FI RST DI VI SI ON DOYLE, C. J.

, PHI PPS, P. J.

, and BOGGS, J.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

Nov em ber 20, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A0 99 3 . HILL v

. COLE CC KENNESAW GA, LLC et

al

.

P H I P P S , Pres i d i n g J u dg e.

Sh ak i ra Hi l l fi l ed a c o m

p l a i n t ag ai n st Co l e CC K en n es aw GA, LLC (“ Co l e

C C ” ), Co rp o rat e Faci l i t i es Gro u p , In c. (“ CFG”), an d K o n e, In c., t o reco v e r f o r

i n ju ri es sh e al l eg ed l y s u s t ai n ed wh en s h e t ri p p ed an d fel l wh il e en t eri n g an el ev at o r

t h at h ad n o t s t o p p ed l ev el wi t h t he fl o o r. Co l e CC own ed th e b u il d i n g wh ere t h e

i n ci d en t o ccu rred

, CFG m an ag ed t h e p rem i s es , an d Ko n e s erv i ced an d m ai nt ai n ed t h e

el ev at o rs

. Hi l l al l eg ed th at t h e d efen dan ts were n eg l i g en t b ecau s e t h ey had fai l ed to

p ro p erl y m ai n t ai n th e el ev at o rs

. C o l e CC, CFG, an d Ko n e m o v ed fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t , wh i ch m o ti o n s t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed i n t wo s ep arat e o rd ers

.In a p ri o r ap p eal

, Hi l l v. Ko n e (“ Hi ll I ”), 1 Hi l l ch al l en g ed t h e g ran t o f s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o Ko n e. 2 Th i s co u rt rev ers ed t h at ju d g m en t

. 3 Here, Hi l l ap p eal s t h e g ran t

o f s u m m ary j u d gm en t to Co l e CC an d CFG. Fo r t h e reas o n s th at fo l l o w, we rev ers e

t h at g ran t o f s u m

m ary ju d g m en t as wel l

.

[O] n ap peal fro m t h e d en i al o r g ran t o f s um m ary ju d g m en t t he ap p el l at e

co u rt i s t o co n du ct a d e n o vo rev i ew o f t h e ev i d en ce to d et erm in e

wh e t h e r t h ere ex i s t s a g en u in e i s s u e o f m at eri al fact

, an d wh et h er th e

u n d i s p ut ed fact s , v i ewed i n t h e l i g h t m os t fav o rab l e t o t h e n o n m o v i n g

p art y , warran t ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. 4

So v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o w ed t h a t o n N o v em b er 4

, 2 00 9

, an el ev at o r

t ech n i ci an em

p l o y ed b y Ko n e was at t h e b u i l d i n g i n wh i ch Hi l l wo rk ed

, p erfo rm i n g

p rev en ti v e m ai n t en an ce o n el ev at o rs n u m ber o n e, t h ree, an d fo u r, an d a frei g ht

el ev at o r. 5 Th e t ech n i ci an l eft t h e b u i l d i n g at 5 : 0 0 p .m

. aft er h e p u rp o rt ed l y co m p l et ed

t h e m ai n t en an ce an d th e el ev at o rs were wo rk i n g p ro p erl y

. At ab o u t 1 0 :0 0 th at n i g h t

,

1 3 2 9 Ga. Ap p . 7 1 6 (7 6 6 SE2 d 1 2 0 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

2 Id

.

3 Id

.

4 Ben t o n v. Ben t o n , 2 8 0 Ga. 4 6 8

, 4 7 0 (6 2 9 SE2 d 2 0 4 ) (2 00 6 ) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ); s ee Ho o d v. To d d , 2 8 7 Ga. 1 6 4 , 1 6 5 (6 9 5 SE2 d 3 1 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

5 See Hi l l I , s u pra at 71 7

.

2Hi l l an d a c o

- w o r k er en t ered el ev at o r n u m b er fo u r. Th e el ev at o r h ad s t o p p ed s u ch

t h at i t s fl o o r was n o t l ev el w i t h t h e b ui l d i n g ’ s fl oo r. Hi ll d i d n o t n o t i ce t h e

m i s l e v el i n g , an d t ri p p ed

, s t ri k i n g h er h ead on a m et al rai l i n g i n si de t h e el ev at o r.

