Case Title: Ex Parte Industrial Distribution Serv. Warehouse, Inc.

Citation: 709 So. 2d 16

Docket Number: 1961225

State: alabama

Court: Alabama Supreme Court

Date: 1997-11-21T00:00:00Z

Document:
709 So. 2d 16 (1997)
Ex parte INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION SERVICES WAREHOUSE, INC.
(In re Billy Glen JACKSON v. INDUSTRIAL DISTRIBUTION SERVICES WAREHOUSE, INC.).
1961225.

Supreme Court of Alabama.
November 21, 1997.
*17 C. William Gladden and James S. Witcher III of Gladden & Sinor, P.C., Birmingham, for petitioner.
W. Lee Pittman of Pittman, Hooks, Dutton & Hollis, P.C., Birmingham, for respondent.
HOUSTON, Justice.
Billy Glen Jackson sued Industrial Distribution Services Warehouse, Inc. ("Industrial Distribution"), alleging, among other things, that Industrial Distribution had negligently or wantonly allowed him to fall off an interior loading dock at its warehouse; that the loading dock was defective and/or unreasonably dangerous; that Industrial Distribution had failed to remedy the defect and/or danger that caused him to fall; and that Industrial Distribution had failed to warn him about the defect and/or danger posed by the loading dock. The trial court entered a summary judgment for Industrial Distribution. The Court of Civil Appeals affirmed the summary judgment with respect to the wantonness claim; however, it reversed with respect to the negligence claim, holding that there were genuine issues of material fact to be resolved *18 by a jury. Jackson v. Industrial Distribution Services Warehouse, Inc., 709 So. 2d 12 (Ala.Civ.App.1997). We granted Industrial Distribution's petition for certiorari review to consider whether the Court of Civil Appeals erred in reversing with respect to the negligence claim. We reverse and remand.
The pertinent facts, which are not disputed by the parties, were adequately set out in the opinion of the Court of Civil Appeals:
709 So. 2d  at 13-14.
Relying primarily on Owens v. National Security of Alabama, Inc., 454 So. 2d 1387 (Ala.1984), Industrial Distribution contends that this is the typical "step in the dark" case, in which there is no duty on an invitor *19 to warn of, or protect against, unseen hazards that an invitee may encounter on the invitor's premises under conditions of darkness. According to Industrial Distribution, the Court of Civil Appeals misapplied Owens to the facts of this case. Jackson, on the other hand, contends that this is not the typical "step in the dark" case and, therefore, that Owens does not control. He argues that his theory of liability was not predicated on the existence of a duty on Industrial Distribution to warn him that the warehouse was dark inside; rather, he says, a jury question was presented as to whether Industrial Distribution failed to exercise reasonable care by not erecting and maintaining a guardrail across the loading dock and as to whether he acted reasonably under the circumstances by accompanying a fireman into the warehouse. The essence of Jackson's argument, as we understand it, is that Owens does not apply because, he argues, there is evidence that he was exercising reasonable care when he entered the warehouse with the fireman. That being the case, Jackson maintains, a jury should be allowed to determine whether he acted reasonably under the circumstances and whether Industrial Distribution acted negligently by not erecting a guardrail across the loading dock. The Court of Civil Appeals, agreeing with Jackson, stated:
709 So. 2d  at 15.
Assuming that Jackson was an invitee when he entered Industrial Distribution's warehouse, a fact that is conceded by Industrial Distribution for purposes of this appeal, then Industrial Distribution was under a duty to use reasonable care and diligence to keep the premises in a safe condition, or, if the premises were in a dangerous condition, to give sufficient warning so that, by use of ordinary care, Jackson could avoid the danger. Armstrong v. Georgia Marble Co., 575 So. 2d 1051, 1053 (Ala.1991). It is well established, however, that an invitor is not liable for injuries to an invitee resulting from a danger that was known to the invitee or that the invitee should have observed through the exercise of reasonable care. If the danger is open and obvious, the invitor cannot be held liable. Williams v. Newton, 526 So. 2d 18 (Ala.1988). Total darkness, possibly concealing an unseen and unknown hazard, presents an open and obvious danger to someone proceeding through unfamiliar surroundings, as a matter of law. Owens, supra.
In Owens, the injured plaintiff,[1] an employee of an independent contractor performing maintenance work on the premises of Montgomery Food Processors, was injured when he tripped over a forklift while walking to work through a dark portion of Montgomery Food Processors' plant. The plaintiffs sued the company in charge of the plant's security, contending that it had negligently caused or allowed the lights to be turned off without warning the injured plaintiff that the lights would be off. The trial court entered a summary judgment for the security company. This Court affirmed, stating in part:
454 So. 2d  at 1389-90.
