Banks v. United Airlines, Inc.

760 F. Supp. 1283, 15 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 135, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1744
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedFebruary 11, 1991
DocketMaster File No. MDL-817; No. 90 C 7300
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 760 F. Supp. 1283 (Banks v. United Airlines, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Banks v. United Airlines, Inc., 760 F. Supp. 1283, 15 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 135, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1744 (N.D. Ill. 1991).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

CONLON, District Judge.

In this action arising from an air crash at Sioux City, Iowa, plaintiffs William Banks, Jennifer Banks and Tracy Wilde (collectively, “plaintiffs”) sue in their individual capacities and on behalf of the estate of Lois Banks, a passenger who was killed in the air crash. Plaintiffs sue United Airlines, Inc., McDonnell Douglas Corporation, General Electric Corporation and Parker Han-nifin Corporation under theories of negligence, recklessness, strict liability, breach of warranty and breach of contract. Defendant Parker Hannifin Corporation (“Parker Hannifin”) moves to dismiss Counts Twelve, Thirteen and Sixteen under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). Parker Hannifin also moves to strike certain portions of the complaint pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(f). In the alternative, Parker Hannifin moves for a more definite statement. Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(e).

BACKGROUND

On a motion to dismiss, the court accepts as true the well-pleaded factual allegations of the complaint and views those allegations in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. Gillman v. Burlington Northern R.R. Co., 878 F.2d 1020, 1022 (7th Cir.1989). On July 19, 1989, United Airlines Flight 232 from Denver to Chicago crashed during an attempted emergency landing at Sioux City, Iowa. Complaint 11 27. The crash resulted from engine failure and a loss of hydraulic power. Id. Of the 296 passengers on board, 111 were killed in the crash. Id. 1150. The aircraft, owned and operated by United Airlines, was a DC-10 manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. Id. HU 14-15. General Electric manufactured the aircraft’s engines; Parker Hannifin manufactured the hydraulic system installed in the airplane. Id. 111118-19. The hydraulic system was manufactured at Parker Hannifin’s Control Systems Division in Irvine, California.1 Parker Hannifin maintains its principal place of business in Ohio. Parker Hannifin’s brief on applicable state law at 2.

Plaintiffs’ decedent, Lois Banks, was a fare-paying passenger aboard Flight 232. Complaint II20. Prior to the accident, Lois Banks resided in Colorado with her husband William Banks. Plaintiffs’ brief on applicable state law at 2. One of Lois’ two daughters, Jennifer Banks, resides in California. Complaint 112. The other daughter, Tracy Wilde, lives in Colorado. Id. 113. Plaintiffs originally filed this action in the Central District of California. The case was transferred to this court for pretrial purposes by order of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.

DISCUSSION

I. Parker Hannifin’s Motion to Dismiss Counts Twelve, Thirteen and Sixteen

Pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), Parker Hannifin moves to dismiss the punitive [1285]*1285damages claims in Counts Thirteen and Sixteen. Parker Hannifin also invokes Rule 12(b)(6) in moving to dismiss Count Twelve, for breach of warranty.

Generally, the federal system of notice pleading does not favor dismissal for failure to state a claim. Gray v. Dane County, 854 F.2d 179, 182 (7th Cir.1988). However, dismissal is proper if it appears beyond doubt that a plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of her claim that would entitle her to the relief requested. Illinois Health Care Ass’n v. Illinois Dep’t of Public Health, 879 F.2d 286, 288 (7th Cir.1989), citing Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 102, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957).

A. Applicable State Law

A federal court ordinarily applies the choice of law principles of the state in which it sits. Klaxon Co. v. Stentor Electric Mfg. Co., 313 U.S. 487, 61 S.Ct. 1020, 85 L.Ed. 1477 (1941). When a case is transferred, the transferee court must apply the choice of law rules of the state where the transferor court .sits. Van Dusen v. Barrack, 376 U.S. 612, 84 S.Ct. 805, 11 L.Ed.2d 945 (1964); In re Air Crash Disaster Near Chicago (“Air Crash”), 644 F.2d 594, 610 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 878, 102 S.Ct. 358, 70 L.Ed.2d 187 (1981). California courts favor application of California law wherever possible:

Generally speaking, the forum will apply its own rule of decision unless a party litigant timely invokes the law of a foreign state. In such event he must demonstrate that the latter rule of decision will further the interest of the foreign state and therefore that it is an appropriate one for the forum to apply to the case before it.

Bernhard v. Harrah’s Club, 16 Cal.3d 313, 128 Cal.Rptr. 215, 217, 546 P.2d 719 cert. denied, 429 U.S. 859, 97 S.Ct. 159, 50 L.Ed.2d 136 (1976). At the court’s request, the parties briefed the choice of law issues governing plaintiffs’ claims for punitive damages and breach of warranty. Both parties contend that California law applies to these claims. Accordingly, the court applies California law.

B. Punitive Damages

California does not permit punitive damages in wrongful death actions. Air Crash, 644 F.2d at 607, citing Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, 17 Cal.3d 425, 131 Cal.Rptr. 14, 33, 551 P.2d 334 (1976). Thus, insofar as plaintiffs assert wrongful death claims as Lois Banks’ heirs, they may not claim punitive damages. However, under California Probate Code § 573, the personal representative of a decedent may recover punitive damages in certain circumstances. Section 573(c) provides:

Where a person having a cause of action dies before judgment, the damages recoverable by his or her personal representative are limited to the loss or damage the decedent sustained or incurred prior to death, including any penalties or punitive or exemplary damages that the decedent would have been entitled to recover had the decedent lived but not including any damages for pain, suffering, or disfigurement.

Plaintiffs argue that William Banks, as Lois Banks’ personal representative, may recover punitive damages under this provision. Parker Hannifin contends that section 573 does not authorize punitive damages in this case.

Relying on the language of section 573(c) and California common law, Parker Hanni-fin constructs the following argument.

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Related

In Re Air Crash Disaster at Sioux City Iowa
760 F. Supp. 1283 (N.D. Illinois, 1991)

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Bluebook (online)
760 F. Supp. 1283, 15 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 135, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1744, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/banks-v-united-airlines-inc-ilnd-1991.