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 12, 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 15 1 . ESPOSITO v . PHARR COURT ASSOCIATES, L.P.

A N D R E W S , Pres i d in g J u d g e.

Aft er s u fferi n g a fal l w h i le v i s i t i n g h er h u s b an d wh o was a res i d en t at a n u rs i n g

h o m e o pera t e d b y P h arr Co u rt As s o ci at es

, L.P., d / b / a Nu rs e Care o f Bu ck h ead

(“ Ph arr Co u rt ”), Barb ara Es po s i t o co m m en ced t h i s act i o n ag a i n s t Ph arr Co u rt

as s ert i n g n eg l i g e n c e cl ai m s

. Th e t ri al co urt g ran t ed s u m m ary ju d g m en t fo r Ph arr

Co u rt

, co n cl u d i ng Es p o s i t o was a l i cen s ee wh en s h e e n t ered th e n urs i n g h o m e an d

Ph arr Co u rt d i d no t b reach t h e d u t y i t o wed h er i n t h at cap aci t y

. On ap p eal

, Es p o s i to

co n ten d s t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d et erm i n i n g s he was a l i cen s ee rat h er t han an i n v i t ee,

an d t hat i ss u es o f m at eri al fact ex i s t as t o wh et her Ph arr Co u rt b reach ed it s d u t y t o h er

as ei t her an i n v it ee o r l i cen s ee.“ W e ap p l y a d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew t o an ap p eal fro m a gran t o f s 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 reas o n ab l e co n cl us i o n s an d i n feren ces

d rawn fro m i t

, i n t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e to t h e n o nm o v an t .” ( C i t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) B o n n er v. S o u t h er n Res t a u ra n t Gr o u

p

, 2 7 1 Ga. A p p

. 4 9 7 (6 1 0

SE2 d 12 9 ) (2 0 0 5 ). So v i e w e d

, t h e reco rd sh o w s t h at o n t h e aft ern o on o f J u l y 2 5,

2 0 1 1

, Es p o s i t o arri ved at t h e Nu rs e Care o f Bu ck h ead faci l it y t o v i s i t h er h u s b a n d

,

wh o h ad res i d e d t h e r e fo r ap p ro x i m at el y a y ear b u t was go i ng t o b e d i s ch arg ed t h e

fo l l o w i ng d ay

. Es p o s i to t es t i fi ed t h at s h e v i s i t ed h er h u s b an d at t h e n u rs in g h o m e

ev ery d ay fo r s ev en t o ei gh t h ou rs an d d i d “ ev ery t h in g wi t h h i m ,” acco m p an y i n g h i m

t o eat an d as s i s t i n g w it h h is g ro o m i n g an d care. Aft er en t eri n g t h e faci l i t y o n t h e d at e

i n q u es ti o n

, Es p o s i t o wal k ed t o ward an el ev at o r l o cat ed acro s s t h e en t ran ce l o b b y to

t h e ri g h t. Th e recep t i o n d es k was si t uat ed t o E s p o si to ’ s ri g h t a s s h e wal ked i n an d

acro s s t h e l o b b y t o t h e el ev at o r. J u s t b efo re p us h in g t h e b u t t o n f o r t h e el ev at o r,

Es p os i t o rem em

b ered t h at h er h u s b an d m i g h t be i n p h y s i cal th erap y

, s o s h e s t ep p ed

o v er t o th e l eft to l o o k th ro u gh t h e do o rs o f th e p hy s i cal th erap y ro o m

, wh i ch was

d o wn a h al l way t o t h e l eft o f t h e el ev at o r. As s h e m o v ed t o t h e l eft

, h er feet s l i d o ut

fro m un d er h er an d u p i n t h e ai r an d s h e cam e cras h i ng d o w n o n her l eft s i d e an d h i t

h er ri gh t el b o w.

2Aft e r l a n di n g on t h e fl o o r, Es p o s i t o real i zed s h e h ad fal len i n d i arrh ea.

