Jasmin v. HNV Cent. Riverfront Corp.

642 So. 2d 311, 1994 WL 465990
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 30, 1994
Docket94-C-1497
StatusPublished
Cited by50 cases

This text of 642 So. 2d 311 (Jasmin v. HNV Cent. Riverfront Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jasmin v. HNV Cent. Riverfront Corp., 642 So. 2d 311, 1994 WL 465990 (La. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

642 So.2d 311 (1994)

James Louis JASMIN
v.
HNV CENTRAL RIVERFRONT CORPORATION, et al.

No. 94-C-1497.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

August 30, 1994.

*312 John S. Keller, New Orleans, for respondent James Louis Jasmin.

G. Bruce Parkerson, George B. Hall, Jr., William D. Aaron, Jr., Patricia A. Lynch, and Phelps Dunbar, New Orleans, for relator Golding and Companies.

Before SCHOTT, C.J., and WARD and LANDRIEU, JJ.

LANDRIEU, Judge.

The relator, Golding and Companies, is the excess insurer of HNV Central Riverfront Corporation (HNV), one of the defendants in this lawsuit filed by plaintiff-respondent James L. Jasmin who sustained injuries from exposure to Gastoxin, a grain pesticide containing aluminum phosphine. In his petition, Jasmin claimed that the injury resulted from acts committed by HNV and its employees which constitute an intentional tort, an exception to the exclusive provisions of the Louisiana Workmen's Compensation Act. Relator moved for summary judgment contending that, because HNV had neither the requisite intentional desire nor substantial certainty that Jasmin would be injured, it was entitled to a summary judgment as a matter of law. The trial court denied summary judgment on July 13, 1994, without written reasons. Relator applies to this Court for a review and reversal of the trial court's ruling.

Applicable Law

To avoid the general rule that an employee's exclusive remedy for a work-related injury is worker's compensation, a plaintiff must establish that his injury was the result of an "intentional act". La.Rev. Stat.Ann. 23:1032 (West Supp.1994).[1] Allegations of failure to prepare or to use safety devices or failure to comply with regulations are not sufficient to prevent summary judgment under the intentional act exception. Williams v. Gervais F. Favrot Company, Inc., 573 So.2d 533, 541 (La.App. 4th Cir.), writ denied, 576 So.2d 49 (La.1991) "Intent" in this context means that the defendant consciously desired to bring about the physical result of his act or believed it was substantially certain to follow from his conduct. Bazley v. Tortorich, 397 So.2d 475, 481 (La. 1981). "Substantially certain to follow" requires more than a reasonable probability that an injury will occur and "certain" has been defined to mean "inevitable" or "incapable of failing". Thus, an employer's mere knowledge that a machine is dangerous and that its use creates a high probability that someone will eventually be injured is not sufficient to meet the "substantial certainty" requirement. Armstead v. Schwegmann Giant Super Markets, Inc., 618 So.2d 1140, 1142 (La.App. 4th Cir.1993), writ denied, 629 So.2d 347 (citations omitted). Even where a *313 defendant's conduct is grossly negligent, this fact alone will not allow the imputation of intent. Id. Further, mere knowledge and appreciation of a risk does not constitute intent, nor does reckless or wanton conduct by an employer constitute intentional wrongdoing. Tapia v. Schwegmann Giant Supermarkets, Inc., 590 So.2d 806, 807-08 (La.App. 4th Cir.1991). Nationwide, policy considerations reflect that the employer's conduct must go beyond knowingly permitting a hazardous work condition to exist, ordering an employee to perform an extremely dangerous job, or willfully failing to furnish a safe place to work in order to constitute an intent to injure necessary under the exception. Id. at 808 (citations omitted).

Factual History

HNV was the operator of a grain storage facility located in Chalmette. The particular warehouse where the injury occurred is a "flat" grain storage facility consisting of several very large "bins" approximately 80 feet by 300 feet. Upon discovery of an infestation, the warehouses were periodically fumigated one bin at a time. This process involved boring holes into the grain and inserting pellets of the pesticide, which would explode, releasing a toxic gas and ultimately leaving a powder residue within or on the grain.

In this instance, the pesticide was applied on October 29, 1987, and in accordance with the product manual, the grain was covered with plastic in order to contain the toxin within the grain and increase the effectiveness of the pesticide. In accordance with the advice of HNV's licensed applicator of restricted-use pesticides, Graydon Fitzgerald, the grain remained covered for several days beyond the calculated exposure time.[2]

On November 4, 1987, the employees of HNV voted to organize a union under the Teamsters. The issue of unionization had been strongly opposed by the management of HNV; the workers felt threatened with job loss and generally intimidated. The next day, November 5, 1987, eight days after the application of the pesticide, a crew of HNV employees which included Jasmin were ordered by the maintenance supervisor, Sam Shahine[3], to enter the warehouse and remove the plastic covering from the hill of grain which was approximately 20 feet high. According to the depositions of Jasmin and two of his coworkers, Charles Thompson and Larry Forbes, prior to going into the warehouse the workers raised objections and requested that the air be tested. Shahine allegedly responded that the air was okay and to "do it or go home."[4] According to his account of events, Larry Forbes did not follow Shahine's orders "because, see, I know he didn't know ... To me, he didn't know he was leading us into—in to a trap, an ambush ... because he didn't know from not being in the grain business or for whatever reason...." Jasmin, however, believed he would lose his job if he refused and proceeded along with the other workers to pull up the plastic covering. After about 10 minutes, Jasmin was overcome by the toxic fumes and dragged from the hill of grain by his coworkers.

Discussion

In his petition, Jasmin alleged that in ordering the workers to remove the plastic *314 covering, HNV intended or had "knowledge to a virtual certainty" that he and other workers would sustain injuries from exposure to the toxic fumes. Relator concedes that HNV may have been negligent in its fumigation procedure, but argues there is no evidence that the injury sustained by Jasmin was intentional on the part of HNV. Respondent contends that "[d]ue to the intentional absence of a Certified Applicator and the intentional failure to use air monitoring and respiratory equipment, both as alleged by the plaintiff, defendants simply cannot prove that they did not `intend' to harm Jasmin."

Respondent misstates the burden of proof on summary judgment. Summary judgment shall be rendered "if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to material fact, and that the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." La.Code Civ.Proc.Ann. art. 966 (West 1984). Once a motion for summary judgment has been made and supported, the opposing party may not rest on the mere allegations of his pleadings but must set forth by affidavit or other receivable evidence specific facts showing a genuine issue for trial or else summary judgment will be rendered against him. La.Code Civ.Proc.Ann. art. 967 (West 1984); Osborne v. Vulcan Foundry, Inc., 577 So.2d 318, 323-24 (La.App. 4th Cir.1991).

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Bluebook (online)
642 So. 2d 311, 1994 WL 465990, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jasmin-v-hnv-cent-riverfront-corp-lactapp-1994.