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

M ar ch 11, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A1 99 0

. HENRY et al

. v

. ATLANTA G AS LIGHT COM PANY.

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Co n st an ce To n d ra Hen ry (“ Hen ry ”), act i n g i n d i v i d u al l y an d as t h e

rep res en t at i v e an d s u rv i v i ng d au g h t er o f Pat ri ci a An n H en ry an d Sam u el Ch ri s t o p h er

Hen ry

, is t h e p lai n t i ff i n a p ers o n al i nju ry an d wro n g fu l d eat h act i o n ag ai ns t At l an t a

Gas L i g h t C o m

p an y (“ AGL”), b as ed o n a n at u ral g as ex pl o s i o n cau s ed b y a

res i den t ial g as fu rn ace. Hen ry 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 t o AGL,

co n ten d in g t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred b y ru l i n g th at

, u n d er t he fact s of t h i s cas e, t h e

i n ju ri es at i s s u e d i d n o t ari s e fro m a b reach o f a l eg al du t y o wed t h em b y AGL. Fo r

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

.

Su m m ary ju d g m en t i s pro p e r w h e n t h ere i s n o g en u i ne i s s u e o f

m at eri al fact an d t h e m o van t i s en t i t l ed to ju dg m en t as a m at t er o f l aw.

A d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew ap pl i e s t o an ap p eal fro m a g ran t o fs u m

m ary ju d g m en t

, an d we v i ew t h e ev i d en ce, an d al l r e as 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 ov an t

. 1

So v i ewed , t h e reco rd s h o ws t h at An d rea W oo d o w n ed a ren t al h o m e, an d i n

p rep arat i o n fo r n ew ten an t s, s h e cal l ed AGL t o as k t h e m t o t u rn o n t he n at u ral g as

s erv i ce at t h e ren t al h om e. No b o d y was h o m e, b u t W o o d m ad e arran g em en ts t o al l o w

AGL acces s i n t o t h e h o u s e.

On Sep t em

ber 1 2, 2 0 1 5, Ri ch ard W es t

, a fi el d s p eci al i s t fo r AGL, vi s i t ed t h e

h o u s e t o t u rn o n t h e gas

. Th e g as m et er s u pp l y v al v e was l o ck ed i n t h e o ff p o s i t i o n,

an d co n s i s t en t wi t h AGL p o li cy

, W es t p erfo rm ed a fu el l i n e an d ap p li an ce i n s p ect i o n

t o d is co ver an y s afet y co ncern s b efo re t u rn i n g o n t h e g as s e r v i c e

. As p art o f t h i s

p ro ces s

, he u n l o ck ed t he g as m et er v al v e t o ch eck fo r l eak s d o w n s t ream o f t h e g as

m et er an d fo u n d n o n e. 2 H e al s o p erfo rm ed a v i s u al i ns p ect io n o f t h e ap pl i an ces an d

d i s co v ered p ro b l em s wi t h b o t h t h e wat er h eat er an d t he fu rn ace, sp eci fi cal ly n o t i n g

1 (Ci tat i o n om i tt ed .) Ma tj o u l i s v. In t eg o n Gen

. In s

. Co r p

., 2 2 6 Ga. Ap p

. 4 5 9 (1 )

(4 8 6 SE2 d 6 8 4 ) (1 9 9 7 ).

2 Th i s t es t i s cal led “ s p o t t i n g ” t h e m et er: t urn i n g o n t h e g as at t h e m et er wi th

al l h o u s eh o l d ap p l i an ces t u rn ed o ff an d o b s erv i ng t h e m et er fo r fi ve m i n u t es . If t h e

m et er s h ows t h at t h e d own s t ream g as l i n e i s h o l d i n g p res s u re, i

. e., t h e m et er s t ay s in

t h e s am e s p o t , t h i s i n d i cat es th at n o g as i s fl o wi n g d u e t o a l eak i n t he l in e.

2t h at t h e g as s u p p l y l i ne t o t h e fu rn ace was a fl ex ib l e li n e t h at i m p ro p erl y l ed i n t o t h e

fu rn ace wi t h o u t a g ro m

m et i n t h e o p en in g

. 3 Th e gro m m et i s a p ro t ect i v e ri n g aro u n d

t h e i n si d e o f t h e s u p p l y -l i n e o p en i n g i n t h e fu rn ace cab i n et

. Th e g ro m m et i s i n t en d ed

t o m i n i m i ze th e ri s k t h at vi b rat i o n b y t h e t h i n m et al ed g e o f t he fu rn ace cab i net wo u ld

ru b a h o le i n t h e fl ex i b le l i ne, cau s in g a gas l eak

. W es t al s o o b s erv ed t h at th e fu rn ace

g as l i n e l ack ed a s ed i m en t t rap

, an d t h e fu rn ace th erm o s t at was i n o p e rab l e, s o h e

co u ld n o t fu rt h er ch eck t h e fu rn ace o p erat i o n o r p erfo rm rep ai rs

.

