FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, M CM ILLI A N, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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 10, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A2 23 5 . RIDLEY v . DOLGENCORP, LLC.

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e J u d g e.

In t h i s t ri p an d fal l s u i t , Sh i rl ey Ri d l ey ap peal s fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s 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 defen d an t

, Do l g en co rp , L LC (“ t h e s t o re o wn er”).

Ri d ley co n t en ds t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n ru l i n g t hat (1 ) t h e s t o re p rem i s es d i d n ot

c o n t ai n a h azard o u s co nd i t i o n ; (2 ) Ri d l ey po s ses s ed k n o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard o u s

d efect s ; an d (3 ) th e di s tract i on th eo ry co u l d n o t ap p l y

. Fo r th e reas on s th at fo l l o w, we

affi rm

.

“ Su m m ary ju d g m en t i s ap p ro p ri at e wh en n o g e n u i n e is s u es o f m at eri al fact

rem ai n an d t h e m o van t i s en t it l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. On ap p eal

, we

rev i ew t h e g ran t o r d en i al o f s u m m ary ju d g m en t de n ov o , co n s t ru i n g t h e ev id en ce an d

a l l i n feren ces i n a l i g h t m o s t fav orab l e t o t h e n o n m o v in g p art y .” (Pu n ct u at i o n an dfo o t n o t e o m i t t e d

. ) McLemo r e v. G en u i n e Pa r ts Co

. , 3 1 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 4 1

, 6 4 1 (7 2 2

SE2 d 3 6 6) (2 0 1 2).

So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd sh o ws t h at at ap pro x i m at el y 1 0: 0 0 a.m

. o n Oct o b er 2 3,

2 0 1 5

, Ri d l ey v i s i t ed t h e Do l l ar Gen eral s t o re l o cat ed o n Hi g hway 4 1 i n Ri n g g o l d

, GA

(“ t h e s t o re” o r “ th e p rem i ses ”). Ri d l ey was d ri v en t o t h e s to re b y h er n ei g h b o r, wh o

p a rk ed h er car in t he park i n g l o t o n t h e s i d e o f t h e s t o re. Th e st o re’ s p ar k i n g l o t

co n tai n ed rai s ed , co n cret e b l o ck s (“ park i n g ab u tm en t s”) i n t h e p ark i n g s p aces . Th e

p a r k i n g ab u t m en t s fo r t he d i s ab l ed p ark i n g sp aces w ere p ai nt ed b l u e, b u t t h e o t h er

p ark i n g ab u t m en t s were u n p ai n t ed

. Sev eral rack s d i s pl ay in g cl o t h i n g i t em s an d o t h er

m erch an d i s e were lo cat ed o n t h e s i d ewal k b es i d e t h e s to re’ s fro nt d o o rs

. Befo re

Ri d l ey en t ered th e s t o re, s h e wal k ed t h ro u g h t h e p ark i n g l ot area an d s u cces s fu l l y

s i de-s t ep p ed t h e d is p lay rack s. Ri d l ey en t ered t he s t o re, s h o p p ed

, an d co m pl et ed h er

p u rch as e wi t h i n t en m in u t es aft er h er arri v al at t he s t o re.

Ri d l ey co nt en d s t h at wh en s h e ex i t ed t he s t o re an d wal k ed t o ward t h e p ark i n g

l o t

, s h e b ecam e d is t ract ed b y a d i s p l ay rack o n t h e si d ewal k an d b y ot h er cu s t o m ers

wh o were en t eri n g an d ex i ti n g t h e s t o re. W h i l e l o o k in g at th e d i s p l ay rack an d t h e

g ro u nd aro u n d t h e d i s p l ay rack

, Ri d ley s tep p ed d o wn fro m t h e s i d ew a l k o n t o t h e

p ark i n g pav em en t

, an d t he t o e o f h er sh o e h i t an u n p ai n t ed

, s l an ted p ark i n g ab u t m en t

.

2Sh e t ri p p ed o v er t h e p ark i n g ab u t m en t an d fel l fo rward

. As a res u lt o f t h e fal l

, Ri d l ey

al l eg ed l y s u ffered in

j u ri es t o h er k n ee, el b ow, an d h ead

, wh i ch req u i red s u rg ery an d

reh ab i l i t at i v e p h y si cal t h erap y

.

