313 Ga. App. 630
Ga. Ct. App.2012Background
- Powers sued Foothills Pharmacies for injuries from a motorized scooter tipping in Powers' yard.
- Powers allegedly relied on Foothills’ agent Ray who said the Lynx L-3B scooter was safe for yard use.
- Powers used the scooter for about ten months without incident before the April 2008 tipping incident.
- Powers did not present evidence explaining why the scooter tipped or any expert causation.
- The trial court denied Foothills’ summary judgment motions on negligent misrepresentation and breach of express warranty; the court granted interlocutory appeal.
- The Georgia Court of Appeals reversed, holding no evidence supported falsity of Ray’s statements or nonconformity to the description.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Was there evidence the statement was false | Powers | Foothills | Foothills won; no evidence of falsity; summary judgment proper |
| Did Powers show breach of express warranty | Powers | Foothills | Foothills won; no evidence scooter failed to conform to description |
Key Cases Cited
- Hardaway Co. v. Parsons, Brinckerhoff & Co., Inc., 267 Ga. 424 (Ga. 1997) (elements of negligent misrepresentation; reliance and causation)
- Greyhound Lines v. Williams, 290 Ga. App. 450 (Ga. App. 2008) (avoidance of speculation; mere accident not evidence of liability)
- Ford v. Bank of America Corp., 277 Ga. App. 708 (Ga. App. 2006) (mere statement of danger not evidence of dangerous condition)
- Thompson v. Huckabee Auto Co., 190 Ga. App. 540 (Ga. App. 1989) (damaged vehicle evidence relevant to conformity to description)
- Horne v. Claude Ray Ford Sales, 162 Ga. App. 329 (Ga. App. 1982) (conformity to seller's description inquiry)
- Turner v. Masters, 304 Ga. App. 855 (Ga. App. 2010) (negligence not presumed; need affirmative proof)
- Hunsucker v. Belford, 304 Ga. App. 200 (Ga. App. 2010) (speculation not enough to create factual inference)