Es p os i t o t es t i fi ed t hat th ere w as a l arg e p u d d le o f d i arrh ea o n t h e fl oo r wh ere s h e fel l

an d t h at wh en s h e was o n t he g ro u n d s he n o t i ced an o th er s m al l er p u d d l e i n fro n t o f

t h e el ev at o r o n t h e o th er s i d e o f t h e h al l way l ead in g t o t h e p h y si cal th erap y ro o m

.

Es p os i t o al s o t es t ifi ed t h at sh e was t o l d l at er t h at t h ere was al s o s o m e di arrh ea i n t h e

el ev at o r s h e h ad b een pl an n i ng t o t ak e.

Es p o s i t o d i d n ot k n ow h o w l o n g t h e d i arrh ea h ad b een t h ere an d s h e n o t i ced

n o fo o t p ri n t s aro u n d i t

. Es p o s i t o d i d n o t s ee an y res i d en t s befo re s h e fel l

, b u t s h e

s t at ed t hat aft erward s

, t h ree r e s i den t s

, wh o w ere i n wh eel ch ai rs

, cam e t o h er

as s i s tan ce. Es p o s i t o d id no t s ee an y n u rs in g h o m e em p l o y ees fro m t h e t i m e s h e

wal k ed i n t o t h e b ui l d i n g u n t i l t h e t i m e s h e fel l. Sh e st at ed t h at s h e d i d n o t recal l

s eei n g an y on e s it t i n g i n t h e recep t io n d es k on t he d ay o f t h e i n ci d en t

. Aft er s h e fel l

,

t wo s taff m em

b ers cam e t o h er ai d an d h el p ed h er i n t o a wh eel ch ai r.

Dy n as t y Gat es w as t h e recep t i on i s t at Nu rs e Care o f Bu ck h ead o n th e aft ern o o n

o f J ul y 2 5

, 2 0 1 1 an d wi t n es s ed Es p o s i to fal l. Gat es t es t i fi ed t h at s h e c o u l d s e e t h e

en t i re l o b b y fro m h er d es k an d t h at i s t h e n urs i ng h om e’ s p ol i cy t h at s om eo ne s h o u ld

al way s b e at t h e fro n t d es k

. Gat es t es t i fi ed t h at s h e s aw Es p o s i to g et o ff t h e el ev at o r,

t u rn l i k e s h e was go i n g t o ward t h e ph y si cal t h erap y ro om

, an d t h en s l i p an d fal l o n

3h er ri g h t s i d e

. W h en Gat es s aw Es p os i t o fal l

, s h e cal l ed “ s t at ” o v er t h e i n t erco m to

al ert o t h er s t aff m em

b ers t hat an acci d en t h ad o ccu rred

. Gat es real i zed s o m et h i n g h ad

b een o n t h e fl o o r on l y aft er s o m eo n e p l aced t h e cu p Es p o s i t o h ad b een carry i n g o n

h er d es k an d s h e n o t iced t he od o r. W h i l e o t h er s t aff m em b ers were s t an d i n g aro u n d

Es p os i t o t o as si s t h er, Gat es wal k ed u p an d t h en s aw th e d iarrh ea. Gat es t es ti fi ed t h at

t h e d i arrh ea was “ cam o u fl ag ed ” b y t h e fl o or, wh i ch was l ig h t t an an d b ro wn . Gat es

s t at ed s h e co u ld n o t sp eci fy t h e s i ze o f t h e pu d d l e b ecau s e s h e d i d n o t s t ay l o n g to

l o o k b ut al s o s t at ed t h at i t was n o t b ig g er t h an t h e s i ze o f a n o rm al p i ece o f p ap er.

