September 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 34

LAW REVIEW

Recreational Immunity -
Contrasting Bicycle Opinions
By James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

T

he two court opinions described herein considered limited landowner immunity under a state recreational use statute. An applicable state recreational use statute significantly increases the
likelihood that liability claims by injured recreational users will
be dismissed on a pretrial motion for summary judgment.
Subject to minor jurisdictional
variations, beginning in the
1960s, most states adopted some
form of a model state recreational
use statute. Under a recreational
use statute, landowners who open
their land for public recreational
use free of charge owe no legal
duty to guard, warn or make the
premises reasonably safe for recreational use. As a result, landowners are immune from liability for ordinary negligence. The
recreational use statute, however,
will not immunize a landowner

32

Parks & Recreation

from liability for willful/wanton
misconduct or gross negligence.
Unlike mere careless unreasonable behavior, which typifies ordinary negligence, willful/wanton
misconduct or gross negligence
is significantly different in both
character and degree. Like willful/wanton misconduct, gross
negligence typically involves a
reckless indifference to the physical well-being of others.
While reaching different conclusions under similar circumstances, the reasoning and legal

| S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

analysis of both courts was consistent with the applicable law,
providing insight into landowner immunity under a state recreational use statute.

Pothole Notice?
In the case of Cancel v. City of
Providence, 2018 R.I. LEXIS 95
(6/22/2018), plaintiff Tara Cancel,
as administrator of the estate of Ira
Lukens, sued the city of Providence,
Rhode Island, for injuries sustained
in a city park. On June 9, 2014,
Lukens was thrown from his bicycle
after striking a pothole on a road in
Roger Williams Park. (Lukens' subsequent death was unrelated to the
injuries he sustained in the bicycle
accident.)
In her complaint, Cancel al-



September 2018 - Parks & Recreation

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