FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, GOBEI L, J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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

M ar ch 27, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 6 4 9

. W ILLIAM S INVESTM ENT COM PANY v

. GIRARDOT.

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e J u d g e.

Ap p e l l e e Y u l on da Gi rard o t fi l ed s ui t ag ai n st ap p el l an t W i l l i am s In v es t m en t

Co m p an y d / b / a Day s In n (“ t h e h o t el ”) t o reco v er d am ag e s tha t s h e al l eg ed l y s u s t ai n ed

wh en s h e s l i p p ed an d fel l o n a wet s i d ewal k at a p p el lan t ’ s h o tel

. Th e h o t el fi l ed a

m o ti o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t

, wh i ch t h e t ri al co urt d en i ed

. W e g ran t ed t h e h o t el ’ s

ap p li cat io n fo r i n t erl o cu to ry ap p eal to rev i ew th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i on

. On ap p eal

, t h e

h o t el co n t en d s t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g s um m ary ju dg m en t i n i t s fav o r

b ecau s e t h e u n di s p u t ed ev i d en ce es t ab l i s h ed t h at Gi rard o t (1 ) h ad eq u al

, o r s u p eri o r,

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e al l eg ed h azard ou s co n d i t i on an d (2 ) as s u m ed t h e ri s k as s o ci at ed

wi t h t h e al leg ed h azard . W e ag ree wi t h t h e h o tel an d rev ers e.Su m

m ary ju d g m en t i s p ro p er w h en n o g en u i n e is su e o f m at eri al fact

ex i s ts an d t h e m o v an t is en t i t l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. OCGA

§ 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). A d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew ap p l i es t o an a p p eal fro m

a g ran t o f s u m

m ary ju dg m en t

, a n d w e v i ew t h e ev i den ce, an d al l

reas o n ab l e co n cl u s i o n s an d i n feren ces d rawn fro m i t , i n t h e l i gh t m o s t

fav o rab le t o th e n on m o v an t

.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Pi n ckn ey v. Co vi n g t o n At h l et ic Cl u b & Fi t n es s Ct r

. , 2 8 8 Ga. Ap p.

8 9 1 , 8 9 1 (6 5 5 SE2 d 65 0 ) (2 0 0 7 ).

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at on J u l y 1

, 2 0 1 6

, Gi rard o t an d h er f o u r

g ran d ch il d ren were g u es t s at t h e h o t el t h at ap pel l an t o w n ed an d o p erat ed

. G i rard o t ’ s

h o t e l r o o m was l o cat ed i n cl os e p ro x i m i t y t o t h e h ot el ’ s po o l. Aft er d i n n er, at

ap p ro x i m at el y 6 : 3 0 p .m

., Gi rard o t an d h er g ran d ch il d ren wen t t o t h e p o o l

. W h en

wal k i n g t o t h e p o o l area, G i rard o t d i d n o t n o t i ce an y th i n g h azard o u s o r sl i pp ery ab o ut

t h e s u b ject s i d ewal k b et w een t h e h o tel ro om an d t h e p o o l.

Gi rard o t r e m a i n ed at t h e p o o l fo r ap p ro xi m at el y an ho u r. At s om e p o i n t

,

Gi rard o t l eft th e p o ol area t o es co rt h er y o u n g es t g ran d s o n t o t h e b at h ro o m

. Gi rard ot

an d h er gran d so n t rav ers ed t h e s am e ro u t e b ack t o ward t h e h o t el ro o m t h at t h ey h ad

t ak en t o t h e p o o l

. It w as n ear d u s k an d l i g ht s i l l u m i n at ed t h e s i d ewal k l ead i n g fro m

t h e p o ol area t o t he h o t el ro o m

.

2Acco rd i ng t o Gi rard o t

, t h ere h ad b e e n ap p ro x im at el y s i x o th er g ues t s at t h e

p o o l

, an d o t h er p oo l g ues ts m ay h av e w al k ed d o wn t h e s am e s i d ewal k b efo re h er.

Gi rard o t ’ s g ran d s on h ad n o t dri ed off at t h e po o l an d had wat er d ri p p i n g fro m h i m as

h e w a l k ed ah ead of Gi rard o t

. Gi rard o t d es cri b ed t h at

, as s h e wal k ed fro m t h e p o ol

area, t h e l i gh t s i ll u m i n at ed t h e si d ewal k an d s h e s aw t h at t h e s i d ewal k l ead i n g t o t h e

h o t el ro o m was pai n t ed

, “ sh i n[y ] ,” an d wet

. Gi rard o t al s o o b s erv ed t h at a p ort i o n o f

t h e en am el o n t h e s i d ewal k ’ s s u rface was p eel i n g o ff. Gi rard ot fu rt h er d es cri b ed t h at

as t h e l i g h t was s h i n i ng o n t h e wet s id ewa l k

, s h e co u l d see t h at “ i t l o o k ed s l i ck .”