Hi l l ’ s co -wo rk er t h en p us h ed a bu t t o n o n t h e el ev at or, cau s i n g t h e el ev at o r t o d es cen d

t o t he l o bb y fl o o r, wh ere a s ecu ri t y o ffi cer cal l ed 9 1 1

. H i l l was t ak en t o a h o s p i t al fo r

t reat m en t

. 6 Aft er H il l’ s fal l

, an o t h er b u i l d i n g o c cu p an t ro d e t h e sam e el ev at o r t o a

d i fferen t fl oo r, t hen ret u rn ed in t h e el ev at o r t o t h e l o bb y an d rep o rt ed t h at t he el ev at o r

was n o t fu n ct i o n i n g p ro p erl y

. 7 T h e i n ci d en t was t hen rep ort ed t o t h e Geo rg i a

Dep art m en t o f Lab o r, wh i ch s en t a rep res en t at i v e t o i n s pect t h e el ev at o r wi t h a Ko n e

em pl o y ee t h e n ex t day

. 8 Th ere i s ev i d en ce t hat t h ey in s p ect ed o n l y el ev at or n u m b er

t h ree - al t h o u g h Hi l l h ad fal l en i n e l e v a t o r n u m b er fo u r - an d t h at el ev at or n u m b er

fo u r was n o t rem o v ed fro m s erv i ce. 9 (No d efect s were fo u n d d u ri n g t h e i n s p ect i o n o f

el ev at o r n u m

ber t h ree.) 1 0

6 Id

.

7 Id

.

8 Id

.

9 Id

.

1 0 Id

.

3A . Pr i or

a p p ea l

In Decem b er 2 0 13

, t he t ri al co u rt g ran t ed Ko n e’ s m o ti o n fo r s u m m ary

ju d g m en t

, ho l d i n g th at K o n e h ad n o kn o wl ed g e of t h e lev el i ng p ro b l em b efo re t h e

i n ci d en t o ccu rred

, t h at Ko n e h ad a reg u l arl y s c h e d u l ed in s p ect io n an d s erv i ce

p ro g ram an d h ad p erfo rm ed m ai n t en an ce an d i n sp ect i o n o n t h e d ay o f t h e i n ci d en t

,

an d t h at t h ere was n o ev i d en ce t h at t h e el ev at o r h ad a d efect o n th e d at e o f t h e

i n ci d en t

.

In rev ers i ng t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t (i n No v em b er 2 01 4 ), t h i s co u rt i n Hi l l

I h el d t h at fact u al i s s u es rem ai n ed reg ard i n g wh et h er K o n e h ad co m p l i ed w i t h OCGA

§ 8 -2 -1 06

, w h ich req u i res p ro p ert y o wn ers t o t ak e cert ai n act i o n s fo ll o wi ng el ev at o r

acci den t s i nv ol v i n g p ers o nal i n j u ry o r d eat h

. 1 1 OCGA § 8 -2 -1 0 6 p ro v i d es , i n rel ev an t

p art :

( a ) T h e o wn er o r l es s ee s h al l rep o rt

, b y t el ep h o n e, t o t h e en fo rcem e n t

au t h o r i t y o n t he s am e d ay o r b y n oo n o n th e nex t wo rk d ay , . . . al l

el ev at o r

. . . r el at ed acci d en t s i nv o l v i n g p ers o nal in ju ry or d eat h

. T he

o wn er o r l es s ee s h al l al s o p ro v i d e a wri t t en rep o rt o f t h i s acci den t wi t h i n

s ev en d ay s

. . . . (c) A n y el ev at o r

. . . i n vo l v ed i n an acci d en t d es cri b ed

i n s u b s ect i o n (a)

. . . o f t h i s Co d e s ect i o n s h al l b e rem o v ed fro m s erv i ce

at t h e t im e o f t he acci d en t

. Th e eq ui p m en t s h al l n o t b e rep ai red

, al t ered

,

1 1 Id . at 71 8 -7 1 9

.

4o r p laced back i n s erv i ce u n t i l i n s p ect ed b y a cert ifi ed i n sp ect o r fo r th e

en fo rcem en t au t ho ri t y

.

