ÿWPC IèS•s< à_·{”Dæø@Ý$v•ô€kÍDЂb:x ¹_‡Ë¿)Íø K–ÆŒþ³9vŒŸh˜w?K‡‡Çè¥ô¤7Ö±X§7çØž>-ܱ”åU}’®‘Ÿ°‹¡ƒ'Ël¨¬zÕk·&È•ƒ‘OõXßœ7d‹Ò¢ºG½±­½„ãN¦-`?ÔÌúì*ò (xŸœ_9U/i¿„ˆx¤!¬zšWÈóá²K*Ù‚Öh`£Ìe1£q¤¹?YÛ퇓i…-xG«7ªÎ»¦öÒ·ß«qÿìˆàf)iÐ2«¹/† >ßÌÝìrsáÕømâcà‹_µ»Ûeä’n¦O¨,êî"ržuÁ1[Ȥ«0iEZjÓõZ`’{œ6IŒÅŽ==,ô€%Éw]¹ëŠ„ ÄÊáH ™÷Gënˆ¡¥Ž˜þz©èSPÐõŠ,Lˆ\ÜPLŒîbEÅ'„;á50;B›7Ÿ`šßv2ˆqs úù„Š :H*2rJb#É\ %% ^ + 0ˆ7 UN¿ w 4 z% ÒŸ q € m‚ UN™ Æç Æ­ ÆsÆ9 0DÿNC^E£E@ÐBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBb 0ë B 0¤" D3Æ D-ù 0K&& ASqÆÄ 0¤Š 0D. A«r˜\\IB01S04\clerk2knox2ÈÈ,,,,ÈÈ0»gá.Ï (`£ª$¡¡Ñ€.ÑÑ8€½­»»d»»d8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  Ó(í€"  Z6Times New Roman Regularlk.ê:i¢Ø+00 ˜C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt3|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5‚Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5„Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5…Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó HarenMcCampbellWestmoreland Coln “Ý ƒRŸ $ÝÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÔ€X X»»ÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ô€€Even€though€defendant€tries€to€make€much€of€the€fact€that€plaintiff€did€not€see€the€waterÐ ° Ðin€the€hallway€(among€throngs€of€students€hurriedly€leaving€school,€no€less),€this€would€not€renderÐ œì Ðthe€condition€latent€in€any€way,€because€a€ð ðlatentðð€condition€has€been€defined€as€one€which€isÐ ˆØ Ðð ðhidden€or€concealedðð,€or€which€could€not€be€discovered€even€by€a€reasonable€inspection.€€òòHawksÐ tÄ Ðv.€City€of€Westmorelandóó,€960€S.W.2d€10€(Tenn.€1997). ÆÝ ƒRŸ $ÝÓ  Óà  àòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÔ€X X»»ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔDefendants€did€not€plead€comparative€fault€as€a€defense€in€their€Answer.- ù-(|G2Ÿ $¤¤Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€Fe»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  ÚóóÔ€X X»»Ô d(|3G~$££Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€Fe»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝVVVV'ÿÿdxd)!ÈÈÈÈdxdx( ±þ$’’ò òFigure€Ú  Ú1Ú  Úó ó^_X`YEþÿ<<CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3G~$¢¢Ý ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€Fe»»dd8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óX[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿCÿÿ HKKKKÝ ƒ£ª!ÝÑ€.ÑÑ8€Fe»»ddÈ8ÑÑ ý ÑÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÔ€¼Fe»»»ÔÑ8€ XXdì»»d8Ñà@¦ ¦ ìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEˆÐ ° Ðà@””$ìàAT€KNOXVILLEˆÐ  Ðà@ÙÙ ìàMay€13,€2003€SessionˆÐ Ô$ ÐÔ‡X X»¼FeÔÌò òÔ#†¼Fe»XX ž#ÔÓ  ÓEMMA€B.€JOHNSON€v.€KNOX€COUNTY€BOARD€OF€EDUCATION€andÐ Ò" ÐKNOX€COUNTY,€TENNESSEEòòóóÔ‡X X»¼FeÔó óÐ æ 6 ÐÓäÓÌà@¼ ¼ ìàò òDirect€Appeal€from€the€Circuit€Court€for€Knox€CountyˆÐ æ 6 Ðà@ˆ ˆ ìàNo.€02„013202€€€€€€Hon.€Dale€C.€Workman,€Circuit€JudgeˆÐ Ò " ÐÌÌà@ìì*ìàßA€V) °°` d€÷E<•` A߈Ð –æ  ÐÌà@¶¶ìàNo.€E2003„00248„Ô_ÔCOAÔ_Ô„R3„CV€ˆÐ ‘á  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_Ô€€€€€€June€30,€2003Ð }Í  ÐßA€V) °°` dE<h` AßÐ i¹  Ðó óÌÌPlaintiff€Johnson€slipped€and€fell€where€water€was€in€schoolððs€hallway.