Tag Archives: premises liability
Where Does the “Open and Obvious” Doctrine Meet the Duty to Keep Premises Reasonably Safe?
In January, the West Liberty University Board of Governors and West Liberty University appealed pretrial rulings in the respondent Stewart Lane’s action for premises liability and/or dangerous conditions. The respondent filed a response supporting the Circuit Court’s order and brought a cross-assignment of error. Upon appeal, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled the facts and […]
Obvious Hazard Defense No Longer Bars WV Liability Claims
For many years, laws in West Virginia and elsewhere allowed property owners to defeat premises liability claims on the ground that the purportedly dangerous condition was open and obvious. This is no longer the case in our state. In Hersh v. E-T Enterprises, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals held that the open nature […]