FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DI LLA R D, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and M ERCI ER, J.

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

October 26, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A1 22 0

. GEORGIA D E P ARTM ENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY v

. RAGSDALE. DO-0 4 3

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

Th e ap p eal ari s es fro m a p ers o n al i n j u ry act io n fi l ed b y M at th ew Rag s d al e

ag ai n s t t he Geo rg i a D ep art m en t o f Pu b li c Safet y (“ t h e St at e”) an d o th er d efen d an t s

aft er Rag s d al e w a s i n

j u r ed i n a m ot o r v eh i cl e acci d en t t h at o ccu rred wh en Ro ss

Si n g let o n fl ed fro m l aw en fo rc e m e n t o n O ct o b er 30

, 2 01 4

. 1 Th e St at e m o v ed to

d i s m i s s t h e cl a i m s a g ai n s t i t b as ed o n Rag s d al e’ s fai l u re t o s erv e th e St at e wi t h a

p ro p er an t e l i t em no t i ce p ri o r t o Oct o b er 3 0

, 20 1 5. T he t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e m o t i o n

“ fo r th e reas o n s p ro v i d ed i n [Rag s d al e’ s ] b ri ef i n o p p os i t i o n” t o t h e m o t i on

— t h at

OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9 t o l l ed t h e p eri o d fo r p res en t i n g an t e l i t em n o ti ce

— an d t h ereaft er,

1 Rag s d al e’ s cl ai m s ag ai n s t Bu t t s Co u n ty an d S i n g l e t on are n o t a p art o f t h i s

ap p eal

.t h i s Co u rt g ran t ed t h e St at e’ s ap p l icat i o n fo r i nt erl o cu t o ry ap p eal

. Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at

fo l l o w , we affi rm

.

W e rev i ew t h e [d en i al ] o f an y m o t i o n to d i s m i s s d e n o v o

,

[recal l i n g th a t ] a m o t i o n t o d i s m i ss s h o u l d n o t be gran t ed u n l es s th e

al l eg at i o n s o f t h e co m

p lai n t d i s cl os e wi th cert ai n t y t h at t h e cl ai m an t

wo u ld n o t b e en ti t l ed t o rel i ef un d er an y st at e o f p ro v ab le fact s as s ert ed

i n s u p p o rt t h ereo f. W e co n s t ru e t h e p l ead i n g s i n t he l ig h t m o s t fav orab l e

t o t h e p l ai n t i ff wi t h an y d o u b t s res o l v ed i n t he p l ai n t i ff’ s fav o r. 2

Th e l i m i t ed an d u nd i s p ut ed fact s n eces s ary t o d e c i d e t h is ap p eal are t h at

Rag sd al e was i n

ju red b y a fl eei n g cri m i n al o n Oct o b er 3 0

, 20 1 4

. Rag s d al e s en t an

an t e l i t em n o t i ce t o th e Dep ar t m en t o f Ad m i n i s t rat i v e Serv ices (“ DOAS”) o n

Decem b er 3, 2 0 1 4; h owev er, i t i s u n d i s p ut ed at t h is p o i n t t h at t h e no t ice p ro v i d ed o n

t h at dat e fai l ed to i n cl u d e al l t h e i n fo rm at i o n req u i red by OCGA § 5 0 -2 1-2 6 (5 ).

Rag sd al e fi l ed s ui t, b u t d is m i s s ed t h i s i n i t i al fi l i n g bas ed o n t h e d efi ci en cy o f h i s fi rs t

an t e l i t em n o t i ce. Th ereaft er, i n M arch 2 0 1 7, Rag s d al e s en t a s eco n d an t e li t em n o t i ce

t o DOAS. Rag s d al e t hen ren ewed th e act i o n

, an d th e St at e fi l ed i t s m o t i on t o d i s m i ss

t h e ap p eal

, co n ten d i n g t h at t h e M arch 2 0 1 7 an t e l it e m n o t i c e w as u n ti m el y

. In

2 (Pu n ct uat i o n an d ci t at i o n s o m i t ted .) H a r r el l v. Ci t

y of Gr i f f i n

, 3 4 5 Ga. Ap p.

