FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, M CM I LLI A N and GOSS, 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

June 13, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 08 4

. J ONES L ANG LASALLE O P ERATIONS, LLC et al

.

v . J OHNSON. GS-0 0 3

G O S S , J u d g e.

W e g ran t ed t hi s i nt erl o cu t o ry ap p eal t o co n si d er wh et h er t he t ri al co u rt erred

w h e n i t d en i ed s u m

m ary ju dg m en t t o t h e d efen d an t o wn ers of a res t au ran t s u ed b y

Dan Jo h n s o n

, wh o fel l o n an at tem p t t o d es cen d th e l as t s t ep b et ween t h e res tau ran t ’ s

en t ran ce l an di ng an d st ai rs an d i t s p ark i ng l o t

. Th e d efen d an t s arg u e th a t t h ey are

en t i t l ed to su m

m ary j u d gm en t becau se Geo rg i a l aw bars reco v ery b y a p l ai n t i ff wh o

h as p rev i o u s l y t rav ers ed a s t at i c h azard u n der s u b st an t i al ly th e sam e co n d i t i o n s as

t h o s e p rev ai li n g wh en h e fel l

. W e fi n d n o erro r an d affi rm t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f

s u m m ary ju d g m en t

.Su m

m ary ju dg m en t i s p ro p er i f t h e p l ead i n gs an d ev i d en ce “ s ho w th at t h ere i s

n o gen u i n e i s s u e as to an y m at eri al fact an d t h at t h e m o v i n g p a r t y i s e n t i t l ed t o a

ju d g m en t as a m at t er o f l aw[.] ” OCGA § 9 -1 1 -5 6 (c). “ A d e n o v o s t an d ard o f rev i ew

ap p li es t o an ap p eal fro m a g ran t o f s u m

m ary ju d g m en t

, an d w e v iew t h e ev i d en ce,

an d al l reas on ab l e co n cl us i on s an d in feren ces d rawn fr o m i t

, i n t h e l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab l e t o t h e n o n

- m o v a n t .” (Ci tat i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted .) No r wi ch v. Th e

S h r i mp Fa ct or

y, In c.

, 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p . 1 5 9 , 1 6 0 (7 7 0 SE2 d 3 5 7 ) (2 0 15 ).

Th u s vi ewed i n fav o r of J o h n s o n as t h e no n -m o v an t

, t h e reco rd s ho ws t h at a

s eri es o f s t ai rs an d s i n g l e-s t ep l an d i ng s co n n ect s Dan t an n a’ s res tau ran t

, l o cat ed i n t h e

Sh o p s Aro u n d Len o x s h o p pi ng cen t er i n At l an t a, t o t h e p ark i n g l o t bel o w i t

. Each o f

t h e t h ree s et s o f s t ai rs co n tai n s a h an drai l i n t he cen t er, b u t t h e h an d rai l s d o n ot

ex t en d o n t o t he l an d in gs

. T h e s tai rs

, l an di n g s

, an d p ark i n g l o t are g en eral ly t h e s am e

co l o r, an d t h ere are no warn i ng s i g n s o r p ai n t o n t h e st ai rs or l an d in g s

. Fro m t h e t i m e

t h e d efen d an t own ers p u rch as ed t h e pro p ert y i n D ecem b er 20 1 3 t o t h e p lai n ti ff’ s fal l

i n Ap ri l 2 0 1 5, d efen d an t s d i d n o t recei v e an y rep ort s o f fal l s occu rri n g o n th e s t ai rs

o r l an d i n gs

. J o h n so n l at er tes ti fi ed

, h o wev er, t h at a p ark in g l o t at t en d an t wh o s aw h i s

fal l an d o ffered as s i s t an ce t o l d h i m at t h at t i m e t h a t “ [ w] e hav e p eo p l e tri p o n t h at

s t ep al l t h e t i m e.”

2On Ap ri l 2

, 2 0 1 5, J o hn s o n a n d t h e co l l eag u e wen t t o h av e l u n ch at t h e

res t au ran t

, arri v i n g aro u nd 1 1 : 3 0 a.m

. J o h n s o n h ad n ev er b een t o t h e r es t au ran t

b efo re. It was d ay l i gh t

, o v ercas t

, an d m i l d wh en th ey arri ved

, an d J oh n s o n as cen d ed

t h e l an d in g s an d s tai rway s i nt o t h e res t au ran t wi t h o u t an y d i ffi cu l t y

. He d i d no t d ri n k

al co h o l du ri n g l un ch

, an d wh en h e l eft aro u n d 1 :0 0 p .m

. , t h e weat h er co n d i t io n s were

t h e s am e as wh en h e a r r i v e d

. W h en l eav i n g

, J oh n s o n u s ed t h e s am e set o f s t ep s h e

h ad an h o u r earl i er b u t f

el l as h e at t em

p t ed t o w al k in t o th e p ark i n g l o t

, ap p aren t l y

fai l i n g t o real i ze t here was a fi nal , s i n gl e s t ep t h ere o ff t h e b o t t o m l an di n g

.

