FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, M C M I LLI A N and M ERCI ER, 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 20, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A1 81 9 . CHEROKEE M AIN STREET, LLC v . RAGAN.

A1 8 A0 02 5 . TJ X COM PANIES, INC. v . RAGAN

M C M ILLI A N , J u dg e.

In t h es e co ns o l i dat ed ap p eal s , Ch ero k ee M ai n St reet , LLC (“ Ch ero k ee”) an d

TJ X Co m

p an i es

, In c. (“ TJ M ax x ” ) a p p e a l fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f t h ei r

m o ti o n s fo r s u m

m ary ju d g m en t i n a p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y act i o n fi l ed b y Pam el a J

. Rag an

s eek i n g t o r eco v er fo r i n

ju ri es s u ffered wh en s he was s t ru ck b y a car i n a s h o p p i n g

cen t er p ark i n g l o t. W e fi n d t h at Ch ero k ee an d TJ M ax x were en t i t l ed t o s u m m ary

ju d g m en t b ecau s e Rag an h as fai l ed to s h o w t h at t hey h ad s u p eri o r k n o wl ed g e o f t h e

h azard s h e al l eg es i n t h i s cas e. Acco rd i ng l y , we rev ers e.

On ap p eal

, t h i s Co u rt rev i ews t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s s u m m ary ju dg m en t ru l i n g u n d er

a de n ov o s t an dard

, co n s t ru i n g t h e ev i d en ce i n Rag an ’ s fav o r as th e n o n -m o v an t

. 9 0 5

Ber n i n a Aven u e Co o

p

. v. S mi t h / Bu r n s LLC

, 34 2 Ga. A p p

. 3 5 8

, 3 6 1 (1 ) (8 0 2 SE2 d3 7 3 ) (2 0 17 )

. S o v i ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o w s th at T J M ax x l eas ed ret ai l s p ace i n a

s h o p pi n g cen t er fro m Ch ero k ee, wh i ch o wn ed t he cen t er. Rag an vi s i t ed t h e s h o p p i n g

cen t er o n Decem

b er 1 9

, 20 1 3

, an d aft er co m p l et i n g h e r s h o p p i n g at an o t h er

d ep art m e n t s t o re, s he wal k ed al o ng t h e s i d ewal k fro nt i n g t h e cen t er’ s ret ai l

b u s i n es s es t o t h e TJ M ax x s t o re, n ear wh ere h er car was p ark ed

. Rag an w al k ed d o wn

a ram p l ead i n g fro m t h e s i d ewal k to t h e p ark i n g l o t

, wh ere s he s t o p p ed a n d l o o k ed

b o t h way s

. It i s u n d i s p u t ed t h at t h ere was n o cro s s wal k l ead i n g fro m t h e ram p acro ss

t h e p ark i n g l o t

. W h en Rag an s t o p p ed

, s h e o b s erv ed a car co m in g fro m t h e l e f t

,

ap p ro x i m at el y two t o t h ree car l en g t h s away

. Sh e t h en s t ep p ed i n t o t h e v eh i cl e’ s

t rav el lan e, b ecau s e h er “ m i n d s et was t hat i t wo u ld s t o p o r h ad al read y st o p p ed s i nce

i t was a p e d e s t ri an cro s si n g.” Rag an t es t i fi ed th at sh e as s u m ed t he car wo u l d s t o p

b ecau s e s h e wo u ld hav e st o pp ed u n d er th e s am e ci rcu m s t a n c e s

. Al t h o u g h Rag an

k n ew t h e car was t h ere an d k ep t i t i n t h e co rn er o f h er ey e, s he n ev er m ad e ey e

co n tact wi t h t h e d ri v er an d “ i t was n ’ t l i k e [s he] was real l y aware of i t ” u n t i l t h e “ v ery

l as t m i nu t e” wh en it h i t h er. Th e ri g h t fro n t p o rt i o n o f t h e v eh i cl e s t ru ck Rag an

,

k n o ck i n g h er t o t h e g ro u n d

.

Pri o r to t h i s i n ci den t

, Rag an h ad v i s i t ed t h e s h op p i n g cen ter do zen s o f t i m e s

an d p rev i o u s l y h ad cro s s ed t h e area o f t h e p ark i n g l o t wh ere t h e i n ci den t o ccu rred

.

2Sh e h ad al s o d ri v en i n t he area i n fro n t o f TJ Max x an d h ad nev er no t i ced s t o p s i gn s

i n t hat area fo r cars

.

