SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, HODGES and PI PKI 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.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

M ay 28, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 32 2 . TANKS v . NESM ITH et al

.

H O D G E S , J u d g e.

J azzi l y n T an k s fi l ed an act i on fo r d am ag es ag ai n s t t h e Ci t y o f S o ut h Fu l t o n,

Geo rg i a (t h e “ Ci t y ”) an d on e o f i t s em p l o y ees aft er t h at em

p lo y ee was i n v ol v ed i n a

m o to r v eh i cl e co l l i s i o n wi t h T an k s. T h e Ci t y m ov ed t o d i s m is s

, arg u i n g t hat Tan k s ’

an t e l i tem n o t i ce was “ i n s u ffi ci en t ” b ecau s e i t “ fai l s t o p ro v i d e t h e s p eci fi c am o u nt

o f m on et ary d am ag es b ei n g s o u g h t ” fro m t h e Ci t y as req u i red b y OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5

(e). Aft er a h eari n g

, th e t r i a l c o u r t g ran ted t h e m o t i o n

. an d Tan ks ap p eal s

. 1 Fo r t h e

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

.

1 Th e t ri al co u rt al s o fo u nd t h at b o t h Tan k s an d t h e Ci ty ag reed t h at t he Ci t y ’ s

em pl o y ee wh o h ad b een s u ed

, Ro b ert N es m i t h, was act i n g wi th i n t h e s co p e o f h i s

em pl o y m en t at t h e t im e o f th e acci d e n t a n d t hat

, p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 3 6 -9 2 -3 (a),

was n ot s u bject t o l i ab il i t y or s u i t . Tan k s d o es n o t co nt es t t h i s o n ap p eal

.On ap peal

, we rev i ew t h e g ran t o f an y m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s d e n o v o

, an d

a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s s h o ul d n o t b e g ran t ed u n l es s t h e al l eg at i o n s o f th e

co m p lai n t d i s cl o s e w i t h cert ai nt y t hat t he cl ai m an t w o u l d n o t b e en t i t led

t o rel i ef un d er an y s t at e o f p ro v ab l e fact s as s ert ed i n s u p p o rt t hereo f. W e

co n s t ru e t h e p l ead i n g s i n t h e l i g h t m o st fav o rab l e t o t h e p l ai nt i ff w i t h

an y d o ub t s res ol v ed in t h e p l ai n t i ff’ s fav o r.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n om it t ed .) Ma n za n ar es v. Ci t y o f Br o o kh a ven

, 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p.

2 9 3 (8 3 4 SE2 d 3 5 8 ) (2 0 1 9 ). So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h ows t h at Tan k s s en t t h e Ci t y an

an t e li t em n o t i ce o n J ul y 2

, 2 0 1 8

, n o t i fy i n g i t o f a “ 3 0 -d ay o p p o rt u n i t y fo r ad ju s t m en t

o f a t ort cl ai m ag ai n st t h e C i t y” a s a r es u l t o f a May 2 0 18 m o to r v eh i cl e co l l i s i o n

i n v o l v i n g t h e Ci t y ’ s em

p lo y ee al l eg ed l y cau s ed b y “ [f] ai l u re t o y iel d wh en en t eri n g

a ro ad way .” T an ks av erred t h at s h e h ad s u ffered “ [b ] ack pai n

, l eft s id e area pai n

, n eck

p a i n

, k n ee p ai n an d b ru i s es [.] ” Th e n o t i ce s t at ed t h at Tan k s wo u l d n ot i n i t i a t e

l i ti g at i o n u n t i l aft er t h e 3 0 d ay s h ad p as s e d o r aft er t h e Ci t y reject ed t h e cl ai m

,

wh i ch ev er o ccu rred fi rs t. Th e p art o f t h e n o ti ce o n wh i ch t h i s l i t i g at i o n tu rn s s t at ed :