Ri d l ey fi l ed su i t fo r d am ag es ag ai n s t t h e s t o re o wn er, al l eg i n g t h at t h e s t o re

o wn er h ad b reach ed it s d u t y t o k eep i ts p rem i s es s afe. Aft er co n d u ct i n g d i s co v ery , t h e

s t ore o w n er fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary j u d gm en t

. Th e tri al co urt e n t ered an o rd er

g ran t i n g t h e s t o re o wn er’ s m o ti o n , fro m wh i ch Ri dl ey

ap p eal s

.

Gen eral ly

,

[t ] o re c o v e r o n a th eo ry o f p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y , a p lai n ti ff m u s t s h o w

i n ju ry cau sed b y a h azard o n an o wn er o r occu p i er 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 sh o u l d h av e rem o v ed i n th e

ex erci s e o f o rd i n a r y c a re 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 o f p rem i ses l i ab i l i t y cas es are

—

we h a v e r e f

i ned th is g en eral t es t d o wn t o t wo s p eci fi c el em en t s

. T he

p l ai n t i ff m

us 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 e d g e o f t he h azard ; an d (2 ) t h e p l ai n t i ff, d es p i t e

ex erci s i n g o r d i nary 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 o f t h e h azard d u e t o t h e d efen dan t ’ s act i o n s o r t o 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

.

3(Fo o tn o tes o m i t t ed

. ) Amer i ca n M u l t i

- C i n ema

, In c. v. Br o wn , 2 8 5 Ga. 44 2

, 4 4 4 (2 )

(6 7 9 SE2 d 2 5 ) (2 0 0 9 ). A n d wh ere, as h ere, al leg ed l y d an gero u s s t at i c co nd i t i o n s are

i n v o l v ed

,

t h e r u l e i s wel l es t ab li sh ed t h at t he b as i s o f t h e p ro p ri et o r’ s l i ab i l it y i s

h i s s u p eri o r kn o wl ed g e an d i f h i s i n vi t ee k n o ws of th e co n d i t i o n o r

h azard t h ere i s n o du t y on t h e p art o f t he p ro p ri et o r t o wa rn hi m an d

t h ere i s n o l i ab i l i t y fo r res u l t i n g i n ju ry b ecau se t h e i n v i t ee h as as m u ch

k n o wl ed g e as t h e p ro p ri et o r d o es

.

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

. ) Br ewer v. A t l a n t a S o u th 7 5

, In c. , 28 8 Ga

. A p p

. 80 9

, 8 1 0 (6 5 5

SE2 d 6 3 1 ) (2 0 0 7 ). As s uch

, in cas es i n v o l v i n g a s t a t i c d e f e c t, “ wh en a p ers o n h as

s u cces s fu l ly n eg o t i at ed an al leg ed d an g ero u s co n d i ti o n o n a p rev i o u s o ccas i o n , t h at

p ers o n is p res u m ed t o h av e eq u al k n owl ed g e o f i t an d can n o t reco v er fo r a s u b s eq u en t

i n ju ry res u l t i n g t h erefro m .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed

. ) P er ki n s v. V al

D’Ao s t a Co

. , 3 05 Ga. Ap p

. 1 2 6

, 1 2 8 (6 9 9 SE2 d 3 8 0) (2 0 1 0 ). “ If no t h i n g o b s t ru ct s t h e

i n v i t ee’ s ab i l i ty t o s ee t h e s t at i c co n d i t i o n , t h e p ro p ri et o r m ay s afel y as s um e t h at t h e

i n v i t ee wi l l s ee i t an d wi l l real i ze an y as s o ci at ed ri s k s .” (Pu n c t u a t i o n an d fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed .) McLemo r e , 3 13 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 4 3

. “ [O] n e i s u nd er a d u t y t o l o o k wh ere [s ] h e

i s wal k i n g an d t o see l arg e o b j ect s i n p l ai n v i ew wh i ch are at a l ocat i o n wh ere t h ey

4are cu s to m ari l y p l aced an d ex p e c t ed t o be.” (Ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at io n o m i t t ed .)

Ro b in s o n v. Kr o g er

Co

. , 2 6 8 Ga. 7 3 5

, 7 4 2 (1 ) (4 9 3 SE2 d 4 0 3 ) (1 9 97 ).