Bas ed o n h i s o b serv at i on s of th e fu rn ace, W es t d i d n o t at t em p t t o l i g h t i t

, an d

i n s t ead

, h e t u rn ed o ff t he d ed i cat ed fu rn ace s u pp l y val v e (“ cu t -o ff v al v e”). To warn

o t h ers ab o u t t h e co n di t i o n of t he fl ex i b le fu rn ace l i n e, W e s t wrap p ed w arn i n g t ap e

aro u n d t h e fu rn ace cu t -o ff v al v e, s o t h at so m eo n e wo u l d h av e t o p h y s i cal l y rem o v e

t h e tap e b efo re t u rn i n g o n t h e g as s u p p ly t o t h e fu rn ace. Al s o

, W es t at t ach ed a

warn i n g card t o t h e fu rn ace, wri t i n g a n o tat i on ab o u t t h e fl ex i b l e g as l i n e, an d h e l eft

a co py o f t h e wri t ten warn i n g card o n t h e k i t ch en co u nt er. Sp eci fi cal l y

, wi t h res p ect

t o t he fu rn ace, t h e warn i n g card s s t at ed :

3 Th e wat er heat er req u i red an ad d i t i o nal co m b u st i o n ai r v en t in t h e u t i l i t y

ro o m i n wh i ch i t was i n s t al l ed

. It i s u n d is p u t ed t h at t h e wat er h eat er was n ot t h e cau s e

o f t h e ex p l os io n

.

3Th e fo ll o wi n g g as ap p li an ce/ eq u i p m en t h as b een t u rn ed / l eft o ff d u e t o

t h e b el o w reas o n s :

. . . Fu rn ace.

. . E x p l an at i o n : t h erm o s t at n o t

d i s p l ay i n g

, n o s ed i m en t t rap

, fl ex l i ne t h ru [s ic] to p o f fu rn ace, l eft o ff.

. . . DO N OT CONNECT OR USE THE TAGGED A PPLI ANCE(S)

OR CUSTOMER PI PI NG UNTI L YOU HAV E A PROPERLY

LI CENSED AND QUALI FI ED A GENCY/ PERSO N PERFORM

THE NECESSARY REPAI RS

. 4

Aft er l eav i n g t h e warn i n g card s an d t h e warn in g t ap e o n t h e fu rn ace cu t -o ff v al ve,

W es t l eft t h e h o us e wi t h t he h ou s e g as s u pp l y o n an d t h e fu rn ace g as s u p p l y o ff. 5

So o n t h ereaft er, t he p ro p ert y o wn er’ s s tep s o n, Sco t t W oo d

, was p rep ari n g t h e

h o u s e fo r t h e n ew t en an t s an d d i s co v ered th at th e ho u se d i d no t h av e h o t wat er. 6 Sco t t

al s o n o t i ced t h e w arn i ng card i n t h e k i t ch en an d cal l ed t h e own er t o t el l h er t h at t h e

fu rn ace g as s u p p l y co u l d n o t be tu rn ed on u n ti l t h e fu rn ace w as s erv i ced

. An d rea

W o o d

, th e o w n er, cal l ed A G L t o res o l v e t h e i s s u e, an d A GL i n di cat ed t hat An d rea

n eed ed t o “ g et so m eb o d y o u t t h ere” t o fi x t h e ap p l i an ces

. A n d rea t h en co n t act ed a

4 (Em p h as i s i n o ri g i n al .)

5 W es t d ep o s ed th at AGL p o l i cy d i d n o t r e q u i r e a res i d en t t o b e at t h e h o u s e

i f t h e g as was t u rn ed o n an d warn i n g card s are l eft

.

6 Th e reco rd i s n o t cl ear as t o wh y h o t wat er was n o t av ai l ab l e.

4p l u m

b er t o ad d res s t h e wat er h eat er, an d s he cal l ed Ho us e r Heat i n g an d Ai r

Co n d i t i o ner t o wo rk o n t h e fu rn ace.

