Court Opinion

ID: 9570287
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:22:02.947486+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:05:33.273363
License: Public Domain

Birdsong, Judge,
dissenting.
A reasonable portrayal of the facts of this case shows that Mrs. Foster entered the dry cleaning establishment owned and operated by the Kenimers at 8:30 a.m. on a rainy morning. On her entrance, Mrs. Foster knew it was raining, but did not notice whether the two steps leading up to the store entrance were wet. Two other customers were in the store and transacted their business and left before Mrs. Foster picked up her dry cleaning. Mrs. Foster then left the store and started to descend the two steps to the parking lot. She noticed the steps were then beaded with water. As she started down the steps, she maintains she slipped and fell, breaking her hand or wrist as she tried to break her fall. The facts show that she fell forward and not backward. She made a conclusionary statement that after she fell she then noticed that the steps were painted with a flat paint and appeared slippery when wet.
Other facts show that the Kenimers leased the premises from Cofer in June 1980 and the steps were already painted with the flat paint. The accident occurred in May 1981. Thus, for almost a year, the steps were in constant use (frequently by Mrs. Foster), apparently in all kind of weather conditions. In fact two other customers navigated the steps on that particular morning without incident. The evidence shows no defect for there is no showing the paint was flaking or not intact. Water as such may be a condition but is not a defect. Mrs. Foster says she observed the paint and opined that because it was wet, apparently this caused a slippery condition. *571At best this is no more than a conclusion for, other than the fact she slipped, there is no evidence that water on the paint caused a slippery condition. Opposed to this conclusion is a statement of fact by the Kenimers that even to a casual observer the paint is flat paint and is not slippery. Mrs. Foster offered no evidence that the “slippery” condition was patent and had to be known to the Kenimers as proprietors. She offered no evidence that others had slipped during the year the Kenimers had been the occupants of the store or that the Kenimers were on notice of any other similar injury.
As was said in Alterman Foods v. Ligon, 246 Ga. 620, 625 (272 SE2d 327): “ ‘There is no evidence that [Kenimer] or its agents were guilty of any negligence. Indeed the record affirmatively shows the absence of any negligence by the defendant or its agents. The evidence simply shows that the plaintiff fell while [leaving] the defendant’s store. This is insufficient----’ Falling and injuring one’s self proves nothing. Such happenings are commonplace wherever humans go.
“It cannot be inferred from a silent record that defendant negligently maintained its [steps]. Plaintiffs statements, taken in the light most favorable to her, are merely conclusions and are probative of nothing. The fact is they show that she proceeded on the [steps] with full knowledge of its condition. . . .”
Before Kenimer can be held liable for the slippery conditions of the steps produced by the presence of raindrops thereon, it is necessary that the proof should show they were aware of the rain droplets and that the presence of water created a dangerous condition and that Kenimer having such knowledge failed to exercise reasonable care. Boatright v. Rich’s, Inc., 121 Ga. App. 121 (173 SE2d 232). Moreover, it is only when the perilous condition is known to the occupant and not known to the person injured that a recovery is permitted. Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Reid, 132 Ga. App. 136, 138 (207 SE2d 532). In this case the occupant had been in charge of the premises for over 11 months with the steps painted as they were at the time of the incident and no evidence was offered that the occupant was aware that rain drops created a greater potential for harm or had a superior knowledge of the condition than did Mrs. Foster. There was no duty on Kenimer’s part to warn its customers during a period of rain that accumulations of water on the steps or floor of the business may create a slippery condition. There is scarcely any material used in construction that may not become slippery by the presence of water. That is a matter of common knowledge and behooves any user of the premises to use a measure of precaution when walking on a wet surface. Gibson v. Consolidated Credit Corp., 110 Ga. App. 170, 173, supra.
*572It is concluded therefore, under the circumstances of this case, when applied to the applicable law, Mrs. Foster was aware of the condition of the steps when she descended them and slipped (or fell forward) by failing to exercise due care for her own safety, thus assuming the risk involved. Hill v. Davison-Paxon Co., 80 Ga. App. 840 (57 SE2d 680). Her conclusionary statement that the wet flat paint appeared slippery created no issue of fact to submit to the jury.
I respectfully dissent as I would affirm the grant of summary judgment to all defendants. I am authorized to state that Judge Sognier and Judge Pope join in this dissent.