SECOND DI VI SI ON

A NDREWS, P. J.

, M I LLER and BRA NCH, 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

Nov em ber 18, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 06 6 . GASKINS v . BERRY’ S BOAT DOCK et al

.

B R A N C H , J u d g e.

J am es Gas k i n ap p eal s fro m t h e g ran t o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f t h e

d efen d an t s i n a s u i t ari s i n g fro m h i s fal l wh en a p i p e an d ch ai n rai l i n g o n a ram p t o

a fl o at in g d o ck g av e way . Fo r t h e reas o n s s tat ed b el o w , we rev ers e.

Su m m ary ju d g m en t is p ro p e r w h e n t h ere i s n o gen u in e is s u e o f m at eri al fact

an d t h e m o v an t i s en t i t l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er of law. O CGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). W e

rev i ew a g ran t o r d en i al of s u m m ary ju d g m en t d e n o vo an d co ns t ru e t he ev i d en ce in

t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o th e n o n m o v an t

. Ho m e Bu i l d er s As sn

. o f S a va n n a h v.

Ch a t ha m Co u n ty , 2 7 6 Ga. 2 4 3 , 2 4 5 (1 ) (5 7 7 SE2 d 5 6 4 ) (2 0 0 3 ).

C o n s t ru ed in fav o r of Gas k i n s

, t he reco rd s h ows t hat Berry ’ s Bo at Do ck i s

o wn ed by Cat h eri n e an d Ro b ert Berry an d t h at i t o p erat es a faci l i t y o n L ak e J ack so nt h at i n cl u d es

, am o n g o t her t h i n g s

, a lev el p ed es tri an wal kway an d a ram p t h at l ead s

t o a fl o at in g d ock . At t h e t i m e o f t h e acci d en t , t h e l ak e wat er l ev el w as l o w an d t h e

fl oat in g d o ck was s i g n i fi can t ly l o w er t h an t h e wal k w ay

, cau s i n g t h e ram p to h av e a

fai rl y s t eep p i t ch

. Each s i de o f t h e ram p h ad a s eri es o f t h ree s t an d i n g m et al p i p es (o r

p o s t s ) wi t h ch ai n ru n n i n g b et ween t hem l ead in g fro m t h e t o p o f t h e ram p t o cl o s e to

wh ere t h e ram

p ad jo i ned t h e fl o at i n g d o ck

. Th e ram p

, p i p e, an d ch ai n s were i n s t al l ed

b y t h e o w n er i n 1 9 9 4 an d 19 9 5

. A s eco n d si m i lar ram p was b l ock ed b y warn i n g t ap e

o n t h e d ay

o f t h e i n ci d en t b ecau s e i t h ad co l l ap s ed

.

At ab o u t 6 : 3 0 a.m

. o n Feb ru ary 5

, 2 0 12

, aft er u n l o ad in g a b o at an d park i n g h i s

t ru ck

, G as k i n wal k ed acro ss t h e l ev el wal k w ay an d t u rn ed an d s tep p ed o n t o t h e ram p

t h at l ead s t o t h e fl o at in g d o ck

. As h e s t ep p ed on t o th e ram p

, Gas k i n g rab b ed a m et al

p o s t at th e t o p o f t he ram

p t o st ead y h i m s el f as h e s t art ed d o wn t h e i n cl i n e. H i s ri g ht

fo o t t h en s l i p p ed

, an d as h e l o s t h i s b al an ce, h e ei t h er co n t i n ued t o h o l d on t o o r reg rab b ed o n e o f t h e p o s t s in an at t em p t t o k eep fro m

fal l i n g d o wn . W h en h e d i d , t h e

p o s t b ro k e o ff fro m th e ram p

, an d G as k i n fel l, en ded u p i n th e l ak e, an d s u ffered an

i n ju ry

. Gas k i n’ s fal l t o o k do wn p i p e an d ch ai n fro m bo t h s i des o f t he ram p

. Gas k i n s

h ad u s ed t h e s am e ram

p t o g et t o h i s b o at m an y t i m es i n t h e p as t bo t h wh en t h e l ak e

2was eq u al l y l o w an d wh en i t was h i g h er, an d he h ad t r a v ers ed t h e s am e ram p t wo

week s earl i er wh en t h e l ak e was at t h e s am e l o wer l ev el

.

