Opinion ID: 1766609
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of duration of foreign substance presence

Text: We must next consider whether there was a factual issue whether the substance, assuming it was there, had been on the aisle four floor for such a length of time that The Food Center personnel knew or reasonably should have known of its presence and failed to use ordinary care to remove it. Ms. Sanders had no idea how long the substance was on the floor prior to her fall. The closest we can come to finding evidence on this point is her admitted guess that the matter was tobacco juice and that it had gelled. Absent some showing that it was actually tobacco juice and evidence as to how long it would have taken it to gell, even assuming, again without evidence, that it does gell, there was no evidence that the substance which was allegedly on the floor had been there long enough that store personnel should have had notice of it. As there is no evidence tending to establish the time between the appearance of the substance on the floor and the time of the accident, we cannot say a question of fact in that respect was presented. See, e.g., Bank of Malvern v. Dunklin, supra ; Diebold v. Vanderstek, supra ; Safeway Stores, Inc. v. Willmon, supra ; Skaggs Co. v. White, 289 Ark. 434, 711 S.W.2d 819 (1986). Affirmed.