Opinion ID: 1179634
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Exceptions to the Common LawSpecial Relationships

Text: As we noted in Hutchins, a duty may arise to protect others from third party criminal conduct if a special relationship exists between the defendant, the third party, or the third party's victim. Id. at 227-28, 802 P.2d 1360. The RESTATEMENT (SECOND) OF TORTS § 315 states: There is no duty so to control the conduct of a third person as to prevent him from causing physical harm to another unless (a) a special relation exists between the actor and the third person which imposes a duty upon the actor to control the third person's conduct, or (b) a special relation exists between the actor and the other which gives to the other a right to protection. We specifically adopted § 315 in Petersen v. State, 100 Wash.2d 421, 671 P.2d 230 (1983), in a case where we decided the special relationship between a psychotherapist and patient created a duty by the therapist to persons injured by the patient who was improperly released from a state hospital. Recently, in Niece v. Elmview Group Home, 131 Wash.2d 39, 50, 929 P.2d 420 (1997), we again recognized that a duty to protect another person from the criminal acts of third parties may arise where a person is entrusted with the care of another. In Niece, we held the defendant institution liable for the sexual assault of its staff person upon a resident because it was entrusted with the resident's well being. See also Gurren v. Casperson, 147 Wash. 257, 259, 265 P. 472 (1928) (hotel has duty to protect guests against violent acts of other guests when guest has specifically warned hotel of possibility of assault; reflection of special relationship of innkeeper to guest). In this case, we must determine if the relationship between a business and a business invitee is a special relationship. Washington law has recognized a special relationship in a variety of factual circumstances, including common carrier and passenger ( Benjamin v. City of Seattle, 74 Wash.2d 832, 833, 447 P.2d 172 (1968) (common carrier owes the highest degree of care to its passengers)); employer and employee ( Bartlett v. Hantover, 9 Wash.App. 614, 621, 513 P.2d 844 (1973) (employer has a duty to make reasonable provision against foreseeable dangers of criminal misconduct to which the employment exposes the employee), rev'd on other grounds, 84 Wash.2d 426, 526 P.2d 1217 (1974)); psychotherapist and patient ( Petersen, supra ); hospital and patient ( Byerly v. Madsen, 41 Wash.App. 495, 503, 704 P.2d 1236 (1985) (hospital owes an independent duty of care to its patients)); innkeeper and guest ( Miller v. Staton, 58 Wash.2d 879, 883, 365 P.2d 333 (1961)); and school and student ( McLeod v. Grant County Sch. Dist. No. 128, 42 Wash.2d 316, 319-22, 255 P.2d 360 (1953)). In Lauritzen v. Lauritzen, 74 Wash.App. 432, 874 P.2d 861, review denied, 125 Wash.2d 1006, 886 P.2d 1134 (1994), the Court of Appeals declined to discern a special relationship between a driver and passenger who were husband and wife such that the wife could sue the husband for exposing her to criminal acts of third persons while driving in Florida. The Court of Appeals there emphasized the entrustment aspect between the parties creates the special relationship the common law recognizes. Id. at 440-41, 874 P.2d 861. Our cases have implied that the relationship between a business and an invitee is a special relationship. In Niece, we reviewed the situations in which Washington courts have recognized special relationships and suggested the relationship of a business establishment to a customer is such a special relationship. Niece, 131 Wash.2d at 44, 929 P.2d 420. Similarly, in Hutchins, we noted that at common law a special relationship existed between business establishments and customers. Id. at 228, 802 P.2d 1360 (citing WILLIAM L. PROSSER AND W. PAGE KEETON, THE LAW OF TORTS § 56, at 383 (5th ed.1984)). What we have impliedly recognized in earlier cases, we now explicitly hold: a special relationship exists between a business and an invitee because the invitee enters the business premises for the economic benefit of the business. As with physical hazards on the premises, the invitee entrusts himself or herself to the control of the business owner over the premises and to the conduct of others on the premises. Such a special relationship is consistent with general common law principles. [2] We discern no reason not to extend the duty of business owners to invitees to keep their premises reasonably free of physically dangerous conditions in situations in which business invitees may be harmed by third persons.