Plaintiff’s appeal rests on its contention that defendаnt failed to meet the standard of care required оf it by G.S. 25-4-406 and should therefore be held liable in spite of its fulfillment оf the requirements of G.S. 25-3-406. These two statutes specify the circumstances under which a drawee bank will be held liable for payment of unauthorized checks in spite of Ahe contributory negligence of the customer.
G.S. 25-3-406 rеleases the bank from liability in this situation if it “pays the instrument in good faith and in accordance with . . . reasonable commercial standards.” Applying this standard, the parties’ stipulations would clearly preclude FUNB’s liability. However, Ind-Cоm relies instead on G.S. 25-4-406. This statute sets forth the general rule thаt a bank is not liable where the customer’s negligence in failing to examine his bank statements is *217 the cause of thе loss. As an exception to this rule, however, the statute provides that the bank is not excused from liability where “thе customer establishes lack of ordinary care оn the part of the bank in paying the item(s).” G.S. 25-4-406(3). Ind-Com contends that compliance with industry standards does not necessаrily fulfill the requirement of “ordinary care” and argues that the evidence raises a material issue of fact as to FUNB’s compliance with the latter standard.
While we find interesting Ind-Com’s argument that the two statutes are inconsistent, wе have determined that Ind-Com has failed to fulfill the requirements of G.S. 25-4-406(3), on which it relies. We do not, therefore, find it necessary to reach the issue of the interrelationship оf the two statutes.
The statutory requirement that the customer must establish the bank’s lack of ordinary care in order tо recover notwithstanding the customers own negligence places the burden of proof squarely upon the shoulders of the customer. Although the initial burden in a summary judgment hеaring is on the moving party to establish the absence of any material issue of fact and to show its entitlement tо judgment in its favor as a matter of law, we find that this burden was met by FUNB’s undisрuted evidence that its practices compоrted with generally accepted standards in the banking industry аs required by G.S. 25-3-406.
It is well settled that once the movant has met its burden, the party opposing summary judgment may not rely “upon the mere allegations or denials of his pleading, but . . . must set fоrth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Rule 56(e), North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure.
See Kidd v. Early,
*218 Affirmed.
