summary judgment.    

 Anyone wishing to review a copy of this decision may click this LINK.  Here is a LINK to the court's companion Order.

In a separate Opinion issued by the same court in the same case on the same date, the court granted summary judgment to the gym, which was the tenant-defendant, as well.

In that decision, the court initially noted that issues of fact on the issue of whether the Plaintiff had signed a waiver form when he joined the gym precluded the entry of summary judgment in favor of the gym in that regard.  

However, the court found that the tenant-defendant was entitled to summary judgment on other grounds.

In its decision, the court stated that, absent any evidence of prior similar incidents in the same location, a Plaintiff cannot establish actual notice on the part of the possessor of land in a slip and fall case.

The court additionally found that the Plaintiff failed in proving any constructive notice in this case where the Plaintiff did not know what caused him to fall, let alone how long any such condition was present.

Anyone wishing to review a copy of this decision may click this LINK 


I send thanks to Attorney James M. Beck of the Philadelphia office of the Reed Smith law firm for bringing this case to my attention.

Source of image: Photo by Ron Lach on www.pexels.com.