After carefully reviewing the record and the briefs, we cannot distinguish Owens from the present case. In Owens, the injured plaintiff attempted to walk through a dark building and was injured by a hazardous condition that, under the circumstances, he could not anticipate. In the present case, Jackson attempted to walk through a dark building and was injured by a hazardous condition that, under the circumstances, he could not anticipate. In Owens, the condition that caused the injury (the forklift) was hazardous only because of the darkness. In the present case, the condition that caused Jackson's injury (the loading dock) was hazardous only because of the darkness. In Owens, there was evidence indicating that the injured plaintiff exercised reasonable care in attempting to walk through the dark building (by using a lighter and shuffling his feet). In the present case, there was evidence indicating that Jackson acted reasonably under the circumstances by relying on the fireman to lead him through the dark building. Contrary to Jackson's contentions, and the holding of the Court of Civil Appeals, whether a jury might find that Jackson acted reasonably in his attempt to negotiate the warehouse in total darkness is not material to the question whether Industrial Distribution owed any duty to Jackson to eliminate, or warn of, the danger posed by the unseen loading dock. Owens dealt with the initial legal duty owed by the premises owner, not with the affirmative defenses of contributory negligence and assumption of the risk. The Owens Court noted: "Because we find that National Security did not owe a duty to warn Owens that the room was dark, we pretermit any discussion of assumption of the risk, contributory negligence, or the statute of limitations." 454 So. 2d  at 1390. Owens was a refinement of the well-established rule that an invitor is not liable for injuries to an invitee that result from an open and obvious danger. Owens stands for the proposition that a dark, unfamiliar building that may conceal hidden hazards, much like a body of water that may conceal hazards beneath the surface, poses an open and obvious danger to an invitee, such as Jackson, who attempts to make his way through such a building. This is so even though the invitee may use due care to avoid injury, because the focus of our premises liability law is not on the care that may have been exercised by the invitee (unless *21 contributory negligence is an issue), but on relieving a premises owner of legal liability where an invitee knew of the danger that caused the injury or should have observed that danger through the exercise of reasonable care. See McClendon v. Mountain Top Indoor Flea Market, Inc., 601 So. 2d 957, 959 (Ala.1992), wherein this Court, quoting Quillen v. Quillen, 388 So. 2d 985 (Ala.1980), stated:
"388 So. 2d  at 989. See also Restatement (Second) of Torts § 343A(1) (1965)." (Emphasis added.) Compare Furgerson v. Dresser Industries, Inc., 438 So. 2d 732 (Ala. 1983), and Kingsberry Homes Corp. v. Ralston, 285 Ala. 600, 235 So. 2d 371 (1970), which are distinguished in Owens. In both of those cases, there was evidence suggesting that although the particular defective conditions were obvious, the dangerous potential of those conditions was not appreciated by the injured plaintiffs. See Young v. LaQuinta Inns, Inc., 682 So. 2d 402 (Ala.1996). See, also, Nayman v. Tracey, 599 So. 2d 604 (Ala. 1992); and Berness v. Regency Square Associates, Ltd., 514 So. 2d 1346 (Ala.1987), holding that Owens is not controlling in the landlord-tenant context where there are factual questions surrounding a landlord's duty to light and maintain "common" areas.
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the Court of Civil Appeals is reversed with respect to Jackson's negligence claim, and the cause is remanded.
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
HOOPER, C.J., and MADDOX, ALMON, and SEE, JJ., concur.
COOK, J., concurs in the result.
BUTTS, J., dissents.
COOK, Justice (concurring in the result).
In opposition to the motion for summary judgment, the plaintiff states in his brief that this is not the typical "step in the dark" case. The plaintiff contends that a guardrail should have been in place across the loading dock, or, alternatively, a warning of an unguarded drop-off. The plaintiff also contends that the evidence supports the inference that he reasonably followed a fireman, who had a flashlight, into the unlighted building. In other words, the plaintiff states that this case is not controlled by the absence of the landowner's duty to warn of the darkness; rather, he argues, this case presents a jury question on the question of the landowner's duty to erect a barrier across the loading dock or provide a warning of an unguarded drop-off. In addition, the plaintiff argues that it is a jury question whether he was contributorily negligent when he stepped away from the fireman into the dark in the direction of the fire *22 captain. If the landowner's standard of care called for a guardrail to be placed across the loading dock, which would have prevented the plaintiff's fall, the plaintiff's argument that the lack of a guardrail, rather than darkness, caused the fall would present a jury question.
I agree that darkness constitutes an open and obvious condition, for which there is no duty to warn. Owens v. National Security of Alabama, Inc., 454 So. 2d 1387 (Ala.1984). However, if the evidence indicates that the darkened condition was not the sole proximate cause of the fall, but that the fall was caused in part by the breach of some other duty, such as the lack of a guardrail, then the step-in-the-dark rule would not preclude this case from going to a jury. In reaching this determination, I do not focus on any conduct that may constitute contributory negligence by the plaintiff. I examine only the conduct of the defendant that relates to a duty owed or a breach of duty. Although I agree with the plaintiff's analysis on the applicability of the step-in-the-dark rule, I am not persuaded that the facts, as presented, constitute substantial evidence that the landowner breached a duty to erect a guardrail across the loading dock.
As the facts indicate, the plaintiff was called to the property in response to damage caused by a storm. The building was flooded and had no electrical service. The plaintiff's expert, Lawrence Weaver, testified, in substance, that if the loading dock is not being used as a loading dock then it should be guarded. He testified in part:
[1]  The injured plaintiff's wife filed a derivative claim for loss of consortium.