Here, Ri d ley cl ai m s t h at sh e t ri p p ed an d fel l o v er a co n cret e p ark in g ab u t m en t

,

wh i ch was a s t at i c co n d i ti on ex i s t i ng i n t h e s to re’ s park i n g l o t

. Sh e co n t en ds t h at t h e

p ark i n g ab u t m en t was h azard o u s b ecau s e i t was un p ai nt e d a n d s l an t ed

. 1 Bu t ev en

as s u m in g t h at th e p ark i n g ab u t m en t was a h azard o u s co n d it i o n o f wh i ch t h e s t o re

o wn er h ad k n o w l ed g e, Ri d l ey ’ s cl ai m s ag ai n s t t he s to re o w n er are p recl u ded b ecau s e

t h e u n di s p u t ed ev i den ce es t ab l i s h es t h at Ri d l ey h ad eq u al kn o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard

an d fai l ed t o ex erci s e o rd i n ary care fo r h er o wn p ers on al s afet y

.

Si g n i fi can t l y , in h er d ep o s i t i o n , Ri d l ey t es t i fi ed t h at s h e h ad v i si t ed t h e

p rem i s es o n b et ween 2 0 an d 2 5 o ccas i o n s b efo re t h e fal l i n ci d en t

. Sh e was fam i l i ar

wi t h t h e p ark i n g l o t area an d k n ew t h at i t co n t ai n ed p ark in g ab u t m en t s

. Ri d l ey fu rt h er

1 Ri d l ey fu rt her co n t en d s t h at t h e p lacem en t o f t h e d i s p l ay rack s an d p ark i n g ab u tm en t s vi o l at ed Ci ty of Ri n g o l d o rd i n an ces

. “ Ci t y an d co un t y o rd i n an ces m u s t b e al l eg ed an d p ro v en i n o rd er to b e co n si d ered b y th e s u peri o r an d ap p el lat e co u rt s o f

t h i s St at e. Th e p ro p er m et h o d o f p ro v i n g a ci t y o rd i n an ce i s p ro d u ct io n o f t h e o ri g i n al

o rd i n a n ce o r a cert i fi ed co p y t h ereo f.” (Ci t at i on s o m i t t ed

. ) W hi t f i el d v. Ci t

y of

At l a n t a , 2 9 6 Ga. 6 4 1

, 6 4 1 (7 6 9 SE2 d 7 6 ) (2 0 1 5 ). See al s o OCGA § 2 4 -2 -2 2 1 (ju d i ci al

n o t i ce m ay b e t a k e n o f a cert i fi ed co p y o f an o rd i nan ce). Here, t he o rd i n an ces

r e f e r en ced ap p ear n o w h ere i n t h e reco rd

. Co n s eq u en t l y , we can n o t co n si d er t h i s

co n ten t i o n

. See W

h i t f iel d

, 2 9 6 Ga. at 6 4 1 (“ Nei th er t h e su p e r i o r co u rt s n o r t h e

ap p el l at e co u rt s can ad

ju d i cat e a cl ai m o r d efen s e b as ed o n a c i t y o rd in an ce u n l es s

t h e o rd i n an ce h as b een p ro p erl y p res en t ed

. ”).

5ad m i t t ed t h at s h e was aware o f t h e g e n e r al h ei gh t an d d i m en si o n s o f t he p ark i n g

ab u tm en t s an d t h at t h ere was a ri s k o f t ri p p i n g wh en wal k i n g t h ro u g h t h e p ark i n g l ot

an d no t l o o k i n g at t h e g ro u nd wh ere t h e p ark i n g ab u t m en t s were l o cat ed

. Th ere was

n o t h i n g prev en t i n g Ri d l ey fro m o b s erv i n g t he p ark i n g ab u t m en t p ri o r t o t h e fal l

.

Ri d ley t es t i fi ed t h at t h e fal l in ci d en t occu rred o n a cl ear, su n ny day an d t h ere was n o

p ro b lem wi t h l i g h t i n g i n t h e area. M o reo v er, s h e ad m it t ed t h at t h e p ark i n g ab u t m en t s

were p l ai n l y

v i s i b l e fro m

a g o od d i s t an ce away

. 2

In ad d i t i o n, Ri d l ey h ad s u cces s f u l l y t rav ers ed t h e area w h en sh e en tered t h e

s t ore ap p ro x i m at el y

t en m i n u t es p ri or t o t h e fal l

. Sh e was aware o f t h e d i s p l ay rack

co n di t i o n s o n th e s i dewal k

. Ri d l ey ack n o wl ed g ed th at at t h e t i m e o f t h e fal l

, s h e was

l o o k i n g at t h e d i s p lay rack an d t h e g ro u n d aro u n d t he di s p lay rack i n s t ead o f t h e

p ark i n g area wh ere s h e was wal k i n g

.