€€Defendants€were€grantedÐ P  ÐJudgment€on€ground€they€had€no€notice€of€condition€of€hallway.€We€reverse€and€remand.Ð <Œ ÐÌÔ#†¼Fe»XX V#ÔÔ‡X X»¼FeÔÌò òTenn.€R.€App.€P.3€Appeal€as€of€Right;€Judgment€of€the€Circuit€Court€Reversed€andÐ P ÐRemanded.ó óÐ ì< ÐÌÌòòHerschel€Pickens€Franks,€Jóó.€delivered€the€opinion€of€the€court,€in€which€òò€Houston€M.€Ô_ÔGoddardÔ_Ô,Ð ° ÐÔ_ÔP.J.Ô_Ôóó,€andòò€Charles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€Jóó.,€joined.Ð œì ÐÌÔ#†¼Fe»XX Ž#ÔÔ‡X X»¼FeÔJohn€P.€Dreiser€and€J.€€Anthony€Farmer,€Knoxville,€Tennessee,€for€Appellant.Ð tÄ ÐÌMartha€Haren€McCampbell,€Deputy€Law€Director,€Knoxville,€Tennessee,€for€Appellee.Ð L œ ÐÌÌÌà@66'ìàò òOPINIONó óÔ#†¼Fe»XX c#ÔÔ‡X X»¼FeԈРü#L# ÐÌòòóóÔ‡ X XXX ÔÌà  àà ` àPlaintiff€slipped€and€fell€on€water€in€the€schoolððs€hallway€and€sustained€injuries.€€SheÐ À&"& Ðbrought€this€action€against€defendant,€charging€that€the€slick€hallway€constituted€a€dangerousÐ ¬'ü"' Ðcondition€which€ð ðwas€a€dangerous€condition€negligently€allowed€to€be€caused€by€defendant€and/orÐ ˜(è#( Ðits€agents,€by€failing€to€stop€flooding€in€a€nearby€restroom.ðð€€After€hearing€the€evidence,€the€TrialÐ „)Ô$) ÐCourt€dismissed€plaintiffððs€action,€saying€ð ðI€donððt€think€there€is€notice€to€the€County€that€there€is€anyÐ p*À%* Ðdefective€condition€in€that€hallway€.€.€.€ð ð.Ð \+¬&+ ÐÌà  àà ` àPlaintiff€testified€that€on€September€17,€2001,€she€was€teaching€reading€during€theÐ 4-„(-ý ÐÔ_Ônext€to€last€period€of€the€day,€and€at€the€beginning€the€class€period€a€girl€asked€to€go€to€the€bathroomÐ ° Ðand€came€back€and€reported€that€€it€was€ð ðreally€floodingðð,€whereupon€plaintiff€checked€the€bathroomÐ œì Ðand€the€floor€was€covered€with€water€and€the€sink€was€stuffed€with€paper€towels€and€the€water€hadÐ ˆØ Ðbeen€left€running.€€She€testified€she€turned€off€the€faucet,€returned€to€her€classroom,€and€called€theÐ tÄ Ðschool€secretary€who€thanked€her€for€her€call,€and€told€her€that€the€bathroomððs€condition€had€alreadyÐ `° Ðbeen€reported.€€At€the€end€of€the€class€period,€approximately€45€minutes€later,€plaintiff€was€requiredÐ L œ Ðto€monitor€the€children€in€the€hallway€as€they€left€to€catch€their€school€bus.€She€testified€the€restroomÐ 8 ˆ Ðwas€located€diagonally€across€the€hall€from€her€classroom,€and€that€when€she€was€returning€to€herÐ $ t Ðclassroom€to€dismiss€the€remaining€students€she€fell€on€the€wet€floor.€€She€testified€she€did€not€noticeÐ  ` Ðthe€floor€was€wet€until€after€she€fell€and€that€the€hallway€was€eight€to€ten€feet€wide€and€she€wasÐ ü L  Ðhalfway€across€the€hallway€when€she€fell.€€She€testified€that€the€hall€was€a€tile„like€surface,€and€thatÐ è 8  Ðwhen€she€had€checked€the€restroom,€she€had€on€her€tennis€shoes,€and€the€water€on€the€floor€wouldÐ Ô$  Ðhave€come€to€the€top€of€the€rubber€sole€of€her€tennis€shoe.€€She€testified€that€when€she€wasÐ À  Ðmonitoring€the€hall,€she€had€changed€into€her€ð ðleaving€shoes,€which€were€more€slippery.