Th e Hi l l I co u rt ex p l ai n ed

,

fai l u re t o co m

p l y wi t h t h[at ] s t at u t e, wh et h er i n ten t i o n al ly o r b y m i st ak e,

wo u ld co n s t i t u t e a fo rm o f s p o l i at i o n o f ev i d en ce, becau s e b y wo rk i n g

o n t he el ev at o r p ri o r t o i n sp ect i o n, th e ev i d en ce wo u l d hav e b een

t am p ered wi t h

, al t ered

, o r d es t ro y ed

. Sp o l i at i on creat es t h e p res u m p t i o n

t h at t h e ev i d en ce wo u l d h av e b e e n h a r m fu l t o t h e s p o li at o r. Pro of o f

s u ch co n d u ct wo u ld rai s e a reb u t t ab l e p res u m p t i on ag ai n s t Ko n e t h at th e

ev i d en ce fav ored Hi l l

, a fact ren d e r i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t

i n ap pro p ri at e. 1 2

Th e co u rt reas on ed :

Here, t h ere i s ev i d en ce t h at t h e i ns p ect i o n au t h o ri t i es were

n o t i fi ed [o f t h e acci d en t ] a n d cam e t o i n sp ect th e el ev at o r, b u t t h ere i s

s o m e ev i d en ce t h at t h e p os t -i n ci d en t i ns p ect io n was d o n e o n t h e wro n g

el ev at o r. T h u s , t h ere i s a q u e s t i o n o f fact as t o wh et h er t he co rrect

el ev at o r was t ak en o u t o f s erv i ce an d wh et her t h e co rrect el ev at o r was

i n s p ect ed i m

m ed i at el y fo l l o wi n g t h e i n ci d en t

, as req u i red b y OCGA §

8 -2 -1 0 6 . [T] h e fact t hat th e s t at e i n s pect o r co u l d n o t i d en t i fy p reci s el y

wh at cau s ed t h e m i sl ev el i n g can h ard l y b e s urp ri s i n g i n l i g h t of th e

ev i d en ce t h at th e i n s p ect i o n was o n t h e wro ng el ev at o r. B e c a u s e th e

r e co rd co n tai n s a fact u al d i s p u t e as t o co m p l i an ce wi t h OC G A §

1 2 Id . at 71 8 (fo o t n o t es an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

58 -2 -1 0 6

, a n d i n l i g h t o f [] ex p ert t es t i m o ny as t o Ko n e’ s fai l u re t o

p ro p erl y m ai n tai n t h e el ev at o r at i s s u e, su m m ary ju d g m en t was n o t

ap p ro p ri at e. 1 3

B . Th i s Ap

p ea l

In t h e i r m o t i o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t

, 1 4 Co le CC an d CFG co n t en d ed t h at

t h ere was n o ev i d en ce t h at t h ey h ad fai l ed t o m a k e t h e p r e m i s es s afe, an d t h at t h ey

co u ld n o t b e h el d v i cari o u sl y l i ab l e fo r K o n e’ s n eg l i g en ce b ecau se t h e tri al co u rt h ad

g ran t ed s u m

m ary ju d g m en t i n Ko n e’ s fav o r.

In i t s o rd er gran t i n g su m

m ary ju d g m en t to Co l e CC an d CFG, 1 5 t he t ri al co u rt

fo u n d t hat t h ey (Co le CC an d CFG) h ad no k no wl ed g e o r n ot i ce p ri or t o t h e i n ci d en t

t h at t he el ev at o r h ad a d efect ; t h at Ko n e h ad a reg u l arl y s ch ed u l ed i n sp ect i o n an d

s erv i ce p ro g ram t o d eal wi t h an y p ro b l em s wi t h th e el ev at o rs ; t hat Co l e CC an d CFG

were aware t h at Ko n e was p erfo rm i n g wo rk on t h e el ev at o rs ; t h at Co l e CC an d CFG

h ad no n o t i c e o f a d efect o n t h e d ay o f t h e al l eg ed i n ci d en t ; t h at t here was n o

ev i d en ce t h at t h ey h ad s u p eri o r k n o w l ed g e t h at t h e el ev at o r was n o t wo rk i n g p ro p erl y

1 3 Id . at 71 9 (fo o t n o t es an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

1 4 Th e m o ti o n was fi l ed i n Feb ru ary 2 0 1 4

.

1 5 Th e t ri al co u rt en t ered i t s o rd er gran t i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o Co l e CC an d
CFG i n J u n e 2 0 1 4

.

6o r h ad m al fu n ct i o n ed p ri o r t o t h e al leg ed i n ci d en t ; an d t h at b ecau s e Ko n e had b een

g ran t ed s u m

m ary ju d g m en t

, Co l e CC an d CFG co u l d n o t b e h el d v i cari o u s l y l i ab l e

fo r Ko n e’ s al l eg ed n eg l i g en ce.

