FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, JJ.

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

Febr uar y 27, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A2 34 2

. ERM ERT v. W ILDW O OD AT M EAD O W G A TE

HOM EOW

NERS ASSOCIATION, INC. et al

.

C O O M E R , J u d ge.

Th i s cas e ari s es o u t o f a p rem i s es l i ab il i t y act i o n. J u d y Erm ert ap peal s t h e t ri al

c o urt ’ s o rd er g ran t i n g s u m m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f W i l d wo o d A t M ead o w G a t e

Ho m eo wn ers As s o ci at i o n

, In c., (“ W i l d wo o d ”) an d H e ri t ag e Pro p ert y M an ag em en t

Serv i ces

, In c., (“ H eri t ag e”), (co l l ect i v ely

, the “ H O A ” )

. E r m e r t co n t en d s t h e t ri al co u rt

erred i n g ran t i n g t h e HOA’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary j u d gm en t b ecau s e g en u i n e i s s u es

o f fact ex i s t reg ard i n g t h e HOA’ s neg l i g en ce. Erm ert al s o co n t en ds th e t ri al co u rt

erred b y co ncl u d in g t h at t h e al l eg ed s t at i c d efect t hat cau s ed Erm ert ’ s i n ju ry co u l d n ot

h av e b een fo u n d b y an o rd i n ary i n s pect io n, an d b y co n cl u d i ng t h at i n o rd er t o fi n dt h e s t at i c d efect

, “ o ne h ad to s t ep i n i t

, o r s cro u n g e aro u n d t h e g ras s

. ” Fo r t h e

fo l l o w i n g reas on s

, we affi rm

.

W e ap p ly a d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew t o an ap p e a l fro m a g ran t o f

s u m m ary ju d g m en t an d v i ew t h e e v 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 nferen ces d rawn fro m i t, i n t he l i gh t m os t fav o rab l e t o

t h e n o n m o v an t

. A d efen d an t m ay o b t ai n s u m m ary ju d g m en t b y s h owi n g

an ab s en ce o f ev i d en ce s u p p o rt i n g at l eas t o n e es s en ti al el em en t of th e

p l ai n t i ff’ s cl ai m

.

Do n a s t o r g v. R a i n b ow U

S A

, In c

. , 3 4 2 G a. A p p

. 2 1 5

, 2 1 5 (8 0 2 SE2 d 4 2 5 ) (2 0 1 7 )

(ci t at i o n o m i tt ed ).

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at W il d wo o d o wn s p ro p ert y w it h cert ai n g ras s y

co m m o n areas i n Gwi n n et t Co u n t y t hat Heri t ag e m an ag es an d Preci s i o n M ai n t en an ce

Gro up

, LLC (“ Preci s io n ”) 1 m ai n t ai n s. On t h e m o rn i n g o f Sep t em b er 2

, 20 1 6

, Erm ert

was wal ki n g i n o n e o f t h e co m m o n areas n ear a p o n d wh en s h e s t ep ped in a h o l e in

t h e g ras s t h at cau s ed h er t o fal l an d fract u re h er fo o t

. O n Sep tem b er 1 9

, 2 0 1 6

, t h en

W i ld wo o d p res id en t Fl o y d Neal em ai l ed Heri t ag e’ s p ro p ert y m an ag er, R h o n d a

Beas l ey , reg ard i n g a co n v ers at io n h e h ad w i t h Erm ert ’ s s o n ab ou t Erm ert ’ s fal l an d

1 Preci s io n w as ad d ed t o t h e laws u i t aft er Erm ert i n i t i al l y fi led t h e act i o n g i v i n g

ri se to th i s ap p eal

. Preci s io n fi l ed a s ep arat e m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju dg m en t

, wh i ch t h e

t ri al co u rt g ran t ed . Ho w ev er, Preci s i o n i s n o t a p art y t o t h is ap p eal

.

2s u b s eq u en t i n ju ri es

. In t he em ai l

, Neal ex p l ai n s t h at h e was co n t act ed o n Sep t em b er

1 7

, 2 0 1 6 b y

Erm ert ’ s s o n wh o t o l d h i m t hat h i s m o t h er s t ep p ed i n a h o l e an d b ro k e

h er an k l e wh il e wal k i n g b y t h e p o n d i n t h e co m m o n area. Erm ert ’ s s o n cl ai m ed t h at

Erm ert u nd erwen t t wo s u rg eri es t o rep ai r t h e d am ag e cau s ed b y t h e fal l an d wo u ld

h av e t o s p en d s o m e t i m e in a reh a b i l i t a t i o n faci l i t y

. Erm ert ’ s s o n req u es t ed t h at

W i ld wo o d p ay Erm ert ’ s o u t -o f-p o ck et ex pen s es rel at ed t o h er i n ju ri es an d t reat m en t

.

