Opinion ID: 2070153
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mr. Souci's negligence claim against Smith & Co.

Text: In order to prevail on a claim of negligence, the plaintiff must establish that the defendant owed him a duty of care, that the defendant breached that duty, and that the plaintiff sustained harm as a proximate result of the defendant's breach. Id. Mr. Souci contends that he has sufficiently alleged all of the required elements of a claim of negligence, and that the facts set forth in his affidavit and supporting materials, if true, would entitle him to relief. He argues that he has raised genuine issues of material fact, and that the trial judge erred by granting summary judgment in favor of Smith & Co. Smith & Co. contends, on the other hand, (a) that Mr. Souci lacked standing to maintain his negligence action against Smith & Co., (b) that Smith & Co. had a contractual obligation to the Co-op to perform the repairs necessitated by the flooding, but owed no separate duty to Mr. Souci, and (c) that Mr. Souci has failed to allege any injury or damages for which he is entitled to recover from Smith & Co. on a negligence theory. [3] Smith & Co. therefore contends that Mr. Souci's negligence claim fails as a matter of law.