Reco g n i zi n g t h at t h e w et s i d ewal k area req u ired t h e ex erci s e o f cau t i on

, Gi r a rd ot

warn ed h er g ran d so n t o “ s l ow d o wn [.] ”

Wh i le t rav ers i n g t h e wet s i dewal k

, G i rard o t s l i p p ed an d fel l

. 1 Sh e s u ffered

m u lt i p l e i n ju ri es t o t h e l eft s i d e o f h er b od y as a res ul t o f t he fal l

. Sh e rep o rt ed t h e fal l

i n ci d en t t o t h e h ot el ’ s fro n t d es k s h o rt ly t h ereaft er an d t h e h ot el m an ag er co m p l et ed

an i n ci d en t rep o rt o n t he fo l l o w i n g d ay

.

1 At h er d ep o s i t i o n

, Gi rard o t i d en t i fi ed t h e s i d ewal k wh ere s h e fel l i n a

p h o t o g rap h

. Sh e fu rt h er cl ari fi ed t h at t h ere were b u s h es an d a g ras s y area nex t t o t h e

s i dewal k wh ere s h e fel l

.

3Gi rard o t fi led su i t ag ai n s t t he h o t el

, s eek i n g t o r e c o v er fo r d am ag es t h at s h e

al l eg ed l y s u s t ai n ed as a res u lt o f t h e fal l i n ci d en t

. Aft er d ep o s in g G i rard o t

, t h e h o t el

fi led a m ot i o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t

. In res p o n s e t o t he m ot i o n, Gi rard o t p res en t ed

an ex p ert affi d av i t fro m a r e t i r e d O S HA t rai n er wh o o pi n ed t h at th e h o t el fai l ed to

m ai n t ai n t h e s i d ewal k i n a reas o nab l y s afe co n d it i on ; t h e s i d e w al k su rface h ad

d et eri o rat ed p ai n t

, w h i ch s ig ni fi can t l y i n creas ed t h e l ik el i h o o d of a p ed es t ri an

s l ip p i ng wh en m o i s t u re was p res en t ; an d t h at Gi rard ot ’ s fal l was l i kel y cau s ed b y t h e

u n ev en s u rface m at eri al o n t h e s i d ewal k

. T h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed th e h o t el ’ s m o t i o n an d

t h e i n s t an t ap p eal en su ed

.

Th e own er o r o ccu p i er o f [a] p rem i s es i s un d er a d u t y t o k eep i t s

p rem i s es reas o n ab l y s afe an d t o warn o f h i d den da n ger

s o r d ef ect s n o t

o b s er va b le t o i n vi t ees wh o are ex erci s i n g o r d i n ary care fo r t hei r o wn

s afet y

. Ho wev e r

, a p ro p ert y o wn er i s n ot an in s u rer o f t h e s afet y o f i t s

i n v i te e s

. Th e m ere s h o w i n g o f t h e o ccu rren ce o f an i n ju ry d o es n o t

creat e a p res u m

pt io n o f n eg l i g en ce.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n c t u a t i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as is s u p p l i ed .) Cl eg h o r n v. W i n n Di xi e

S t o r es , 2 2 8 Ga. Ap p. 7 6 6 , 7 6 6 (4 9 2 SE2 d 7 45 ) (1 9 9 7).

[T] o reco ver d am ag es fo r i n ju ri es s u st ai ned i n a s l i p -an d-fal l act i o n

, an

i n v i tee m us t p ro v e (1 ) t h a t t h e defen d an t h ad act u al o r co n s t ru ct iv e

k n o wl ed g e o f th e h azard ; an d (2 ) t h at t h e p l ai n t i ff lack ed k n o w l ed g e o f

4t h e h azard des p i te t h e ex erci s e o f o rd i n ary care d u e t o act i o n s o r

co n d i t i o n s wi t hi n t he co n t ro l o f t h e o wn er/ occu p i er.

(Pu n ct u at i on an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed .) W ei cker t v. Ho me Dep o t U. S

. A.

, 3 4 7 Ga. Ap p.

