Nelson v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp.

926 F. Supp. 2d 1120, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38470
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedFebruary 12, 2013
DocketCase Nos. CV 12-00793-MWF (AGRx), CV 12-00811-MWF (AGRx)
StatusPublished

This text of 926 F. Supp. 2d 1120 (Nelson v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nelson v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp., 926 F. Supp. 2d 1120, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38470 (C.D. Cal. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS’ MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

MICHAEL W. FITZGERALD, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on six motions for summary judgment filed by Defendants in these related actions: (1) Defendant Crane Co.’s Motion for Summary Judgment (CV 12-00793, Docket No. 193); (2) Defendant The Nash Engineering Company’s Motion for Summary Judgment (CV 12-00793, Docket No. 195); (3) Defendant Alfa Laval’s Motion for Summary Judgment, or Alternatively, Partial Summary Judgment (CV 12-00793, Docket No. 212); (4) Defendant Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc.’s Motion for Summary Judgment, or Alternatively, Partial Summary Judgment Re: Punitive Damages (CV 12-00793, Docket No. 219); (5) Defendant Buffalo Pumps, Inc.’s Motion for Summary Judgment or Partial Summary Judgment (CV 12-00811, Docket No. 118); and (6) Defendant Union Carbide Corp.’s Motion for Summary Judgment or, in the Alternative, for Partial Summary Judgment (CV 12-00811, Docket Nos. 130, 133) (collectively, the “Motions”). The Court has read and considered the papers filed on the Motions and held a hearing on February 1, 2013.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Rosalie Jean Nelson is the widow of Decedent Roger Nelson. (See Notice of Removal (CV 12-00793, Docket No. 1)). On May 17, 2011, the Nelsons initiated a civil action in Hawaii state court. (Id. ¶ 2). On June 10, 2011, Roger Nelson provided deposition testimony in this Hawaii action. (Id. ¶ 5). On November 28, 2011, the Nelsons dismissed the Hawaii action after the case had been removed to federal court and transferred to Multidistrict Litigation No. 875. (Id. ¶ 2).

[1123]*1123On December 21, 2011, Rosalie Nelson initiated this action in California Superior Court. (Id. ¶ 1). On January 27, 2012, Defendant Crane Co. removed this action on the basis of federal officer jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1442. (Id. ¶ 8). Separately, on January 30, 2012, Defendant Air and Liquid Systems Corp. (“Air and Liquid,” successor by merger to Buffalo Pumps, Inc.), removed this action on the basis of federal officer removal. (See CV 12-00811, Docket No. 1).

Rosalie Nelson since has dismissed a number of Defendants in these related actions.

The Court here addresses two procedural issues:

First, Nelson does not dispute that subject matter jurisdiction is proper in this Court pursuant to Section 1442. Nor is there any question that one Defendant (or, in this case, two Defendants) can remove the entire action from state court even if federal officer removal otherwise would not apply as to some Defendants. See Ely Valley Mines, Inc. v. Hartford Accident and Indem. Co., 644 F.2d 1310, 1315 (9th Cir.1981)(“Since the federal officer is the only one entitled to remove under § 1442, he alone can remove without other defendants joining in the petition, and the entire case is removed to the federal court.”).

Moreover, the Court notes that removal pursuant to Section 1442 is predicated in part on a “colorable” federal defense. See Mesa v. California, 489 U.S. 121, 133, 109 S.Ct. 959, 103 L.Ed.2d 99 (1989). Yet, none of the Motions asserts any federal defense.

Nevertheless, it appears to the Court, and Nelson does not argue to the contrary, that subject matter jurisdiction still exists over this action. As the Fourth Circuit stated in Jamison v. Wiley, 14 F.3d 222 (4th Cir.1994), “When a case has been properly removed under § 1442(a), the district court may remand it back to state court only if it thereafter discovers a defect in removal procedure or a lack of subject matter jurisdiction in the federal court.” Id. at 238-39 (citation omitted). “That the federal court ultimately rejects the federal defense that supported removal under § 1442(a)(1) does not mean that it thereby loses subject matter jurisdiction over the removed action.” Id. at 239; see also Thompson v. Crane Co., Civil No. 11-00638 LEK-RLP, 2012 WL 1344453, *20 n. 16 (D.Haw. Apr. 17, 2012) (“As a general rule, the existence of removal jurisdiction is determined at the time the removal petition is filed, irrespective of subsequent events. Federal courts have applied this general rule to federal officer removal jurisdiction.” (citations omitted)).

Second, the Court also notes that no Defendant has made any argument as to issue or claim preclusion on account of the Nelsons’ earlier Hawaii action.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

There is no dispute as to the following facts:

Roger Nelson served in the United States Navy and Navy Reserves as an Operations and Communications Officer aboard the USS Mansfield from 1960 to 1963 and the USS Alvin C. Cockrell from 1963 to 1968. (See Plaintiffs Statement of Controverted Facts (CV 12-00811, Docket No. 137-1)).

In addition, Roger Nelson worked with drywall products on numerous home remodeling and repair projects from the 1950s through the 1970s. (See Plaintiffs Statement of Controverted Facts (CV 12-00793, Docket No. 236-1)).

Rosalie Nelson alleges that Roger Nelson was exposed to asbestos from Defendants’ products, resulting in the diagnosis [1124]*1124of an asbestos-related disease and his eventual death.

APPLICABLE LAW

“[W]hen removal of a state court action is available because the defendant is a federal officer, the substantive law to be applied is unaffected by the removal. If state law was applicable before the removal, it will apply after the removal.” 14C Charles Alan Wright, Arthur R. Miller, et al., Federal Practice & Procedure § 3726 (4th ed. 2012) (citing Arizona v. Manypenny, 451 U.S. 232, 101 S.Ct. 1657, 68 L.Ed.2d 58 (1981)).

Nelson’s Complaint for wrongful death alleges claims for relief under California law for negligence and strict products liability, as well as conspiracy. {See Notice of Removal Ex. 1). Consequently, California law governs in this case.

DISCUSSION

The law in California is clear:

A threshold issue in asbestos litigation is exposure to the defendant’s product. The plaintiff bears the burden of proof on this issue. If there has been no exposure, there is no causation. Plaintiffs may prove causation in an asbestos case by demonstrating that the plaintiffs or decedent’s exposure to the defendant’s asbestos-containing product in reasonable medical probability was a substantial factor in contributing to the aggregate dose of asbestos the plaintiff or decedent inhaled or ingested, and hence to the risk of developing asbestos-related cancer.

McGonnell v. Kaiser Gypsum Co., 98 Cal.App.4th 1098, 1103, 120 Cal.Rptr.2d 23 (2002) (citations omitted) (citing Rutherford v. Owens-Illinois, Inc., 16 Cal.4th 953, 975-76, 67 Cal.Rptr.2d 16, 941 P.2d 1203

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Bluebook (online)
926 F. Supp. 2d 1120, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38470, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nelson-v-air-liquid-systems-corp-cacd-2013.