I n h e r p rem i s es l i ab i li t y s u i t

, Rag an as sert ed t h at Ch ero kee an d TJ M a x x

v i o l at ed t h ei r du ty o f care t o h er b y fai l i n g t o p ro v i d e ap p ro p ri at e warn i n g s req u i ri n g

t raffi c i n t h e a r e a t o s t o p an d y i el d t h e ri g h t o f way t o p ed es t ri an s an d b y fai l i n g to

d es i g n at e a cro s s wal k o n t h e pav em en t bet ween t h e ram p an d t he p ark i n g area. Bo th

d efen d an t s fi l ed m o t i o ns fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t as s ert i n g t h at (1 ) t h ey d id n o t o we

R a g a n a d u t y t o p ro t ect h er ag ai n s t t h e d an g er t hat res u lt ed i n h er in ju ri es b ecau s e

t h e y l ack ed s up eri o r k n owl ed g e o f t h at d an g er an d (2 ) Rag an ’ s o wn fai l u re to

ex erci s e reas o n ab le care fo r h er o wn s afet y was t he p ro x i m at e cau s e o f h er d am ag es

.

Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t hes e m o ti o n s

, fi n d in g t h at i s s u es o f m at eri al fact ex i s t ed as to

wh et h er TJ M ax x was n eg li g en t i n fai l i n g t o req u es t th at cert ai n s afeg u ard s b e p l aced

n ear i t s s t o re an d as t o w h et h er Ch ero kee w as n eg l i g en t in f a i l i n g t o p ro v i d e s u ch

s afeg u ard s

.

Un d er OCGA § 5 1 -3 -1

, a p ers o n wh o o w n s o r o ccu p ies l an d an d “ by ex p res s

o r i m p li ed i nv i t at io n

, i n d u ces o r l ead s o t h ers t o co m e up o n h i s p rem i s es fo r an y

l awfu l p u r p o s e,... i s l i ab l e i n d am ag es to s u ch p ers on s fo r i n ju ri es cau s ed b y h i s

fai l u re t o ex erci se o rd i n ary care i n k eep i n g t h e p rem i s es an d ap p ro ach es s afe.” In

3o rd er t o reco v er on a p rem i s es l i a b i l i t y cl ai m

, a p l ai n t i ff m u s t s h o w “ (1 ) t h at t h e

d efen d an t h a d act u al o r co n s t ru ct i v e k no 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 l ack ed k n o wl ed g e of t h e h azard d es p i t e t h e ex erci s e o f o rd i n ary care d u e to

act i on s o r co n di ti o n s wi t h in t he co n t ro l of t h e o w n er/ o ccu p i er.” Ro b i n s o n v. Kr o g er

Co

. , 2 6 8 Ga. 7 3 5

, 7 4 8 -4 9 (2 ) (b ) (4 9 3 SE2 d 40 3 ) (1 9 9 7 ). Acco rd in g l y

, “ t h e

fu n d am en t al b as i s fo r an o wn er o r o ccu p i er’ s li ab i l i t y [i s] th at p art y ’ s s u p eri o r

k n o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard en co u n t ered b y t h e p l ai n ti ff.” Id

. at 7 3 6 (1 ). In o t h er wo rd s

,

a p l ai n t i ff i s n o t en t it l ed t o reco v ery i f “ t h e u n d i s pu t ed ev i d en ce d em o n s t rat es t h at t h e

p l a i n t i f f ’s k n owl ed g e o f t h e h azard was eq u al to o r g reat er t h an t h at o f t h e

d efen d an t .” No r ma n v

. J

o n e s L a n g La S

a l l e A mer ica s

, In c.

, 2 77 Ga. Ap p. 6 2 1

, 6 2 4

(6 2 7 SE2 d 3 8 2 ) (2 00 6 ). See al s o Fo r es t Co ve Ap a r t men t s

, LLC v

. W

i l s o n

, 3 3 3 Ga.

Ap p

. 7 3 1, 7 3 4 (7 7 6 SE2 d 6 6 4) (2 0 1 5 ) (n o reco v ery wh ere ev i d en ce d em o n s trat ed t h at

p l ai n t i ff h ad eq u al k n o wl ed g e o f t h e d an g ero us co n d i t i o n ).

