In Levin v. United Skates of America, Justice Kramer of Supreme Court, Kings County denied summary judgment to the owner of a skating rink in a suit brought by the parents of a child who was injured when he attempted to skate under a barricade that partially blocked an entrance to the rink. Defendants argued that the child’s injuries were the result of a risk the child assumed by skating at the rink. The court rejected this argument and held that the placement of the barricade was not a normal risk associated with skating.

Indeed the court ruled that the barricade presented a “near irresistible challange” to youngsters who wanted to show off their skating prowess. The court held that questions of fact existed as to whether the child, eight years old at the time of the injury, appreciated the risk such that it could be determined that he assumed the risk of possible injury.