Gat es reco u nt ed t h at ap p ro x i m at el y o ne o r t wo m i nu t es b efo re s h e s aw

Es p os i t o g et o ff t h e el ev at o r an d fal l, o ne t h e res id en t s h ad co m e d o wn s tai rs o n t h e

el ev at o r. Th at res i den t l i k ed t o s i t i n t h e p h y s ical t h erap y h al l w a y a n d w e n t t o s i t

t h ere a ft er s he g o t o ff t h e el ev at o r. Th e res i d en t was i n a wh eel ch ai r an d wo re a

d i ap er. Gat es d i d n o t n o ti ce an y s m el l in t h e i n t erv en in g m i n u t es befo re E s po s i t o fel l

.

Gat es s t a t ed t h at h er jo b res p o n s i bi l i t i es i n cl u d ed m ak i n g s u re t h e l o bb y area was

cl ean

. If an y th i n g was on t h e fl o o r, s h e wo u l d p u t u p wet fl o o r s i g n s if n eces s ary an d

ei t h er cl ean i t u p h ers el f o r cal l a fl o o r t ech t o d o i t

. Gat es s t at ed t h at s he g o t u p ab o ut

ev ery fi v e m i n u t es b ecau s e s h e was al w ay s h el pi n g res i den t s g et o n a n d o ff t h e

el ev at o rs

.

4Tem ek a J o hn s on

, t h e as si s t an t ad m i n i st rat o r at Nu rs e Care o f Bu ck h ead

, was

o n e o f t h e s t aff m em

b e r s w h o res p o n d ed to hel p Es p os i t o aft er t h e fal l

. J o h n s o n ’ s

o ffi ce was l o cat ed on a h al l w ay o ff t h e ri gh t s id e o f t h e l ob b y fro m t h e en t ran ce. As

s o o n as J o h n s o n wal k ed ou t o f h er o ffi ce, s he co u l d s ee t h e b ro wn s u bs t an ce i n wh i ch

Es p os i t o h ad fal l en

, an d s h e tes t i fi ed t h at t h e su b s t an ce was eas y to s ee. J o h n so n

s t at ed t hat t h e p u dd l e was b i gg er t h an a s h eet o f p ap er b u t s m al l er t h an fo u r b y s ix

feet an d t h at s h e d i d n ot recal l s eei n g d i arrh ea i n an y area o t h er th an wh ere Es p o s i to

f el l

. An en g i neer ret ai n ed by Es p o s i t o m eas u red t h e di s t an ce b et ween t h e

ap p ro x i m at e l o cat io n o f t h e d i arrh ea an d t h e area w h ere t h e recep t i on i st wo u l d h av e

b een s eat e d a s a p pro xi m at el y 1 5 t o 1 8 feet

, an d th e d is tan ce t o J o h n s on ’ s o ffi ce as

ap p ro x i m at el y 4 0 feet

.

Karen J o s ep h

, t h e Di rect o r o f Nu rs i ng at Nu rs e Care of Bu ck h ead

, t es ti fi ed t h at

s t aff were t rai n ed th at v i s i t o rs were t h ei r cu s t o m ers an d r e c e ive d i n s t ru ct i o n o n p ro p er

et i q u et t e wi t h v i s i t o rs

. J o s e p h ack n o wl ed g ed Es p o s i t o was very in v ol v ed i n h er

h u s b an d ’ s care.

1

. OCGA § 5 1 -3 -2 (a) d e f i nes a l i cen s ee as a p ers o n w h o : “ (1 ) Is n ei t h er a

cu s t o m er, a s erv an t, no r a t res p as s er; (2 ) D o e s n ot st an d i n an y co n t ract u al rel at i o n

wi t h t h e o wn er of t h e p rem i s es ; an d (3 ) Is p erm i t t ed

, ex p res s l y o r i m p l i ed l y

, t o g o o n

5t h e p rem is es m erel y fo r hi s o w n i n teres t s

, co n v en i en ce, o r grat ifi cat i o n .” In g ran t i n g

s u m m ary ju d g m en t fo r t he d efen d an t , t h e t ri al co u rt fo un d (1 ) t h at Es p o s i t o was o n