Hi l l co n t en d s t h at t h e tri al co u rt erred by g ran t i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o Co l e

CC an d CFG b ecau s e (1 ) t h ere i s ev i den ce t h a t t hey h ad act u al an d s u p eri o r

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e defect an d fai l ed t o p ro p erl y m ai n t ai n t h e el ev at o r; an d (2 ) an y l ack

o f ev i d en ce s h o w i n g t h e ex i s t en ce of a d efect o n th e d at e o f t h e acci d en t is d u e to

s p o l i at i o n.

1

. Kn o wl ed

g e o f def ect an d d ut y t o m a i n ta i n el eva t o r

. P e r t i nen t to Co l e CC,

“ [t ] h e o w n er o f an offi ce b ui l d i n g , eq u i p p ed wi t h an el ev at o r wh i ch i s o p erat ed fo r

co n vey in g h i s t en an t s an d th ei r em pl o ye e s a nd p at ro n s t o an d fro m th e v ari ou s

fl oo rs ,” h as a d u t y

t o p ro t ect p as s en g ers i n t h e el ev at or. 1 6

Th i s d u t y req u i res hi m t o ex erci s e ex t rao rd i n ary d i l ig en ce o n b eh al f o f

h i m s el f an d h i s ag en t s t o p ro t ect t h e l i v es an d p ers o n s o f hi s p as s en g ers

.

. . .Th is d ut y can n o t b e wai v ed o r rel eas ed ev en b y an ex p res s co n t ract

. Bei n g o n e i n wh i ch t h e p u b l i c h as an i n t eres t

, p u bl i c p o l icy fo rb i d s s u ch

a wai v er o r rel eas e. Fo r th e s am e reas o n t h at t he d u t y can n ot b e av o i d ed

b y co n t ract w i t h t h e pas s en g ers , t hi s d u t y o f ex t rao rd i n ary d il i g en ce

1 6 Ga f f n e y v

. E Q K Rea l t y In ves t o r

s , 21 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 5 3

, 6 5 5 (4 4 5 SE2 d 7 7 1 ) (1 9 9 4).

7can n o t be d el eg at ed t o a t h i rd p art y

. T he o wn er’ s d u t y rem ai n s i n p l ace

reg ard l es s o f wh et her a t h i rd p art y acq u i r es a du t y b y u n dert ak i n g

m ai n t en an ce o r rep ai r. Th e o wn er i s l iab l e fo r s l i g h t n eg l i gen ce. 1 7

As to CFG, “ [a] n ag en t wh o u n dert ak es t h e s o l e an d co m p l et e co nt ro l an d

m an ag em en t o f t h e p ri n ci pal ’ s p rem i s es i s l iab l e t o t h i rd pers o n s, t o w h o m a d u t y i s

o wi ng o n t h e p art o f t h e o wn er, fo r i n ju ri es res u l t i n g fro m h i s neg l i gen ce i n fai l i n g

t o m ak e o r k eep t h e p rem i s es i n a s afe co n d i t i o n.” 1 8

Co l e CC an d CF G c o n c ed e t hat th ey “ can n o t av o id t h ei r d u t y [t o p ro t ect t h e

el ev at o r p as s en g ers ] b y co n t ract i n g wi t h a t hi rd p art y , an d t h ey rem ai n v i cari o u s l y

l i ab l e fo r an y n eg li g en ce b y Ko n e.” Th ey al s o ack n o wl ed g e t h at t h ey “ co u l d b e h el d

l i ab l e o n t h e bas i s of an y s l i g h t n eg l i g en ce wh i ch p ro x i m at el y cau s ed t h e in ju ri es to

[Hi l l]

, o r o n t h e b as i s o f [t h ei r] v i cari o u s l i ab i l i t y fo r s l i g h t n eg l i g en ce o n t h e p art o f

Ko n e.” Y et

, at t h e s am e t i m e, t h e y a s s ert t h at t here i s n o ev i d en ce t hat t h ey were

n eg li g en t

, s t at i n g t h at t hey

, “ t h ro u g h t he co n t ract wi t h Ko n e [

, ] h ad an ag g res s i v e

m ai n t en an ce an d rep ai r p ro g ram i n p l ace.” T hi s as s ert i o n i s u n co n v i nci n g becau s e i t

1 7 Id

.

1 8 Ra mey v. Pr i t ch et t

, 9 0 Ga. Ap p

. 7 4 5, 7 5 1 (3 ) (8 4 SE2 d 30 5 ) (1 95 4 ) (ci t at i o n

o m it t ed ).