6 3 5 (8 16 SE2 d 7 3 8 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

2res p o n s e, Rag sd al e arg u ed t h at b ecau s e h e was t h e v i ct i m o f Si n g l et o n ’ s cri m e, t h e

t i m e fo r fi l i n g th e an t e l i tem n o t i ce h ad b een t o l l ed “ fro m t h e dat e o f t h e co m m i s s i o n

o f t h e al l eg ed cri m e o r t h e act g i v i n g ri s e t o su ch act i o n i n t ort u n ti l th e p ro s ecu t i o n

o f s u ch cri m e o r act has b eco m e fi n al or o t h erwi s e t erm i n at ed ” p u rs u an t t o OCGA §

9 -3 -9 9

. Th e t ri al co urt ag reed an d d en i ed t h e m ot i o n t o d i s m i s s i n a s i n g l e-s en t en ce

o rd er, ci t i n g Rag s d al e’ s arg u m e n t s i n res p o n s e t o t h e m o t i o n t o d i s m i s s

. Th e St at e

ap p eal s t h i s o rd er.

No rm al l y

, “ [n ] o p ers on

. . . h av i n g a t o rt cl ai m ag a i n s t t h e [S] tat e un d er [t h e

Geo rg i a To rt Cl ai m s Act (“ GTCA”)] s h al l b ri n g an y act i o n ag ai n s t t h e [S] t at e u p o n

s u ch cl ai m wi th ou t fi rs t gi v i n g n o t i ce o f th e cl ai m

. . . in wri t i ng wi t h i n 1 2 m o n t h s o f

t h e d at e t h e l o s s was d i s co v ered o r s h o u ld h av e b een d i s co v ered

. . . .” 3 OCGA § 9 -3

-

9 9 s t at es , h o wev er, t h at

[ t ]h e r u n n i n g of t he p eri o d of l i m i t at i o n s wi t h res p ect t o an y cau s e o f

act i o n i n t o r t t h at m ay b e bro u g h t b y th e vi ct im o f an al l eg ed cri m e

wh i ch ari s es o u t o f t h e fact s an d ci rcu m s t an ces rel at i n g t o th e

co m m i s s i o n o f s u ch al l eg ed cri m e co m m i t t e d i n t h i s [S] tat e s h al l be

t o l l ed fro m t he d at e o f t h e co m m is s i o n o f t h e al l eg ed cri m e or t h e act

g i v i ng ri s e t o s u ch act i o n i n t o rt u nt i l t h e p ro s ecu t i o n o f s u ch cri m e o r

act h as b eco m e fi n al o r o t h erwi s e t erm i n at ed

, p ro v i d ed t h a t s u ch t i m e

3 OCGA § 5 0 -2 1-2 6 (a) (1 ).

3d o es n o t ex ceed si x y ears

, ex cep t as o t h erwi s e p ro v i d ed i n Co d e Sect i o n

9 -3 -3 3 .1

.

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

, ag reei n g t h at OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9

t o l l ed t he a n t e l i t em n ot i ce t i m e req u i rem en t

, i n p art bas ed o n th i s Co u rt ’ s recen t

d eci s i o n i n Ha r r i s o n v. McAf ee

. 4 In Ha rr i so n

, t hi s Co u rt re-ex am i n ed p rev i ou s cas es

t o det erm i n e wh et h er (i n ad d i t i o n t o t o l l in g v i ct i m s’ cl ai m s ag ai n s t cri m i n al act o rs )

O C G A § 9 -3 -9 9 t o l l ed t h e l i m i t at i o n p eri o d fo r t o rt cl ai m s t o be b ro u g h t b y cri m e

v i ct i m s ag ai ns t an y no n -cri m i n al act o rs wh os e n eg l i g en ce m ay h av e cau s ed t h e i n ju ry

t h at t h e vi ct i m recei v ed d u ri n g t h e cri m i n al co n d uct

. 5 Th is Co urt det erm in ed t h at t h e

p l ai n l an g u ag e o f OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9 ap pl i es to t h e s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i o n fo r t o rt cl ai m s

al l eg ed ag ai n s t n o n -cri m i n al act o rs i n ad d i t i o n t o t o rt cl ai m s ag ai n s t cri m i n al act o rs

,

an d t h is Co u rt o v erru l ed p ri o r p reced en t h ol d in g o t herwi s e. 6

