Grennan v. Crowley Marine Services, Inc.

116 P.3d 1024
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJuly 25, 2005
Docket55134-5-I
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 116 P.3d 1024 (Grennan v. Crowley Marine Services, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Grennan v. Crowley Marine Services, Inc., 116 P.3d 1024 (Wash. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

116 P.3d 1024 (2005)

Dennis S. GRENNAN, Appellant,
v.
CROWLEY MARINE SERVICES, INC., Respondent.

No. 55134-5-I.

Court of Appeals of Washington, Division One.

July 25, 2005.

*1025 Robert M. Kraft, Levinson Friedman PS, Seattle, WA, for Appellant.

Vincent Larson, Daniel Gunter, Riddell Williams PS, Seattle, WA, for Respondent.

PUBLISHED IN PART

COX, C.J.

¶ 1 The Longshoreman and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act (LHWCA) was enacted *1026 to create a uniform system to compensate longshoremen and harbor workers for workplace injuries regardless of the situs of the injuries.[1] This underlying purpose is one of the bases that overcomes the presumption that the LHWCA is not to be applied outside the territorial limits of the United States.[2] Accordingly, we hold that the situs of the injuries to Dennis Grennan — off Sakhalin Island, Russia — falls within the coverage of the LHWCA. We also hold that there is no genuine issue of material fact whether Grennan had the status of "seaman" under the Jones Act at the time of his injury. He did not have "seaman" status because he lacked a connection to a vessel in navigation that was substantial both in terms of duration and nature. Rather, Grennan was an "employee" for purposes of and subject to exclusive coverage under the LHWCA.[3] Thus, dismissal of his claims under the Jones Act and under general maritime law was proper.

¶ 2 Finally, the record relating to the sanctions order for alleged discovery violations by Crowley Marine Services fails to reflect the required considerations.[4] We affirm the dismissal orders, vacate the discovery order, and remand for further proceedings consistent with the cases.

¶ 3 Grennan was a long-term employee of Crowley, having worked for the Seattle-based company for over 29 years at the time of his accident. In the summer of 2002, Crowley temporarily assigned him to work on a tug and two barges just off Chayvo Beach, Sakhalin Island, Russia. There, he was involved in transporting materials for the construction of oil facilities. He worked exclusively on the barges and tugs and lived aboard a Crowley tug. According to the record, Russian immigration officials forbade Grennan and the other workers from going ashore.

¶ 4 Specifically, while remaining at all times off the beach, he worked to offload materials from floating Barge 408 to partially beached Barge 420, which served as a temporary dock. In September 2002, while participating in the placement and securing of a ramp from one barge to the other, Grennan's right foot was caught beneath a ramp. His foot and toes were crushed, and his foot had to be amputated.

¶ 5 Grennan timely filed a claim for compensation under the LHWCA, but requested the withholding of payments pending this litigation. Thereafter, he sued Crowley, asserting claims of negligence under the Jones Act (46 U.S.C.App. § 688) and unseaworthiness under general maritime law. Crowley asserted the affirmative defense that Grennan's exclusive remedy was under the LHWCA. As the trial drew near, Grennan moved to strike this affirmative defense on two grounds. First, Grennan argued that he did not meet the LHWCA's "status" requirement because he was a "seaman," not covered by the act, at the time of the accident. Second, Grennan argued that his injury had not occurred at a "situs" covered by the LHWCA — within "navigable waters of the United States," as that term is used in the act. Crowley moved for summary judgment, which the court granted. By separate orders, the court denied Grennan's motion to strike both grounds of the affirmative defense.

¶ 6 Grennan also moved for sanctions of $5,000, claiming that Crowley withheld a document in violation of discovery rules. The court imposed sanctions of $3,000 against Crowley.

¶ 7 Grennan appeals, and Crowley cross appeals the sanctions order.

*1027 LONGSHORE AND HARBOR WORKER'S COMPENSATION ACT

Navigable Waters of the United States

¶ 8 Grennan argues that summary dismissal of his claims was inappropriate because the LHWCA does not apply to his injury. Specifically, he argues that his accident occurred within the territorial waters off Sakhalin Island, Russia, not within "the navigable waters of the United States." Thus, he argues, the situs of his injury is not within the plain words of the LHWCA that specify the intended jurisdictional and geographic scope of the act.[5] We hold that the situs of Grennan's injury is within the LHWCA.

¶ 9 Summary judgment is appropriate where "there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and . . . the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law."[6] We review a trial court's grant of summary judgment de novo, viewing the facts and the reasonable inferences from those facts in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party.[7]

¶ 10 In considering the rights and liabilities arising from injury to a longshoreman working on board a ship in navigable waters, we are governed by federal law as to the substantive issues in the case.[8] The rights and liabilities of the parties are within the full reach of the admiralty jurisdiction and measured by the standards of maritime law.[9] This rule is applicable even though a plaintiff pursues his or her remedy in a state court.[10]

¶ 11 Under the LHWCA, employers are liable for work-related injuries to longshoremen and harbor workers and their estates regardless of fault.[11] The LHWCA is remedial in nature[12] and aims to "encourage the prompt and efficient administration of compensation claims."[13] An employer's LHWCA liability replaces all other liability to which the employer may be subject, unless the employer fails to pay compensation as required.[14]

¶ 12 Simply stated, Grennan argues that "the navigable waters of the United States," plainly excludes coverage of his injury that occurred off Sakhalin Island, Russia.

¶ 13 Two federal circuit courts of appeals have addressed and rejected similar arguments. The Fifth Circuit interpreted the phrase "navigable waters of the United States" as the phrase is used in the LHWCA in Reynolds v. Ingalls.[15] There, a shipfitter was injured during sea trials when the ship he was on began to execute high speed turns.[16] He sued his employer, alleging negligence under both the Jones Act and the LHWCA, unseaworthiness, and general maritime negligence.[17] The district court granted *1028 the employer's motion for summary judgment.[18]

¶ 14 On appeal, Reynolds argued that his injury occurred while the ship was on the "high seas," not within "the navigable waters of the United States," as specified by the LHWCA.[19] Noting that the term "the navigable waters of the United States" was undefined by the LHWCA, the court looked to admiralty cases for its meaning. The court concluded that the term had often been used in conjunction with the term "high seas."[20] The court then stated:

The "high seas," as the term is currently understood, do begin at a line three miles offshore, but it has never been understood that the navigable waters of the United States end there. The "high seas" simply encompass "all parts of the sea that are not included in the territorial sea or in the internal waters of a State." 1 Benedict on Admiralty § 141, at 9-2 (7th ed.).

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Bluebook (online)
116 P.3d 1024, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grennan-v-crowley-marine-services-inc-washctapp-2005.