Overton v. FCA U.S. LLC. (In re Old Carco LLC)

603 B.R. 877
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedMay 31, 2019
Docket18-cv-11290 (AJN)
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 603 B.R. 877 (Overton v. FCA U.S. LLC. (In re Old Carco LLC)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Overton v. FCA U.S. LLC. (In re Old Carco LLC), 603 B.R. 877 (S.D. Ill. 2019).

Opinion

ALISON J. NATHAN, District Judge:

Appellant Frankie Overton, as executor of the estate of Sue Ann Graham, brings this bankruptcy appeal under 28 U.S.C. § 158 seeking review of the Bankruptcy Court's decision barring Appellant's wrongful death claims against FCA US LLC f/k/a/ Chrysler Group LLC ("New Chrysler"). A-686-A-714. For the reasons that follow, the Bankruptcy Court's decision is AFFIRMED.

I. Background

A. The Sale Order

On April 30, 2009, Old Carco LLC ("Old Chrysler") commenced bankruptcy cases by filing voluntary petitions for relief under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court in this District. Old Chrysler and New Chrysler entered into a Master Transaction Agreement (the "MTA") by which New Chrysler agreed to purchase substantially all of the assets of Old Chrysler. See A-114-A-291. The Bankruptcy Court approved the transaction set forth in the MTA, as amended, and the sale closed on June 10, 2009 (the "Sale Order"). See A-062-A-113. Numerous Alabama state entities, including the Alabama Secretary of State, received notice of the sale, and none chose to object to entry of the Sale Order. See Affidavit of Service of Sale Hearing, Bankr. Docket No. 930, at p. 126.

The Sale Order authorized the transfer of the purchased assets "free and clear of all Claims except for Assumed Liabilities" (as defined in the MTA) and free of successor liability. Sale Order ¶ 9, A-088. It stated:

Except for the Assumed Liabilities expressly set forth in the Purchase Agreement or described therein or Claims against any Purchased Company, none of the Purchaser, its successors or assigns or any of their respective affiliates shall have any liability for any Claim that (a) arose prior to the Closing Date, (b) relates to the production of vehicles prior to the Closing Date or (c) otherwise is assertable against the Debtors or is related to the Purchased Assets prior to the Closing Date.... Without limiting the foregoing, the Purchaser shall not have any successor, derivative or vicarious liabilities of any kind or character for any Claims ... now existing or hereafter arising, asserted or unasserted, *881fixed or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated. Sale Order ¶ 35, A-102-A103.

Section 2.09 of the MTA enumerated, "for the avoidance of doubt," certain "Excluded Liabilities" that New Chrysler did not assume. See A-476. They included "all Product Liability Claims arising from the sale of Products or Inventory prior to the Closing." MTA § 2.09(i), A-133. The MTA broadly defined an excluded Product Liability Claim as:

any Action arising out of, or otherwise relating to in any way in respect of claims for personal injury, wrongful death or property damage resulting from exposure to, or any other warranty claims, refunds, rebates, property damage, product recalls, defective material claims, merchandise returns and/or any similar claims, or any other claim or cause of action, whether such claim is known or unknown or asserted or unasserted with respect to, Products or items purchased, sold, consigned, marketed, stored, delivered, distributed or transported by [Old Chrysler].

MTA Definitions Addendum, at p. 90, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to MTA, ¶ 36, A-216. On Nov. 19, 2009, the parties in the bankruptcy proceeding amended section 2.08(h) to the MTA to expand the scope of Assumed Liabilities relating to Product Liability Claims. See A-292-A-311. As amended, New Chrysler assumed liability for post-closing accidents involving vehicles manufactured and sold by Old Chrysler before the closing, but the assumption expressly excluded liability for punitive damages. Under the amendment (" Amendment No. 4"), Assumed Liabilities included:

(i) all Product Liability Claims arising from the sale after the Closing of Products or Inventory manufactured by Sellers or their Subsidiaries in whole or in part prior to the Closing and (ii) all Product Liability Claims arising from the sale on or prior to the Closing of motor vehicles ... solely to the extent such Product Liability Claims (A) arise directly from motor vehicle accidents occurring on or after Closing, (B) are not barred by any statute of limitations, (C) are not claims including or related to any alleged exposure to any asbestos-containing material or any other Hazardous Material and (D) do not include any claim for exemplary or punitive damages.

MTA, Amendment No. 4, ¶ 1, A-299.

B. The Complaint

On October 17, 2017, Frankie Overton ("Overton"), as administrator of the estate of Sue Ann Graham (the "Decedent"), and Scott Graham ("Graham," and together with Overton, the "Plaintiffs"), as legal guardian of the Decedent's minor son, J.G., filed a complaint in Alabama State Court against, among others, New Chrysler. See A-360-A-378. The subject of the case is a car accident that occurred in Alabama on June 10, 2016. Id. The Decedent and J.G. were riding as passengers in a 2002 Jeep Liberty when another vehicle struck the Jeep causing it to overturn. Id. The Decedent sustained fatal injuries; J.G. sustained non-fatal injuries as well as mental and emotional injuries. Id.

The Plaintiffs brought claims in Alabama State Court pursuant to the Alabama Extended Manufacturer's Liability Doctrine and under theories of negligence and wantonness. Id. The claims directed at New Chrysler alleged that the proximate cause of the Plaintiffs' injuries was the defective design, manufacture and sale of the Vehicle, or alternatively, the failure to warn or recall the Vehicle despite New Chrysler's knowledge of the defective condition. Id. Overton sought damages under *882the Alabama Wrongful Death Act, as a result of the death of the Decedent. Id.

C. Proceedings

After the complaint was filed in Alabama State Court, New Chrysler removed the action to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, and moved to sever claims, transfer venue the Southern District of New York for referral to the Bankruptcy Court, and for partial dismissal. See Overton v. Chrysler Grp. LLC , No. 2:17-cv-01983 (RDP), 2018 WL 847772, at *1 (N.D. Ala. Feb. 13, 2018).

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Bluebook (online)
603 B.R. 877, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/overton-v-fca-us-llc-in-re-old-carco-llc-ilsd-2019.