FI FTH DI VI SI ON REESE, P. J.

, M A RKLE and COLVI N, 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.

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Jul y 31, 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 90 3 . ALLEN v . ABM AVIATION, INC.

M A R K LE
, J ud g e.

Aft er W an d a Al l en s l i p p ed an d fel l o n a w et fl oo r at t h e At l an t a ai rp o rt wh ere

s h e was em

p l o y ed

, s he s u ed ABM Av i at i on , In c. (“ ABM ”) fo r n eg li g en ce. Th e t ri al

c o u r t g ran t ed s u m

m ary j u d gm en t t o ABM

, fi n d i n g t h at i t h ad n o t b reach ed i t s d u t y

o f care an d t h at Al l en h ad eq u al kn o wl ed g e o f t he h aza r d d u e t o t h e w arn i n g s i gn s

p l aced i n t h e area. Al l en n o w ap p eal s, arg ui n g t h at i t was fo r a ju ry t o deci d e wh et h er

ABM breach ed i t s d u t y an d wh et h er s h e h ad eq u al kn o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard

. Fo r t h e

reas on s t h at fo l l o w, we affi rm

.

In o rd e r t o p rev ai l o n a m o ti o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t un d er OCGA

§ 9 -1 1 -5 6

, [ABM ]

, as th e m o v i n g p art y , m us t s ho w t hat t h ere ex i st s n o

g en u i n e i s s u e o f m at eri al fact , an d t h at t he u n d i s p ut ed fact s , v i ewed i n

t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab le t o t h e n o n m o v i n g p art y , d em an d ju d g m en t a sa m at t er o f l aw. M o reo v er, o n ap p eal fro m t h e d en ial o r g r an t o f

s u m m ary ju d g m en t th e ap p el l at e co u rt i s t o co n d u ct a d e n o v o rev i ew o f

t h e ev id en ce t o d et erm i n e wh et h er t h ere ex i s t s a gen u i n e i s s u e o f

m at eri al fact

, an d wh et h er t h e u n d is pu t ed fact s , v iewed i n t h e l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab le t o t h e n on m o v i n g p art y , warran t j u d gm en t as a m at t er o f l aw.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) In /

Ex S ys t ems

, In c

. v. Ma su d

, 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. 72 2

, 7 2 3 (2 ) (8 3 5

SE2 d 7 9 9) (2 0 1 9).

So v i e w e d

, th e reco rd s h o w s th at i n J u n e 2 01 6

, Al l en was wo rk in g as an

as s i s tan t g en eral m an ag er fo r Gl o b al Co n ces s i on s at t h e At l an t a ai rp o rt

. On e ev en i n g,

as s h e co m

p l et ed h er s h i ft in th e ai rp o rt at ri u m , sh e p ro ceed ed d o wn th e es cal at o r an d

h ead ed t o an o ffi ce t o t u rn i n p ap erwo rk an d cas h. As s h e s t ep p ed o ff t h e es cal at o r,

s h e n o t iced a m an cl ea n i n g t h e fl o o rs t o h er l eft an d a “ wet fl o o r” s ig n i n t h at area.

Sh e t u rn ed t o t h e ri g ht an d b eg an w a l k i n g t o ward t h e o ffi ce w h en sh e s l i p p ed an d

fel l

. Sh e l an d ed o n h er ri g h t s i de, s t ri k i n g h er h ead an d b ri efl y l o s i n g co n s ci o u s n es s

.

W h en sh e reg ai n ed co ns ci o us n es s , s h e real i zed h er cl o t h es were “ d ri p p i n g” wet

, b ut

s h e d i d n o t s ee an y wat e r o n t h e f l o o r. A l l en co u ld n o t recal l s eei n g an y wet fl o o r

s i gn s n ear wh ere s h e fel l

, o t h er t h an t h e si ng l e s i g n v is ib l e n ear t he es cal at o r. As a

re s u l t o f t h e fal l

, Al l en s u ffered b l u rred v is io n , an d n eck an d s p i n al in ju ri es t h at

req u i red s u rg ery

.

2ABM was t h e i nd ep en d en t co n t ract o r res p o n s i b l e fo r cl ean i n g t h e area. 1 Th e

m an o p erat i n g t h e fl o o r s cru b b er t h at ev en i ng d id n o t s ee Al l en fal l

, b u t h e o b s erv ed

h er o n t h e g ro u n d an d cal l ed fo r h el p

. A BM ’ s s u p erv i s o r res p o nd ed to t h e cal l

,

as s es s ed Al l en ’ s s it u at i o n , an d cal l ed 9 11 an d ai rp o rt secu ri t y. T h e s up erv i s o r

o b s erv ed t h e area wh ere Al l en fel l an d no t i ced a wet fl o o r si g n n earb y , b u t h e d i d n ot

s e e an y t h i n g o n t h e fl o o r. He t o o k s ev eral p h o t o s o f t h e area an d ch eck ed t h e f l o o r

s cru b b er t o be cert ai n it was fu n ct i o n in g pro p erl y

. ABM ’ s em pl o y ee i n d i cat ed t h at

h e h ad p l aced th ree t o fo u r wet fl o o r s i g ns i n t h e area wh ere Al l en h ad fal l en b efo re

s h e fel l

.

