Burgess v. LARSON'S GROCERY OF OXFORD, INC.

502 F. Supp. 2d 816, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46246, 2007 WL 1821394
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Arkansas
DecidedJune 25, 2007
Docket4:06-cr-00062
StatusPublished

This text of 502 F. Supp. 2d 816 (Burgess v. LARSON'S GROCERY OF OXFORD, INC.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Burgess v. LARSON'S GROCERY OF OXFORD, INC., 502 F. Supp. 2d 816, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46246, 2007 WL 1821394 (E.D. Ark. 2007).

Opinion

ORDER

GARNETT THOMAS EISELE, District Judge.

Presently before the Court is Defendant/Third Party Plaintiff Larson’s Grocery of Oxford, Inc.’s (“Larson’s”) Motion for Partial Summary Judgment against Third Party Defendants Refrigerated Transport Express I, L.P. (“RTX”). Plaintiffs allege in their Complaint that on October 8, 2003, Mr. Burgess drove his truck and trailer to Larson’s for the purpose of the delivery of food products. Plaintiffs also allege that there was no proper loading plate provided by Larson’s that would safely assist a delivery person in the delivery of food packages, crates and boxes to the store. Instead, Plaintiffs state that Larson’s provided a heavy, met *818 al docking plate that was too heavy for one person to lift.

Plaintiffs allege that a Larson’s employee was helping Mr. Burgess lift the metal docking plate, but “suddenly and without warning to Mr. Burgess dropped his side of the heavy plate.” Plaintiffs state that Mr. Burgess could not hold the plate alone and it fell hard striking his left foot and causing injuries and damages. Plaintiffs assert that there was “absolutely no contributory negligence in the accident on the part of the Plaintiff.”

Larson’s then sued the Third Party Defendants alleging breach of contract for failure to provide indemnity and to procure general liability and automobile liability insurance, covering Larson’s for occurrences such as alleged by Mr. Burgess.

I. Background

Plaintiff Lonnie C. Burgess was an independent contractor owner-operator truck driver operating under an independent contractor agreement with Third Party Defendant Clarksville Refrigerated Lines L, Ltd. (“CRL”) on October 8, 2003, the date of the alleged accident which is the basis of this lawsuit. 1 At that time, Mr. Burgess was temporarily “loaned” as a driver to Third Party Defendant RTX, which is a subsidiary of CRL. 2 RTX was a party to a product transportation agreement (“the Agreement”) with AWG Acquisition, LLC as a dedicated carrier for the transportation and delivery of grocery products from the Memphis division warehouse to various retail grocery stores, including Defendant Larson’s. 3

Larson’s was one of the retail owning members and capital stockholders of Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc., a cooperative wholesaler of grocery and supermarket products, which was the parent company of AWG Acquisition, LLC (collectively “AWG”). 4 AWG Acquisition was created solely for the purpose of acquiring warehouse facilities and other property of Fleming Foods out of a bankruptcy proceeding in 2003, including the warehouse in Southaven, Mississippi, which was then transferred to Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. 5

The Agreement provides in part:
2. Scope of Basic Transportation Services. At such times as it may be requested to do so by AWG Acquisition in accordance with this Agreement, Carrier [RTX] agrees to transport, load and unload AWG Acquisition Products (a) from such locations as may be designated by AWG Acquisition from time-to-time to one or more of the Stores (an “Outbound Trip”)[.] 6
20. Indemnity. Carrier shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless AWG Acquisition, its stockholders, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, subsidiaries and affiliated companies (and similar Individuals and entities of each) (collectively, the “AWG Acquisition Parties”) from and against (and shall on demand reimburse AWG Aequi- *819 sition for) any and all losses, liabilities, claims, demands, suits, causes of action, judgments, awards, damages (including, without limitation, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages), costs and expenses (including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in defending any such claim or other matters or in asserting or enforcing this indemnity obligation) arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or the performance or nonperformance by Carrier [RTX] of its obligations under this Agreement (collectively, “AWG Acquisition Losses”), including, without limitation, any Losses for bodily or personal' injury, death or property damage, that arise out of, are connected with or are attributable to the performance or nonperformance by Carrier [RTX] of the Services, acts or omissions of employees, agents or contractors of Carrier [RTX], any vehicles or other equipment used in connection with the Services, any breach or default by Carrier [RTX] of any provision hereof or any Losses associated with obligations of Carrier [RTX] which are not assumed by AWG Acquisition including, but limited to, those obligations of Carrier [RTX] which are set forth in Section 17 above. Likewise, AWG Acquisition shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless Carrier [RTX], the stockholders, members, directors, officers, employees, agents, subsidiaries and affiliated' companies (and similar individuals and entities of each) (collectively, the “Carrier Parties”) from and against (and shall on demand reimburse Carrier for) any and all losses, liabilities, claims, demands, suits, causes of action, judgments, awards, damages, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, all attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in defending any such claims or other matters or in asserting or enforcing this Indemnity obligation) arising out of the performance or nonperformance by AWG Acquisition of its obligations under this Agreement (collectively, “Carrier Losses”), including, without limitation, any Losses for bodily or personal injury, death or property damage, that arises out of, are connected with or are attributable to the acts or omissions of AWG Acquisition or any breach or default by AWG Acquisition of any provision hereof. 7
21. Insurance. Carrier [RTX] shall carry and maintain throughout the term of this Agreement, at its sole cost and expense, with reliable and financially sound insurance companies ... all insurance that is required by applicable law or that Carrier [RTX] deems necessary or appropriate plus, if not otherwise required, the following insurance coverage:
(c) General Liability Insurance (including contractual coverage) with a $15,000,000 combined limit per occurrence,
(d) Automobile Liability Insurance to cover owned, hired and non-owned autos with a $15,000,000 limit per occurrence, and
Within five (5) days following execution of this Agreement, and before the performance of any Services, Carrier [RTX] shall:
(a) Obtain from its insurers with respect to each insurance policy described in this Agreement endorsements:
(i) naming the AWG Acquisition Parties as additional named insureds,
*820

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Bluebook (online)
502 F. Supp. 2d 816, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46246, 2007 WL 1821394, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burgess-v-larsons-grocery-of-oxford-inc-ared-2007.