Benjamin v. Eastern Airlines, Inc.

18 V.I. 516, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9337
CourtDistrict Court, Virgin Islands
DecidedJuly 2, 1981
DocketCivil No. 1980/373; Civil No. 1980/377
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 18 V.I. 516 (Benjamin v. Eastern Airlines, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, Virgin Islands primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Benjamin v. Eastern Airlines, Inc., 18 V.I. 516, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9337 (vid 1981).

Opinion

CHRISTIAN, Chief Judge

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

These cases are before the Court on the motion of defendant Eastern Airlines, Inc. (hereinafter “Eastern”) to dismiss both actions as barred [having been proscribed] by the applicable statute of limitations, Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1), and on the motion of defendant Federal Aviation Administration of the United States of America (hereinafter “F.A.A.”) to dismiss the claim against it in Carter v. Eastern Airlines, Inc., Civ. No. 80-377, for a failure by the plaintiffs Griffith Carter and Eden Carter to comply with the Federal Tort Claims Act, Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1). The Court will also consider sua sponte, the consolidation of these two actions, Fed. R. Civ. P. 42(a). We will reserve ruling on the motion of the defendant Eastern to dismiss, grant the motion of defendant F.A.A. to dismiss and consolidate the two actions.

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Both cases arise out of an airplane accident that occurred on October 25, 1978, at the Isla Verde Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Plaintiffs contend that a Cessna Skyhawk, in which plaintiffs Leayle Benjamin and Griffith were riding, was cleared for taxiing by defendant F.A.A., and while taxiing the exhaust blast from defendent Eastern’s aircraft caused the Cessna to tip over. The plaintiffs allege that the accident was caused by defendant Eastern’s negligent operation of an aircraft and by defendant F.A.A.’s agents’ negligent performance of their duties at ground control. Plaintiffs Leayle Benjamin and Griffith Carter claim that they suffered personal injuries from the accident, and plaintiff Eden Carter claims that the injuries to her husband, plaintiff Griffith Carter, have caused her a loss of her husband’s society and consortium. Plaintiff Leayle Benjamin filed his action in this Court on October 23, 1980. Plaintiffs Griffith and Eden Carter filed theirs on October 24, 1980.

[519]*519II. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS DEFENSE

Defendant Eastern argues that both cases should be dismissed as they are barred by Puerto Rico’s one-year statute of limitations on negligence actions, P.R. Laws Ann. Tit. 31, § 5298(2).1 The plaintiffs counter with the argument that the Virgin Islands two-year statute of limitations governs these actions, 5 V.I.C. § 31(5)(A),2 and that therefore, the suits are timely. The Court will reserve its ruling on this matter for the reasons set forth below.

Defendant Eastern’s argument that the Puerto Rican statute of limitations should be applied in these actions raises two possible conflict of laws issues. Firstly, it presents the issue of whether the substantive law of Puerto Rico or the substantive law of the Virgin Islands should apply to the adjudication of these disputes. Secondly, if a finding is made that the substantive law of Puerto Rico is applicable, the question arises as to whether the Puerto Rican statute of limitations is substantive, as Virgin Islands procedural law governs this dispute regardless of which substantive law is applied. Goodwin v. Townsend, 197 F.2d 970, 972 (3rd Cir. 1952).

Turning initially to the question of the applicable substantive law, the governing principles are contained in Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 145, § 146 and § 154 (1971).3 The Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws provides that the actions for personal injuries brought by Leayle Benjamin and Griffith Carter are governed by the “local law of the state where the injury occurred,”4 and that the action for loss of society and consortium brought by Eden Carter is governed by the “local law of the state [520]*520where the conduct complained of principally occurred,”5 unless, with respect to the particular issue, some other state has a more significant relationship . . . .”6 In order to determine whether some other state has a "more significant relationship” a variety of contracts are considered, including the place where the injury occurred, the place where the conduct causing the injury occurred, the domicile, residence, nationality, place of incorporation and place of business of the parties, and the place where the relationship between the parties is centered.7

[519]*519“The following prescribed in one year:
... 2. Actions to demand civil liability for grave insults or calumny and for obligations arising from the fault or negligence mentioned in Section 5141 of this title, from the time the aggrieved person had knowledge thereof.”
P.R. Laws Ann. Tit. 31, § 5141, the section of the civil code creating civil liability for the great majority of common law torts, is as follows:
“A person who by act or omission causes damage to another, when there is fault or negligence shall be obliged to repair the damage so done.”

[520]*520In these cases, Puerto Rican substantive law should apply as Puerto Rico is the place where plaintiffs Leayle Benjamin and Griffith Carter were personally injured, Puerto Rico is the place where the defendant’s alleged negligent conduct occurred, and the Virgin Islands does not have contacts that are more significant than those of Puerto Rico. The relationship between the defendants and the plaintiffs was centered in Puerto Rico as this was the only place of contact between the plaintiffs and the defendants. Defendant Eastern is neither a Virgin Islands nor a Puerto Rican corporation, although it does do business in both locations. Defendant F.A.A. is an administrative agency of the United States. The only exclusive contact that the Virgin Islands has with these actions is the residency of all the plaintiffs. This contact is not enough to warrant the application of Virgin Islands substantive law.

As we have determined that Puerto Rican substantive law will apply to these actions, we are required to decide whether the applicable Puerto Rican statute of limitations is substantive or procedural. The general rule is that for the purposes of choice of law, a statute of limitations is procedural, and therefore the statúte of limitations of the forum is governing. Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 142 (1971). See also Davis v. Miller, 194 U.S. 451, 454 (1904); DeWindt v. Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corp., 15 V.I. 22, 34-35 (D.V.I. 1978). There is an exception to that rule, however, as “[a]n action will not be entertained in another state if it is barred in the state of the otherwise applicable law by a statute of limitations which bars the right and not merely the remedy.” Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws § 143 (1971). See also Davis, supra, at 454; DeWindt, supra, at 35. Thus, a court must investigate whether [521]

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18 V.I. 516, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9337, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/benjamin-v-eastern-airlines-inc-vid-1981.