Rice v. Union Pacific Railroad

873 F. Supp. 2d 1044, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 79621, 2012 WL 2087348
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Arkansas
DecidedJune 8, 2012
DocketNo. 4:12-cv-00108-SWW
StatusPublished

This text of 873 F. Supp. 2d 1044 (Rice v. Union Pacific Railroad) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rice v. Union Pacific Railroad, 873 F. Supp. 2d 1044, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 79621, 2012 WL 2087348 (E.D. Ark. 2012).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

SUSAN WEBBER WRIGHT, District Judge.

Plaintiff M. Randy Rice, Trustee for Jody L. Clark, brings this action under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), 45 U.S.C. § 51 et seq., the Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA), 49 U.S.C. § 20101 et seq., and the Federal Safety Appliance Act (FSAA), 49 U.S.C. § 20301 et seq., for personal injuries Clark sustained in an accident while working as a switchman/brakeman for defendant Union Pacific Railroad Company (Union Pacific).1 Union Pacific, in turn, has filed a third-party complaint for indemnity against Gunderson Rail Services, LLC, d/b/a Greenbrier Rail Services Pine Bluff d/b/a Gunderson Wheel Services and d/b/a Gunderson, Inc. (Gunderson), alleging that Clark’s accident was the result of failure and negligence of Gunderson and that Gunderson is liable for Clark’s loss under indemnity provisions in a Track Lease Agreement pursuant to which Gunderson leases track from Union Pacific.

By Opinion and Order entered May 15, 2012, 2012 WL 1710906 [doc. #94], the Court denied as moot Union Pacific’s motion for summary judgment on Count II of Plaintiffs complaint under the FSAA as Plaintiff withdrew Count II of his complaint, denied as premature Union Pacific’s motion for summary judgment on its claim for indemnity against Gunderson under the Track Lease Agreement, granted in part and denied in part Plaintiffs motion for partial summary judgment, and denied the parties’ six motions to exclude expert testimony.

Following the Court’s ruling on the motions, the parties settled Plaintiffs claims for $1,150,000, with Union Pacific and Gunderson each agreeing to pay Plaintiff $575,000.2 Because Union Pacific is responsible for Plaintiffs loss incurred as a result of violations of its non-delegable duty to furnish a safe workplace under FELA, see, e.g., Burlington Northern R. Co. v. Farmers Union Oil Co. of Rolla, 207 F.3d 526, 532 (8th Cir.2000) (noting that the primary purpose of an indemnity agreement such as is at issue here is to [1047]*1047indemnify a railroad when its lessee’s act or omission causes the railroad to violate its non-delegable duty to furnish a safe workplace under FELA), Gunderson, by agreeing to pay Plaintiff $575,000 of the settlement, or one-half of Union Pacific’s liability, indemnified Union Pacific for that same amount. Accordingly, the only question remaining is whether Gunderson will be required to indemnify Union Pacific for the full amount of its liability or whether Gunderson can limit Union Pacific’s recovery of indemnity to one-half of its liability by proving that Union Pacific was negligent and that its negligence contributed to Clark’s accident.3 The Court held a bench trial on Union Pacific’s indemnity claim beginning on May 30, 2012 and concluding on June 1, 2012. This Opinion and Order constitutes the Court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to Fed. R.Civ.P. 52.4

I.

At the time of his accident, Clark was a switchman working for Union Pacific. Clark was part of a three man crew, which also included a foreman, Edward Lybrand, and an engineer, Tommy Morrison. They were the only Union Pacific employees whose job was to switch cars at the Gunderson facility in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Union Pacific owned the tracks at the Gunderson facility and allowed Gunderson to use the tracks under a Track Lease Agreement.

The Track Lease Agreement was drafted by Union Pacific and entered into by Union Pacific and Gunderson on June 20, 2000. The Track Lease Agreement refers to Gunderson as “the Industry” and Union Pacific as “the Railroad.” Article 3 of the Track Lease Agreement governs maintenance of the leased track and provides in pertinent part as follows:

Article 3. MAINTENANCE OF TRACK STRUCTURE, RIGHT OF WAY AND TRACK APPURTENANCES.
A. The Industry, at its sole expense, shall maintain the track structure consisting of the rail, ties, ballast and other Track material including any paving or planking work that may be needed.
C. The Industry at its sole expense, shall remove snow, ice, sand and other substances as needed to permit safe operation over the Track....
D. Maintenance work performed by the Industry shall conform to the Railroad’s standards----

Exhibit B to the Track Lease Agreement sets forth certain terms regarding the parties’ responsibility for safety and liability. Section 2 of Exhibit B to the Track Lease Agreement addresses “SAFETY.” Section 2(c) governs walkways and provides that the “Industry, at its expense, shall provide and maintain a clear and safe pathway for Railroad em[1048]*1048ployees along both sides of the Track----” Section 2(d) provides that the “Industry shall have a non-delegable duty and responsibility to train and oversee its employees and agents as to proper and safe working practices while .performing any work in connection with this Agreement, or any work associated with the Railroad serving the Industry over the Track.” Section 2(e), regarding intraplant switching, states that the “Industry shall not perform, permit or cause intraplant switching without the prior written consent of the Railroad” and defines “intraplant switching” as “the movement of rail cars on the track by the Industry by any method and includes the Industry’s capacity to move rail cars whether before, during or after any such movement.” Finally, section 2(f) requires the Industry to comply with “Standards,” defined as “all applicable ordinances, regulations, statutes, rules, decisions and orders including, but not limited to, safety, zoning, air and water quality, noise, hazardous substances and hazardous wastes” which are “issued by any federal, state or local governmental body or agency (hereinafter “Authority”).” Section 2(f) further provides:

If the Industry is not in full compliance with any Standards issued by any authorized Authority, the Railroad, after notifying the Industry of its noncompliance and the Industry’s failure within twenty days of such notice to correct such noncompliance, may elect to take whatever action is necessary to bring the Track and any Railroad property into compliance with such Standards; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if Industry’s failure to comply with Standards interferes with, obstructs or endangers Railroad mainline or yard operations in any way, Railroad may initiate compliance action immediately; and PROVIDED, FURTHER, nothing in this Agreement shall prevent Railroad from taking action to mitigate damages caused by Industry’s noncompliance with Standards. The Industry shall reimburse the Railroad for all costs (including, but not limited to, consulting, engineering, clean-up, disposal, legal costs and attorneys’ fees; fines and penalties) incurred by the Railroad in complying with, abating a violation of, or defending any claim of violation of such Standards.

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Bluebook (online)
873 F. Supp. 2d 1044, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 79621, 2012 WL 2087348, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rice-v-union-pacific-railroad-ared-2012.