Cook v. SMG Construction Services, LLC

Facts

Daniel Cook, a subcontractor’s employee, fell from an unprotected second-floor balcony while installing cabinetry in a house under construction. A temporary guardrail had been removed for sheetrock work and had not yet been replaced. On the day of the accident, Cook explained that conditions such as drywall dust, overspray, poor lighting, and a cloudy day obscured his view of the balcony’s edge. While unkinking an air hose, Cook unknowingly backed off the unprotected balcony and suffered significant injuries.

Cook filed suit against the owner of the house, SMG Construction Services, LLC, under a premises liability theory. The trial court granted summary judgment to SMG based on Cook’s knowledge that the area was unprotected by a temporary guardrail. Cook appealed that ruling.

Issues & Holdings

1. Was SMG liable for Cook’s injuries under premises liability law?

Holding: The Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of SMG, finding jury questions remained regarding Cook’s knowledge of the hazard and SMG’s duty to maintain safe premises.

2. Did Cook have equal or greater knowledge of the hazard?

Holding: The court found there was a question of fact as to whether Cook’s perception of the hazard was obscured by the conditions present, precluding summary judgment.

Reasoning

The court applied premises liability standards under OCGA § 51-3-1, which imposes a duty on property owners to maintain safe premises for invitees. The Court of Appeals concluded that the evidence established that the Defendant SMG knew of the hazard.

The only question then was whether Cook’s own knowledge of the missing guardrail precluded his recovery. The Court of Appeals noted that the focus is on the plaintiff’s knowledge of the specific hazard, not just the knowledge of generally prevailing hazardous conditions.

In reaching its decision, the Court of Appeals analyzed two prior decisions that had denied summary judgment where conditions obscured a hazard:  Strauss v. City of Lilburn, 329 Ga. App. 361 (2014) and Myers v. Harris, 257 Ga. App. 286 (2002). 

In Strauss, summary judgment was not appropriate where a plaintiff tripped on a step wdespite a prior traversal of the area because the conditions camouflaged the hazard. In Myers, a thirft store shopper who fell off an unguarded ledge in a thrift store was allowed to proceed to trial because the conditions in the store made it difficult to determine where the edge of the ledge ended. 

Applying the legal standards to the facts before it, the Court of Appeals noted that while Cook was aware of the balcony’s general unguarded condition, evidence suggested that environmental factors—such as lighting and drywall overspray—created an optical illusion, making the hazard less apparent. This raised factual questions about Cook’s knowledge of the specific hazard.

The court also rejected SMG’s argument that Cook’s status as an independent contractor meant that O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1 did not apply. That statute applies to independent contractors, who are still considered invitees for purposes of premises liability claims. While there is an exception to liability when the independent contractor is doing work that is considered dangerous, Cook’s work–installing cabinetry–did not inherently involve dangerous conditions that would exempt SMG from its duty to keep the premises safe.

The court concluded that summary judgment was inappropriate because reasonable minds could differ on whether Cook exercised ordinary care for his safety or whether SMG’s negligence contributed to the incident.

Conclusion

The reversal of summary judgment in this case underscores the nuanced application of premises liability law in Georgia, particularly in cases involving static hazards and invitees who may not fully appreciate specific dangers despite general awareness. For attorneys handling similar cases, this decision emphasizes the importance of exploring environmental conditions that could obscure a hazard, such as lighting, visibility, and surface conditions.

This ruling also reinforces that independent contractors performing non-hazardous work may still qualify as invitees entitled to the protections of O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1. Lawyers should carefully investigate whether their client’s actions were reasonable under the circumstances and challenge any assumptions about equal or superior knowledge of the hazard when conditions impede clear perception. The court’s decision illustrates that even cases involving visible static conditions may turn on fact-intensive inquiries better suited for a jury.

Citation: Cook v. SMG Construction Services, LLC, No. A24A0886 (Ga. Ct. App. October 29, 2024)