FI RST DI VI SI ON

PHI PPS, C. J.

, ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, and M CM ILLI A N, 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 ls .us /r ule s /

October 24, 2014



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A1 04 3 . STRAUSS v . CITY OF LILBURN.

M C M ILLI A N , J u dg e.

Caro l e M

. St rau ss ap p eal s t h e su m m ary ju d g m en t g ran t ed t o th e Ci t y o f Li l b u rn

i n t h i s “ tri p an d fal l ” act io n , as s ert in g t hat g en u i n e i s s ues o f m at eri al fact ex i s t wi th

res p ect t o h er k n o wl ed g e o f t h e s p eci fi c h azard cau s in g h er fal l

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

fo rt h b el o w, we ag ree an d rev ers e 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

.

S u m m ary ju d g m en t is ap p ro p ri at e wh en n o g en ui n e i s s u es o f m at eri al f a c t

rem ai n an d t h e m ov in g p art y i s en t i t l ed t o ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw. W e rev i ew t h e

g ran t o f s u m

m ary j u d gm en t d e n o v o , c o n s t r u in g t he ev i d en ce an d al l reas o n ab l e

i n feren ce s i n fav o r o f th e n o nm o v i ng p art y

. E

. g ., McLemo r e v. Gen u i n e Pa r t s Co

. ,

3 1 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 4 1 (7 2 2 SE2 d 3 66 ) (2 0 1 2 ). So v i ewed

, t h e reco rd s h o ws th at o n J u n e

1

, 2 0 1 0

, St rau ss d ro v e t o d own t o wn Li l b u rn (t h e “ Ci t y ”) w i t h t wo vi s i t i n g rel at i v est o eat l u nch at t h e Bl u e Ro o s t er Café (t h e “ Café”). At th e t im e, t he Café was l o cat ed

al o n g a si d ewal k o wn ed b y t h e Ci t y at 1 0 7 M ai n St reet

. In 2 0 0 7

, t h e Ci t y co n t ract ed

wi t h a t h i rd p art y t o ren o v a t e t h e s i d ewal k area on M ai n St reet

. 1 Fo l l o wi n g t h e

ren o v at i o n , t h e up per area o f t h e s i d ewal k

, cl o ses t to t h e Café, was s ep arat ed fro m t h e

l o wer area to ward s t h e s t reet

, b u t was co n n ect ed b y a s in g l e-s t ep ri s er; b ri ck co l u m n s

fl an k ed t he ri s er. Bo t h t h e u p p er an d l o wer areas o f t h e s i d ewal k are co n s t ru ct ed o f

t h e s am e, l ig h t -co l o red co n cret e.

Al t h ou g h St rau s s h ad p rev i o u s ly b een to t h e Café, s h e t es t i fi ed t h at s h e u s u al l y

p ark ed i n a l o t b es i d e t h e Café an d reach ed th e s i d ewal k t h ro u g h t h a t p a r k i n g l o t

. 2

Ho wev er, o n t h i s o ccas i on , s h e p ark ed o n th e s treet acro s s fro m th e Café. Sh e an d h er

co m p an i o n s t h en cro ss ed t he s t reet an d ap p ro ach ed t h e s i n g l e-s t ep ri s er co n n ect i n g

t h e lo wer s i d ewal k t o t h e u p p er s i d ewal k wh e r e t h e Café’ s en t ran ce was l o cat ed

.

Ho wev er, t h ey

co ul d n o t p ro ceed t h at way b ecau s e t h ere were p eo p l e b l o ck i n g t h at

p o rt i on of t h e s i d ewal k

. In s tead

, t h ey wen t aro u n d t o th e ri g ht an d en t ered t h e u p p er

s i dewal k area fro m

t he en d n ear t h e p ark i n g l o t

.

1 Th at d ev el o p er i s n o t a p art y t o t h is l i t i g at i o n

.

2 A t t h at l o cat i o n , t h ere is n o s t ep , b u t rat h er a s m al l

, s l o pi n g h an d i cap ram p

t h at l ead s t o t h e s i d ewal k

.