In t h e em ai l

, Neal ex p l ai n ed th at t h ere were n o fact s or ev i de n c e t o s u p p o rt

Erm ert ’ s c l a i m

. He wen t o n t o s t at e t h at o n Sep t em b er 1 7

, 2 0 1 6

, at ap p ro x i m at el y

3 : 0 0 p .m

., he w en t t o t h e area w h ere Erm ert ’ s s o n s ai d h i s m o t h er s t ep p ed i n t o t h e

h o l e an d t o ok s ev eral p h ot o g rap h s

. Neal ’ s pi ct u res d id n o t rev eal an y h o l es i n t h e area

t h at m et t h e d es cri p t i o n p ro v i d ed b y E r m e r t ’s s o n

. N eal d id lo cat e o n e h o l e t h at h e

s p ecu l at ed co u l d h av e p o s s ib l y cau s ed t h e i n

ju ri es t o Erm ert ’ s an k l e, b u t i t was n ot

l o cat ed i n t h e area wh ere Erm ert ’ s s o n al l eg ed t h e fal l t o o k p l ace.

Erm ert fi l ed a co m

p l ai n t i n Ap ri l 2 0 17 ag ai n s t HOA s eek i ng d am ag es fo r h er

i n ju ri es

, m ed i cal ex p en s es

, an d p ai n an d s u fferi n g

. Er m ert m o v ed t h e t ri al co u rt to

ad d Preci s i o n as a p art y t o t h e l aws u i t an d am en d ed h er co m pl ai n t . HOA l at er fi l ed

a m o t i o n fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t , wh i ch t h e tri al co u rt gran t ed

, fo l l o wi ng a h eari n g.

3In i t s o rd er g ran t in g HOA’ s m o t i o n o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t

, t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d

n o ev i d en ce in t h e reco rd th at HOA h ad act u al or co ns t ru ct i v e k n o w led g e o f an y h o l e

i n t h e area wh ere E rm ert fel l

, an d t h e HOA’ s d u ty t o Erm ert

, an i n v i tee, 2 was t o

ex e r c i s e o rd i n ary care t o p ro tect ag ai n s t an y u n reas o n ab l e ri sk s

. Th e t ri al co u rt

fu rt her fo u n d th ere was n o ev id en ce i n t h e reco rd t o s u g g es t t h at a n y n o rm al an d

reas on ab l e i n s p ect i o n o f t he p ro p ert y wo u l d h av e rev eal ed t h e h o l e becau s e i n o rd er

t o fi n d t h e h o l e “ o n e h ad t o s t ep i n i t

, o r s cro un g e aro u n d t h e g ras s .” Acco rd i n g l y

, t h e

t r i a l c o u r t c o n cl u d ed th ere was n o g en u i n e fact i s s u e fo r t h e ju ry t o deci d e. Th i s

ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

W i t h reg ard to p rem i s es -l i ab i l it y cas es

, i n Ge o r g i a

, a p ro p ri et o r

h as a s t at u to ry d u t y t o ex erci s e o rd i n ary care t o k eep i t s p rem i s es s afe,

wh i ch i n cl u d es in sp ect i n g t h e p rem is es t o d i sco v er po s si b l e d an g ero u s

co n d i t i o n s of wh i ch t he pro p ri et o r d o es n o t h av e act u al k n o wl ed ge, an d

t ak i n g reas o n ab l e precau t i on s t o p ro t ect i n v i t ees fro m d an gers

fo res eeab l e fro m t h e arran g em en t o r u s e o f t h e p rem i s es

. N ev ert h el es s

,

p ro o f t h at an i n vi t ee t ri p p ed o r fel l, w i t ho u t m o r e, d oes n o t es t ab l i s h

l i ab i l i t y o n t h e p art o f t h e p ro p ert y o wn er o r o ccu p i er. Rat h er, i n o rd er

fo r a p l ai n t i ff t o reco v er d am ag es fo r i n ju ri es su s t ai n ed in a s l i p -an d -fal l

act i o n

, an i n v i t ee m

u s t p ro v e (1 ) t h at t h e d efen d an t h ad act ual o r

co n s t ru ct iv e k n o wl ed g e o f th e hazard ; an d (2 ) t h at t h e p l ai n t iff l ack ed

2 Erm ert d o es n o t ch al l en g e th e t ri al co u rt ’ s co n cl us i o n t h at s h e was an i n v i t ee

o f HOA.