8i g n o res th e ru l e th at t he d u t y o f ex t rao rd i n ary d i l ig en ce t o el ev at o r p as sen g ers can n ot

b e d el eg at ed t o a t h i rd p art y

. 1 9

As fo u n d in Hi l l I

, 2 0 t here i s ev i d en ce o f Ko n e’ s n eg l i g en ce, i n cl ud i n g “ ex p ert

t es t i m o ny as t o Ko n e’ s fai l u re t o p ro p erl y m ai n t ai n t h e el ev at o r at i ss u e.” 2 1

Hi l l rel i ed i n p art o n an affi d av it fro m h e r e x p e r t wh o av erred t h at th e

Ko n e s erv i ce t ech ni ci an wh o m ai n t ai n ed t he el ev a t o r s d i d s o i n a

m an n er i n co ns i s t en t wi th t h e ap p ro p ri at e K ONE m ai n ten an ce m an u al

. Fo r ex am p l e, t he t ech n i ci an den i ed i n a d ep o s it i on t hat cert ai n l ev el i n g

ch aract eri s ti cs s h o u l d b e ch eck ed d u ri n g ro u ti ne m ai nt en an ce, wh ich

de nia l co n t rad ict ed t h e p ro ced ure i n th e m ai n t en an ce m an u al

. T he e xpe r t

al s o n o t ed p ro b l em s wi t h Ko n e’ s reco rd k eep i n g (i n cl ud i n g m i s l ab el i n g

wh i ch el ev at o r h ad b een s erv i ced ) an d t h at al l of t h e e l e v a t o r s i n th e

b u i l di n g h ad ex p eri en ced l ev el i n g i s su es in t h e p as t

. Th e ex pert av erred

t h at Ko ne breach ed i n d u s t ry s t an d ard s fo r p ro p er m ai n t en an ce an d

i n s p ect i o n an d t h at “ h ad t h e p ro p er tes t s an d i n s p ect i o n an d m ai n ten an ce

o f t h e e l ev at o rs t ak en p l ace, t h e co m p o n en t s t h at were cau s i n g

m i s l ev el i n g is s u es wo u l d h av e b een i d en t i fi ed

, an d Ko n e wo u l d h a ve

k n o wn t o m ak e t h e n eed ed co rrect i on s t o t he eq u i p m en t . . . b efo re t he

m al fu n ct i o n ” t h at i n

ju red Hi l l

. 2 2

1 9 See Ga f f n ey , s u p ra.

2 0 Su p ra.

2 1 See Hi l l

I , s up ra at 7 1 9

.

2 2 Id . at 71 7 -7 1 8

.

9No t ab l y , t h ere was al s o ev i d en ce t h at a Ko n e t ech n i ci an h ad p rev i o u sl y d is cu s s ed t h e

el ev at o rs ’ m is lev el i n g p ro b l em s wi t h a CFG em p l o y ee. Th us , th ere was ev i d en ce o f

Co l e CC’ s an d CFG’ s n eg l i g en ce, p recl u d in g t h e g ran t o f s um m ary ju d g m en t

. 2 3

Co n trary to t h e as sert i o n o f Co l e CC an d CFG, Br a d y v. El eva t o r S

p eci a l i s t s 2 4

i s n o t co n t ro ll i ng h ere. In t h at cas e, t h e p lai n t i ffs “ [d i d ] n o t s ho w th at t h e i n s p ect i on s

o r m ai n ten an ce act u al ly perfo rm ed were neg l i g en t o r t h at [ t h e o wn er o r el ev at o r

m ai n t en an ce pro v i d er] k new o r were p u t o n n ot i ce d u ri n g t h es e p ro ced u res th at [t h e]

el ev at o r

. . . was d efect i v e,” 2 5 an d t h ere was “ no ev i d en ce t h at [t h e] m ai n t en an ce

p ro ced ures , as fo rm

u l at ed o r as carri ed o u t, were n o t i n co nfo rm i t y wi t h [t h e el ev at o r

m an u fact u rer’ s m ai n ten an ce] g u i d el i n es .” 2 6 Here, h owev er, th ere w as ev i d en ce t h at

Ko n e h ad b reach ed i n d u st ry s t an d ar ds f or pr ope r e l e va to r m ai n ten an ce an d i n s p ect i o n

an d t h at

, ab s en t th at b reach

, t he cau s e o f t h e m i s l ev el in g wo ul d h av e b een i d en t i fi ed

2 3 See g en eral l y Ru ben ’s Ri ch mo nd Dep t

. S t o r e v. W a l ker

, 2 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. 8 6 7,
8 6 8 (1 ) (4 9 0 SE2 d 5 36 ) (1 9 9 7 ); Ga f f ney , s u p ra.