W h en th e ai rp o rt s ecu ri t y o ffi cer rep o rt ed t o t h e s cen e, s h e co n d u ct ed h er o wn

i n v es t i g at i o n

. Sh e o b s erv ed s om e v i s i b l e wet n es s on t h e fl o o r, an d n o ted t hat t h e area

was d am p , b u t t here w ere n o p ud d les o f wat er o n t he fl o o r. Sh e n o t i ced a wet fl o o r

s i gn n ear t he s po t wh ere Al l en s l i p p ed

.

Al l en s u ed A BM fo r n eg l i g en ce, on t he g ro u n d t h at i t h ad s u peri or k n o wl ed g e

o f t h e dan g er an d a d u t y t o warn h er o f t h e h azard

, an d t h at i t b reach ed t h at d u t y an d

1 At t h e t i m e o f t h e i nci d en t , ABM was k n o wn as Ai r Serv

.

3fai l ed to ex erci s e o rd i n ary ca r e

. 2 A B M m o v ed fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t, arg u i n g t h at

Al l en had eq u al k n owl ed g e o f t h e h az a r d i n l i g h t o f t h e wet fl o o r s i g n s in t h e area,

an d th e u n d i s pu t ed fact t h at s h e o b s erv ed o n e o f t h e s i g n s an d t h e em p l o y ee op erat i n g

t h e fl oo r s cru b b er. Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e m o t io n , an d Al len n o w ap p eal s

.

Prem i ses l i ab i li t y li es at th e i n t ers ect i o n o f t o rt l aw an d p ro pert y l aw. To

reco ver o n a t heo ry of p rem i s es li ab i l i t y , a pl ai n t i ff m u s t s h o w i n

j u ry

cau s ed b y a h azard o n an o wn er or o c c u p i e r o f lan d ’ s prem is es o r

ap p ro ach es t h at t he o wn er o r o ccu p i er s h o u ld h av e rem o v ed i n th e

ex erci s e o f o r d i nary care fo r t h e safet y o f t h e i nv i t ed p u b l i c. W h en a

p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y cau s e o f act i o n i s b as ed o n a “ t ri p an d fal l” o r “ s l i p

an d fal l ” cl ai m

– an d t h e l i o n’ s s h are of p rem i s es l i ab i l it y cas es are

– we

h av e refi ned t h i s g en eral t e s t d own t o t wo s p eci fi c el em en t s

. T he

p l ai n t i ff m

u s t p l ead an d p ro v e t h at : (1 ) t h e d efen 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 t h e h azard ; an d (2 ) t h e p l a i n t i ff, d es p i t e

ex erci s i n g o rd i n ary care fo r h i s o r h er o wn p ers o n al s afet y , l ack ed

k n o wl ed g e of t h e h azard d u e t o t he d efen d an t ’ s act i o n s o r to co n di t i o n s

u n d er t h e d efen d an t’ s co n t ro l

.

(Ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed .) Pi

pki n v. A z a l ea l a n d Nu r

s i n g Ho me, In c. , 3 3 9 Ga. Ap p

. 3 9 0

, 3 9 2

(7 9 3 SE2 d 5 68 ) (2 0 1 6 ); s ee al so OCGA § 5 1 -3 -1 ; Ro b i n so n v. Kr o g er Co

. , 2 6 8 Ga.

2 Acci d en t Fu n d Gen eral In s u ran ce Co m p an y fi l ed a m o t i o n t o i nt erv en e,

s eek i n g s u b ro gat i o n fro m an y reco v ery Al l en m i g h t o b t ai n

. Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e

m o ti o n t o i n t erv en e. Ho w ev er, t h e i n terv en o r i s n o t a p art y t o t h e ap p eal

.

47 3 5

, 7 4 8 (2 ) (B) (4 9 3 SE2 d 40 3 ) (1 9 9 7 ); Lo ma x v. K r o g e r C o

. , 3 4 8 Ga. Ap p

. 7 2 6,

7 2 8 (1 ) (8 2 4 SE2 d 6 29 ) (2 0 1 9 ).

Here, w e pres u m e ABM h ad k n o w l ed g e o f t h e wat er b ecau se i ts em p lo y ee h ad

recen t l y m op p ed th e fl o or. See Ma i r s v. W ho l e Fo o d

s Ma rket Gr o u p

, In c. , 3 0 3 Ga.

Ap p

. 63 8

, 6 3 9 (6 9 4 SE2 d 1 2 9 ) (2 0 1 0 ). W e th u s t u r n t o wh et h er Al l en h ad eq u al

k n o wl ed g e o f th e wat er an d ex erci s ed o rd i n ary care, k eep i n g i n m i n d t h a t “ ro u t i n e

i s su es o f p rem i s es l i ab il i ty

, . . . are g en eral l y no t s us cep t i b l e o f s u m m ary ad ju d i cat i o n,

an d s u m m ary ju d g m e n t i s g ran t ed o n l y w h en t h e ev i d en ce i s p l ai n, pal p ab l e, an d

u n d i s p u t ed .” (Pu n ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) Ro b i n s on , 2 6 8 Ga. at 7 4 8 (2 ) (B).