2Aft er fi n i sh i ng t h ei r l u n ch at ap p ro x im at el y 2 : 0 0 p .m ., t h ey l eft t h e Café, an d

St rau s s m ad e h er way

t o ward t h e s i n g l e-s t ep ri s er t o cro s s t h e s treet t o ret u rn t o h er

car. St rau s s ex p l ai n ed at h er d ep o s i t i o n ,

I k n ew I was co m i n g u p t o th e s t ep s , s o I p ai d at ten t i o n

. I ju s t d i d n ’ t s ee

t h e s t ep t h ere.

. . . Th e n ex t t h i ng , I ju s t s o rt o f

– I was g o i n g

– I ju s t s h o t

o u t li k e t hat

, an d m

y head w a s g o i n g t oward s t h e car th at was p ark ed

t h ere, an d I t ho u g h t I was g o i n g t o hi t t h e car h ead -o n

. An d th en I ju s t

s p l at t ed o n t h e s i d ewal k

.

St rau s s co n ced ed th at th ere was n o th i n g s l i ck or an y th i n g el s e t h at cau s ed h er t o t ri p,

an d t he weat h er was s u n n y an d b ri g h t th at d ay

. St rau ss co u l d n o t rem em b er i f s h e h ad

ev er wal k ed d o wn th at s t ep o n h er p rev i o u s vi s i t s , b u t m ai n t ai n ed th at “ h i s t o ri cal l y ”

s h e “ t ri ed t o p ark i n t h at p ark in g l o t

. . . [o ] n t h e s i d e.” As a res u l t o f h er fal l

, St rau ss

s u s t ai n e d s i g n ifi can t i nju ri es t o h er ri g h t s ho u l d er, an d s h e s u b s eq uen t l y fi l ed t h i s

act i on ag ai n s t t h e Ci ty

.

J effrey Gro s s , an ex p ert wi t n es s ret ai ned b y St rau s s, t es t i f i ed by d ep o s it i o n t h at

t h e s i n g l e-s t ep ri s er wh ere St rau s s fel l i s a “ cam o u fl ag ed h azard ” d u e t o t h e fact t h at

t h ere i s no d el i n eat i o n o f th e s t ep

. Th u s , acco rd i n g t o Gro s s , t he ch an ge i n el ev at i o n

at t h e s t ep “ i s n o t read i ly ap p aren t

, es p eci al l y wh en v i ewed i n d es cen t.” Gro s s fu rt h er

o p i n ed t h at t h e s tep s h o u ld h av e b een pro p erl y d el i n eat ed wi t h n o si n g o r o th er v i s u al

3cu es s u ch a s s i g n a g e o r h an d rai l s i n o rd er t o al ert p ed es t ri an s t o t h e ch an g e in

el ev at i o n. Gro ss al s o t es ti fi ed t h at s i ng l e s tep s s u ch as t h e o n e at i ss u e i n t h i s cas e are

a “ wel l -k n o wn , wel l -d o cu m en t ed h azard .” Th e o wn er o f t h e Café, wh o co n t act ed 9 1 1

fo l l o w i n g St rau s s ’ s fal l

, l i k ewi se t es t i fi ed at h er dep o si t io n t h at t he s t ep i s “ i n v i s i b l e”

o n s u n n y d ay s, s o m

uch s o th at i t a p p e a rs “ co n t i n u o u s ” o r l i k e “ o n e fl at s u rface”

wh en wal k i n g d o w n t o ward s t h e s t reet

.

Aft er ex t en s iv e d is co v ery , t h e Ci t y m o v ed f o r s u m m ary ju dg m en t

. Th e t ri al

co u rt fo u n d th at u n der th e u n di s p u t ed m at eri al fact s , “ Pl ai n ti ff h ad eq u al k n o wl ed g e

o f t h e st at i c co n d i ti on wh i ch s h e co n t en d s was a hazard ,” an d t h u s gran t ed s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o t h e Ci t y . Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

1

. In h er s o l e en u m erat i on o f erro r, St rau s s arg u es t h at th e t ri al co urt erred in

g ran t i n g s u m

m ary ju d gm en t i n fav o r o f t h e Ci t y b ecau s e g en u i n e i s s u es o f m at eri al

fact ex i s t wi t h res p ect t o wh et h er t h e Ci t y h ad s u p eri o r kn o wl ed g e o f t h e h azard t h at

cau s ed h er fal l. W e ag ree.

