Court Opinion

ID: 9567372
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:53:17.836635+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:00:34.814519
License: Public Domain

Andrews, Judge.
Baker sued Winn Dixie Stores, Inc. claiming that, because Winn Dixie negligently failed to keep its store in a safe condition, she was injured when she stepped on a green bean and slipped and fell as she was exiting the store. She appeals from the trial court’s order granting summary judgment in favor of Winn Dixie.
As the record reflects and Baker states in her brief on appeal, “[she] did not see the green bean prior to her fall. After her fall, she saw the green bean which caused her fall and other green beans located somewhere else on the floor. Prior to her fall, [she] was walking in a normal manner, looking straight ahead, did not see anything on the floor, and was not anticipating anything to be on the floor because she had assumed that the most trafficked area of the floor would be clean and safe.” At her deposition, Baker said she did not see the green beans on the floor as she was walking out of the store because she was not looking down and, “I usually, you know, have my head up looking outward.” When asked if there was more than one green bean *514on the floor or just the one she stepped on, Baker responded: “No, there was more on the floor, but they were not in that spot. There may have been, what I could see when I glanced around, five or six more down, you know, in front of the register area.” Baker’s daughter, who accompanied Baker to the store, also saw the green bean after Baker fell. She stated by affidavit: “After my mother fell, I ran to her side and noticed that she had slipped on a green bean.” There was no evidence that Baker’s view of the area where the green bean was on the floor was obstructed or that her attention was diverted from the area by any distraction created by Winn Dixie.
“[I]n order to state a cause of action in a case where the plaintiff alleges that due to an act of negligence by the defendant he slipped and fell on a foreign substance on the defendant’s floor, the plaintiff must show (1) that the defendant had actual or constructive knowledge of the foreign substance and (2) that the plaintiff was without knowledge of the substance or for some reason attributable to the defendant was prevented from discovering the foreign substance.” Alterman Foods v. Ligon, 246 Ga. 620, 623 (272 SE2d 327) (1980). Even assuming that Winn Dixie had actual or constructive knowledge of the hazard created by green beans on the floor, Winn Dixie would still be entitled to summary judgment if Baker had knowledge of the hazard or should have discovered it, unless Winn Dixie somehow prevented her from discovering it. Id.; Smith v. Wal-Mart Stores, 199 Ga. App. 808, 810 (406 SE2d 234) (1991). Under this standard, in order to recover, Baker must “exercise ordinary care for [her] own safety, and must by the same degree of care avoid the effect of the [store’s] negligence after it becomes apparent to [her] or in the exercise of ordinary care [she] should have learned of it. [She] must make use of all [her] senses in a reasonable measure amounting to ordinary care in discovering and avoiding those things that might cause hurt to [her].” (Citations and punctuation omitted.) Alterman Foods, supra at 623.
Here, the record shows that Baker failed to exercise ordinary care to discover and avoid the clearly visible hazard presented by the green beans on the floor. Baker’s own testimony and the affidavit of her daughter show that the green bean she stepped on was clearly visible on the floor of the store. Baker admitted that she did not see the green bean because she was walking with “[her] head up looking outward” assuming that the exit area would be clean and safe. Regardless of the store’s knowledge of the hazard, the proximate cause of Baker’s fall was her own failure to exercise ordinary care to discover and avoid the hazard. Minor v. Super Discount Markets, 211 Ga. App. 123, 124-125 (438 SE2d 384) (1993); Colevins v. Federated Dept. Stores, 213 Ga. App. 49, 52 (443 SE2d 871) (1994); Bruno’s, Inc. v. Pendley, 215 Ga. App. 108 (449 SE2d 637) (1994). The trial *515court correctly granted summary judgment in favor of Winn Dixie.

Judgment affirmed.

Birdsong, P. J., Pope, P. J., and Blackburn, J., concur. Johnson and Smith, JJ., concur specially. Beasley, C. J., McMurray, P. J., and Ruffin, J., dissent.