Here, it i s u nd i s p u t ed t h at t h e area wh ere Rag an cro s sed t h e p ark i n g l o t h ad n o

cro s s wal k

, n o s t op s i g n s, an d no o t h er ped es t ri an -rel at ed t raffi c s i g n s

. Rag an t es t i fi ed

t h at n o t h i n g im

p ed ed h er v i ew o f t h e area at t h e t i m e o f t h e acci d en t

, an d s h e was n ot

d i s t ract ed

. Fu rt h er, t h e ev i d en ce s h o wed t h at Rag an h ad b een t o th e sh o p p in g cen t er

n u m ero u s t i m es

, an d on sev eral o ccas i o n s

, sh e h ad s h o p ped at TJ M ax x an d cro s s ed

4t h e p ark i ng l o t wh ere th e i n ci d en t o ccu rred

. Th erefo re, t o t h e ex t en t t h at t h e l ack o f

a cro s s w al k o r t r a ffi c warn i n g s co n s ti t u t ed a d efect o n t h e p ro p ert y

, as Rag an

co n ten d s, t h at d efect was o p en an d ob v i o u s an d Rag an h a d e q u a l k n o w l eg e o f an y

s u ch d efect

. See Jo h n s o n v. Gr een Gr o wt h 1

, LLC

, 3 0 5 Ga. Ap p

. 1 3 4

, 1 39 (6 9 9 SE2 d

1 0 9 ) (2 0 10 ) (wh ere l ack o f barri er b et ween ch il d ren ’ s p lay area i n ap art m en t p ark i n g

l o t an d ro u t e o f v eh i cu l ar t raffi c o p en an d o b v i o u s

, l a n d l o rd l ack ed s u p eri o r

k n o wl ed g e o f d efect ) (p h y s i cal p reced en t o n l y ); Ba rn es v. Mo r g a n t o n Ba

p t i s t As sn

. ,

3 0 6 Ga. Ap p

. 7 5 5

, 7 5 8 (1 ) (7 0 3 SE2 d 35 9 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (ret ai n i n g wal l at sh o p p in g cen t er

an d dro p-o ff t h erefro m co n s t i t u t e d an o p en an d ob v io u s d efect ; p ro p ert y o wn er

l ack ed s u p eri o r kn o wl ed g e o f d efect ); Co mmer ce P r o p er t i es v. Li n t h icu m

, 2 0 9 Ga.

Ap p

. 8 5 3

, 85 4 (2 ) (4 3 4 SE2 d 7 6 9 ) (1 9 9 3 ) (wh ere l ack o f p ed es tri an warn i n g s i gn s

an d o t h er warn i ng an d s afet y d ev i ces i n ap a r t m e n t p ark i n g l o t o p en an d o b v i o u s

,

l an d l o rd l ack ed s up eri or k n o w l ed g e o f d efect ); Ch i s ho l m v. Fu l t on S u p p l y Co

. , 1 8 4

Ga. A p p. 3 7 8

, 37 9 (1 ) (3 6 1 SE2 d 5 4 0 ) (1 9 8 7 ) (“ [A] p ro p ri et or is no t an in s u rer o f an

i n v i t ee’ s s afet y

, an d i s n o t l iab l e fo r i n ju ri es res u l t i ng fro m a co n d i t i o n wh i c h i s

read i l y o bs erv ab l e an d wh i ch s h o u l d h av e b een s een an d ap p reci at ed b y t h e i n v i t ee

b efo re h e ex p o s ed h i m sel f t o i t [.] ”).

5M o reo v er, we no t e t hat t h e p o t en t i al d an g er al l eg ed i n t h is cas e was t h a t t h e

ab s en ce o f a cro s swal k o r o t h er t raffi c w arn i n g s ex p o s ed p e d e s t r i an s t o t h e ri s k o f

n eg li g en t act i o n s by th i rd -p art y d ri v ers

. Th is Co urt ad d res s ed t h e ap pl i cat i o n o f t h e

s u p eri o r/ eq u al k n o w l ed g e ru l e i n a cas e in v o l v i n g a s im i l ar cl ai m i n O’S t een v.

Rh eem Mf

g

. Co

. , 1 9 4 Ga. Ap p. 2 4 0

, 2 4 0 (3 9 0 SE2 d 2 4 8 ) (1 9 9 0 ). Th ere, O’ St een

, t h e

p l ai n t i ff, wo rk ed fo r t h e d efen d an t co m p an y an d was d ri v i ng t hro u g h t he co m p an y ’ s

p ark i n g l o t wh en a car en t ered th e area o f t h e park i n g l o t i n wh i ch s h e was trav el i n g,

c a u s i n g t h e t wo cars t o co l l i de. Th e al l eg ed d efect i n t h at cas e was t he p res en ce o f

l arg e t ru ck s, wh i ch t h e d efen dan t al l o wed t o b e p ark ed wh ere th ey bl o ck ed t h e v i ew

o f t h e i n t ers ect i on wh ere t h e acci d en t o ccu rred . Id

.

