Landlord Not Liable for Tenant Stabbing Other Tenant

February 1, 1997

LVT Number: 11215

Tenant sued landlord for negligence after she was stabbed by another tenant. The court ruled against tenant and dismissed the case. Landlord had no duty to protect tenant against another tenant. The fact that the same attacker had previously attacked a third tenant wasn't relevant and wasn't sufficient to impose a legal duty on landlord. The attack wasn't caused by any inaction on landlord's part but was apparently the result of a dispute between tenants, who knew each other.

Tenant sued landlord for negligence after she was stabbed by another tenant. The court ruled against tenant and dismissed the case. Landlord had no duty to protect tenant against another tenant. The fact that the same attacker had previously attacked a third tenant wasn't relevant and wasn't sufficient to impose a legal duty on landlord. The attack wasn't caused by any inaction on landlord's part but was apparently the result of a dispute between tenants, who knew each other.

Passafuime v. Safos: NYLJ, p. 29, col. 2 (1/29/97) (Sup. Ct. Queens; Goldstein, J)

Topics

More like this