Gas k i n s h ired a pro fes s i on al i n s p ect o r wh o s t u d i ed t h e p i p e an d ch ai n rai l i n g

aft er t he i n ci d en t an d co n cl ud ed

, am o n g o t h er t h i n g s

, t h at t h e p i p e an d ch ai n rai l was

at t ach ed t o ro t t en w o o d

, t h at t h e fai l u re occu rred wh en t h e b o lt s u s ed t o at t ach t h e

p i p e t o t h e wo o d b as e “ p u ll ed s t rai g h t t h ru t h e w eat h ered an d d et eri o rat ed wo o d ,” an d

t h at t h e w o o d h ad l o s t i t s st ru ct u ral i n t eg ri t y

. He al s o op i n ed t h at t h e f a c i l i t i es in

g en eral

, i n cl u d i n g t he “ g an g way ” o r ram p

, were i n d i s rep ai r, sh o w ed s ig n s o f l u m b er

fai l u re d u e t o t h e wo o d ro t t i n g u n d er t h e p o s t co n n ect ors

, a n d w e r e i n n eed o f

s u b s t an t i al m ai n t en an ce an d rep ai r.

Th e tr ia l c o u rt gran t ed s u m m ary ju d g m en t i n fav o r o f t h e d efen d an t s fo r s ev eral

reas on s . Fi rs t , Ro b ert Berry t es t i fi ed t h at t h e p i p e an d ch ai n rai li n g was m ean t o n l y

t o b e deco rat i v e, n o t a s afet y h an d rai l , an d t h e co u rt co ncl u d ed t h at ph o t o g rap h s o f

t h e ram p “ s h o w cl earl y th at t he p o s t was n o t p l aced th ere fo r p u rp o s es o f serv i n g as

a h an d rai l b u t was m erel y o n e o f a s eri es o f m et al p o s t s t h ro u gh wh ich a ch ai n ran

,

an d n o reas o n ab le p ers on wo u l d t h i n k t h at t h e ch ai n an d p os t s were p l aced t h ere fo r

s afet y p u rp o s es .” Seco n d, Gas k i n s co u l d no t reco v er b ecau s e h e had s u c c e s s fu l l y

n eg ot i at ed t h e ram

p o n at l eas t s i x o ccas i o n s wh en i t had a s i m il ar p i tch an d b ecau s e

3t h e co n d i t i o n o f t he ram p was “ ju st as o b v i o u s an d o p en to [Gas ki n ] as i t was t h e

o wn ers

. ” Th i rd

, becau s e G as ki ns ad m i t t ed th at h i s fo o t sl ip p ed

, “ h e w o u l d h av e fal l en

an y way

, t h e p res en ce o r ab s en ce o f t h e po s t i n th i s cas e i s n o t m at eri al t o t h e i s s u e.”

Fo u rt h

, ev en i f t h e p o s t was a “ m at eri al cau s e” o f G as k i n s ’ i n ju ry

, an d as s u m i n g t h at

Defen d an t s h ad co n s t r u c t i v e n o t i ce o f t h e h azard

, “ th e p o s t i s a s t at i c defect ,” an d

t h erefo re Gas k i ns s h o ul d h av e s een it an d real ized t h e ri s k s i n v o l ved

. In s u m

, t h e

co u rt co n cl u d ed

, Gas k in h ad “ k n o wl ed g e of t h e d an ger at l e a s t e q u a l t o t hat o f t h e

Defen d an t s .” Th e co u rt al s o co n cl u d ed t h at Gas ki n h ad no t s ho wn t h at t h e d efen d an t s

v i o l at ed ap p li cab l e b u i l di ng co d es an d h ad n o t creat ed a p ri v at e o r p u bl i c n u i s an ce.

