This case centers on 33 flatbed trailers manufactured by Wabash National Corporation and leased to Home Depot U. S. A., Inc. After using the trailers for several years, Home Depot brought this action against Wabash in which it alleged multiple tort claims predicated on its assertion that the coupling assemblies of the 33 trailers had been defectively manufactured. Home Depot also asserted multiple claims pertaining to a repair procedure developed by Wabash for correcting cracks and corrosion in the coupling assemblies of the trailers. Following discovery, the trial court entered an order granting summary judgment in favor of Wabash on all of Home Depot’s claims. For the reasons discussed below, we affirm. To prevail at summary judgment under OCGA § 9-11-56, the moving party must demonstrate that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that the undisputed facts, viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, warrant judgment as a matter of law. OCGA § 9-11-56 c. A defendant may do this by showing the court that the documents, affidavits, depositions and other evidence in the record reveal that there is no evidence sufficient to create a jury issue on at least one essential element of plaintiff’s case. If there is no evidence sufficient to create a genuine issue as to any essential element of plaintiff’s claim, that claim tumbles like a house of cards. All of the other disputes of fact are rendered immaterial. Emphasis omitted. Lau’s Corp. v. Haskins , 261 Ga. 491 405 SE2d 474 1991. Viewed in the light most favorable to Home Depot as the non-movant, the record shows that at all times relevant to this litigation, Wabash designed, manufactured, and marketed standardized and customized truck trailers and related transportation equipment. Over the course of many years, Home Depot relied upon several hundred Wabash-manufactured flatbed trailers to deliver its products to homes and construction sites throughout North America. At Home Depot’s direction, the trailers had been purchased from Wabash by Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. or Lease Plan U. S. A., leased to Home Depot, and then operated by third-party carriers under contract with Home Depot.
To meet Home Depot’s operational requirements, Wabash specially designed the flatbed trailers to allow a heavy forklift to be mounted on the rear of the trailer. Part of the design pertained to the trailer’s kingpin and coupler assembly. The kingpin assembly is the primary mechanism for attaching the load bearing trailer to the motorized truck tractor. If the kingpin assembly fails, the trailer can disconnect from the tractor without having any steerability.