Ho u ser s en t a t ech n i ci an t o th e h o u s e o n Sep t em b er 2 4

, 2 0 1 5

. Th e t ech n i ci an

s aw t h e warn i n g card o n t he fu rn ace, an d h e co n d u ct ed an i n d ep en den t ex am i n at i o n

o f t he ap p l i an ces

. Th e t ech n i ci an ag reed t h at t h e fu rn ace n eed ed a h ard g as i n l et p i p e

i n s t ead of t h e fl ex i b l e li n e, an d h e al s o n o t i ced th at cert ai n co m po n en t s n eed ed

cl ean i n g

. Th e t ech n i ci an p rep a r ed a qu o t e fo r t h e wo rk

, an d aft er recei v i n g

au t h o ri zat i o n , t h e t ech n i ci an ret u rn ed a few d ay s l at er t o p erfo rm t h e wo rk

.

Du ri n g t h at p ro ces s, t h e t ech n i ci an rep l aced t h e fl ex i b l e l i n e l ead i n g i n t o t h e

fu rn ace w i th a hard p i p e, b u t h e reu s ed th e fl ex i b l e li n e t o reat t ach t h e g as s u p p l y l i n e

an d t h e n ewl y i n st al l ed h ard p i p e g o i n g i n to t h e fu rn ace. Du e t o t h e l en g t h o f t h e

fl ex i bl e co n n ect o r, i t cu rv ed an d m ad e co n t act wi t h t he fu rn ace ex t eri o r. Th e

t ech n i ci an t h en o p e n e d t h e f u rn ace cu t -o ff v al v e, an d th e n ew t en an t was ab le to

o p erat e t h e fu rn ace.

Ov er ti m e, t h e fu rn ace h o u s i n g v i brat ed as t h e b l o w er m o t o r ran

, an d t h e

fri ct i on b et ween t he h o u s in g an d t h e fl ex i b le co n n ect o r creat ed a h o l e in t he fl ex i b l e

co n nect or. On J un e 1 2

, 2 0 1 6

, ap p ro x i m at el y n in e m o n t h s aft er AGL t u r n e d o n t h e

g as

, a g as ex p lo si o n o ccu rred at t h e h o u s e, cau s i n g i n ju ri es t o H en ry an d k i l l i n g t wo

5m em

b ers o f her fam i ly

. Th e part i es d o n o t d i s p u t e t hat t h e fl ex i b le fu rn ace g as l i n e

was t h e so u rce o f t h e ex p l o si o n, an d t h ere i s ex p ert t es t i m o n y bas ed o n dat a fro m t h e

g as m et er t h at t h e fl ex ib l e co n nect o r b eg an l eak i n g o n J u n e 5 an d cat as tro p h i cal l y

ru p t u red o n J u n e 1 2

.

Hen ry s u ed Ho u ser an d AGL, an d her fat h er al s o s u ed o n b eh al f o f h i m s el f an d

h i s s o n ’ s es t at e. Th e t wo cas es were co n so l i d at ed i n t o t h e p res en t cas e, an d aft er t h e

u n rel at ed d eat h o f Hen ry ’ s fat h er, s h e i s t h e pl ai nt i ff o n b eh al f of h ers el f, t h e es t at e

o f Pat ri ci a, an d th e es t at e o f h er fat h er. H o u s er set t led t h e cl ai m s ag ai ns t i t

, an d AGL

s u c c e s s fu l ly m o ved fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. Hen ry n o w 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 t o AGL.

1

. H en ry arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y co n cl u d in g as a m at ter of l aw t h at

t h e i n ju ri es at is s u e d i d n o t ari s e fro m a b reach o f d u t y

b y AGL. W e d is ag ree.

As a g en eral m at t er o f t ort l aw,

t h e es s en t ial el em en t s of a n eg l i g en ce cl ai m are t h e ex i s t en ce o f a l eg al

d u t y ; b reach o f t h at d u t y ; a [s uffi ci en t ] cau s al co n n ect io n b et ween th e

d efen d an t ’ s co n d uc t an d t h e p l ai n t i ff’ s i n ju ry ; an d d am ag es

. Th us

, th e

t h res h o l d i s s ue i n a n eg l i g en ce act i on i s wh et h er an d t o wh at ex ten t th e

d efen d an t o wes a l eg al d u t y t o t h e p l ai n t i ff. Th i s i s s u e i s a q u es ti o n o f

l aw. A l eg al d u t y su ffi ci en t t o s u p po rt l i ab i l it y in n eg li g en ce i s ei t h er a

d u t y i m p o s ed b y a v al i d s t at u t o ry en act m en t o f th e l eg is l at u re o r a d u t y