t h e s u b j ect p ro p ert y on l y f

o r h er o wn i n t eres t an d co n v en i en ce an d t h erefo re was a

l i cen see t o wh o m Ph arr Co u rt o n l y o wed a d u t y n ot t o wi lfu l ly o r wan to n l y i n ju re h er,

an d (2 ) t h at th ere was n o ev i d en ce Ph arr Co u rt kn o wi n g l y ex p os ed E s p o s i t o t o t h e

p eri l o r wi l fu l l y cau s ed h er i nju ry

. El l i s v. Ha d n o t t

, 2 8 2 Ga. A pp

. 5 84 (6 3 9 SE2 d 5 5 9 )

(2 0 0 6).

Th e m u tu al i t y o f i n t eres t req u i red t o m ak e o n e an i n v i t ee u p on th e

p rem i s es of an o t h er d o es n o t m ean t h at t h ere m u s t b e a co m

m erci al

b u s i n es s tran s act i o n b et ween t h e p art i es

. It i s s u ffi ci en t t o s ho w t hat

each p art y i s m ov ed b y a l awfu l p u rp o s e o r in t eres t i n th e o bject an d

s u b ject m at t er o f t h e in v i t at i o n

. T he v is i to r i s an i n v i t ee i f t he en t erp ri s e

i s m u t u al

, each l awfu l l y i n t e r es t ed t h erei n or th ere b ei n g a co m m o n

i n t eres t or m

ut u al ad v an t ag e i n v o l v ed

. A m o n et ary co n si d erat i on i s n o t

es s en t i al

.

Ca n d l er Gen . Ho s p . v. Pu r vi s

, 1 2 3 Ga. Ap p . 3 3 4 , 3 3 6 (2 ) (1 81 SE2 d 7 7 ) (1 9 7 1 ). In

t h e i n s t an t cas e, wh ere Es p o si t o p ro v i ded m u ch o f t h e dai l y c a re fo r h er h u s b an d,

wh i ch o b v i o u s l y l i gh t en ed t h e b u rd en o f t h e n urs i n g h o m e s t aff, an d w h e r e Ph arr

Co u rt ’ s o wn d i rect o r o f n u rs in g co n s i d ered v is it o r s t o b e cu s to m ers

, we fi n d t h ere

6was an i s s ue o f fact creat ed as t o Es p o s it o ’ s s t at u s as li cen s ee o r i n v i t ee. See al s o,

Jo n es v. Mo n r o e Nu r

s i n g Ho me, 1 4 9 Ga. Ap p . 5 8 2 (2 54 SE2 d 9 0 2 ) (1 9 7 9 ).

2

. A l an d o wn er or o ccu p i er o f p rem i s es o wes a d ut y t o l i cen s ees o n l y t o av o id

wi l fu l l y o r wan to n l y i n

ju ri ng t h e m

. OCGA § 5 1-3 -2

. “ T h i s s t at u t o ry l i ab i l i t y fo r

wi l fu l o r wan t on i n

ju ry to l i cen s ees m ean s t h at ‘ [ t ] h e l an d o wn er o r o ccu p i er o f t h e

p rem i s es o wes a du t y t o a l i cen s ee o n l y t o av oi d k n owi n g l y l et t i n g h i m ru n u p o n a

h i d d en p eri l or wi l fu l l y cau s i n g h i m h arm .’ ” (Ci t at i o n o m i t t e d

. ) El l i s v. Ha d n o t t

,

s u p ra at 5 8 5

. Th ere w as no ev i den ce o f a b reach o f t h at d u t y at al l i n t h e in s t an t cas e.

