Cowart v. Crown American Properties, L.P.

Phipps, Judge.

Connie Cowart was employed by a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in the Mount Berry Square Mall in Rome. While working, she fell from an almost vertically aligned ladder used by employees as a passageway to the restaurant’s mezzanine level. To recover for injuries sustained, she filed this tort action against Chick-Fil-A, Inc. (Chick-Fil-A), as well as the owner and operator of the mall, Crown American Properties, L.P. (Crown American).

Cowart claims that the ladder (referred to as a “ship’s ladder”) violated applicable building codes, and she charges Chick-Fil-A with liability for…