4k n o wl e d g e o f t h e h azard d es p it e 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 c o n d i t i o n s wi t h i n th e co n t ro l o f t h e o wn er/ o ccu p i er. A

p l ai n t i ff’ s ev i d en ti ary

b urd en o f p ro o f co ncern i n g t he s eco n d p ro n g o f

t h i s t es t i s n o t, h o wev er, s h o ul d ered u nt i l t he d efen d an t fi rs t es t ab l i s h es

n eg l ig en ce o n t h e p art o f t h e p lai n t i ff.

Ber n i v. Co u s i ns Pr o

p er t i es

, In c.

, 3 1 6 Ga. Ap p. 5 02

, 5 0 4-5 0 5 (7 2 9 SE2 d 6 1 7 ) (2 0 1 2 )

( c ita tions, punc tuat i o n

, an d fo o t n o t es o m i t ted ). W it h t h es e g u i di n g p ri n ci p l es i n m ind,

we n o w co n s i d er Erm ert ’ s cl ai m s o f erro r.

Erm ert co n t en d s t he t ri al co u rt erred b y co n cl u d i ng t h ere were n o g en u i n e fact

i s s u es reg ard i n g HOA’ s n eg li g en ce. M o re s p eci fi cal ly

, Erm ert co n t en d s HOA was

n eg li g en t i n fai l in g t o p ro p erl y ex erci s e th ei r d u t y t o i n v i t ees to co nd u ct a reas o n ab l e

i n s p ect i on o f i t s co m

m o n area, a n d h a d t h ey d o ne s o

, t h e h o le cau si n g E rm ert ’ s

i n ju ri es wo u ld h av e b een d i s co v ered . W e d i s ag ree wi t h Erm ert ’ s co n ten t i o n

.

As an i n i t ial m at t er, th e ev i d en ce d o es n o t refl ect

, an d Erm ert do es n o t arg ue,

t h at HOA h ad act u al k n owl ed g e o f a h o l e i n t h e g ras s y co m m o n area wh ere Erm ert

al l eg es s h e fel l

. Th u s, to av o id s u m m ary ju dg m en t

, Erm ert h ad t o d em on s t r a t e t h at

HOA h ad co n s t ru ct i v e k n o wl ed g e o f t h e ho l e an d s h o u l d h av e k n o wn o f t h e

h azard o us co n di t i o n

. “ Co n s t ru ct i v e k n o w l e d g e can be s h own b y ev id en ce t h at a

p ro p ri et o r’ s fai lu re to d i s co v er t h e hazard res u lt ed fro m it s fai l u re t o ex erci s e

5reas on ab l e care i n i n s p ect i n g t h e p rem i ses .” W i t t v. Ben Ca r t er Pr o

p er t i es

, LLC

, 3 0 3

Ga. Ap p

. 1 0 7

, 1 1 0 (6 9 2 SE2 d 7 4 9 ) (2 0 1 0 ). “ [T] h e ev i d en ce m u s t s h o w t h at t h e

h azard o us co n d i t i o n ex i s t ed on t h e p rem i s es fo r a su ffi ci en t p eri o d o f t i m e s u ch t h at

[HOA] s ho u l d h av e d i s co v ered an d rem o v ed t h e hazard

. ” Id

. (ci t at i on o m it t ed ). W i th

reg ard t o t h e s co p e o f HO A ’s i n s p ect i o n

, “ t h e l aw req ui res o n l y t h e ex erci s e o f

o rd i n ary care, no t ex t rao rd i n ary care.” Ha n s en v. Co op er

, 2 5 3 Ga. A p p

. 5 3 3

, 53 6 (5 5 9

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

Here, E rm ert co nt en d s t h at aft er bei n g n ot i fi ed o f t h e h o l e fo l lo wi n g h er fal l

,

HOA d i s co v ered an im

p res s i o n i n t h e g ro u n d

, an d t h at h ad HOA t ak en reas o n ab l e

p recau t i on s t o i n s p ect th e co n d it i o n s o f th e s u b ject area, th e h azard o u s co nd i t i o n t h at

res u l t e d i n h er i n

j u ry co u ld h av e b een d i s co vered

. Erm ert ’ s arg u m en t i s u n av ai l i n g

b ecau s e n o t h i n g in t h e reco rd s u g g es t s t h at HOA fai l ed t o reas o n ab l y i n s p ect t h e

p ro p ert y fo r p ot en t i al h azard o u s co n d i ti o n s o r s h o u ld hav e an t i ci p at ed h azard s i n a

g ras s y co m m o n area t h at is wel l -m ai n t ai n ed an d reg u l arl y i ns p ect ed

.