6i m

p o s ed b y a reco gn i zed co m m o n l aw p ri n ci p l e d ecl ared i n t h e rep o rt ed

d eci si o n s o f o u r ap p el l at e co u rt s

. 7

In t h e co n t ex t o f a n at u ral g as s u pp l ier, Geo rg i a co m m o n l aw d efi n es t h e g as

s u p p li er’ s d u t y

as fo l l o ws :

[ A ]b s e n t act ual k n owl ed g e of a d an g ero u s co n d i t i o n

, a g as s up p l i er i s

n o t g en eral l y l iab l e b ey o n d th e m et er an d s erv i ce pi p es

. W h ere

. . . g as

ap p l ian ces o n pri v at e p ro p ert y

, [are] o wn ed o r co n t ro l l ed b y t h e o wn er

o r o ccu p an t o f t h e p rem i s es

, a co m p an y wh i ch m erel y fu rn i sh es

. . . g as

fo r s u ch res p ect i v e ap p l i an ces i s n ot res po n s i b l e fo r t h e

. . . co n d i t io n o f

t h e

. . . g as ap p l i an ces

, . . . an d i s n o t l i ab l e t o t he o w n er o r o ccu p an t o r

t o t h i rd p ers o ns o n t h e p rem i s es fo r i n ju ri es

, . . . cau sed b y s u ch

d efect i v e co n d i t i o n . Th e ru l e i s s u b ject t o t h e ex cep t i on t h at wh en ev er

s u ch

. . . g as i s s u p p l i ed wi t h act u al k no wl ed g e o n th e p art o f t h e o ne

s u p p l y i n g i t o f t h e d efect i v e an d d an gero u s co n d it i on o f t h e cu s t o m er’ s

ap p l ian ces [,] h e i s li ab l e fo r i n ju ri es cau s ed b y t h e

. . . g as t h u s s u pp l ied

f o r u s e on s u ch d efect i v e an d d an g ero u s ap p l i an ces

, b u t n o d u ty o f

i n s p ect i o n res t s o n t h e o n e s u p pl y i n g t h e el ect ri ci t y o r t h e g as fro m th e

m e r e f a ct o f ren d eri n g s u ch s erv i ce t o t h e cu s t o m er own i ng o r

co n t ro ll i n g t h e eq u i p m en t

. 8

7 (Pu n ct u at i o n an d em

ph as i s o m i t t ed .) G a r v i n v

. A t l a n t a Ga s Li g h t Co

. , 3 3 4

Ga. Ap p . 4 5 0 , 4 5 3 (1 ) (7 7 9 SE2 d 6 8 7 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

8 Id . at 4 5 3 -4 5 4 (1 ) (a).

7Here, it is u n di s p u t ed t h at t h e ex p l o si o n res u l t ed fro m a h o le i n t he fl ex i b l e g as

l i ne t h at d ev el o p ed o ver t h e co u rs e o f n i n e m o n t h s aft er i t was i m p ro p erl y i n s t al l ed

b y Ho u s er. It i s al so cl ear t hat AGL h ad n o k n o wl ed g e o f Ho u s er’ s i m p ro p er rep ai r

wh en AGL fi rs t vi s it ed t h e p ro p ert y t o t u rn on t h e g as

— t h at h azard was l at er cau s ed

b y Ho u s er. Fu rt h er, t he s p eci fi c h azard id en t i fi ed b y W e s t a n d co m m u n i cat ed to

Hen ry w as act u al l y

rem ed i ed b y

Ho u ser wh en i t i n st al led t h e h ard g as p i p e i n t o t h e

fu rn ace.