Ex h i b i t s t o Ri d l ey ’ s d ep o s i t i o n i n cl u d e p h o t o g rap hs o f th e p rem i s es , i n cl u d i n g

t h e area d ep i ct i n g d i s p l ay rack s o n th e s id ewal k an d t h e p ark i n g ab u t m e n t s i n t h e

2 Ri d l ey al s o t es t i fi ed t h at an o t h er cu s t om er h ad ex i t ed t he s t o re an d wal k ed

t o ward t h e p a r k i n g l ot ah ead o f h er. T h ere i s n o ev i den ce t hat t he cu s t o m er

ex p eri en ced an y d i ffi cu l t y t rav ers in g t he areas wh ere t he d i s p l ay rack s an d p ark i n g ab u tm en t s were lo cat ed

. Li k ewi s e, t h ere was n o ev i d en ce t h at an y s im il ar i n ci d en t s h ad o ccu rred at t h e p rem is es

.

6p ark i n g l ot

. Ri d l ey p l aced a l et t er “ A” on t h e p h ot og rap h referred t o as Defen d an t ’ s

Ex h ib i t N o

. 1 3 to i den t i fy t h e l o cat i o n o f t h e p ark in g ab u t m en t ov er wh ich s h e t ri p p ed

an d fel l

. Th e p h o t o g rap h cl earl y s h o ws t h e park i n g ab u t m en ts i n t h e area wh ere t h e

fal l occu rred

. Si m

p l y , Ri d l ey ’ s o wn t es ti m o ny es t ab l i s h ed t hat s he fai l ed t o ex erci s e

o rd i n ary care fo r h er o wn p ers o n a l s a f e t y b ecau s e s h e was p ay i n g at t en t i o n t o t h e

d i s p l ay rack rat h er t h an wh ere s h e was wal k i n g i n t h e p ark i n g area.

Ri d l ey n ev ert h el es s arg u es t h at t h e d i sp l ay rack an d o t h er cu s t o m ers t rav ers i n g

t h e s t o refro n t were d i s t ract io n s

. Her arg u m en t is wi t h o u t m eri t

. Bas ed o n t h e

ci rcu m s t an ces p res en t ed , t h e d i s t ract i o n t h eo ry d oes n o t ap p l y

.

Th e d i s t ract i o n t h eo ry co v ers s it u at io n s wh e r e t h e pl ai n t i ff’ s at t en t i o n

i s di s t ract ed b y a n at u ral a n d u s u al cau s e, an d t h i s is part i cu l arl y t ru e

wh ere t he d i s t ract i o n i s p l aced th ere b y t h e d efen d an t o r wh ere th e

d efen d an t i n t h e ex erci s e o f o rd i n ary care s ho u ld h av e an t i ci pat ed t hat

t h e d i st ract i o n wo u l d o ccu r. Th e rel ev an t i n q u iry

, h o wev er, is wh et h er
[t he p l ai n t i ff’ s] v i e w o f t h e hazard was o b s t ru ct ed at t h e p o i n t

i m m ed i at el y b efo re s he w as ab o u t t o s t ep o n t o i t

. W here an o bs t ru ct i o n

i s p erfect l y o b v i o u s an d ap p aren t

, s o t hat o n e l o o k i n g ah ead w o u l d

n eces s ari l y s ee i t

, th e fact t h at t h e p l ai n t i ff m erel y fai l ed t o l o ok wi l l n o t

rel i ev e h er fro m

t h e res p o n s i b i l i t y

fo r h er m i s ad v en t ure.

(Pu n ct u at i on , fo ot n o t es , an d em p h as i s o m i t t ed .) M

c L e m ore , 313 G a

. A

p p

. at 6 4 4 -6 4 5.

Un d er t h e d i s t ract i o n t heo ry , a m erch an d i s e d i s p l ay m u st b e o f s u ch a n at u re t h at i t s

7p res en ce wo ul d n ot h av e b een an t i ci p at ed by t h e p lai n t i ff i n vi t ee. See Ro b i n s o n , 2 6 8

Ga. at 7 46 (2 ) (a). “ If t he d is t ract i o n h as as i t s s o u rce t h e i n vi t ee, t h e i n v it ee can n o

m o re t ak e t h e b en efi t o f i t t o ex cu se h [er] l ack o f care fo r h [er] o wn s afet y t h an o n e

wh o creat es an em erg en cy can ex cu s e h [er] s el f b ecau s e o f i t s e x i s t en ce.” (Ci t at i o n

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Id . at 7 4 4 (2 ) (a).