“ A m o u n t o f Lo s s Cl ai m : $ 7 5 ,0 0 0 .0 0

, Grad y M em o ri al H o s p i t al b i l l i n ex ces s o f

$ 1 0 ,0 0 0 [.] ”

Tan k s fi l ed s ui t a g a i n s t t h e ci t y an d i t s em p lo y ee in J an u ary 2 0 2 0. Th e Ci t y

an s wered an d fi l ed a m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

, arg u i ng th at t h e an t e l i t em n o ti ce fai l ed to

2s t at e t h e s p eci fi c am o u n t o f m o n et ary d am ag es s o u gh t

, i n co n trav en t i o n o f t h e

req u i rem en t s o f OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5 (e). T h e Ci t y arg u ed t h at t h e p o rt i o n o f Tan k s ’

cl ai m t h at read “ Grad y M em o ri al Ho s p i t al m ed i cal b i l l i n ex ces s o f $ 1 0

, 0 0 0 ” “ co u ld

ran g e fro m $ 10 ,0 00 t o i n fi n i t y

. Si n ce t h ere is no d efi n it e am o u nt

, t h e an t e li t em n o t i ce

d o es n o t co m

p ly wi t h t h e b as i c req u i rem en t o f [OCGA § 3 6 -3 3-5 ] (e).” Th e t ri al co u rt

fo u n d t h at t h e ad d i t i o n o f t h e lan g u ag e ab o u t t h e cl ai m fo r t h e Grad y Ho sp i t al b i l l “ in

ex ces s ” o f $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 “ i n t ro d u ced an am b ig u i ty i n d et erm in i n g t he s peci fi c am o u n t o f

d am ag es ”s o u g h t an d t h at Tan k s ’ an t e l i t em n o t i c e was

, t h erefo re, d efi ci en t

. It t h en

g ran t ed t h e Ci t y ’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s . Th is ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

Tan k s arg u es o n ap p eal t h a t t h e t ri al co u rt erred b ecau s e sh e co m p li ed wi th

OCGA § 3 6-3 3-5 (e) i n th at

, “ i f t h e Ci t y had accep t ed t h e o ffer

. . . o f t h e an t e l i t em

l et t er an d s en t Ms

. T an k s ’ [] co u n s el a ch eck fo r $ 7 5 ,0 00

, a bi n d i n g an d en fo rceab l e

s et t l em en t wo u l d h av e b een reach ed .” 2 W e d i s ag ree.

2 Tan k s al s o as s ert s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n “ fai l [i n g ] t o ap p l y b as i c co n t ract

l aw” to t h e an te l i t em n o t i ce t o an al y ze wh et h er t h e “ in ex ces s o f $ 1 0 ,0 0 0” l an g u ag e

i n t ro du ced an am

b i gu i t y t h at ren d ere d t h e an t e l i t em let t er i n cap ab le o f accep t an ce

b y t he Ci t y as an o ffer o f co m p ro m i se.” Tan k s ci t es n o au t h o ri t y fo r t h e p ro p o s i t i o n

t h at co n tract law ap pl i es in t h e co n t ex t of an an t e l i t em n ot i ce. An an t e l i t em n o t i ce,

b y i t s o wn t erm s

, fu n ct i o n s as a n o t i ce o f t h e “ s p eci fi c am o u n t ” o f d am ag es cl ai m ed ;

i t co ns t i t u t es an o ffer; an d i f t h at o ffer i s n o t accep t ed

, t h e am o u n t o f d am ag es

cl ai m ed i n t h e no t i ce “ s h al l n o t b e b i n d i ng ” i n th e en s u i n g l it i g at i on

. (Em p h as i s

s u p p li ed .) OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5 (e).