Pret erm it t i n g wh et h er t h e d efen d an t s v i o l at ed b u i l d in g co d es o r creat ed a

n u i s an ce, fo r t he reas on s t h at fo l l o w, we h o l d t h at th e t ri al co urt erred b y co n cl u d i n g

t h at Gas k i n h ad eq u al k n o wl ed ge o f th e al leg ed d e f e c t i n t h e rai li n g an d by

co n cl u d in g as a m a t t er o f fact an d l aw t hat t h e pi p e an d ch ai n rai l i n g was n o t a

h an drai l m ean t fo r s afet y p u rp os es

. 1

A pro pert y o wn er i s l i ab l e t o an i n v it ee, s u ch as Gas k i n, “ fo r i n j u r i es cau s ed

b y [t h e p ro p ert y o wn er’ 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 r e m i s es

1 Gas k i n s al l eg es t h at t h e d efect w as n o t t h e ram p i t s el f, “ b u t t h e co n s t ru ct i o n,

m ai n t en an ce an d co n di t i o n o f t h e p o s t s an d ch ai n s .”

4an d ap pro ach es s afe.” OCGA § 5 1 -3 -1

. “ ‘ In o rd er t o reco v er fo r i n ju ri es s u s t ai n ed in

a s l i p

- a n d -fal l act i o n

, an i n v i t ee m u s t p ro v e (1 ) th at t h e d efen d an t h ad act u al o r

co n st ru ct i v e k no wl ed g e of t h e h azard ; an d (2 ) t h at t h e p l ai n ti ff lack ed k n owl ed g e o f

t h e h azard d es pi t e th e ex erci se o f ord i n ary care d ue t o act i o n s o r co n d it i on s wi t h in

t h e co n t ro l o f th e o w n er/ occu p i er.’ ” Aver y v. Cl evel a n d Ave. Mo tel

, 2 3 9 Ga

. Ap p.

6 4 4

, 6 45 (2 ) (5 2 1 SE2 d 6 68 ) (1 9 9 9 ), q u o t i n g Ro bi n s on v. Kr o g er Co

. , 2 6 8 Ga. 7 3 5,

7 4 8 -7 4 9 (2 ) (b ) (4 9 3 SE2 d 4 03 ) (1 9 9 7 ). See al s o Amer i ca n Mu l t i –Ci n ema v. Br o wn

,

2 8 5 G a. 4 4 2

, 4 44 ( 2 ) (6 7 9 SE2 d 2 5 ) (2 0 0 9 ). Al s o

, “ t h e o w n er’ s d u t y t o ex erci s e

o rd i n ary care i n cl u des i n s p ec t i n g t h e p rem i s es t o di s co ver p o ss i b l e d an g ero u s

co n di t i o ns o f wh i ch t h e o wn er d o es n o t h av e act u al k n o wl ed g e, an d t ak i n g reas o n ab l e

p recau t i on s t o p ro t e c t i nv i t ees fro m d an g ers fo res eeab l e fro m t h e u se o f t h e

p rem i s es .” Hi cks v. W

a l ker

, 2 6 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 1 6

, 2 1 8 (5 8 5 SE2 d 8 3) (2 0 0 3) (fo o t n o t e

o m i t t e d ) ; s ee al s o D a vi s v. GBR Pr o per t i es

, 2 3 3 Ga. A p p

. 55 0

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

2 0 4 ) (1 9 9 8 ) (“ [A] n in v i t e e w h o res p o n d s t o t h e o wn er/ o ccu p i er’ s i n v i t at i o n an d

en t ers t he p rem i s es d o es s o p u rs u an t to an i m p l i ed rep res en t at i o n o r as s u ran ce t h at

t h e p rem i s es h av e b een m ad e read y an d s afe fo r t h e i n v i t ee’ s recep t i on

, an d t h e

en t eri n g i n v i t ee i s en t i t l ed t o ex p ect t h at t h e o wn er/ o ccu p ier has ex erci sed an d wi l l

5co n ti n u e t o ex erci s e reas o nab l e c are to m ak e t h e p rem i s es safe.”) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

Al t h ou g h t h ere m ay b e no ev i d en ce t h at t h e d efen d an t s h ad act u al k n o wl ed g e

o f a d efect i n t h e pi p e an d ch ai n rai l i n g

, t h ere i s an i s su e of fact as t o wh et h er t h ey

h ad co n s t ru ct i v e k n o w l ed g e t h at t h e p i p e p o s t s were at t ach ed t o ro t t en an d

d et eri o rat ed wo od

.