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

5 See i d . at 3 9 5 -4 0 2 (2 ).

6 See i d

. at 3 9 7 -3 9 9 ( 2 ) ( b ) & 4 0 2 -4 0 3 (3 ). In S to pa n i o v. Leo n ’s F

en ce &

G u a r d r a i l

, LLC

, 3 46 Ga. Ap p

. 1 8

, 2 0 -2 2 (1 ) (8 15 SE2 d 2 3 2 ) (2 0 1 8 ), t h i s Co u r t

rem a n d e d t h e cas e b ack t o t h e t ri al co u rt t o reev al u at e i t s di s m i s s al o f a cas e fo r

fai l u re t o t i m el y fi le an an t e l i t em n o t i ce in l i g h t of Ha r r i s o n

, wh i ch was d eci d ed aft er

t h e t ri al co urt i n i t ial l y

d i s m i s s ed t h i s cas e.

4On e o f t h e cas es o v erru l ed b y Ha r r is o n

, 7 was Co l umb i a Co u n t y v. Bl a n to n

, 8

wh i ch ad d res s ed wh et h er t h e p l ai n t i ff’ s t ort cl ai m s ag ai n s t a co u n ty were b arred by

h i s fai lu re t o fi l e a t i m el y an t e l i t em n o ti ce o r i f t he t i m e fo r fi l i n g t h e n o t i ce was

t o l l e d b y, i n t er al i a, OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9

. 9 Rel y i n g on Va l a d es v. Us l u

, 1 0 an o th er cas e

ex p li ci t l y o v erru l ed b y Ha r r i so n

, 1 1 t h e Co u rt i n Bl a n t o n h el d t h at “ [b ] ecau s e t h e

co u nt y d efen d an t s were n o t cri m i n al defen d an t s i n a pr io r p ro s ecu t i o n

, OCGA §

9 -3 -9 9 d [i d ] n o t to l l t he t im e fo r fi l i n g th e an t e l it em n ot i ce ag ai n s t t h em i n t h e i n s t an t

s u i t .” 1 2 T h u s

, Bl a n to n ’s co n cl us i o n was b as ed on t h e p ro h i b i t i on o f ap p l y i n g t h e

t o l l i n g p ro v i si o n t o n o n -cri m i n a l jo i n t t o rt feas ors rat h er t h an a det erm i n at i o n o f

wh et h er OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9 co u l d t o ll an an t e l i tem n ot i ce p ro v is i on

.

7 See Ha r ri s o n , 3 3 8 Ga. Ap p . at 4 0 2 (3 ).

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

9 Th e an t e l i t em n o ti c e p r o v i s i o n at i s s u e i n B la n t o n s t at es t h at “ [a] l l cl ai m s

a g a i n s t co u n ti es m

u s t b e p res en t ed wi t h i n 1 2 m on t h s aft er t hey accru e o r b eco m e

p ay ab l e o r t h e s am e are b arred

, p ro v i d ed t h at m i n ors o r o th er p ers on s l ab o ri n g u n d er

d i s ab i l i t i es s h al l b e al l o wed 1 2 m o n t h s aft er t h e rem o val o f t h e d i s ab i l i t y t o p res en t

t h ei r cl ai m s .” OCGA § 3 6 -1 1 -1

.

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

1 1 3 3 8 Ga. Ap p . at 4 0 2 (3 ).

1 2 Bl an t o n , 3 04 Ga. Ap p . at 1 5 3 (1 ).

5Th e St at e arg u es t h at OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9 d oes n o t ap pl y t o t h e o n e-y ear an t e l i t em

n o t i ce req u i rem en t co n t ai ned i n OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) b ecau s e th e n o t i ce p ro v i s i o n

i s n o t a s tat u t e of l i m i t at i o n

, o f wh i ch t here i s a sep arat e t w o -y ear p ro v i s i o n

ap p li cab l e i n t h e GTCA p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 7 (c).