3Un d er OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5 (b ), a p e r s o n wh o seek s to as sert a cl ai m ag ai n s t a

m u ni ci p al co rp o rat i o n fo r m o n ey d am ag es m u s t, wi t h i n si x m o n th s o f t h e e v e n t o n

wh i ch t h e cl ai m i s b as ed

, “ p res en t t h e cl ai m i n wri t in g to t h e g o vern i n g au t h o ri ty o f

t h e m u n i ci p al co rp o rat i o n fo r ad ju s t m en t

, s t at i n g t h e t im e, pl ace, an d ex t en t o f t h e

i n ju ry , as n earl y

as p ract i cab l e, an d t he n eg l i g en ce wh i ch cau s ed t h e i nju ry .”

OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -6 (e) p ro v i d es t h at

Th e d es cri p t i o n o f t h e ex t en t o f t he i n ju ry req u i red i n s u bs ect i o n (b ) o f

t h i s Co d e sect i on s h al l in cl u de t h e s p ec ific amo u n t o

f mo n et a ry d

ama g es

b ei n g s o u gh t f

r o m t h e mu n i ci

p a l co r p o r a t i o n

. Th e am o u n t o f m o n et ary

d am ag es s et fo rt h i n s u ch cl ai m sh al l co n s ti t ut e an o ffer o f co m p ro m i s e.

In t h e ev en t s u ch cl ai m

i s n o t s et t l ed b y

t h e m u n i ci p al co rp orat i o n an d

t h e cl ai m an t li t i g at es s u c h c l a im

, t h e am o u n t o f m o n et ary d am ag e s et

fo rt h i n s u ch cl ai m

s h al l n o t b e b in d i ng o n t he cl ai m an t

.

( E m p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) W h et h er OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5 (e) req u ires s u bs t an ti al o r s t ri c t

co m p l ian ce i s n o t cl ear; n ei t h er we n o r o u r Su prem e Co u rt h as ex p res s ly deci d ed t h e

i s s u e

. S e e Ci t

y o f La f a yet t e v. Ch a n d ler

, 3 5 4 Ga. Ap p. 25 9

, 2 6 1 (8 4 0 SE2 d 6 3 8 )

( 2 0 2 0 )

. “ [E] v en i f o n l y s u b s t an t i al co m p l ian ce i s req u ired fo r s u b sect i o n (e),

. . . a

n o t i ce d o es n o t su b s t an t ial l y co m p l y wi t h s ub s ect i o n (e) u n les s a s p eci fi c am o u n t i s

4g i v en

. . . .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) M a n za n ar es

, 3 5 2 Ga. A p p

. at 2 9 6 (1 ).

In ei t her cas e, we n e e d n o t res o l v e t h e i s s u e h ere b ecau s e u nd er ei t h er s t an d ard

,

Tan ks ’ an t e l i t em n o t i ce d i d n o t s t at e a s p eci fi c am o u nt s o u g h t

.

I n Da vi s v. Ci t

y o f Va ld os t a

, 3 5 7 Ga. Ap p

. 9 0 0 (8 5 2 SE2 d 8 59 ) (2 0 2 0 )

, t h i s

Co u rt fo u n d t hat an an t e l i t em n o t i ce v ery s im i l ar t o t h e o n e at i s s u e h e r e f a i l e d to

co m p l y wi t h OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5 (e)’ s req u irem en t t h at th e p l ai n t i ff s et fo rt h a “ s p eci fi c

am ou n t o f m o n et ary

d am ag es .” Th e n o t i ce i n Da vi s s t at ed :

Tak ei l a D av i s h ereb y cl a i ms d a m a g es co v eri n g th e p as t

, p res en t an d

fu t u re m ed i cal b i l l s as so ci at e d wi t h t h es e i n ju ri es

, i n [

t h e] a m o u nt o

f

$ 3 0 ,0 00

. 0 0

. Tak ei l a Dav i s ad d i t i o n al l y h earb y cl a ims g en er a l d ama g es

fo r p ai n an d s u fferi n g

, i n a n a mo u n t n o t l es s t h a n $ 2 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0

.