J o h n s o n t es t i fi ed t h at h e d i d n o t n o t i ce an y t h i n g “ o d d ” o r “ h azard o u s ” ab o ut

t h e s t ai rs as h e as cen d ed t h em

. He t es t i fi ed t h at h e was t al k i n g t o h is co l l eag u e b u t

p ay i n g at t en t io n wh i l e d es cen d i n g an d t h at wh en he reach ed t h e l as t l an d in g

, h e d id

n o t s ee t h e s in g l e s t ep t o t h e p ark i n g l o t becau s e i t was u n m ark ed

, l o ok ed t h e s am e

as t h e l an d i n g

, an d h a d n o rai l i n g o r warn i n g s i g n s

. J o hn s o n al s o t es t i fi ed t h at

al t h o u g h h e w a s l o o k i n g s t rai g h t ah ead

, he l ik el y g l an ced d o w n t o co nfi rm h i s

p ercep t i on t h at h e h a d f

i n i s h ed d es cen d i n g

, an d th at t h e b l in d st ep cau s ed h i m to

“ s t ep i n t o ai r” wi t h o ut k n o wi n g t h at t h ere w as a ch an g e in el ev at i o n

. Th e co l l eag u e

av erred t h a t J o h n s o n was p ay i n g at t en t i o n wh i l e d es cen d in g t h e s t ai rs an d t h at t h e

l an d i n g s t ep wh ere he fel l d i d n o t h av e an y rai l i n g s or m ark i n g s an d was n o t read i l y

3ap p aren t o n des cen t

. J o h n s o n al s o p ro d u ced an ex pert i n p rem i s es li ab i l i t y an d s afet y

an d l os s p rev en t i o n

, J effrey Gro s s

, wh o av erred t hat t h e b ot t o m s t ep fro m t h e l an d i n g

t o t h e p ark i n g l o t was i n h eren t l y d an g ero u s an d creat ed an u nreas o n ab l e fal l h azard

t o p ers o n s d es cen d i n g t h e s t ai rs

, a s i t h ad no h an d rai l s an d was n o t m ark ed wi th

co n tras t in g p ai n t o r w a r n i n g s i g n s

. He av erred t hat u n m ark ed s i n g l e-s t ep ri s ers

p res en t m o re p ro b l em s t o p ers o n s des cen d i n g s t ep s t h an w h en as cen di n g, as t h e face

o f t h e s t ep can o n l y

b e s een d u ri n g as cen t an d n o t d es cen t

.

Th e d efen d an t s fi led a m o t i o n fo r su m m ary j u d gm en t, arg u i n g t h at t h e p l ai n t i ff

was b arred fro m reco v ery b ecau s e k no wl ed ge o f t h e al l eg ed h azard o u s co n d i t i o n was

i m p u t ed t o h i m b as ed o n h i s pri o r s u cces s fu l t rav ers al o f i t ab o u t an h o u r b efo re h i s

fal l un d er t he s am e co n d i t i o ns

. J o h n s o n res p on d ed t h at h e h ad p res en ted ev i d en ce t h e

d efen d an t s h ad s u p eri or k n o wl ed g e o f t h e u n reas o nab le s afet y h azard po s ed b y t h e

u n m ark ed l an d i n g w h e r e h e fel l

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed d efen d an t s ’ m o t i o n,

co n cl u d in g t h a t i t c o u l d n o t fi n d as a m at t er o f l aw t h at t h ey fu l fi l l ed t h ei r d u ty to

av o id creat i n g an u n reas o n ab l e ri s k o f fo res eeab l e harm

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, t h e co u rt h el d

t h at q u es t i on s o f fact rem ai n ed as t o wh et h er t he hazard p o s ed b y t h e l as t s i n g l e s t ep

was “ read i l y d i s cern ab l e,” wh et h er J o h n s o n h ad eq u al o r g reat er k n o wl ed g e o f t h e

4h azard

, an d wh et h er h e ex erci s ed o rd i n ary care fo r h i s o wn s afet y

. Th i s i n t erl o cu t o ry

ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

A s t a t i c co n d it i o n i s “ o n e t h at d o es n o t ch an g e an d i s d an g ero u s o n l y i f

s o m eo n e fai l s t o s ee i t an d wal k s i n t o it .” Bu l l a r d v. Ma r r i o t t In t l

. , 2 9 3 G a. A p p

. 6 7 9,

6 8 1 (2 ) (6 6 7 SE2 d 9 0 9) (2 0 0 8 ). In a s l i p -an d-fal l c a s e i nv o lv i n g al leg at i o n s t h at a

s t at i c co n d i t i o n , s uch as t h e l an d i n g o n wh i ch J o h n s o n fel l , i s d an g ero u s

,

t h e b as i s o f t h e p ro p ri et o r’ s l i ab i li t y i s h is s u p eri or k n o wl ed ge an d i f h i s

i n v i tee k n o w s o f t h e co n d i t i o n or h azard t here i s n o d u ty o n t he p art o f

t h e p ro p ri et o r t o warn hi m an d t h ere i s n o l i a b i l it y fo r res u l t i n g i n ju ry

b ecau s e t h e i n v it ee h as as m u ch kn o wl ed g e as t h e p ro p ri et o r d o es

. . . .