In Fo s t e r v

. Ga

. Reg i o n a l Tr a n sp

. Au t h

. , 1 3 t h e Su prem e Co urt o f Geo rg i a

ex p lai n ed t h at

wh en we read s t at u t o ry t ex t

, w e m u st p res u m e th at t h e Gen eral

As s em b ly m ean t wh at i t s ai d an d s ai d wh at i t m e an t, an d s o

, we m u s t

read t he s t at ut o ry t ex t in i t s m o s t n at u ral an d reas on ab l e way

, as an

o rd i nary sp eak er o f t h e En g l i s h l an gu ag e wo ul d

. Acco rd i n g t o OC GA

§ 5 0 -2 1 -2 7 (e), al l p r o v i s i o ns rel at i n g t o t h e t o l l i n g o f l i m i t at i o n s o f

act i o n s

, as p ro v i d ed el s ewh e r e i n th is Co d e, s h al l ap p l y t o cau s es o f

act i o n b ro u gh t p u rs u an t t o t h e [GTCA]

. Th e s t at u t e m ean s j u s t wh at i t

s ay s : s t at u t o ry t o l l i ng pro v i s i o n s ap p l y t o cl ai m s un d er t h e [GTCA] i n

t h e s am e way

, i n t h e sam e m an n er, an d t o th e s am e ex t en t t h at t h o s e

p ro v i s i o n s w o ul d ap p l y t o cl ai m s n o t b ro ug h t u n der t h e [GTCA]

. If a

t o l l i n g p ro v i s i o n o t h erwi s e wo u l d ap p l y t o a p art i cu l ar cl ai m

, i t ap pl i es

n o t wi t hs t an d i n g t h at t h e cl ai m i s s u b ject t o t h e [GTCA]

.

Th u s

, u n d er Fo s t er

, OCGA § 9 -3 -9 9 ap pl i es t o t h e t wo -y ear s t at u t e o f

l i m i tat i on fo r t o rt cl ai m s b ro u g ht u nd er t h e GTCA p u rs u an t t o OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 7 (e).

1 3 (Ci t at io n s an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t ted .) 2 97 Ga. 7 1 4

, 71 5 -7 1 6 (7 7 7 SE2 d 4 4 6 )

(2 0 1 5).

6In Fo s t er

, ho wev er, t h e p l ai n t i ff t i m el y pro v id ed an t e l i t em n o t i ce t o th e St at e u n d er

OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a), s o t h e Su p rem e C o u r t d i d n o t ad d res s wh et h er t he t o l l i n g

p ro v is i o n ap p l i ed t o t h e ti m e peri o d fo r p ro vi d i ng n ot i ce, an d t h e St at e co n t en d s t h at

OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 7 (e) ap p l i es o nl y t o t he s t at u t e o f li m i t at i o n an d n o t t o t h e an t e l i t em

n o t i ce t i m e p eri o d

. 1 4

Nev ert h el es s

, i n t ho s e cas es i n wh i ch t h i s Co u rt h as a d d r es sed th i s i s s u e, we

h av e d et erm i n ed th at l i m i t at i o n p eri o d t ol l i n g s t at u t es ap pl y t o t he p er i o d fo r fi l i n g

an t e l i t em n o t i ce as wel l as fo r fi l i n g s u i t

. 1 5 Th i s i s al s o tru e o f o t h er an te l i t em n o t i ce

1 4 See i d . at 7 1 4

.

1 5 See Ho wa rd v. S t at e

, 2 2 6 Ga. Ap p

. 5 4 3

, 54 5 -5 4 7 (2 ) (4 8 7 SE2 d 1 1 2 ) (1 9 9 7 )

(h o l d i n g t h at a s i m i l ar t o l l i ng p ro v i s i o n fo r p eri o d s o f i nfan cy o r d i s ab i l i t y ap p l y to

t h e an t e l i t e m n o t i c e p ro v i s i o n o f OCGA § 5 0 -2 1 -2 6 (a) b ecau s e i t o perat es as a

s t at u te of l i m i t at i o n ). See al s o Gr a n t v. Fa i r cl o t h

, 2 52 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9 5 (5 56 SE2 d 9 2 8 )

