Court Opinion

ID: 9579812
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:58:54.018543+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:35:47.920799
License: Public Domain

Felton, Chief Judge,
dissenting. On the former appearance of this case in this court the judgment was reversed because the petition did not state a cause of action because it did not allege facts to show that the defendant was negligent in leaving a hole in the incomplete concrete floor and because there was no actionable negligence alleged against the defendant by reason of the slanting floor because the slant in the floor was not alleged to have been a proximate cause of the injuries to plaintiff. Before the judgment of this court was made the judgment of the trial court the plaintiff amended the petition by adding thereto the following allegations: “lfl-A. The plaintiff shows that the slant or incline in the floor was the proximate cause or contributing proximate cause of the rolling of the scaffold and the fall of the plaintiff and the injuries to and damages suffered by him as set out hereinafter. 16-B. At all times mentioned herein the slant or incline in the floor was a latent and concealed condition existing in the floor of the hangar as aforesaid, which slant or incline was placed there by the defendant and of which slant and incline and dangerous condition the defendant had full and complete knowledge at all times mentioned herein, and of which condition the defendant failed to notify the plaintiff prior to his entry upon the premises and using of the rolling scaffold thereon. 23 (h) In allowing and permitting the invited plaintiff to enter upon the premises of the hangar for the purpose of using rolling scaffolds thereon with the full and complete knowledge by the agents of the defendant, whose names are unknown to the plaintiff but well known to the defendant, that the said slant and incline in the floor would cause the scaffolds used by the plaintiff to roll and become unsafe as a result thereof. 23 (i) In failing to warn and caution the plaintiff as an invitee that rolling scaffolds, such as those known to have been in use by the plaintiff, would roll or be put into motion as a result of their use upon the slanted or inclined floor and become unsafe for use by the plaintiff. 23(j) In failing to warn and caution the plaintiff that the slant or incline in the floor was a concealed and dangerous condition whereby *200rolling scaffolds would be put into motion upon their use, all of which facts were observed by the agents of the defendant, whose names are unknown to the plaintiff but well known to the defendant, at times prior to the fall by the plaintiff, and thereby the defendant had actual knowledge of the use of said rolling scaffolds upon the slanted and inclined floor. 23 (k) In failing to exercise the degree of care required by law for invitees, including the plaintiff, in allowing, permitting said slant or incline in the floor, and failing in its duty to warn or caution the plaintiff against the existence of, or to protect the plaintiff from said slant or incline in the floor which would and did cause the scaffold to roll, the same being the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s fall.”
The original petition contained most, if not all of the allegations ' contained in the amendment. All that was necessary to be -added by amendment was the allegation that the slanting floor with the related facts was the, or a, proximate cause of the injuries. Upon proof of the facts alleged the jury would have been, authorized to find’ against the defendant. It does not appear ás a matter of law from the allegations of the petition as amended that the plaintiff could have a'voided the alléged negligence of the defendant by the exercise of ordinary care after he discovered it or after he should have discovered it by the exercise of ordinary care, or that he was barred in the first instance by his own negligence. If an amendment “spans the chasm between the declaration and the requirements of the law, the declaration is amendable in' the manner offered by such amendment.” Owens v. Owens, 190 Ga. 191 (8 SE2d 644); Ware v. Martin, 208 Ga. 330 (66 SE2d 737); Code § 81-1302; Ga. Procedure & Practice, Leverett, Hall, Christopher, Davis & Shulman, § 7-3, pp. 166, 167.
The answer to the entire problem is that the original petition did hot set forth a cáse of actionable negligence because of the absence of' the allegation of' proximate cause. The case of Gordon County Broadcasting Co. v. Chitwood, 212 Ga. 21, supra, does not-fit this case by any stretch of the imagination. The’ amendment cured this defect and the demurrer should have been overruled.
*201The reasonable and plausible interpretation of our former opinion in this case is that the only reason the petition did not set forth a cause of action was that the slant in the floor was not alleged to be the proximate cause of the injuries. We probably should have expressly stated in that opinion that the plaintiff was not barred by his own negligence. So far 'as I was concerned that was my conclusion then. It is now. The other decision should not be construed as reversing the case as to an amendable defect when the case could have been finally disposed of by simply ruling that the plaintiff was barred by his own negligence. The reversal on one ground in the former appearance is the implied exclusion of all other grounds.
Nichols, P. J., concurs in the foregoing dissent.