8 8 9 , 8 9 1 (8 2 1 SE2 d 11 0 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

A p l ai n t i ff can n ot reco v er o n a p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y cl ai m u n les s th e

d efen d an t h ad s u peri o r k n o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard ; co n s e q u e n t l y

, th e

d efen d an t i s en t i t l ed t o su m m ary ju d g m en t i f t here i s no e v i d e n c e t hat

i t h ad s u p eri o r k n o wl ed g e o r i f t h e u n d is p u t ed ev i d en ce d e m o n s t rat es

t h at t h e pl ai n t i ff’ s k n o w l ed g e o f t h e h azard was eq ual t o o r g reat er t h an

t h at o f t h e d efen d an t

.

(Pu n ct u at i on an d fo o tn o t e o m i t t ed .) Di a z v. W i ld A d ven t u r es

, In c.

, 2 8 9 Ga. Ap p

. 8 8 9,

8 9 1 (6 58 SE2 d 3 6 2 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

In t h e i n s t an t cas e, th e h ot el arg u es t h at i t was en t i t l ed t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t

b ecau s e t h e u n d i sp u t e d ev i d en ce, i n cl u d i n g Gi rard o t ’ s o wn dep o s it i on t es t i m o n y

,

es t ab l i s h ed t h at s h e h ad at l eas t eq u al k n o w l ed g e o f t h e h azard o u s co n d i t i o n b efo re

s h e p ro ceed ed t o w al k o n t h e s i d ewal k . W e ag ree.

Si g n i fi can t l y

, at h er d ep o s i t i o n

, Gi r a r d o t t es ti fi ed t h at s he h ad prev i o u s l y

t rav ers ed t h e s am e s i d ewal k aft er s h e h ad ch eck ed in t o t h e h o t el an d was i n i t i al l y

g o i n g t o t h e h o tel ro o m

. A t t h at t i m e, s h e n o t i ced t hat t h e s i d ewal k ’ s s u rface h ad

5ch i p p ed p ai n t

, bu t s h e h ad n o d iffi cu l t y wal k in g o n t h e s i d ewal k

. Sh e fu rt h er t es t i fi ed

t h at w h en sh e l at er w a l k e d f r o m t h e p o o l area, t h ere were l i g h t s il l um i n at i n g t h e

s i dewal k area an d s h e s aw t h at t h e p ai n t ed si d ewal k was “ s h i n[y ] ” an d ap p eared to

b e wet

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, s h e d em o ns t rat ed t h e p at h t hat s h e to o k aro un d th e co rn er fro m

t h e p o o l an d co n fi rm ed t h at “ [s h e] h ad s een t h at i t w as wet wh en [s h e] cam e aro u n d

[fro m t h e p o ol area] becau s e

. . . t h e l i g h t i ng [was ] sh i n in g o n i t

, [an d ] y o u co u l d s ee

i t l o o ked s l i ck

. ” Sh e co nfi rm ed t h at b ecau se o f t h e l i g h t i n g

, t h e w et s i d ewal k was

m o re no t iceab l e an d s h e co ul d s ee th e s i dewal k area wel l

. Gi rard o t ’ s ap p reci at i o n o f

t h e h azard i s h i g hl i g h t ed b y t h e fact t h at s h e warn ed her g ran d s o n t o ex erci s e cau t i o n

as h e wal k ed ah ead o f h er. T h i s co m b i ned t es t i m o n y es t ab l i sh ed t h at t h e al l eg ed

s i dewal k h azard was o p en l y v is i b l e d u e t o l i g h t s i l l u m i n at i n g t h e s i dewal k an d t h at

Gi rard o t h ad o b serv ed an d ap p reci at ed t h e s i d ewal k h azard b efo re s h e wal k ed u p o n

i t

. 2 “ Sh e n ev ert h el es s ch o s e t o n e g o t i at e t he h azard an d t h u s as su m ed t h e ri s k as to

2 W h i le t h e ev i den ce s h o ws t h at Gi rard o t was aware o f t h e h a z a r d o u s wet

c o n d i t i o n o n t h e s i dewal k pri or t o t h e fal l

, t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at th e h o t el h ad

s u p eri o r k n o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard

. Th ere i s n o ev i d en ce as t o h o w lo n g t h e s i d ewal k

h ad been wet

. Li k ewi s e, t h ere i s n o ev id en ce t h at an y h o t el em pl oy ees h ad been i n t h e

i m m ed i at e v i ci n it y wh o co u l d h av e d i s co v ered t h at t h e s i dewal k w as wet p ri o r t o t h e

i n ci d en t

. An d Gi rard o t do es no t p o i n t to an y ev i den ce t h at t h e h o t el h ad no t i ce o f

p ri o r f a l l s o n t h e s i dewal k

. Un d er t hes e ci rcu m st an ces

, G i rard o t h as fai l ed t o s h o w

t h at t h e h o t el h ad act u al o r co n s t ru ct i ve kn o wl ed g e o f t h e wet h azard o us co n d i t i o n.