As a g en eral ru l e, o wn ers or o ccu p i ers o f l an d are n o t in s u rers o f

t h e s afet y o f i n v i t ees

. In a p rem i s es l iab i li t y cas e, s u ch as t h i s o n e, th e

m ere fact t h at [St rau s s] fel l

, wi t h o u t m o re, d oes n o t g i v e ri s e to l i ab i l i t y

o n t h e p art o f [t he Ci t y ]

. Th e tru e b as is o f th e p ro p ri e t o r’ s l i ab i l i t y fo r

a n i n ju ry t o i t s i n vi t ee i s t h e p ro p ri et o r’ s s u p eri o r k n o wl ed g e o f a

co n d i t i o n t h at m ay ex p os e t he i n v it ees t o an u n reas on ab l e ri s k o f h arm

.

4Reco v ery i s al lo wed o n l y wh en t h e p ro p ri et o r h ad kn o w l ed g e an d t h e

i n v i tee d i d n ot

.

(Ci t at i o n s , p u n ct u at i o n , an d em p h as i s om i t t ed .) Or

ff v. S t o n ewo o d Restaurant G roup

,

LLC , 2 8 5 Ga. Ap p. 4 8 8, 4 8 9 (6 4 6 SE2 d 7 0 2) (2 00 7 ).

An d

, t o su rv i v e a m o ti o n fo r s u m m a r y ju d g m en t i n a “ t ri p an d fal l” cas e, t h e

p l ai n t i ff m

u st co m e fo rward wi t h ev i d en ce t hat

, v iewed i n t h e m os t fav o rab l e l i g ht

fo r t h e pl ai n t i ff, wo u l d e n a b l e a rat i o n al t ri er o f fact t o fi n d t h at t he d efen d an t h ad

act u al o r co n s t ru ct iv e k n o wl ed g e of th e h azard

. On l y t h en d o es th e b u rd en o f

p ro d uct i o n s h i ft t o t h e d efen dan t t o p ro d u ce ev i d en ce t h at t h e p l ai n t i ff’ s i n ju ry was

cau s ed b y h i s o r h e r o w n n eg li g en ce. An d fi n al l y , s h o u l d t h e d efen d an t su cceed in

d o i n g s o, t he b u rd en s h i ft s b ack t o t h e p lai n t i ff t o co m e fo rward wi t h ev i d en ce t h at

creat es a g en u in e is s u e o f m at eri al fact o n t h e q u es t i o n of n eg l i g en ce b y t h e p l ai n t i ff

o r t h a t t en d s t o s h o w t h at an y s u ch n eg l i g en ce res u l t ed fro m t h e defen d an t ’ s o wn

act i on s o r co nd i t i o n s u nd er t h e de f e nda nt’ s co nt ro l

. See Amer i ca n M u l t i -Ci n ema

, In c.

v. B r o wn , 2 8 5 G a. 4 4 2

, 4 4 4 -4 4 5 (2 00 9 ); Ro b i n s o n v. Kr o ger Co

. , 2 6 8 Ga. 73 5

, 7 4 6

-

7 4 9 (4 93 SE2 d 4 0 3 ) (1 9 9 7 ).

Th u s , we t u rn fi rs t t o wh et h er St rau s s h as s h own t h a t t h e C i t y h ad act u al o r

co n st ru ct i v e k n o wl ed g e o f th e hazard

. An o wn er h as a du t y t o ex erci s e o rd i n ary care

5i n i n s pect i n g t he p rem i s es t o d i s co v er p os s i b l e d an g ero u s co n di t i o n s o f w h i c h 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 m u s t t ak e reas o n ab l e p r e cau t i o n s to

p ro t ect i n v i t ees fro m d an g ers fo res eeab l e fro m t h e arran g em en t o r u s e o f t h e

p rem i s es

. See Co ckl i n v. JC Pen n ey Co r p

. , 2 9 6 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 9, 1 8 2-1 8 3 (6 7 4 SE2 d 4 8 )

(2 0 0 9). An d , i n cas es s u ch as t h i s , wh ere t h e p l ai n t i ff al l eg es t h at a s t at i c co n d i t i o n

cau s ed h er t o fal l

, t he lan d o wn er’ s n ot i ce o f t h e h azard i s p res u m ed

. 3 Id

. at 1 8 2

. See

al s o Ba rt o n v. Ci t

y o f Ro me , 27 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 5 8

, 8 6 1 (6 10 SE2 d 5 6 6 ) (2 0 0 5 ). In d eed

,

t h ere i s n o d i s p u t e t h at t he Ci t y was aware o f th e s i n g l e-s tep ri s er an d t h e co n d i t i on s

u n d er wh i ch i t ex is t ed

.