2 4 2 8 7 Ga. Ap p

. 3 0 4, 3 0 8 -3 1 0 (2 ) (6 5 3 SE 2 d 5 9 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (affi rm in g g ran t o f

s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o p rem i s e s o wn er an d el ev at o r m ai n t en an ce p ro v i d er wh ere
p l ai n t i ff fai l ed t o s h o w d efen dan t s ’ s up eri o r k n o wl ed g e o f t h e defect i v e co n d i t i o n ).

2 5 Id . at 30 8 (2 ).

2 6 Id . at 30 5

.

10a n d Ko n e wo u l d h av e kn own wh at co rrect i o ns were n eed ed

. 2 7 Fu rt h er, u n l i k e t h e

i n s t an t cas e, Br a d

y d i d n o t i n v o l v e a s p o l i at i on i s s ue. 2 8

2

. S p o l i at i o n o

f evi d en ce

. Co l e CC an d CF G a s s e r t t h at t h e co u rt p ro p erl y

g ran t ed t h ei r m o ti on fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t b ecau se t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t hat t h e m i s

l ev el in g o n t h e d at e of t h e i n ci d en t was d ue t o a d efect

, an d an i n s p ect i o n co n d u ct ed

aft er t h e i n ci d en t r ev eal ed n o p ro bl em s wi t h t h e el ev at o r. Reg ard i ng OCGA § 8 -2

-

1 0 6

, t h ey as s ert t h at a t en an t o f t h e b u i l d i n g, n o t Co l e CC o r CFG, m o v ed t h e el ev at o r

b efo re an i ns p ect i o n co u l d o ccu r, an d t h at t h ey co m p li ed wi t h t h e s t at u t e o n ce t h ey

l earn ed o f t h e i n ci d en t

.

Ho wev e r , H il l co n t en d s t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred b y gran t i n g s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o Co le CC an d CFG b ecau s e an y l ack o f ev i d en ce s h o w i n g t h e ex i s t en ce

o f a d efect o n t h e d at e o f t h e acci d en t was d u e t o s p o l iat i o n

.

2 7 Hi l l I , s u p ra at 7 18 -7 1 9.

2 8 See B r a d

y , s u pra. See g en eral l y Ben e f i e l d v. To mi n i ch

, 3 0 8 Ga. Ap p

. 6 0 5,
6 0 9 (1 ) (7 0 8 SE2 d 5 6 3 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (“ i n o rd er t o p rev ai l at t h e s u m m ary -ju d gm en t s t ag e b as ed o n a lack o f co n s t ru ct i v e k n o wl ed g e, t h e o wn er m u s t d em o n s t rat e n ot o n l y t h at i t h ad a reas o n ab le in s p ect i o n p ro g ram i n p l ace, b u t t h at s u ch p ro g ram was act u al l y carri ed o u t at t h e ti m e o f t h e i n ci d en t ”) (fo ot n ot e an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i tt ed ) (p h y s i cal

p r e c ed en t o n l y ). Th e s po l i at io n i s s u e i n t h e i n s t an t cas e i s di scu s s ed i n Di v i s i o n 2

, i n fra.

11As t h e co u rt s t at ed i n H i l l I

, t here was ev id en ce t h at t he el ev at o r at i s s u e was

n o t rem o v ed fro m s erv i ce at th e t im e o f t h e acci d en t an d was p l aced b ack i n s erv i ce

b efo re i n s p ect i o n

. 2 9 Th e a p p el l ees ’ fai l u re t o co m pl y wi t h t h e s t at u t e, wh et h er

i n t en t i o n al l y o r b y m i s t ak e, co n s t i t u t ed a fo rm o f sp o li at i o n , ren d eri n g s u m m ary

ju d g m en t i n ap p ro p ri at e. 3 0

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Do yl e, C. J., a n d Bo g

g s , J., co n cu r

.

2 9 Hi l l I , s u p ra.

3 0 See i d .; Th oma s v. MARTA

, 3 0 0 Ga. Ap p

. 9 8 -1 02 (1 ) (6 84 SE2 d 8 3 ) (2 0 0 9 );

La n e v. Mo n t

g o mer y El eva to r Co

. , 2 2 5 Ga. Ap p

. 5 2 3

, 5 2 5 (1 ) (4 8 4 SE2 d 2 49 ) (1 9 9 7 ).

12