See Fu l t o n -Deka l b Ct

y. H o sp

. Au t h

. v. Es t es

, 1 8 7 Ga. Ap p

. 1 2 0

, 1 2 1-1 2 2 (3 6 9 SE2 d

6t h e k n o wn co n d i t i o n b y v ol u n t ari ly act i n g in t h e face o f s uch k n o w l ed g e.”

(Pu n ct u at i on an d fo ot n o t e o m i t t ed .) Emo ry Un i v. v. S mi t h

, 2 6 0 Ga. Ap p

. 9 0 0,

9 0 2 -9 0 3 (5 8 1 SE2 d 4 0 5 ) (2 0 0 3 ). 3

Becau s e Gi rard o t ’ s d ep o s i t i on t es ti m o n y p l ai nl y an d in d i s p ut ab l y s h o ws t h at

s h e h ad at l eas t eq u a l k n o w l ed g e o f t he wet

, s l i ck h azard b efo re s he v o l u n t ari l y

p ro ceed ed t o t rav ers e t he s i dewal k

, t he h o t el w as en t i t led t o s um m ary ju dg m en t i n i t s

fav o r. See Br i dd l e v

. Co r n er s to n e Lo dg e o

f Amer i ca

, 2 88 Ga. A p p

. 3 53

, 3 5 5 (6 5 4

SE2 d 1 8 8 ) (2 0 07 ) (affi rm i n g gran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t t o d efen d an t i n s l i p an d fal l

a c t i o n wh en ev i d en ce s h o wed t h at p l ai n ti ff was aware o f th e wet fl o o r hazard a n d

v o l u n t ari l y ch os e t o wal k acro s s t h e wet su rface); Emo r y Un i v.

, 2 6 0 G a. Ap p

. at

9 0 2 -9 0 3 (t ri al co u rt erred i n d e ny ing d efen d an t’ s m o t i o n fo r su m m ary ju dg m en t wh en

2 6 2 ) (1 98 8) (d efen d an t w as en t i t l ed to s u m m ary ju dg m en t w hen t h ere was n o

ev i d en ce h o w l o n g t h e fl o o r h ad b een al l owed t o rem ai n i n a wet co n d it i o n o r t h at an

em pl o y ee o f d efen d an t was i n t h e i m m ed i at e v i c i n i t y to hav e an o p p ort u n i t y to

d i s co v er t h e h azard o u s co n d i t io n ).

3 Gi rard o t d oes n o t as s ert o r p o i n t t o an y ev i den ce t h at s h e was co n s t rai n ed by

ci rcu m s t an ces t o wal k o n t h e s i d ewal k wh ere t h e h azard ex i s t ed

. An d n o s u ch fi n d i n g

was m ad e b y t h e t ri al co u rt

. “ W here a p l ai n t i ff i s n o t req u i red t o t rav ers e a ro u t e u p o n

wh i ch a k no wn h azard ex i s ts

, b u t ch o o s es t o d o s o

, s h e can b e d e e m ed t o h av e

v o l u n t ari l y as s u m ed t h e ri sk o f i n ju ry .” (Ci tat i o n s an d em

p h as is o m i t t ed .) Lea v. Am.

Ho me Eq u i t i es , 2 1 0 Ga. Ap p . 2 1 4 , 2 1 5 (2 ) (4 3 5 SE2 d 7 3 4 ) (1 9 9 3 ).

7t h e ev i d en ce s ho wed th at p l ai n t i ff s aw t h e s l o p ed

, p ai nt ed

, an d wet ram p h azard

b efo re s h e s t ep p ed o n i t

, b u t s he ch o se t o n eg o t i at e th e h a z a r d ); Cl eg h or n

, 2 2 8 Ga.

Ap p . at 7 6 6 -7 6 7 (p ro p ert y own er was en t i t l ed t o s u m m ary ju d g m en t wh en p l ai n t i ff

co n ced ed t h at n o t hi n g ob s t ru ct ed h is v i ew o f t h e fl oo r h azard an d m ad e n o cl ai m t h at

h e h ad b een d i s t ract ed

, b u t ap p aren t l y d eci d ed t h at h e co u ld s afel y t rav ers e t h e area

b y wal k in g “ very carefu l ly ”).

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Ba r n es , P. J., a n d

Go b ei l , J., co n cu r

.

8