Th e Ci t y a r g u es , n o net h el es s , t h at i t d i d no t h av e k n o wl ed g e o f th e h azard

b ecau s e i t h ad n o kn o wl ed g e o r reco rd o f an y o th er fal l s rel at ed t o t h e s t ep

. 4 “ In o t h er

wo rd s , [t h e Ci t y ] cl ai m s t hat wh i l e i t k n ew t h e [s t ep ] was t h ere, i t d i d n o t k n o w t h e

[s t ep ] was a h a za r d .” Br o wn , 2 8 5 G a. at 4 4 6 (em p has i s i n o ri g i n al ). Li k e t h e Su p rem e

Co u rt i n Br o wn , we are n o t pers u ad ed

. St rau ss h as p ro d u ced ev i d en ce t hat s i n g l e-s t ep

3 “ A s t a t i c co nd i t i o n i s o n e t h at d oes n o t ch an ge an d is d an g ero u s o n l y i f

s o m eo n e f

a i l s t o s ee i t an d wal k s i n t o i t .” (Ci t at io n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .)

B u l l a r d v. Ma r r i o t t In t er n a t i o n a l

, In c. , 2 9 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 7 9

, 6 81 (2 ) (6 6 7 SE 2 d 9 0 9 ) (2 0 0 8).

4 W h i l e t h ere i s ev i d en ce t h at o n e p ers o n t ri p ped wh i l e wal k i n g up t he s t ep in

2 0 0 9 , i t i s u n di s pu t ed th at s h e d i d n o t rep o rt t he i n ci d en t t o t he Ci t y

.

6ri sers t h at are t h e s am e co l o r o n b o t h el ev at i o ns an d are no t o t herwi s e m ark ed are a

wel l -k n o wn hazard

. “ Th e d eci s io n wh e the r to r e c ogniz e [ S tr a u ss’ s] the or

y o f reco v ery

a s v a l i d u n d er Geo rg i a p rem i s es l i ab i l i t y l aw is p reci sel y t h e ty p e of leg al p o l i cy

ju d g m en t [t h e Co urt ] i n s t ru ct ed i n Ro b i ns o n m u s t b e l eft t o a ju ry

t o d eci d e i n l i g ht

o f al l t h e at t en d an t ci rcu m s t an ces .” Id

. (“ Gi v en [p l ai nt i ff’ s ] ev i d en ce of t h e ri s k p o s ed

b y t hi s p art i cu l ar

. . . s i gn

. . . , we ca n n o t s ay , as a m at ter o f l aw, t h at [d efen d an t ]

fu l fi l l ed i t s l eg al d ut y t o av o id creat i n g an u n reas o nab l e ri s k of fo res eeab le h arm to

t h e p u bl i c.”).

In at tem pt i n g to s h i ft t h e b u rd en b ack t o St rau s s , t he Ci t y al s o arg u es t h at s h e

h ad act ual k n o wl ed ge o f t h e h azard b ecau s e s h e ad m it s th at s he k n ew t here w as a s t ep

i n t h e area. Ho wev er, al t h ou g h t h e si n gl e-s t ep ri s er i s a s t at i c co n d i t i on , t h ere i s n o

ev i d en c e t h a t St rau s s h ad act u al l y w al k ed ei t h er up o r d o wn t h e s i n g l e-s t ep ri s er

b efo re h er fal l

. Th e cas es rel i ed u p o n b y t h e Ci t y are read i l y d i s t i n g u is hab l e; n earl y

al l i n v o l v e i n s t an ces in wh i ch t h e p l ai n t i ff h ad p rev i o u s l y t rav ers ed t h e s am e s p eci fi c

h azard u n d er t h e s am e ci rcu m s t an ces an d / o r ad m i t t ed th at s h e was n o t p ay i n g

at t en ti o n a t t h e ti m e o f t h e fal l

. See, e.g ., LeCr o y v. Br a g g , 3 1 9 Ga. Ap p

. 8 8 4 (7 3 9

SE2 d 1 ) (2 0 1 3 ); Or

ff

, 2 8 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 4 8 8 ; Ech o l s v. W h i s ker ’s Fo od & Sp i r i t

s

, In c. ,

2 2 9 Ga. Ap p . 2 4 0 (4 93 SE2 d 7 2 2 ) (1 9 9 7 ) (p h y s ical p reced en t o n l y ).