€€They€wereÐ ¬ü  Ðthe€leather€bottom€shoes.ðð€€Plaintiff€testified,€without€objection,€that€the€water€on€the€floor€couldÐ ˜è  Ðhave€been€tracked€there,€or€could€have€run€out€of€the€bathroom,€because€it€was€so€deep.€€Ð „Ô  ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Trial€Court€acknowledged€in€his€memorandum€that€ð ðshe€calls€the€office€and€theÐ \¬ Ðoffice€tells€her,€Yeah,€weððve€been€told€that€thereððs€a€problemðð.€€However,€the€defendant€offered€noÐ H˜ Ðevidence€that€the€ð ðproblemðð€was€corrected€prior€to€plaintiffððs€fall.Ð 4„ ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€issue€on€appeal€is€whether€the€Trial€Court€erred€in€finding€that€defendant€had€noÐ  \ Ðnotice€of€the€dangerous€condition€that€caused€plaintiffððs€fall.Ð øH ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€controlling€provisions€of€the€Governmental€Tort€Liability€Act,€more€specificallyÐ Ð  ÐTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð29„20„204,€provides:Ð ¼  Ðà8  àÐ Ð Ð  Ðà0  àà0` (#(#à(a)€Immunity€from€suit€of€a€governmental€entity€is€removed€for€any€injury€caused€byÐ ”ä Ðthe€dangerous€or€defective€condition€of€any€public€building,€structure,€dam,€reservoirÐ €Ð Ðor€other€public€improvement€owned€and€controlled€by€such€governmental€entity.à8@|"(#(#àÐl¼` (#` (# Ðà0  àÐ (#(# Ðà0  àà0` (#(#à(b)€Immunity€is€not€removed€for€latent€defective€conditions,€nor€shall€this€sectionÐ D!” Ðapply€unless€constructive€and/or€actual€notice€to€the€governmental€entity€of€suchÐ 0"€  Ðcondition€be€alleged€and€proved€in€addition€to€the€procedural€notice€required€by€ððÐ #l! Ð29-20-302.Ð$X"` (#` (# ÐÌà  àà ` àIt€was€not€alleged€that€the€condition€which€existed€was€latent;׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€rather,€it€was€allegedÐ à%0!$ Ðthat€the€condition€was€dangerous.€€Thus,€the€issue€is€whether€the€defendant€had€actual€or€constructiveÐ ° Ðnotice€of€the€dangerous€condition.Ð œì Ðà  àÌà  àà ` àThere€is€no€dispute€that€defendant€had€actual€notice€of€the€dangerous€condition€in€theÐ tÄ Ðbathroom.€€The€condition€had€been€reported€to€someone€in€authority.€€òòSee,€e.g.óó,€òòPool€v.€City€ofÐ `° ÐJacksonóó,€23€S.W.€57€(Tenn.€1893).€€Further,€the€Supreme€Court€has€defined€ð ðactual€noticeðð€asÐ L œ Ðð ðknowledge€of€facts€and€circumstances€sufficiently€pertinent€in€character€to€enable€reasonablyÐ 8 ˆ Ðcautious€and€prudent€persons€to€investigate€and€ascertain€as€to€the€ultimate€facts."€€òòKirby€v.€MaconÐ $ t ÐCountyóó,€892€S.W.2d€403,€409€(Tenn.€1994).€€The€report€of€a€dangerous€condition€placed€the€burdenÐ  ` Ðof€investigation€upon€the€defendants€to€ascertain€the€extent€of€the€problem.Ð ü L  Ðà  àÌà  àà ` àHere€the€plaintiff€testified€that€she€notified€the€school€office€of€the€flooding€conditionÐ Ô$  Ðin€the€bathroom,€and€was€told€that€they€were€already€aware€of€it,€and€approximately€one€hour€laterÐ À  Ðshe€fell€in€water€in€the€hallway€near€the€bathroom.€€This€proof€was€undisputed€by€the€defendant,€asÐ ¬ü  Ðdefendant€did€not€show€that€the€water€had€been€cleaned€up€or€even€investigated.