Th i s Co u rt ex p l ai n ed i n O’S t een t h at t he s up eri o r/ eq u al k n ow le d ge r ule a pplie d

i n cas es “ wh ere t h e pro p ri et o r al l o ws a d an g ero u s co n di t i o n t o ex i s t

, i n cl u di n g cas es

w h e r e t he al l eg ed d an g ero u s co n d i t i o n i s o n e creat ed by t h e act iv i t i es o f t hi rd

p ers o n s [.] ” O’S t een , 1 9 4 Ga. Ap p . at 2 42 (1 ). Th e ru le ap pl i es

s o l o n g as t he co n d i ti on i s o n e wh i ch t h e i nv i t ee can ex p ect eq u al l y w i t h

t h e h o s t

, o r co m e t o k n o w o f, an d t h erefo re m us t an ti ci p at e th e d an g er.

In o t h er wo r d s

, t h e c o n d i t i o n ev en i f creat ed b y t h i rd p art i es m us t be

s u ch t h a t t h e i n v i tee can i n d eed h av e eq u al k n o wl ed g e an d ei t h er

as s u m es t h e ri sk o r ca n a vo i d t h e d a n g er wi t h o rd i n ar

y ca r e

.

6(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s i n o ri gi n al .) Id

. Th erefo re, “ [t ] h e ‘ eq u al

k n o wl ed g e ru l e’

... i s th e p ract i cal ap p l i cat i o n o f a ru l e t h at a k n o wl ed g eab l e p l ai n t i ff

can n ot reco v er d am ag es i f b y o rd i n ary care h e co u l d h av e av o i d ed t he co n s eq u en ces

o f d efen dan t’ s n eg l i g en ce. OCGA § 51 -1 1 -7

. ” (Pu n ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) Id

. Becau s e

O’ St een h ad k n o wl ed g e o f t h e d an g ero u s in t ers ect io n an d fai led t o ap p ro ach i t wi th

t h e req u i s i t e care, t h i s C o u rt h el d t h at t he t ri al co u rt p ro p erl y fo u n d t hat h er cl ai m s

were b arred . Id . at 2 4 3

.

Here, n o t o nl y d id Rag an h av e eq ual k n owl ed g e t h at n o cro s s wal k o r warn i n g

s i gn ex i s ted in th e area wh ere s he was at tem p t i ng to cro s s t h e p ark i ng lo t

, sh e act u al l y

s aw t h e car t h at ul ti m at el y h i t h er h ead i n g i n h er d irect i o n b ef or e sh e s t ep p ed i n t o t h e

p ark i n g l o t

. W e fi n d

, t h erefo re, t h at Rag an h ad s u peri or k n o wl ed ge o f th e i m m ed i at e

ri sk p o s ed b y t h at car, a ri s k t h at co u l d h av e b een eas i l y av o i d ed b y wai t i ng fo r t h e

car t o ei t h er s t o p o r t o p as s b efo re p ro ceed i n g

. In s t ead

, s h e ch o se t o s t ep i n t o t h e p at h

o f t h at car b as ed on an as s um p t i o n t h at i t wo u l d s t op

. Un d er t h es e ci r c u m s t an ces

,

Rag an ’ s cl ai m s are b arred as a m at t er of l aw. 1 Co m pare Tr a vi s v. Qu i kt r ip Co r p

. , 3 3 9

1 In a s ep ara t e en u m erat i o n of erro r, TJ M ax x arg u es t h at i t can n o t b e h el d

res p o n s i b l e fo r t h e l ack o f a cro s s w al k o r w arn in g s i g n s b ecau s e, as a t en an t i n t h e

s h o p pi n g cen t er, it d i d n ot o w n o r o ccu p y t he park i n g l o t an d t h u s h ad n o d u t y to

m ai n t ai n t h at area u n d er OCGA § 5 1 -3 -1

. In l i g h t o f o ur h ol d i n g in th i s cas e, we n eed

n o t ad d res s t h at e n u m erat i on ; h o wev er, n o t h in g i n t hi s o p i ni o n s h o ul d b e read to

7Ga. Ap p

. 5 5 1

, 55 6 (1 ) (7 94 SE2 d 1 9 5 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (affi rm i n g d en i al of s u m m ary ju d g m en t

wh ere d efen d an t ’ s em

p l o y m en t req u i red h i m t o pl ace hi m s el f i n t h e p at h o f

au t o m ob i l es an d i s s u es o f fact ex i s t ed as t o wh et h er h e h ad t h e reas o n ab l e ch o i ce to

av o id t h e d an g er p o s ed t h ereb y ).

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

Mer ci er , J., co n cu r

.

i m p o s e an y s u ch d u t y

o n a t en an t u n d er t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces

.

8