Janice J. Prioleau v. Kentucky Fried Chicken, Inc.074040)
122 A.3d 328
| N.J. | 2015Background
- Slip-and-fall by plaintiff near a restaurant restroom on a rainy evening at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Cherry Hill, NJ (Dec 26, 2009).
- Evidence suggested no nexus between self-service operations and the accident; oil/grease track from kitchen to customer area was alleged by plaintiff.
- Trial court instructed the jury on the mode-of-operation rule, giving two alternative charges in sequence plus a separate notice-from-defendant theory.
- Jury found defendants negligent; Appellate Division majority reversed on the mode-of-operation issue and remanded for a new trial.
- Court held the mode-of-operation rule applies only where there is a self-service or direct customer engagement with products/services; plaintiff’s theories did not involve such self-service.
- Remanded for a new trial on liability due to reversible error in the jury instruction
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the mode-of-operation charge was reversible error | Prioleau | KFC argues no proper nexus to self-service; error harmless | Reversible error; remand for new trial on liability |
Key Cases Cited
- Bozza v. Vornado, Inc., 42 N.J. 355 (N.J. 1964) (mode-of-operation doctrine rooted in self-service scenarios)
- Wollerman v. Grand Union Stores, Inc., 47 N.J. 426 (N.J. 1966) (self-service context; foreseeability and duty to maintain safe areas)
- Nisivoccia v. Glass Gardens, Inc., 175 N.J. 559 (N.J. 2003) (expands mode-of-operation to areas involving customer handling of goods; notice doctrine altered)
- Craggan v. IKEA U.S., 332 N.J. Super. 53 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2000) (application of mode-of-operation to self-service loading area; foreseeability of risk)
- O’Shea v. K. Mart Corp., 304 N.J. Super. 489 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 1997) (mode-of-operation relevance where customers handle merchandise without employee intervention)
- Smith v. First National Stores, Inc., 94 N.J. Super. 462 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 1967) (not a mode-of-operation case but cited for employee-caused hazard principles)
- Nisivoccia v. Glass Gardens, Inc., 175 N.J. 559 (N.J. 2003) (central mode-of-operation case establishing inference of negligence when self-service applies)