(2 0 0 1) (h o ld i n g t h at u n d er H o wa r d t h at th e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y di s m i s s ed t h e act i o n

b ecau s e “ p l ai n ti ff fai l ed t o g i v e t h e an t e l i t em n o ti ce t o th e [DOAS] wi th in 1 2 m o n t h s

o f t h e o c c u r ren ce as m an d at ed b y OCGA § 5 0 -2 1-2 6 (a), wh i ch b ar[red t h e] act i o n

u n l es s t h e p l ai n t i ff [was ] a m i n o r”). In Cl a r k v. Bd

. o f Reg en t s o f t h e Un i v. S

ys

. of

Ga

. , 2 5 0 Ga. Ap p

. 4 4 8

, 4 4 9 (5 5 2 SE2 d 4 45 ) (2 0 01 ), t h i s Co u rt rev i ewed a p l ai n t i ff’ s

cl ai m t h at t he o n e-y e a r an t e l i t em n o t i ce t i m e p eri od was t o l l ed b y t h e al l eg ed

f rau d u l en t co n ceal m en t u n der OCGA § 9 -3 -9 6 o f an i n d i v i d u al ’ s s t at u s as a s t at e

em pl o y ee. Th is Co urt

, rat her t han h o l di n g t hat OCGA § 9 -3 -9 6 d i d n o t ap p l y t o t h e

an t e l i tem n o t ice s t at u t e

, i n s t ead h el d t h at th e p l ai nt iff fai l ed to p ro v i d e su ffi ci en t

ev i d en ce o f affi rm at i ve co n ceal m en t o r frau d i n o rd er fo r t h e p eri o d t o b e t o l l ed

.

7p ro v is i o n s ap p l y i ng t o m u n i c ipa litie s

. 1 6 A c c or d in g l y

, we affi rm t h e t ri al co urt ’ s d en i al

o f t h e St at e’ s m o t i o n t o d is m i ss

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Di l l ar d

, C. J., a n d Mer ci er

, J., co n cu r

.

1 6 See Ca r t er v. G l e n n

, 2 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. 5 44

, 5 4 8 (2 ) (5 3 3 SE2 d 1 0 9 ) (2 0 0 0 )

(h o l d i n g t h at t h e m

u n i ci p al “ an t e l i t em

n o ti ce p ro v i s i o n

, l i k e a s t at u t e of li m i t at i o n,

m ay b e t o l l ed ”), ci t in g Ja co b s v. Li t t l et o n

, 2 4 1 Ga. Ap p

. 4 0 3

, 4 0 6 (3 ) (b ) (5 2 5 SE2 d

4 3 3 ) (1 9 9 9 ) (h o l d i n g t h at a m u n i ci p al an t e l i t em n o t ice p ro v i s io n was t o l l ed d u ri n g

i n fan cy an d o r l eg al in co m p et en cy u nd er O CGA § 9 -3 -9 0 ). See al s o Ci t y o f Fo r s yt h

v. Bel l

, 2 58 Ga. A p p

. 3 3 1

, 3 3 2 (5 4 7 SE2 d 3 3 1 ) (2 0 0 2 ) (h o l d i n g th at “ th e s t at u te o f

l i m i tat i on d o es n o t beg i n to ru n u n t i l t h e v i ct i m i s warn ed o f t h e dan g er, d i sco v ers i t

,

o r s h o u l d i n t he ex erci se o f o rd i n ary care h av e o th erwi se l earn ed o f i t ”); Ni ch o l a s v.

Va n

, 2 5 2 Ga. Ap p

. 4 1 1, 4 1 2 (5 5 6 SE2 d 4 9 7 ) ( 2 0 0 1 ) (ex p l ai n i ng t hat t h e t i m e

req u i rem en t fo r p res en t i n g cl ai m s a g a i n s t a ci t y u n d er OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5 (b ) i s a

s t at u te o f l i m i t at i o n ); Fa i r b u r n v

. C o o k

, 1 8 8 Ga. Ap p

. 5 8

, 6 3 (5 ) (3 7 2 SE2 d 2 4 5 )

(1 9 8 8) (h o ld i ng t h at OCGA § 3 6 -3 3 -5 i s t o l l ed pu rs u an t to OCGA § 9 -3 -9 0 ); Ba r n u m

v. Ma r t in

, 1 3 5 Ga. Ap p

. 7 12

, 7 1 5 -7 1 6 (2 ) (2 1 9 SE2 d 3 4 1 ) (1 97 5 ) (t reat in g an t e l i t em

n o t i ce t o a ci t y as a s t at u t e o f l i m i t at i on t h at co ul d b e t o l l ed d u ri n g i n fan cy );

Ba r nes vi l l e v. P o wel l

, 1 24 Ga. Ap p

. 1 3 2

, 1 32 -1 33 (1 ) (1 8 3 SE2 d 5 5 ) (1 9 7 1 ) (s am e).

8