Philip v. Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC

137 F. Supp. 3d 936, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 133971, 2015 WL 5773749
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedSeptember 30, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 13-5328
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 137 F. Supp. 3d 936 (Philip v. Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Philip v. Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC, 137 F. Supp. 3d 936, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 133971, 2015 WL 5773749 (E.D. La. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER AND REASONS

SUSIE MORGAN, District Judge.

ISSUES PRESENTED

1. Whether there is a genuine issue of material fact regarding Plaintiffs status as a Jones Act seaman

2. Whether there is a genuine issue of material fact regarding Plaintiffs status as a borrowed employee of Defendant Hornbeck Offshore Services, L.L.C.

3. Whether there is a genuine issue of material fact regarding Plaintiff’s vessel negligence and general maritime negligence claims ..

4.Whether Plaintiff is- entitled to • a !jury trial

BACKGROUND

This is a maritime- personal injury case. Plaintiff Elderic Philip, a rigger working for Defendant Longnecker Properties, Inc. (“Longnecker”), was working aboard the motor vessel Silverstar on June 30, 2013, when he allegedly tripped on a wooden board on the vessel’s deck and fell.1 Defendant Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC (“Hornbeck”) owns the Silverstar,2 which was chartered by Defendant Erii U.S. Operating Co. Inc. (“Eni”) at the time of the incident.3

Philip ’filed this suit on August 8, 2013, asserting claims under the Jones Act4 and for maintenance and cure, un'Séaworthiness, vessel negligence tinder the Long-shore and Harbor Workers’Compensation Act (“LHWCA”),5 and general maritime. law negligence.6

On September 22, 2014, Longnecker filed' a motion for summary judgment.7 Longnecker argues Philip is not a seaman under the Jones Act and that the undisput-, ed facts demonstrate Longnecker was not negligent and Philip’s injuries were caused solely by his own negligence.8 Philip filed a response in opposition to Longnecker’s motion on October 14, 2014,9 and Long-necker filed a reply on October 20, 2014.10

On October 7, 2014, Hornbeck filed a motion for partial summary judgment' that Philip is not a seaman as to Hornbeck and [940]*940Philip is not Hornbeck’s borrowed employee and seeks dismissal of Philip’s Jones Act, maintenance and cure, and unseaworthiness claims.11 Hornbeck also filed a motion for partial summary judgment seeking dismissal of Philip’s claims for vessel negligence under the LHWCA and Philip’s negligence claims against Horn-beck under general maritime law.12 Philip filed responses in opposition to Hornbeck’s motions on October 14, 2014.13 Hornbeck filed a reply on October 20, 2014,14 in support of its motion for partial summary judgment regarding Philip’s seaman and borrowed-employee status. Hornbeck filed a reply on October 22, 2014,15 in support of its motion for partial summary judgment regarding Philip’s vessel negligence and general maritime law negligence claims.

On November-3, 2014, Hornbeck filed a motion to strike Philip’s jury demand.16 Hornbeck argues that because Philip is neither a seaman nor Hornbeck’s borrowed employee, Philip’s only remaining claims are admiralty claims for which jury trials are prohibited.17 Philip filed his response in opposition to Hombeck’s motion to strike on November 10, 2014.18

On August 14, 2015, the Court ordered the parties to submit supplemental briefing with regard to Philip’s seaman status.19 Philip filed a supplemental memorandum on August 24, 2015,20 and Longnecker21 and Hornbeck22 filed supplemental memo-randa on August 31, 2015,

ANALYSIS

I. Seaman Status

The Jones Act provides that “[a] seaman injured in the course of employment ... may elect to bring a civil action at law, with the right of trial by jury, against the employer,”23 Defendants argue Philip cannot recover under the Jones Act because he is not a seaman. The Act does not define “seaman”; this “difficult—perhaps insurmountable—task” has been left to the courts.24 Guidance from Congress and the courts indicates the inquiry is whether the injured plaintiff is a “master or member of a crew of any vessel.”25

A. Standard, of Law

When considering a motion for summary judgment, the Court must view the evidence and any inferences drawn from the evidence in the light most favorable to the non-movant to determine whether there is a genuine issue of material fact and whether the movant is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law.26 Whether an [941]*941injured worker is a seaman under the Jones Act is a mixed question of law and fact.27 Because statutory terms are at issue, their interpretation is a question of law, and it is the Court’s duty to define the appropriate standard.28

“The Jones Act is remedial legislation and as such should be liberally construed in favor of injured seamen.”29 Nevertheless, summary judgment is proper where the underlying facts are undisputed and the record reveals no evidence from which reasonable persons might draw conflicting inferences about whether the claimant is a Jones Act seaman.30 If reasonable persons could draw conflicting inferences, it is a question for the jury and summary judgment must be denied.31 “[T]he issue of seaman status is ordinarily a jury question, even when the claim to seaman status is marginal.”32 Thus, summary judgment on seaman status in Jones Act cases is rarely proper.33

B. Discussion

Despite some guidance from Congress and the courts, drawing a distinction between seamen and non-seamen has proved difficult for eourts. As the Supreme Court has explained, “We- have made a labyrinth and got lost in it. We must find our way out.”34

In Chandris, Inc. v. Latsis, the Supreme Court explained that, to qualify as a Jones Act seaman, a maritime employee must have a “substantial, employment-related connection to a vessel in navigation,”35 The Court developed a two-pronged analysis to guide the determination of seaman status.36 First, the employee’s duties must “contribute] to the function of the vessel or to the accomplishment of its mission.”37 Second, the employee “must have a connection to a vessel in navigation (or to an identifiable group of such vessels) that is substantial in terms of both its duration and its nature.”38

The parties do not dispute that Philip meets the first prong of the Chandris test.39 Therefore, whether Philip qualifies as a seaman under the Jones Act turns on whether he has a connection to . a vessel or group of vessels in navigation that is substantial in terms of both duration.and nature.

1. Duration

With regard to the second prong, Chan-dris

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137 F. Supp. 3d 936, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 133971, 2015 WL 5773749, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/philip-v-hornbeck-offshore-services-llc-laed-2015.