Here, t h e ev i d en c e i s “ p l ai n , p al p ab l e, an d u n d is p u ted ” t hat Al l en h ad

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e h a z a r d

, a n d t h u s ABM was en t i t l ed t o su m m ary ju d g m en t

.

Ro b in s o n , 2 6 8 Ga. at 7 4 8 (2 ) (B). Al l en t es ti fi ed t h at s h e s aw t h e em p l o y ee cl ean i n g

an o th er s ect i o n of th e fl o o r a n d s a w a “ wet fl o o r” s i g n as s h e ex i t ed t h e es cal at o r.

Ad d i t i o n al l y , co n t em

p o ran eo u s p ho t o s o f th e area s h o w a wet fl o o r s i gn i n t h e

v i ci n i t y o f A l l en ’ s fal l

. Al t h o u gh t h e p art i es d i s p u t e t h e n u mb er o f s i g n s i n t h e area,

i t is u n d i s p u t ed t h at Al l en ob s erv ed b o t h t h e em p l o y ee cl ean i n g t h e fl o o r an d o n e

“ w e t fl oo r” s i g n b ef

o r e s h e fel l

. M oreo v er, Al l en t es t i fi ed t h at sh e w as l o o k i n g

s t rai g h t ah ead as s h e wal k ed d o w n t h e h al l

, t he l i gh t i n g was fi n e, an d n o t h i n g

5o b s cu red h er v i s io n

. As s u ch

, t h e p l ai n an d u n di sp u t ed ev i d en ce s h o ws t h at Al l en h ad

eq u al k n o wl ed g e o f t h e ri sk

. 3 See Ki m v. Mu n i ci p a l Ma r ket Co

. , 3 0 3 Ga. Ap p . 1 2 2,

1 2 5 (6 9 3 SE2 d 1 2 3 ) (2 01 0 ) (p l ai n ti ff h ad eq u al k n o wl ed g e o f ri s k fro m w at er o n fl o o r

and thus su m

m ary ju d g m en t fo r d efen d an t was p ro per); Br i d d l e v. Co r n er

s t o n e Lo d g e

o f A mer i ca , 2 8 8 Ga. Ap p

. 3 5 3

, 3 5 5 (6 5 4 SE2 d 1 8 8 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (p l ai n t i ff’ s eq u al

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e o v erfl o wi n g to i l et p ri o r t o s l ip p i n g an d fal l in g w arran t ed s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o d efen d an t ); Ta yl o r & Ma t hi s v. Do

yl e , 2 1 9 Ga. Ap p . 4 4 5

, 4 4 7 (2 ) (4 6 5

SE2 d 4 84 ) (1 99 5 ) (n o i s s u e o f m at eri al fact fo r ju ry wh ere p l ai n t i ff o b s erv ed

em pl o y ee m o p p i n g t h e fl o o r n e a r wh ere s h e fel l ) (p hy s i cal p reced en t o n l y ).

Acco rd in g ly

, t h e tri al co u rt p ro p erl y g ran t ed ABM ’ s m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

,

an d we affi rm

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Rees e, P. J., a n d

Co l vi n, J., co n cu r

.

3 Th e cas es A l l en ci tes in s u p p o rt o f h er cl ai m t h at s h e lack ed eq u al k n o wl ed g e

are al l d is t i n g u i s h ab l e b ecau s e, i n t h o s e cas es , t h ere was co n fl i ct i n g t es t i m o n y ab o ut
wh et h er t h ere were a n

y “ wet fl o o r” s i g n s i n t h e v i ci n i ty o f th e fal l

, an d t h e p l ai n t i ffs

n ev er ad m i t t ed h av i n g s een a “ wet fl o o r” s i gn p ri o r t o t he fal l

. See Tu r ner v. W en d y’s

In t l

., In c. , 2 8 2 Ga. A p p. 1 2 1 (6 3 7 SE 2 d 7 3 9 ) (2 0 0 6 ); Su t t o n v. W i n n D i xi e S t o r es , In c., 23 3 Ga. Ap p

. 42 4 (5 0 4 SE2 d 2 4 5) (1 9 9 8 ); F eg g a ns v. Kr o g er Co

. , 2 2 3 Ga. Ap p. 4 7 (4 7 6 SE2 d 8 2 2 ) (1 9 9 6 ); D eb a r d el a b en v. S

h o wb i z Pi zz a Ti me, In c. , 2 31 G a. Ap p. 1 7 1 (4 98 SE2 d 7 6 4 ) (1 9 9 8 ). In co n t ras t

, Al l en ad m i t s t h at s he s aw b ot h a “ wet fl o o r”

s i gn an d t h e em

pl o y ee cl ean i n g n earb y

b efo re s h e fel l

.

6