(Em p h as i s s u p pl i ed .) Da vi s

, 3 5 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 9 0 0

. Li k e t h e an t e l i t em n ot i c e i n t h e

i n s t an t cas e, w h ich i d en t i fi es a n “ Am o un t o f Lo ss Cl ai m : $ 7 5 ,0 0 0 .0 0

, Grad y

M em ori al Ho s pi t al b i l l in ex ces s o f $ 1 0

, 0 0 0 ,” t h e Da vi s an t e l it em l et t er al s o s t at es

b o t h a d efi n i t i v e am o u n t ( $ 3 0

, 0 0 0 i n D a vi s ; $ 7 5 ,0 0 0 in t h e i n st an t cas e) an d an

i n d efi n i te am o u n t (“ n o t l e s s t han $2 0 ,0 0 0 ” i n Da vi s ; “ i n ex ces s o f $ 1 0 ,0 0 0” i n t h e

i n s t an t cas e).

Li k ewi s e, i n Ma n z a n ar es

, t h i s Co u rt fo u nd a n ot i ce t o b e in s u ffi ci en t l y s p eci fi c

wh ere t h e n o t i ce s t at ed : “ W h i l e o u r i n v es t i g at i o n i s s t i l l o ng o i n g

, we bel i ev e t h at t h e

5v al u e o f t h i s cl ai m ma y exceed $ 2 5 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0.” (Em p h as i s i n o ri g i n al an d s u p p l i ed .)

3 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 2 9 6 (1 ); acco rd Pi cken s v. Ci ty o f W a co

, 3 52 Ga. Ap p

. 3 7, 4 1 (1 )

(8 3 3 SE2 d 7 1 3 ) (2 0 1 9 ) (h o l di n g an t e l i t em n o t i ce s eek i n g d am ag es t h at “ ma y exceed

$ 3 0 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 ” w as i n s u ffi ci en t un d er OCGA § 3 6 -3 3-5 (e) becau s e t h e am o u n t s o u g ht

was t o o i n d efi n i t e t o co n s ti t u t e a b i n d i n g o ffer o f s et t l em en t ) (em p h as i s i n o ri g i n al ).

In t h es e t y

pes o f cas es

, t h i s C o u r t h a s co n cl u d ed t h at “ [e] v en u n d er a st an d ard o f

s u b s t an t i al co m

p l ian ce,

. . . t h i s s t at em en t [fai l ed t o ] co n v ey [] t h e s p eci fi c am o u nt o f

m o net ary d am ag es s o u g ht fro m t h e Ci t y

, n or was i t sp eci fi c en o u g h t o co n s t i t u t e an

o ffer o f co m

p ro m i s e t hat co u l d b e accep t ed b y t he Ci t y .” (Em p h as i s i n o ri g i n al .)

Ma n z a na r es , 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p . at 2 9 6 (1 ).

Tan k s co n t en d s t h at $ 7 5 ,0 0 0 i s a “ cert ai n, d efi n i te, an d cl ear am o un t ” an d t h at

t h e “ in ex ces s o f $1 0 ,0 0 0” l an gu ag e on l y refers t o “ i n cu rred m ed ical b i ll s [.] ” Th ere

i s in d eed a d i fferen ce b et ween t h e am o u nt o f d am ag es i n cu rred an d t h e am o u n t o f

d am ag es cl ai m ed

. OCGA § 3 6-3 3 -5 (e) refers s peci fi cal l y t o t h e am o un t o f m o n et ary

d am ag es “ so u g h t ,” i

. e., cl ai m ed

. Bu t Tan ks ’ arg u m en t i s b el ied b y t h e v ery h ead i n g

o f t h e an t e l i t em n o t i ce l an g u ag e at is s ue h ere. T h at l an gu ag e i d en ti fi es b o t h t h e

$ 7 5 ,0 0 0 an d t h e “ am o u n t i n ex ces s o f $ 1 0

, 0 00 ” as th e “ Amo u n t o f Lo s s C l a i m [.] ”

(Em p h as i s s u p p li ed .)