[A] cl ai m i nv o l v i ng a s t at i c d efect d i ffers fro m o th er s l i p an d fal l cas es

i n t h at wh en a pers o n h as s u cces sfu l l y n eg o ti at ed an al l eg ed d an g ero u s

co n d i t i o n o n a prev i o u s o ccas i o n

, t h at p ers o n i s p res um ed t o h av e eq ual

k n o wl ed g e o f i t an d can n o t reco v er fo r a s u b s e q u en t i n ju ry res u l t i n g

t h erefro m

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) Per ki n s v. Va l D ’Ao s t a Co

. , 30 5 Ga. Ap p

. 1 2 6,

1 2 8 (6 9 9 SE2 d 3 8 0 ) (2 0 1 0 ). Bu t “ t h e ru l e i m p u t i n g kn o wl ed g e o f a d a n g er t o a

p ers o n wh o h as s u cces s fu l ly neg o t i at ed a n a lle ge d da nge r ous c ondi t io n b efo re ap p li es

o n l y t o cas es i n v ol v i n g a s t at i c co n d i t i o n t h at i s ‘ read i l y di s cern i b l e’ t o a p ers o n

5ex erci s i ng reas o nab l e care fo r h i s o wn s afet y .” (Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i on o m i t t ed .)

Id . at 1 2 8 -1 2 9

.

Here, J o h ns o n an d h i s co l l eag ue b o t h t es t i fi ed t h at t he s t ep d own fro m t h e fi n al

l an d i n g to th e p ark i ng lo t s u rface was n o t read il y d i scern ib l e, an d i t i s u n d is pu t ed t h at

t h ere w ere n o m ark i n g s, warn i n g s i g n s

, or h an d rai l s t h ere. As i n Per ki n s

, t h en

, wh i ch

al s o i nv o l v ed a s t ep d o wn fro m a cu rb i n to a p ark i ng l o t

, t h es e d efen d an t s were

“ ch arg ed wi t h n ot i ce o f t h e [s t ep ’ s ] h ei g h t i n rel at i o n t o t he p ark in g lo t

, t h e l i g h t i n g

co n di t i o n s

, t h e v i ew o f t h e cu rb fo r s o m eo n e d es cen d i n g t h e st ai rs

, an d t h e ab s en ce

o f an y pai n t o r warn i n g si g ns ” i n t h e area, s uch th at t h ei r s u peri o r k n o wl ed ge o f t h e

h azard p o s e d b y t h e fi n al s t ep i s a ju ry q u es ti o n

. 3 0 5 Ga. Ap p. at 12 9 (rev ers i n g a

g ran t o f s u m

m ary ju d g m en t t o d efen d an t o wn er); s ee al s o S t r au s s v. Ci t y o f Li l b u r n

,

3 2 9 G a. Ap p. 3 6 1

, 3 6 4 (1 ) (7 6 5 SE2 d 4 9) (2 0 1 4 ) (rev ers i n g a gran t o f s u m m ary

ju d g m en t t o d efen d a n t o w n er wh en t h ere was “ n o ev i d en ce” t h at t h e p l ai n t i ff “ h ad

act u al l y wal k ed ei t her u p o r do wn ” t h e si n g l e s t ep at an y t i m e p ri o r t o h er fal l ). Ou r

d eci s i o n i n No r wi ch

, s up ra, i s d i s t in g u i s h ab le o n a n u m b er o f gro u n d s, i n cl u d i n g t h e

m ere “ m o m en t s ” b et ween t h at p l ai n t i ff’ s s u cces s fu l as cen t o f a st ep an d h er fal l d o wn

t h e s am e, t h e un ch an g ed i n teri or l i g h t i ng co n d it i on s

, an d t h e p res en ce o f a warn i n g

s i gn

. See 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 6 2

. An d w e are n ot bo u n d b y o u r d eci s i o n i n Jo e

6En t er

p ri s e, LLC v. Ka n e

, 34 1 Ga. Ap p

. 1 2 (7 9 8 SE2 d 9 7 ) (2 0 1 7 ), wh ich i s p h y s i cal

p reced en t on l y

, b ecau se t h at p l ai n t i ff co u l d n o t s ay h o w s h e fel l an d b ecau s e t h e

al l eg ed h azard was “ o p en an d o b v io u s .” Id . at 1 4-1 5 (1 ), 1 7 (2 ).

Here, g en u in e qu es t i o n s of fact rem ai n as t o wh et h er th e s t ep o n wh i ch J o h n so n

fel l was read i l y d i s cern ab l e an d t h u s as t o h i s eq u al k no wl ed g e o f an y h azard p o s ed

b y t h at co n di t i o n an d h i s reas o n ab l e care as to h i s o w n s afet y

. W e t h erefo re affi rm t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s d en ial o f d efen d an t s ’ m o t i o n fo r s u m m ary ju d g m en t

.

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

d en , P. J., a n d

McMi l l i a n , J., co n cu r

.

7