Ga. Code § 4-12-3

Current through 2023-2024 Legislative Session Chapter 709
Section 4-12-3 - Immunity from liability for injury or death; exceptions
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, an equine activity sponsor, an equine professional, a livestock activity sponsor, a livestock professional, an owner of a livestock facility, a llama activity sponsor, a llama professional, or any other person, which shall include a corporation or partnership, shall not be liable for an injury to or the death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of animal activities and, except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, no participant or participant's representative shall make any claim against, maintain an action against, or recover from an equine activity sponsor, an equine professional, a livestock activity sponsor, a livestock professional, an owner of a livestock facility, a llama activity sponsor, a llama professional, or any other person for injury, loss, damage, or death of the participant resulting from any of the inherent risks of animal activities during the course of any equine activity, livestock activity, or llama activity.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) of this Code section shall prevent or limit the liability of an equine activity sponsor, an equine professional, a livestock activity sponsor, a livestock professional, an owner of a livestock facility, a llama activity sponsor, a llama professional, or any other person if the equine activity sponsor, equine professional, livestock activity sponsor, livestock professional, owner of the livestock facility, llama activity sponsor, llama professional, or person:
(1)
(A) Provided equipment or tack for the activity, and knew or should have known that the equipment or tack was faulty, and such equipment or tack was faulty to the extent that it caused the injury;
(B) Provided the animal and failed to make reasonable and prudent efforts to determine the ability of the participant to engage safely in the activity and to safely manage the particular animal based on the participant's representations of his or her ability; or
(C) With respect to livestock activities, provided the livestock and failed to make reasonable efforts to determine the propensity of the particular livestock to cause harm or failed to make reasonable efforts to determine the ability of the participant to engage safely in the activity based on the participant's representations of his or her ability and based on propensity of the particular livestock to cause harm;
(2) Owns, leases, rents, or otherwise is in lawful possession and control of the land or facilities upon which the participant sustained injuries because of a dangerous latent condition which was known or should have been known to the equine activity sponsor, equine professional, livestock activity sponsor, livestock professional, owner of a livestock facility, llama activity sponsor, llama professional, or person and for which warning signs have not been conspicuously posted;
(3) Commits an act or omission that constitutes willful or wanton disregard for the safety of the participant, and that act or omission caused the injury; or
(4) Intentionally injures the participant.
(c) Nothing in subsection (a) of this Code section shall prevent or limit the liability of an equine activity sponsor, equine professional, a livestock activity sponsor, a livestock professional, an owner of a livestock facility, llama activity sponsor, or llama professional under liability provisions as set forth in the products liability laws.
(d) Nothing in this Code section nor any provision of the laws of this state recognizing equine activity, livestock activity, or llama activity as inherently dangerous shall serve as a basis for liability on the part of any person who encourages, promotes, or instructs others in equine activities, livestock activities, or llama activities.

OCGA § 4-12-3

Amended by 2018 Ga. Laws 562,§ 4, eff. 5/8/2018.
Amended by 2017 Ga. Laws 43,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2017.