Lewis

Lewis v. Chevron U.S.A., Inc.

Good Law

119 Cal. App. 4th 690·14 Cal. Rptr. 3d 636·2004 Cal. App. LEXIS 944·2004 Daily Journal DAR 7328·2004 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 5336

Court of Appeal of CaliforniaJune 18, 2004A102840California3,652 words

Opinion

Marchiano, J.

Kevin D. Lewis and his wife Joy Lewis appeal from a summary judgment in favor of Chevron U.S.A., Inc., in this personal injury action. We conclude that absent concealment, a prior owner of real property is not liable for injuries caused by a defective condition on the property long after the owner has relinquished ownership and control, even if the prior owner negligently created the condition. We will affirm the judgment.

BACKGROUND

Kevin Lewis was injured in April of 2000 when a hot water pipe burst while he was working for a subcontractor on an electrical job at the Berlex Biosciences laborsatory (Berlex) in Richmond. On April 5, 2001, Lewis and his wife filed a complaint alleging causes of action for general negligence, premises liability, products liability and loss of consortium arising out of his injuries. The original defendants were Berlex, the current owner of the property, and Lewis’s foreman, Hank Ramirez.

The complaint alleged that Kevin Lewis’s employer contracted with Berlex to install or repair an electrical conduit on Berlex property. Lewis was working on the property when a copper water pipe burst, releasing steam that burned Lewis and caused him to…

Sign in to read the full opinion

Create a free account to read the complete opinion text, citation history, and good-law status for this case.