Here, Ri d l ey t es t i fi ed t h at t h e d i sp l ay rack d i d no t b l o ck h er vi ew o f t h e g ro u n d

wh ere t h e p ark i n g ab u t m en t was l o cat ed

. No r was t h ere an y ev i d en ce t h at t h e o t h er

cu s t o m ers b l o ck ed her v i ew o f t h e p a r k i n g ab u t m en t

. M o re i m p o rt an t l y , Ri d l ey

fu rt her ad m i t ted tha t she had o b s erv ed t h e di s p l ay rack co n d i t i o n an d h ad s u cces s fu l l y

t rav ers ed aro un d i t an d t h e area o f t h e p ark in g ab u t m en t s b efo re s h e en t ered t h e s t o re,

o n l y t en m i n u t es befo re t h e fal l

. “ Th e p ro of offered cl earl y p u t s t h i s cas e wi t h i n t h e

l i ne o f cas es i n v o l v in g t h e p l ai n v i ew d o ct ri n e an d effect i v el y el i m i n at es an y

d i s t ract i o n t h eo ry

. ” (Pu n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o te om i t t ed .) M cLemo r e , 3 1 3 Ga. Ap p

. at

6 4 5 . Ri d l ey ’ s d eci s i o n t o l o o k at t h e d i s pl ay rack wh i le wal k i ng was a s el f-i n d u ced

d i s t ract i o n , wh i ch i s n ot co v ered b y t h e d i s tract i o n t h eo ry

. See Ro bi n s o n , 2 6 8 Ga. at

7 4 4

, 7 4 6 (2 ) (a) (ack n o wl ed gi n g t h at “ [l ] o o k i n g at di s p lay ed m erch an d i s e o r a s t o re’ s

ai s l e s i gn ag e h as b e e n rep eat ed l y fo u n d t o co n s t i t u t e a s el f-i n d u ced di s t ract i o n ”);

Lo n g Jo h n Si l ver ’s

, In c. v. Co l ema n , 2 2 3 Ga

. A p p

. 8 6 4 (4 79 SE2 d 1 4 1 ) (1 9 9 6 )

8(h o l d i n g t h at a res t au ran t ’ s wi nd o w s i g n was a s el f-i n du ced d i s t ract i o n b ecau s e t h e

p l ai n t i ff ch o s e t o read t h e s i g n wh i l e wal k i n g ).

Th e pl ai n , p al p ab l e, an d u n d is p u t ed ev i d en ce s ho ws t h at t h e p ark in g ab u t m en t

was o p en an d o b v i ou s an d an y h azard p res en t ed b y i t co u ld h av e b een av oi d ed by

Ri d ley i n t h e ex erci s e o f reas o n ab l e care. A cco rd i ng l y , t he t ri al c ourt p ro p erl y g ran t ed

s u m m ary ju d gm en t t o t h e s t ore o wn er. See Jo e En t er

. , LLC v. Ka n e , 3 4 1 Ga. Ap p

. 1 2

(7 9 8 SE2 d 9 7 ) (2 01 7 ) (p h y s i ca l p reced en t o n l y ) (rev ers i n g d en i al o f s u m m ary

ju d g m e n t to d efen d an t b ecau s e u n d i s p u t ed ev i d en ce s ho wed t h at p lai n t i ff h ad

s u cces s fu l ly n eg ot i at ed th e s am e ram p sh o rt l y b efo re her fal l an d becau s e an y h azard

p o s ed b y t h e ram

p was o pen an d o b v i ou s ); McLemo r e , 3 1 3 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 4 4 -6 4 5

(affi rm i n g g ran t o f su m

m ary ju d g m en t t o d efen d an t b ecau s e ev en if t h e al l eg ed cu rb

was hazard o u s , t h e co n d i t i o n was o p en an d o b v i o u s , an d t hu s , i n th e ex erci s e o f

o r d i n ary care, p lai n t i ff co u ld h av e av o i d ed i t ); Pi r kl e v. R o b s on Cr o s si n g , 2 7 2 Ga.

Ap p

. 25 9

, 26 1 (6 1 2 SE2 d 8 3 ) (2 0 0 5 ) (s u m m ary ju d g m en t ap p ro p ri a t e wh ere

u n d i s p u t ed ev i d en ce es t ab l i s hed t h at t h e al l eg ed s t eep cu rb co n d i t i o n was o p en an d

o b v i o u s ).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . McFa d

d en , C. J., a nd

McMi l l i an , P. J., co n cu r

.

910