Court Opinion

ID: 9618897
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 05:18:51.103594+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:04:33.168935
License: Public Domain

Whitman, Judge,
concurring specially. I concur in the majority opinion by Judge Deen in this case except as hereinafter stated, and in the judgment of affirmance in part and reversal in part. I agree that it was error on the part of the trial court in sustaining the general demurrer to and in dismissing Count 1 of the petition, quite without regard to allowing in the order sustaining the general demurrer to Count 1 an opportunity for plaintiff to amend. Count 1 of plaintiff’s petition in its ad damnum allegation and prayer only sought a recovery for general damages and this was sufficient to authorize a recovery of general damages, nominal damages and punitive damages as the evidence on the trial of the case might show. Hall v. Browning, 195 Ga. 423, 429 (24 SE2d 392); Horwitz v. Teague, 77 Ga. App. 386, 389 (48 SE2d 697).
Count 1 of plaintiff’s petition is as held in the majority opinion predicated in tort upon an alleged wrongful invasion of a property right for which at least nominal damages are recoverable. Williams v. Harris, 207 Ga. 576, 579 (63 SE2d 386); Weimer v. Cauble, 214 Ga. 634, 636 (106 SE2d 781).
It is my view further that plaintiff would have the right to amend Count 1 of her petition by seeking to recover special damages, if any, and according to the true measure thereof, as permitted and provided by law.