Reversing a trial judge, the Georgia Court of Appeals issued a ruling in a relatively low-dollar dispute over damage from a leaky water heater that the winning lawyer said finally clarifies that a statute requiring “fire and extended coverage” for condominium associations does not extend to water damage.

“This is one of those things that everybody sort of knew, but nobody’s ever litigated it,” said Jason LoMonaco, noting that the ruling impacts at least a half-dozen other statutes besides the Georgia Condominium Act, which contain the same terminology.