Co n st ru ct iv e k n o wl ed ge m ay b e in ferred wh en t h ere i s ev i d en ce t hat th e

o wn er l ack ed a reas o n a b l e in s pect io n p ro ced ure. In o rd er t o p rev ai l at

s u m m ary ju d g m en t bas ed o n lack o f co n s t ru ct i v e k n o w l ed g e, th e o wn er

m u s t d em o n s t rat e n o t o n l y

t h at i t h ad a reas o nab l e i n s pect i o n p ro g ram

i n p l ace, b u t t h at s u ch p ro g ram was act u al l y carri ed o ut at t h e t i m e o f th e

i n ci d en t

.

Aver y

, 2 3 9 Ga. A p p. a t 6 4 5

- 6 46 (2 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i on o m i tt ed ). In Aver y

,

s u m m ary ju d g m en t was p ro p erl y d en i ed i n a s u it in v o l v i n g t h e co l lap s e o f a h an d rai l

b ecau s e th e d efen d an t s “ fai led t o s u ffi ci en t l y es t ab l i s h t hat p ro ced ures were i n p l ace

t o in s p ect t h e s t ai r rai l i n g s .” Id

. at 6 4 6 (2 ). Th e s am e is t ru e h ere. At hi s d ep o s i t i o n,

Ro b ert Berry t es t ifi ed th at h e d i d n o t m ak e reg u lar i n sp ect i o n s o f t h e p rem i s es ; rat h er

“ ”i f y o u s ee an y t h i n g t h at n eed s t o b e fi x ed

, y o u fi x i t .” H e t es t i fi ed “ t h ere’ s n o t h i n g

d o cu m en t ed s ay in g I g o o u t t h ere

. . . ev ery d ay

, o nce a week o r w h at n o t

. It ’ s ju s t I’ m

6o u t t h ere.” Th u s

, t h e defen d an ts d i d n o t es t ab l i s h as a m at t er o f u n d i s pu t ed fact t h at

t h ey h ad a reas o n ab l e in s pect i o n p ro ced ure o r t h at t h e p ro ced u re was carri ed o u t at

t h e t i m e o f t h e acci d en t

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, t h ere i s an i s s u e o f fact as t o wh et h er t h e

d efen d an t s h ad co n s t ru ct i v e k n o wl ed ge of t h e fact t h at t h e p i p e p os t s w ere at t ach ed

t o ro tt en wo o d

. Fo r t h e s am e reas o n, t h ere is an i s s u e o f f a c t as t o wh et h er Gas k in

reas on ab l y co u l d h av e k n o wn o f s u ch a d efect ev en i f he di d t rav ers e th e s am e ram p

o n a reg u l ar o ccas i o n

. See Pa ul v. Sh a r p e

, 18 1 Ga. Ap p

. 4 4 3, 4 4 6 (2 ) (3 5 2 SE2 d 6 2 6 )

(1 9 8 7) (“ [p l ai n t i ff] w as n o t n eg l i g en t i n l ean i n g ag ai n st t h e d ecep t i v el y s t an d i n g -b u t

l o o s e rai l i n g ”) (ci t at i o n o m it t ed ).

As fo r t h e arg u m en t t h at t h e p i p e an d ch ai n rai l i n g o nl y w as i n t e n d e d f o r

d e c o rat i v e u s e, th at i s s u e i s p l ai n l y a q u es t i on o f fact

, as i s t h e q u es ti o n o f wh et h er

a reas o n ab l e p ers o n i n Gas k i n ’ s p os i ti o n wo ul d h av e as s u m ed t h at he co u l d s t ead y

h i m s el f b y h o l d in g o n t o o n e o f t h e p o s t s . In o t h er wo rd s, t h ere i s an i s s ue o f fact as

t o wh et her Gas k i n u n reas o n ab l y ex p o sed hi m s el f t o d an g er o n a s ev erel y s l o p ed ram p

b y h o ld i n g o n t o o ne o f t he p os t s t o t ry t o p rev en t h i m s el f fro m

fal l i ng

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . An d r ews , P. J., a n d Mi l ler

, J., co n cu r

.

7