Ancelet v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.

913 F. Supp. 968, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17225, 1995 WL 683860
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedNovember 13, 1995
DocketCivil Action 94-0297
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 913 F. Supp. 968 (Ancelet v. National Railroad Passenger Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ancelet v. National Railroad Passenger Corp., 913 F. Supp. 968, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17225, 1995 WL 683860 (E.D. La. 1995).

Opinion

ORDER AND REASONS

VANCE, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on the Motion of National Railroad Passenger Cor *969 poration (“NRPC”) for Summary Judgment. For the reasons set forth below, NRPC’s Motion for Summary Judgment is granted.

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff, Don G. Ancelet, Jr. (“Ancelet”), filed suit under the provisions of the Federal Employer’s Liability Act (“FELA”), 45 U.S.C. § 51, et seq., seeking damages for personal injuries allegedly sustained while providing pest control services to an NRPC railroad car. Aneelet’s complaint alleges that he was “nominally employed” by Redd Pest Control (“Redd”) as a pest controller, while actually employed by NRPC. Complaint at ¶¶ VII & VIII. Ancelet claims that he was injured while servicing a railcar when an unknown assailant ran from the bathroom area and knocked him to the ground. Complaint at ¶ X.

ANALYSIS

FELA provides that a railroad is liable for negligently causing the injury or death of any person “while he is employed” by the railroad. 45 U.S.C. § 51 (West 1995). Therefore, NRPC may be liable to Ancelet only if Ancelet can establish the requisite employment relationship. Ancelet may establish “employment” for FELA purposes by showing that he: (1) served as a borrowed employee; (2) acted for two masters simultaneously; or (3) was a subservant of a company that was in turn a servant of the railroad. Kelley v. Southern Pacific Co., 419 U.S. 318, 324, 95 S.Ct. 472, 476, 42 L.Ed.2d 498 (1974). Plaintiff asserts that he was the borrowed employee of the railroad.

The district court decides the borrowed employee issue as a matter of law, and if the material facts are undisputed, the court may grant summary judgment. Capps v. N.L. Baroid-NL Industries, Inc., 784 F.2d 615, 617 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 838, 107 S.Ct. 141, 93 L.Ed.2d 83 (1986), citing Gaudet v. Exxon, 562 F.2d 351, 357-59 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 436 U.S. 913, 98 S.Ct. 2253, 56 L.Ed.2d 414 (1978). ' In this case, the facts are undisputed. Ancelet and NRPC simply argue that different legal conclusions should be drawn from the undisputed facts. The following examination of the facts and applicable law reveals that Ancelet is not NRPC’s borrowed employee.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff signed an employment contract with Redd to serve as a pest control service technician, committing himself to do pest control work exclusively for Redd during the term of his agreement and .for two years thereafter. NRPC Exhibit C(l), Employment Agreement. 1 Redd had been engaged to perform pest control services for NRPC in accordance with pest control specifications adopted by NRPC and Redd’s affiliate, Cope-san Services, Inc., a national pest control and sanitation company. Id., Ex. A, Affid. of Ted A. Brueseh, Jr. & Ex. A(2), Specifications for Railcars and Maintenance Facilities (“specifications”). Under the terms of the specifications, Copesan and its affiliates such as Redd were obligated to provide licensed pest control technicians to perform pest control services for NRPC on a national basis and to furnish the necessary material and equipment to perform those services. Id. NRPC submitted evidence that the pest control specifications were developed by the pest control company and approved by the railroad. Id. Ex. A at ¶ 5; Ex. B, Affid. of R. Butler, ¶ 6. Plaintiff was unable to contradict this assertion with competent evidence. 2

Although plaintiff states that NRPC did not always follow the specifications, the specifications provided in detail how and when the railcars were to be treated for pests and which chemicals were to be used. Id. Ex. A(2), Specifications. But for plaintiff, whose status as a putative employee is in issue, NRPC had no licensed pest control operators on its payroll and held no such license itself. NRPC Ex. B, Affid. of R. Butler, ¶¶ 3, 10. *970 Louisiana law requires a structural pest control license or registration to do pest control work. La.R.S. 3:3368(A).

Plaintiff was Redd’s only full-time night employee, id. Ex. D, Aneelet Depo. at 36. When Aneelet was hired by Redd, he was told that NRPC was to be the primary and priority account on his route. Id. at 34. Redd told him that NRPC required Redd to have technicians available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Id. at 34r-35. Nevertheless, plaintiff had 35-40 different customers on his route to service every month. Id. at 227-28. Although Aneelet stated that he spent 80% to 90% of his time at NRPC, he did not have to report to NRPC every night unless he was called. Id. at 226-28. NRPC summoned Aneelet through Redd’s answering service or by beeping him directly.

Plaintiff used a Redd company truck for transportation, wore a Redd uniform and was reimbursed his travel expenses by Redd. Id. at 218, 220, 226. Redd installed its own shed at the NRPC terminal yard where it stocked the chemicals and supplies used by its technicians. Id. Ex. E, D. Davis depo. at 131-32. This included Vikane, extension cords, fans, invoices, hoses, tape, oxygen, respirators, and other supplies needed by plaintiff to do his job. Id. Ex. D, Aneelet depo. at 222. When plaintiff made out-of-pocket expenditures for supplies, he was reimbursed by Redd. Id. at 219-220. If he ran low on chemicals or other supplies, he would notify Redd. Id. at 223. Plaintiff often borrowed hand tools, such as a flashlight, from NRPC and sometimes used an NRPC fan to aerate a fumigated area more quickly. Aneelet depo. Ex. A, at 266.

Plaintiff received his paychecks from Redd and was paid a set draw plus commission, based on the type and volume of his work. NRPC Ex. D, Aneelet depo. at 218, 232. He was offered health insurance benefits from Redd. Id. at 235. He was expected to follow Redd’s job procedures, to undergo training at Redd, and to attend meetings at Redd. Id. Ex. E, D. Davis depo. at 154-55. NRPC had a separate job application and hiring process, training program, medical and retirement benefits, and vacation policies for its employees. Id. Ex. B, R. Butler Affid. at ¶ 14.

In response to a deposition question concerning whether he was presently employed, plaintiff volunteered “Yes, With Redd Pest Control.” Id. Ex. D, Aneelet depo. at 5. Plaintiff admitted that he had never been terminated as a Redd employee, but he understood that he had to do what he needed to do to make the Amtrak account happy. Id. at 218-19. Plaintiff stated that if he wanted to take a night off or to get a replacement, he would have to ask permission from Redd.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Philip v. Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC
137 F. Supp. 3d 936 (E.D. Louisiana, 2015)
Larson v. CSX Transportation, Inc.
Appellate Court of Illinois, 2005
Smith v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority
226 A.D.2d 168 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1996)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
913 F. Supp. 968, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17225, 1995 WL 683860, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ancelet-v-national-railroad-passenger-corp-laed-1995.