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

, A NDREWS, P. J.

, and RA Y, 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

Januar y 13, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 17 3 . YAN v . HERLIS ASSOCIATES, LLC et al

.

A N D R E W S , Pres i d in g J u d g e.

Hu i zh u Yan co m

m en ced t h i s act i o n ag ai ns t Jan e T. St

. Cl ai r, M .D., P.C., d / b / a

W el l b ei n g s Occu p at i o n al H e a l t h c are, al o n g w i t h t h e o wn er an d m an ag em en t

co m p an y o f t h e p rem i ses w h ere Dr. St

. Cl ai r’ s m ed i cal o ffi ce w as l o cat ed

, s eek i n g

reco v ery fo r i n

ju ri es s h e s us t ai n ed as s h e h el ped h er n ep h ew l eav e t h e p rem i s es aft er

h i s ap p oi n t m en t wi t h Dr. St

. Cl ai r. Th i s ap p eal fo l l o ws t he t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n al ju d g m en t

d i s m i s s i n g Co un t 2 o f t h e co m p l ai n t

.

In h er co m

p l ai n t

, Yan al l eg ed t h at o n A p ri l 1 2

, 2 0 1 3

, sh e acco m p an i ed h er

n ep hew t o D r. St

. Cl ai r’ s o ffi ce fo r t reat m en t o f an i n ju ry t h at i m

p ai red h is ab i l i t y to

wal k

. As t h ey l eft Dr. St

. Cl ai r’ s o ffi ce, t h e n ep h ew l o st h i s b al an ce an d fel l i n t o Yan

,cau s i n g h er t o fal l o n t h e co n cret e s t ai rway

. Co u n t 2 o f Yan ’ s co m p lai n t fau l t ed Dr.

St . Cl ai r fo r n o t as s i s t i n g Yan ’ s n ep h ew o ff t h e p rem i s es

.

Dr. St

. Cl ai r m o v ed to d i s m i s s Yan ’ s co m p lai n t o n t h e gro u n d s t h e co m p l ai nt

al l eg ed m ed i cal m al p ract i ce bu t fai l ed t o at tach an ex p ert ’ s affi dav it as req u i red by

OCGA § 9 -1 1 -9 .1

. In res p o ns e, Yan as s ert ed h er c o m p l ai n t al l eg ed an o rd i n ary

n eg li g en ce cl ai m , n o t m ed ical m al p ract i ce, t h u s ob v iat i n g th e n eed fo r an ex p ert

affi d av i t. Th e t ri al co u rt di s m is s ed Co u nt 2 o f t h e co m p l ai n t fo r fai l u re t o s t at e a

cl ai m fo r wh i ch rel i ef co u l d b e g ran t ed

, q u ot i n g “ t h e l o n g -es t ab l i sh ed g en eral ru l e

.

. . t hat a p ers on is u n d er n o d u t y t o res cu e an o t h er fro m a s i t u at i o n of peri l wh i ch t h e

fo rm er h as n ot cau s ed

, ev en wh en t h e p eri l i s fo res eeab l e.” (Pu n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed .) Bo l l er v. Ro b er t W

. W o o d r u f f A rt s Cen t er , 3 1 1 Ga. Ap p

. 6 9 3

, 6 9 6 (1 ) (7 1 6

SE2 d 7 1 3) (2 0 1 1).

In d et erm i n i n g , as a m at t er o f l aw, wh et h er t h e co m pl ai n t al l eg ed

cl ai m s b as ed o n o rd i n ary n eg l i g en ce, p ro fes s io n al n eg l i g en ce, o r b o th

,

we co n s t ru e t h e co m

pl ai n t u n d er t h e t es t ap p l i ed t o m o t io n s to d i s m i s s

f o r fai l u re t o s t at e a cl ai m i n OCGA § 9 -1 1 -1 2 (b ) (6 ). W e l oo k s o l e l y

t o th e al l eg at io n s of t h e co m p l ai n t an d l i beral ly co n s t ru e t h e al l eg at i o n s

t o s t at e a cl ai m i f, wi t h i n t h e fram ewo rk o f t h e co m p lai n t, t h e p l ai n ti ff

m ay i n t ro du ce ev i d en ce w h i ch wi l l su s t ai n a g ran t o f rel i ef b as ed o n th e

cl ai m

.

2(Ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed .) Hea l t h Mg mt

. As s o c. v. Ba z emo r e , 2 8 6 Ga. Ap p

. 2 8 5, 28 7 (6 4 8

SE2 d 7 4 9) (2 0 0 7).

I n t h e i n s t an t cas e, to t h e ex t en t Yan ’ s Co u n t 2 i n h er co m pl ai n t m ay b e

co n st ru ed t o s t at e a cl ai m fo r p ro fes s i o n al n eg l i g en ce in fai l i ng to p ro v i d e her n ep h ew

wi t h as si s t an ce in w a l k i n g , t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d i sm i s s al o f t h at co u nt m u s t b e u p h el d

b ecau s e o f Yan ’ s fai l u re t o su b m i t an ex p ert affi d av i t as req u i red b y OCGA § 9 -1 1

-

9 .1

. A n d t o th e ex t e n t C o u n t 2 m ay b e co n st ru ed as m erel y s t at i n g a cl ai m fo r

o rd i n ary n eg l i g en ce, we fi n d t h e t ri al co u rt pro p erl y ap p l i ed th e “ n o d u t y t o res cu e”

ru l e ex p o u n ded i n Bo l l er , s u p ra.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, C. J., a n d

Ra y, J., co ncu r

.

3