Court Opinion

ID: 9736645
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 19:01:46.052388+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:27:07.905645
License: Public Domain

T. M. Burns, P.J.
(dissenting). Respectfully, I dissent. Injuries resulting from a defective or dangerous condition of a public building do give rise to a cause of action against the governmental agency charged with the obligation to repair and maintain *699that public building. MCL 691.1406; MSA 3.996(106). In Bush v Oscoda Area Schools, 405 Mich 716; 275 NW2d 268 (1979), the Supreme Court held that a school district may be liable under this statute for the dangerous or defective condition of a building on account of improper design, faulty construction or the absence of safety devices. It is for a trier of fact to determine whether a building or room is defective in fact and, if so, whether the defect was the cause of the plaintiffs injuries. Id.
Plaintiffs argue that the injuries sustained in this case were the result of a defect in the design of a classroom. Specifically, plaintiffs claim that the injuries were a direct result of the failure of the defendant school to provide safety devices for attaching chalkboard erasers to the chalkboards in the classroom. Whether such safety devices should have been designed and utilized is a question of fact. Many persons reasonably may contend that the absence of such safety devices does not give rise to a cause of action. However, it was inappropriate for the trial judge to decide this question on a motion for summary judgment. The motion involved a question of material fact that should have been left to the jury.
I dissent and would reverse and remand this cause for a trial.