7M o reo v er, “ th e ru l e i m p u t in g k n o w l ed g e o f a d an g er t o a p ers on wh o h as

s u cces s fu l ly neg o t i at ed an al leg ed d an g ero u s co n d i t i o n b efo re ap p l i es o n l y t o cas es

i n v o l v i n g a s t at i c co nd i t i o n t h at i s r ea d i l y d i s cer n i b le t o a p ers o n ex erci s i n g

reas on ab l e care fo r hi s o wn s afe t y .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s

s u p p li ed .) Per ki n s v. Th e Va l D ’Ao s t a Co

. , 3 05 G a. A p p

. 1 2 6

, 1 2 8-1 2 9 (6 9 9 SE2 d

3 8 0 ) (2 0 10 ) (fi n di n g a qu es t i o n o f fact rem ai n ed w h ere p l ai n t i ffs p res en ted ev i d en ce

t h at t h e s t ep d o wn fro m t h e cu rb w as d i ffi cu l t t o s ee w h e n a p p ro ach ed fro m ab o v e

d ue to l ig h t i n g co n d i t i o n s, d ark en ed s u rfaces an d l ack of warn i n g ). Here, t h e ev i d en ce

s h o ws t h at

, al t h o u g h St rau s s was p ay i n g at t en t i o n t o wh ere sh e was wal k in g , s h e was

u n ab le to s ee t h e s tep d o w n b ecau s e t h e ch an ge i n el ev at io n was es s en t i al l y

cam o u fl ag ed fro m h er v an t ag e p o i nt

, w h i ch was s u p po rt ed b y t he t es t i m o n y o f b o th

Gro ss a n d t h e Café’ s o wn er. Th u s , wh et h er St rau ss ex erci s ed o rd i nary care fo r h er

o wn s afet y an d wh e t h e r s h e h a d g reat er or eq u al k n owl ed g e o f t h e sp eci fi c h azard

p o s ed b y t h e s in gl e-s t ep ri s er are q u es t i o n s o f fact t o b e res o l v ed at t ri al

. See Pi n d er

v. H & H Fo o d S

er vi ces

, LLC

, 3 2 6 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9 3

, 50 2 ( 2 ) & n

. 9 (7 5 6 SE2 d 7 2 1 )

(2 0 1 4) (p h y s i cal p reced en t on l y ) (ci t i n g cas es i n wh i ch su m m ary ju d g m en t i m

p ro p er

wh ere ev i d en ce su p p o rt ed t h at s t at i c co n d i ti o n was cam o ufl ag ed o r n o t r e ad i l y

d i s cern i bl e b y p lai n t i ff); Co ckl i n , 2 9 6 Ga. Ap p. at 18 2 (m at eri al i s s ue o f fact as to

8wh et h er t h e s p eci fi c h azard p reci p i t at i n g p l ai n t i ff’ s fal l was read i l y o b s erv ab l e t o h er

i n t h e ex erci s e o f o rd i n ary care); Ja cks on v. W a f fl e Ho u se

, In c. , 2 4 5 Ga. Ap p

. 3 7 1,

3 7 5 (2 ) (5 3 7 SE2 d 1 8 8 ) (2 0 0 0) (q ues t i o n o f fact rem ai n ed wh ere p l ai nt iff h ad n ev er

t rav ers ed t h at s p eci fi c area o f t h e p ark i n g l o t b efo re). Acco rd in g ly

, th e tri al co u rt ’ s

g ran t o f s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o t h e Ci t y

m us t b e rev ers ed

.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Ph i p p s , C. J., a n d El l in g t o n , P. J., co n cu r

.

9