Joseph Dupre v. Otis Engineering Corporation

641 F.2d 229, 1982 A.M.C. 439, 1981 U.S. App. LEXIS 18772
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedMarch 30, 1981
Docket78-2987
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 641 F.2d 229 (Joseph Dupre v. Otis Engineering Corporation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Joseph Dupre v. Otis Engineering Corporation, 641 F.2d 229, 1982 A.M.C. 439, 1981 U.S. App. LEXIS 18772 (5th Cir. 1981).

Opinions

[230]*230R. LANIER ANDERSON, III, Circuit Judge:

Appellant Joseph Dupre filed this tort suit, predicated upon diversity of citizenship, against Otis Engineering Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “Otis”) for damages resulting from an injury to the appellant received while performing a job for Otis. Appellant was employed as a seaman for Patterson and Edmonson Construction Company (hereinafter referred to as “Patterson”), but at the time of his injuries Patterson had contracted out the appellant’s services to Otis for a temporary onshore job. The district court, on Otis’ motion for summary judgment, concluded that appellant was a statutory employee of Otis so that appellant’s sole remedy was for workmen’s compensation. The court further concluded that appellant was not entitled to recover benefits because he had already been compensated for the injuries by his actual employer, Patterson. We affirm.

I. FACTS AND POSTURE OF THE ISSUES ON APPEAL

The appellant Joseph Dupre was employed by Patterson as a foreman on the barge PB-2, a vessel in navigation. Most of his time was spent aboard the barge; however, a small percentage of his time was spent in temporary fill-in jobs on land. It is during one of these temporary fill-in jobs that the appellant sustained personal injuries which are the subject of this law suit.

On or about August 18, 1974, the defendant-appellee Otis, a company engaged in providing specialty services to the oil field industry, contracted with Patterson for a crew and a foreman to assist in transferring flexible tubing from smaller reels onto larger storage reels. This work was performed at Otis’ yard, on dry land. On August 20, 1974, Patterson assigned the appellant as the crew foreman. On August 23, 1974, appellant sustained personal injuries while acting as foreman of the crew. While appellant was a foreman of the crew, Frank Zepponi, an employee of Otis, gave general directions about what work was to be done and how it was to be done. Appellant and the other members of the crew were paid by Patterson who in turn billed Otis for the cost.

Appellant settled any and all claims against his primary employer, Patterson, and its insurer, Highlands Insurance Company. In consideration of the sum of $22,-326.50 plus monies previously paid on account of appellant’s injuries, appellant, while represented by counsel, released Patterson and Highlands Insurance Company from all liability including liability under the Jones Act and general maritime law. The release specifically reserved any and all claims that appellant might have against Otis Engineering arising out of the August 23 accident. The settlement was approved by a judgment of the state court in the procedure used for settling disputed claims under Louisiana Workmen’s Compensation Statute, LSA-R.S. § 23:1271-1273 (Supp. 1980). The judgment specified that Highlands Insurance Company and Patterson were released from liability under Louisiana Workmen’s Compensation law and for all other claims. It specifically reserved appellant’s rights against Otis Engineering.

Appellant then commenced this diversity of citizenship action against Otis Engineering for damages under general tort liability. Otis answered and raised the exclusivity provision of Louisiana’s Workmen’s Compensation law as an affirmative defense.1 Otis alleged that appellant was its statutory employee at the time the accident occurred. Appellant responded that he was a seaman as to Otis and as such fell within the seaman’s exclusion of the Workmen’s Compen[231]*231sation Statute, LSA-R.S. § 23:1037;2 however, by amended complaint appellant added a workmen’s compensation claim against Otis. Otis defended this new claim on the ground that Louisiana law permits only one recovery for workmen’s compensation and appellant had his recovery against his primary employer, Patterson. In response, appellant argues that the recovery from Patterson was actually for maintenance and cure, not workmen’s compensation.

On Otis’ motion for summary judgment, the district court concluded that the appellant was a statutory employee of the appellee, and that appellant’s sole remedy was for workmen’s compensation benefits. The district court, however, held that the appellant had already recovered workmen’s compensation from his actual employer, and that appellant could not have double recovery for a single workmens’ compensation claim.

The two issues on appeal are (A) whether appellant’s exclusive remedy against Otis is for workmen’s compensation benefits and (B) if so, whether the appellant is entitled to compensation from Otis?

II. DISCUSSION

ISSUE A.

Under § 6 of Louisiana’s Workmens’ Compensation Statute, LSA-R.S. § 23:1061, a principal such as Otis may be liable for workmen’s compensation to employees of an independent contractor for work which is a part of the principal’s “trade, business, or occupation”; however, the principal has a right to indemnity from the contractor.3 Appellant concedes that the work he was doing at the time of his injury was a part of Otis’ trade, business and occupation and that the exclusive coverage provision of the workmen’s compensation law would control, but for the fact of his contention that he was a seaman. See appellant’s brief at 14. Appellant correctly points out that the workmen’s compensation law is inapplicable to seamen. LSA-R.S. § 23:1037. Laying aside any discussion of appellant’s status vis-a-vis Patterson, we do not believe that appellant was a seaman as to Otis. The injury occurred on shore and Otis had no connection or control over the barge on which appellant was a crewman. Appellant had never been employed by Otis as a seaman, was not employed by Otis in a seaman’s capacity at the time of the accident, and did not anticipate working for Otis as a seaman in the future.

The facts and circumstances in this case are remarkably similar to those in our recent decision in Guidry v. South Louisiana Contractors, Inc., 614 F.2d 447 (5th Cir. 1980). Harold Guidry was a cook on a barge that carried a dragline owned by South Louisiana Contractors, Inc. (Soloco). Soloco rented the dragline to J. P. Messina Contractors (Messina) and supplied a crew [232]*232to operate the dragline. Guidry was one of the crewmen. The dragline was used without the barge to perform an onshore job. The work was directed by Larry Hebert, who was the captain of Soloco’s barge. Guidry was injured while operating the dragline. The accident was allegedly caused by Hebert’s negligence. Messina began paying compensation to Guidry under Louisiana’s Workmen’s Compensation Statute. Guidry sued both Messina and Soloco for negligence under the Jones Act, 46 U.S. C.A. § 688. With respect to Guidry’s status as a seaman vis a vis Messina, the pertinent facts were as follows:

Guidry’s injury occurred on land, and Messina had no connection with or control over the barge. Guidry had never been in Messina’s employment as a seaman before the injury, was not in its employment as a seaman at the time of his injury and did not anticipate working for Messina as a seaman in the future. Even if Messina then had control over his activities and was paying his full wages, Guidry could not have been a Messina-employed seaman.

614 F.2d at 453-54.

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Joseph Dupre v. Otis Engineering Corporation
641 F.2d 229 (Fifth Circuit, 1981)

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Bluebook (online)
641 F.2d 229, 1982 A.M.C. 439, 1981 U.S. App. LEXIS 18772, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/joseph-dupre-v-otis-engineering-corporation-ca5-1981.