In o rd er t o reco v er fo r in ju ri es s u s t ai n ed i n a s l i p an d fal l act i o n

, an i n v i t ee

m u st p ro v e th at t he p rem i ses o wn er h ad act u al o r co n st ru ct i v e k n o wl ed g e o f t h e

h azard

, an d t h at t h e p l ai nt iff l ack ed k n o wl ed g e o f i t. Ha ywa r d v. Kr o g er Co

., 3 1 7 Ga.

Ap p . 7 9 5 (7 3 3 SE2 d 7 ) (2 0 12 ).

Co n st ru ct iv e k n o wl ed g e m ay b e s h own i n t wo way s : b y s h o wi n g t h at an

em p l o y ee o f th e d efen d an t was i n t h e i m m ed i at e v i ci n it y of t h e fal l an d

h ad an o p p o rt u n it y t o co rrect t h e hazard ou s co n d i t i o n b efo re t he fal l ; o r

b y s ho wi n g t h at t h e s u b s t a n c e h ad been o n t h e fl o o r fo r a su ffi ci en t

l en g th o f ti m e t h at it wo u l d h av e b een d i s co v ered an d rem ov ed h ad th e

p ro p ri et o r ex erci s ed reas o n ab l e care i n i n sp ect i n g t h e p rem i s es

.

7(Ci t at i o n s o m i tt ed .) Bo l t o n v. Wa l

- M a rt S t o r es

, 2 57 G a. A p p

. 19 8 (5 7 0 SE2 d 6 4 3 )

(2 0 0 2).

“ Sh o wi n g t h at an em

p l o y ee was i n t h e v i ci n i t y o f a fo rei gn s u b s t an ce i s n ot

s u ffi ci en t t o p recl u d e s u m m ary ju d g m en t

. It m

u s t b e sh o wn t h at t h e em

pl o y ee was in

a p o si t i o n t o h av e eas i l y s een t h e s u b s t an ce an d rem ov ed i t .” (Ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed .) Id

.

at 1 9 8

.

In t h e i n st an t cas e, t h e ev i d en ce i s u n d is pu t ed t hat t h e ap p el l ee’ s recep t i o n i s t

was s eat ed b eh i nd h er d es k ap p ro x i m at el y 1 5 to 18 fe e t away fro m wh ere Es p o s i to

fel l

, b u t th at sh e h ad n o t s een th e s u b s tan ce o n t h e fl o o r u n t i l sh e go t u p fro m h er d es k

aft er t h e fal l

. Th e recep t i on i s t al s o i n di cat ed t he nu rs i n g h o m e’ s ad m i n i s t r a t o r

freq uen t l y em

p h as ized th e n eces s i t y o f k eep i ng t h e l o bb y area cl ean an d free o f

h azard s , an d o f p laci n g warn i n g s i g n s w h en n eed ed

, an d t o t h at en d s he u s u al l y g ot

u p fro m her des k an d l o o k ed aro u n d ab ou t ev ery fi ve m i n u tes

. O n t h e day o f t h e

i n ci d en t

, t h e d iarrh ea ap p aren t ly l eak ed fro m t h e d i ap er o f a res i d en t wh o ex i t ed t h e

el ev at o r o n l y

a m i n u t e o r t w o b efo re Es p o s i to t rav ers ed t h e s am e area.

Un d er t h es e ci rcu m st an ces

, t h ere was n o s ho wi n g th e ap p el l ee had k n o wl ed g e

o f t h e s u bs t an ce o n t h e fl o o r, o r t h at i t h ad t i m e t o d i s co v er t h e s u b s t an ce ev en wi th

t h e freq u en t l o bb y i n s p ect i o n s co n du ct ed b y t h e recep t i o n i s t

. Fo r t he ab o v e reas o n s

,

8reg ard l es s of wh et h er Es p o s i t o was a l i cen s ee o r an in v i t ee, t h e tri al co urt ’ s g ran t o f

s u m m ary ju d g m en t fo r t h e ap p el l ee was p ro p er.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

a n d Br a n ch , JJ., co n cu r

.

9