Bas ed o n t h i s reco rd

, Hen ry can n o t m eet h er b u rd en t o i d en t ify a d u ty b reach ed

b y AGL. Co n s i s t en t wi th AGL p ol i cy

, aft er d i s co v eri n g t h e i n i t i a l h azard

, W es t

p l aced warn i ng card s o n t h e ap p l i an ce an d o n t h e k i tch en co u n t er, h e t u rn ed o ff t h e

g as t o t h e fu rn ace, an d h e wrap p ed t h e v al ve i n warn i n g t ap e s o t h at i t co u l d n o t b e

t u rn ed on wi t h o u t rem o v i n g t he t ap e. Th e f a c t t h at Ho u s er p erfo rm ed a n eg l i g en t

rep ai r can n o t b e at t ri bu t ed t o AGL b ecau s e “ [a] g as co m pan y i s n o t an i n s u rer o f t h e

s afet y o f i t s cu s t om ers an d th ei r ag en t s an d i nv i t ees

, b u t i s l i ab le o n l y fo r [i t s ] act s o f

n eg li g en ce.” 9 AGL l e f

t t h e fu rn ace i n a s afe co n d i t i on (wi th t h e g as s u p p l y v al v e

9 W o ma ck v. Cen t r a l Ga

. Ga s Co

. , 8 5 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9 9, 8 0 3 (7 0 SE2 d 3 98 ) (1 9 5 2 ).

See al s o W

es t b r o ok v. At la n t a Ga s Li g h t Co

. , 3 4 0 Ga. Ap p

. 1 1

, 18 (1 ) (7 9 5 SE2 d 3 2 0 )

(2 0 1 6) (“ [I] t i s p l ai n t h at t h e s u b s eq u en t act io n s o f [t h e p ro pert y own er]

, as si s t ed by

h i s han d y m an

, t o tu rn o n t h e g as wi t h o u t fi xi n g t h e l eak was a ‘ n ew cau s e

. . .

s u ffi ci en t t o s t an d as t h e cau s e o f’ t h e ex p l o s i o n .”).

8t u rn ed o ff an d t ap ed ) an d w arn ed t h e p ro p ert y o w n er o f t h e h azard i t d i s co v ered

. No

o n e n o t i fi ed AGL o f an y rep ai r o r req u es ted i t t o rei n sp ect t h e g as ap p l i an ces ; AGL

s i m p l y h ad n o kn o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard t h at cau s ed t h e i n ju ri es i n t h i s cas e. Ab s en t

s u c h k n o w l ed g e, AGL h ad n o d u ty t o fu rt h er in s p ect i t s cu st o m er’ s g as l i n es aft er

warn i n g t h e cu s t o m er t o rep ai r th e h azard s kn o wn t o i t. 1 0 Acco rd i n g l y

, t h e t ri al co u rt

co rrect ly g ran t ed s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o AGL.

2 . Hen ry ’ s rem ai n i n g en u m erat i on s are m o o t

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Co o mer

a n d Ma r kl e, JJ., co ncu r

.

1 0 See Ga r vi n

, 33 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 45 4 (1 ) (a) (“ [K] n o wl ed g e o f t h e ex i st en ce o f

t h e cu s t o m er[-] i n s t al l ed g as li n e t o t h e o ut b ui l d i n g

, wi t h o u t k n o w l ed g e o f an act u al

g as l eak

, i s s i m

p l y i ns u ffi ci en t t o g iv e ri se t o a d u t y o n t h e p art o f AGL t o i n s p ect t h e

l i ne t o en s ure th at i t was cap p ed

, i n s t e a d o f t erm i n at i n g wi t h a v al v e.”). See al s o

Go o d h a r t v

. A t l a n t a Ga s Li

g h t Co

. , 3 4 9 Ga. Ap p

. 6 5

, 7 5 (2 ) (b ) (8 2 5 SE2 d 4 6 5 )

(2 0 1 9) (“ [W ] e cert ai n ly can n o t s ay t hat AGL cre a t e d a ri s k wi t h th e l o o s e fl ex i b l e

co n nect or beh i n d t he d ry er b ecau s e t here i s n o e v i d e n c e t h at AGL at tach ed t h e

c o n n e ct o r i n t h e fi rs t p l ace, or ev er ad ju s t ed i t aft er t h e dry er was i ns t al l ed .”). T h e

p res en t cas e is d i s t i n ct fro m cas es s u ch as Br a y v. A t l an t a Ga s Li

g h t Co

. , 4 6 Ga. Ap p.

6 2 9 ( 1 6 8 S E 9 6 ) (1 9 3 3), in wh i ch t h is Co u rt rev ers ed t h e g ran t o f AGL’ s g en eral

d em u rrer b ecau se AGL h ad k n o wl ed g e o f op en

, u n cap p ed g as l i n e s i n a h o u s e an d

d i d n ot l o ck

, w arn

, o r o t h erwi s e p rev e n t t h e g as s up p l y t o t he h ou s e fro m b ei n g

t u rn ed o n b y

an u nk n o wn p ers o n

.

9