At h er d ep os i ti o n

, Erm ert s t at ed t h at s h e t rav e r s e d t h e area wh ere s h e fel l

aro u n d t h ree ti m es a m o nt h an d t h e l as t t i m e s h e had b een i n th at area p ri o r t o t h e fal l

was ap p ro x i m at el y two o r t h ree week s befo re. Erm ert t es t i fi ed t h at s h e h ad n ev er s een

t h e h o l e p ri o r t o t h e fal l

, d i d n o t s ee t h e h o l e at t h e t im e s h e fel l , an d was no t aware

6o f an y o t h er i n ci d en t s in t he area p ri o r t o her fal l

. Erm ert h ad wi t n es s ed s ev eral

ch i l d ren p l ay i n g i n t he area wh ere s h e fel l

, b u t h ad n o k n o wl ed ge o f an y o n e ev er

co m p l ai n i n g o f h o les in t h e area. N i n e m on t h s aft er h e r d e p o s i t i o n

, an d 2 5 m o n t h s

aft er h er fal l

, Erm ert fi led an affi d av it i n wh i ch s h e s t at ed t h at at t he ti m e o f h er

d e p o s i t i o n s h e co u l d n o t recal l t h e l o cat io n o f h er fal l

, b u t t hat aft er rev i ewi n g

p h o t o g rap h s t ak en b y her g ran d s o n an d t h os e t ak en b y Fi n ch

, t h e h o l e Fi n ch

d i s co v ered d u ri n g h i s in i t i al i n s p ect i o n of t h e co m m o n a r e a, wh ich he d es cri b ed as

b ei n g t h e t y

p e o f ho l e t h at co u ld h av e cau sed Erm ert ’ s i n ju ry

, was t h e h o l e i n wh i ch

s t ep p ed i n t o an d fel l

.

Rep res en t at i v es fo r W i l d wo od a n d Heri t ag e t es t i fi ed at t hei r res p ect i v e

d ep os i t i o n s th a t t h ere h ad been n o co m pl ai n t s o f p ri o r i n ci den ces o f fal l s

, t ri p s

, o r

h azard o us co n d i t io ns n ear t he co m m o n area w h ere Erm ert fel l

. In s p ect i o ns o f t h e

g ro u nd o f t h e co m

m o n area were d o n e a few t i m es a y ear b y Heri t ag e, an d d u ri n g t h e

rel ev an t peri od

, no co m

p l ai n t s o r rep o rt s were ev er m ad e reg ard i n g t h e co n d i t i o n s o f

t h o s e areas

. Fl o y d Neal al so t es t i fi ed at h i s d ep o si t i o n t h at h e h ad p ers o n al l y wal k ed

t h e area wh ere Erm ert fel l b o t h b efo re an d aft er th e i n ci d en t an d h ad n ev er s een an y

area t h at n eed ed to be rem ed i ed i n t erm s o f t ri p h azard s o r an y o t h er h azard t h at co u ld

cau s e an an k l e b reak

. T h e reco rd al s o refl ect s t h at Preci si o n m o wed t he g ras s i n t h e

7co m

m o n area wh ere Erm ert fel l t h e d ay p ri o r t o h er fal l

, an d t here h ad been n o rep o rt s

o f a h o le i n t h e area p ri o r t o t h e i nci d en t

.

Th i s Co urt h as rep eat ed l y affi rm ed s u m m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r of l an d -o wn ers

an d o ccu p i ers wh ere i n v i t ees s tep p ed i n t o s m al l co n ceal ed h ol es i n wel l-m ai n t ai n ed

,

reg u l arl y i ns p ect ed g ras sy areas

. See W it t

, 3 03 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 1 2 ; Th o ma s v. Dea s o n

,

2 8 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 5 3

, 7 5 6 (6 5 8 SE2 d 1 6 5 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (s u m m ary ju d g m en t warran t ed wh ere

p l ai n t i ff fai l s t o s h o w ei t h er act u al o r co n s t ru ct i v e k n o w l ed ge o f al l eg ed h azard );

Ja mes v. Vi n evi ll e Ch r i s t i a n To wer s

, In c.

