Court Opinion

ID: 9624266
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 06:56:16.135631+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:05:42.023936
License: Public Domain

Eldridge, Judge,
concurring fully and specially.
While I fully concur in the well-reasoned majority opinion, I wish to elaborate on the damage issues raised in this appeal.
1. Plaintiff could have recovered damages for peace, happiness, and feelings under OCGA § 51-12-6 for the malicious, wilful or wanton conduct of the defendants in tortiously desecrating her husband’s body; however, the majority correctly holds that such personal injury damages are barred by the two-year statute of limitation. See Blanchard v. Westview Cemetery, 228 Ga. 461 (186 SE2d 92) (1971); see also Moody v. Dykes, 269 Ga. 217, 219 (2) (496 SE2d 907) (1998); Ryckeley v. Callaway, 261 Ga. 828 (412 SE2d 826) (1992).
2. Whether in contract or tort involving property rights, if there exists either a breach of contract or tortious wrong and no other damages can be proven, then nominal damages would be recoverable where there has been some invasion of such property right that cannot be shown as a special damage. Weimer v. Cauble, 214 Ga. 634, 636-637 (106 SE2d 781) (1959); Williams v. Harris, 207 Ga. 576, 579 (2) (63 SE2d 386) (1951); Flanders v. Hill Aircraft &c. Corp., 137 Ga. App. 286, 289 (223 SE2d 482) (1976). When special damages have failed of specific proof, nominal damages can be recovered. Miller &c. Assoc. v. Diedrich, 174 Ga. App. 249, 254 (3) (329 SE2d 918) (1985), rev’d on other grounds, 254 Ga. 734 (334 SE2d 308) (1985).
3. Where nominal damages have been recovered for a tortious wrong that has aggravating factors, punitive damages may also be recovered. OCGA § 51-12-5.1; Foster v. Sikes, 202 Ga. 122, 126 (42 SE2d 441) (1947); Horne’s Pest Control Co. v. Elliott, 190 Ga. App. 351, 353 (378 SE2d 734) (1989); Preferred Risk Ins. Co. v. Boykin, 174 Ga. App. 269, 276-277 (10) (329 SE2d 900) (1985).
I am authorized to state that Judge Barnes joins in this special concurrence.
*575Hall, Booth, Smith & Slover, Timothy H. Bendin, Jonathan Marigliano, for appellee.