6Tan k s ’ as s ert i o n t h at Ci t y o f La f a yet t e is “ n earl y i d en t i cal ” t o t h e i n s t an t cas e

i s u n av ai l i n g fo r t he v ery reas o n o u t l i n ed ab o v e: t h ere i s a di ffer e n c e b et ween

d am ag es i n cu rred an d d am a g e s s o ug h t

. Th e an t e l i t em l et t er i n Ci ty of La f a yet t e

p ro v id ed

, i n p ert in en t p art

, t h at t h e p l ai n t i ff “ i ncu r r e d w e l l o v er $ 1 0 0,0 0 0 .0 0 in

m ed i cal ex p en s es t o d at e. A s a res u lt o f t h e n at u re an d ex t en t of [p l ai n ti ff’ s ] i n ju ri es

an d t h e afo rem en t i o ned s peci al m ed i cal d a m ag es we wi l l s eek t o r eco ver

$ 1 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 (o n e m i ll i o n d o l l ars ) i n m o n et ary dam ag es o n h i s beh al f.” (Em p h as i s

s u p p li ed .) 3 5 4 Ga. A p p

. at 2 5 9

. Th is Co u rt fo u n d t h a t t h e cl ear d i fferen t i at i o n

b et ween t h e am o u nt o f d am ag es i n cu rr ed ($ 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 ) an d t h e t o t al am o un t of d a m a ge s

s o u g ht ($ 1 m i l l io n) i n Ci t y o f La f a yet t e m ean t t h at t h e p l ai n ti ff h ad s t at ed a s p eci fi c

am ou n t i n it s cl ai m fo r $ 1 m i l l i o n

. Id

. at 2 6 1-2 6 2. Th ere i s n o s u c h d i f feren t i at i o n

b et ween d am ag es i n cu rred an d d am ag es s o u g h t i n t h e i n s t an t cas e g i v en th at b o t h t h e

$ 7 5 ,0 0 0 an d t h e “ am o u n t i n ex ces s o f $ 1 0 ,0 00 ” are i d en t i fi ed as t h e am ou n t cl a i med

.

As we hav e fo u n d

, “ [t ] h i s fal l s s h o rt o f p ro v i d in g a “ sp eci f i c a m o u n t o f

m o net ary dam ag es t h at co u ld co n s t i t u t e an o ffer o f c o m p ro m i s e.” (Pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed .) Da vi s , 3 5 7 Ga. Ap p . at 9 0 1, ci ti n g Ma n z an a r es , 3 5 2 Ga. Ap p . at 2 9 6 (1 ).

W e d i s ag re e w i t h [ T an k s ’ ] co n t en t i o n t h at s h e was m ak i n g an o ffer t o

s et t l e h er cl ai m fo r [$ 7 5

, 0 0 0 ]

. Th e n o t i ce i nd i cat es th at t h e v al u e o f th e

7cl ai m i s s o m e u n kn o wn nu m b er ab o ve [$ 7 5 ,0 0 0

, b ecau s e it al s o ad ds an

u n s p eci fi ed am o u nt i n ex ces s o f $ 1 0 ,0 00 ] an d m ak es n o s tat em en t w i t h

reg ard t o t h e [t o t al ] am o u n t b ei n g s o u g h t

. An u n k no wn n u m b er ab o ve

[$ 7 5 ,0 0 0 ] i s t o o i n d efi n i t e t o co n s t it u t e a b i n d i ng o ffer o f s et t l em en t

.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed .) Da vi s

, 35 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 9 0 1 -9 0 2

. A s a res u l t

, we

affi rm t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ord er di sm i s s in g Tan k s ’ l aws u it ag ai n s t t h e Ci t y u p on fi n d i n g

t h at Tan k s ’ an te l i t em

n o t i ce fai l ed t o co m

pl y wi t h OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5 (e).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., a n d

Pi p ki n, J., co n cu r

.

8