, 2 5 6 Ga. Ap p

. 7 2

, 7 5 ( 5 6 7 S E 2 d 7 1 2 )

(2 0 0 2) (fi n d i n g t h e l aw d o es n o t i m p o s e ab so l u t e l iab i li t y fo r d efe c t i v e co n d i t i on s

wh ere t h ere is n o ev i d en ce p ro p ert y o w n er h ad co n s t ru ct iv e k n owl ed g e o f t h e h o l e);

Ar men i se v. Ad

ven t i s t Hea l t h S

ys t em/ S u n b el t

, In c.

, 21 9 Ga. Ap p. 5 9 1, 59 4 (4 6 6 SE2 d

5 8 ) (1 9 95 ) (p ro pert y o wn er n o t l i ab l e w h ere h azard was n o t d is co v erab l e d es p i t e t h e

ex erci s e o f o rd i n ary care in in sp ect i n g t he p rem i s es ). Co m p a r e L a w l e s s v. S

a s n et t

,

2 0 0 Ga. Ap p

. 3 9 8

, 3 9 9 (4 0 8 SE2 d 4 3 2) (1 99 1 ) (ju ry q u e s t i o n w h e r e th e s i ze o f t h e

h o l e an d t al l g ras s co ul d b e i n ferred b y a ju ry as a fai l u re t o ex erci s e reas o n ab l e care

i n i ns p ect i n g t h e p rem i s es ).

I t i s wel l es t ab li s h ed t hat “ [i ] If th e o wn er h as n o act u al o r co n st ru ct i v e

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard

, s u m m ary j u d g m e n t i n i t s fav o r wo u l d be ap p ro p ri at e,

8b ecau s e t h e i nv i t ee wo u l d n o t b e ab le t o es t ab l i s h t h at t h e o wn er h ad k n o wl ed g e o f

t h e h azard s u p eri o r t o t h at o f t h e i n v i t ee.” Dr ew v. Is t a r Fi n a n ci a l

, In c.

, 2 9 1 Ga. Ap p.

3 2 3 , 3 2 5 (6 6 1 SE2 d 68 6 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

[W h ere] t h ere was n o act u al k n o wl ed g e o f t h e al l eg ed d an g e r o u s an d

u n s afe co n d i ti o n

, an d t h ere i s n o t h i n g i n t h e reco rd t o s h o w o r in d i cat e

t h e p r o p r i e t y o r neces s i t y o f m ak i n g an i n sp ect i o n t o as cert ai n th e

p o s s i b l e o r p ro b ab le ex i s t en ce o f an y d efect

, s u ch as t h at o t her p eo pl e

h ad t ri p p ed o r fal len i n t h e s am e ar e a

, o r d i n ary di l ig en ce d id no t as a

m at t er o f law, u n d er t h e fact s as s h o wn

, req u i re an i n s p ect i o n su ffi ci en t

t o rev eal t he d efect w h ere t h e d efen d an ts h ad n o reas o n t o t h i n k s u ch an

i n s p ect i o n was n eces s ary

.

S i s s o n v. El l i o t t

, 2 7 8 Ga. Ap p

. 1 5 6

, 1 5 9 (2 ) (6 2 8 SE2 d 2 32 ) (2 00 6 ). Here, Erm ert

fai l ed t o d em o n s t rat e th at HOA h ad ei t h er act u al o r co n s t ru ct i v e k n o w led g e o f t h e

al l eg ed d efect o r an y i n d icat i o n t h at a m o re t h o ro u g h i n s pect i on o f t h e co m m o n area

was n eed ed t o am el i o rat e t h e co n d i t io n s o f t h e co m m o n area. W h i l e HOA h ad a d u t y

t o reas o n ab l y in s pect t h e g ras sy co m m o n areas

, t h ey were u n d er n o o b li g at i o n t o

co n du ct an i n sp ect io n to di s c l os e ev ery l at en t d efect

. Th u s

, we fi n d n o erro r i n t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t

.

Ju d g men t a f f ir med . Do yl e, P. J., a n d Ma r

kl e, J., co n cu r

.

9