€€While€defendantÐ ˜è  Ðargues€that€plaintiff€merely€proved€the€existence€of€water€in€the€bathroom,€and€failed€to€prove€thatÐ „Ô  Ðthis€water€seeped€into€or€was€tracked€into€the€hallway,€such€fact€may€be€inferred€from€the€evidence.€Ð pÀ ÐòòSeeóó€òòBenson€v.€H.G.€Hill€Stores,€Inc.óó,€699€S.W.2d€560€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1985).€€As€this€Court€hasÐ \¬ Ðrecognized:Ð H˜ Ðà8  àÐ Ð Ð  Ðà0  àà0` (#(#àIn€a€civil€case€depending€upon€circumstantial€evidence,€it€is€sufficient€for€a€partyÐ  p Ðhaving€the€burden€of€proof€to€make€out€the€more€probable€hypothesis,€and€theÐ  \ Ðevidence€need€not€arise€to€that€degree€of€certainty€which€will€exclude€every€otherÐ øH Ðreasonable€conclusion.€€It€is€only€necessary€for€the€plaintiff€to€present€proof€which,Ð ä4 Ðif€believed€by€the€jury,€makes€plaintiff's€theory€of€the€case€more€probable€than€theÐ Ð  Ðtheory€of€the€defendant.€€€Ð¼ ` (#` (# ÐÌòòIdóó.€at€563.€Ð ”ä ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€Trial€Court€based€its€Judgment€on€the€fact€that€plaintiff€had€knowledge€of€theÐ l¼ Ðbathroom€flooding€situation,€and€that€plaintiff€observed€no€problem€in€the€hallway€when€she€wasÐ X ¨ Ðconducting€bus€duty.€€He€reasoned€that€defendant€did€not€have€superior€knowledge€because€plaintiffÐ D!” Ðknew€as€much€about€the€condition€as€the€defendant€did.€€Nothing€in€this€statute€requires€that€theÐ 0"€  Ðdefendant€have€superior€knowledge,€it€only€requires€that€defendant€have€notice.€€While€superiorÐ #l! Ðknowledge€has€been€discussed€in€case€law,€it€is€mainly€dealing€with€issues€of€constructive€notice€asÐ $X" Ðopposed€to€actual€notice,€and€only€as€it€impacts€on€comparative€negligence.€€òòSeeóó€òòColn€v.€City€ofÐ ô$D # ÐSavannahóó,€966€S.W.2d€34€(Tenn.€1998);€òòBragg€v.€Metropolitan€Govððt€of€Nashvilleóó,€1997€WLÐ à%0!$ Ð803707€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€Dec.€30,€1997).׃×Ý ƒ#ÃÝòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý×  ×€€Ð Ì&"% ЀÌà  àà ` àThe€record€does€not€establish€how€long€defendant€had€actual€notice€of€the€dangerousÐ ¤(ô#' Ðcondition€in€the€bathroom,€although€it€was€a€longer€period€of€time€than€when€plaintiff€first€reportedÐ )à$( Ðit€to€the€office.€€On€the€evidence,€we€hold€that€defendant€had€actual€notice€of€the€dangerousÐ ° Ðcondition,€did€not€investigate€the€condition,€and€defendantððs€negligence€in€not€timely€correcting€theÐ œì Ðdangerous€condition€was€the€proximate€cause€of€plaintiffððs€fall€and€injuries.€€Ð ˆØ ÐÌà  àà ` àWe€remand€to€the€Trial€Court€for€the€purpose€of€awarding€plaintiff€damages€for€herÐ `° Ðpersonal€injuries€resulting€from€the€fall.€€Ð L œ ÐÌà  àà ` àThe€cost€of€the€appeal€is€adjudged€to€the€defendant,€Knox€County€Board€of€EducationÐ $ t Ðand€Knox€County,€Tennessee.Ð  ` ÐÌÔ#†X XX X Ë #ÔÔ#†¼Fe»XX #ÔÔ‡X X»¼FeÔòòÌóóÔ#†¼Fe»XX t.#ÔÔ‡X X»¼FeÔÌÌà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  à_________________________Ð ¬ü  Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àà  àà h àà À àà  àòòHerschel€Pickens€Franks,€J.Ð ˜è  Ðóó