Walters v. Landis Construction Co.

522 So. 2d 1306, 1988 La. App. LEXIS 841, 1988 WL 24263
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 21, 1988
DocketNo. CA-8276
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 522 So. 2d 1306 (Walters v. Landis Construction Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Walters v. Landis Construction Co., 522 So. 2d 1306, 1988 La. App. LEXIS 841, 1988 WL 24263 (La. Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

LOBRANO, Judge.

This appeal arises from a judgment rendered in favor of Edward Walters (Walters) and against Bernard and Thomas Engineering, Inc. (B & T), their insurer, United States Fidelity and Guarantee Insurance Company (USF & G) and the Mississippi River Bridge Authority (MRBA) for personal injuries received by Walters when he fell while employed as a steel worker at the Jackson Avenue Ferry Construction site.

As a result of the accident, Walters filed suit against the MRBA as the project owner and B & T as the project engineer. The MRBA filed third party claims against B & T, Gulf Marine Design, Inc. (as a joint venturer with B & T) and Landis Construction Company (Landis), the general contractor. B & T also filed a third party claim against Landis.1 The worker’s compensation carrier, Traveler’s Insurance Company intervened as the compensation insurer of Simmons Steel Erection Company, Inc., Walter’s employer at the time of the accident.

FACTS:

Pursuant to an agreement between the MRBA and the United States Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA), UMTA granted funds to the MRBA to enable it to undertake a capital improvement project to facilitate transportation across the Mississippi river. The funds were earmarked for, among other things, construction of new river ferry terminals, one of which was the [1308]*1308Jackson Avenue ferry landing and terminal building.

Pursuant to this agreement, the MRBA then contracted with B & T to prepare the plans, specifications and contract documents for the construction of the terminal. The construction contract prepared by B & T was then presented by the MRBA to various contractors for bids. Landis Construction Company was the successful bidder. After signing the construction contract Landis, the general contractor, subcontracted with Simmons Steel Erection Company to erect the iron framework for the project. Walters was a steel worker employed by Simmons.

On April 16, 1979, Walters was sent to the project site at approximately 10:00 a.m. He was ordered to the third level of the structure where he was to join his co-workers in “bolting up” the steel frame which was approximately three-quarters complete. Nine workers were on the site, four of whom were steel workers employed by Simmons. Walters used a ladder to climb from the ground to the first level. Walters first attempted to reach the third level by climbing up a circular column. When this failed, he attempted to climb by means of a plumb cable. The cable, which had already been loosened, gave way. Walters fell some thirty feet to the concrete slab below and sustained serious injuries.

Because a public body was a defendant, the matter was tried by both judge and jury. The verdict of the jury and the trial court judgment are consistent. Judgment was rendered in favor of Walters finding that the MRBA and B & T contracted to enforce Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, (which required ladders to be furnished) and that their breach of this contractual duty was the proximate cause of Walter’s injuries. In addition, the Court granted judgment in favor of the MRBA on its third party claim against B & T and Landis. The Court also granted B & T contribution on its third party demand against Landis. The third party claims against Gulf Marine Design were dismissed. Compensation in the amount of $120,000.00 was awarded to Travelers as a result of its intervention.

The MRBA, B & T and Landis appeal the judgment of the trial court asserting the following specifications of error jointly and individually.

THE MRBA, B & T AND LANDIS EACH ASSERT:

1) The trial court erred by finding that the UMTA contract required the MRBA and B & T to enforce OSHA regulations and that there was a breach of that obligation.
2) The trial court erred in finding that a stipulation pour autrui exists in the contract between the MRBA and the UMTA in favor of Walters.
3) The trial court erred by finding that the MRBA and B & T were liable in tort.
4) The trial court erred in failing to find Walters guilty of contributory negligence.

B & T AND THE MRBA EACH ASSERT:

5) The trial court erred by allowing the introduction of OSHA regulations into evidence.
6) The trial court erred by charging the jury that the contract between the MRBA and the UMTA created a duty requiring the MRBA to enforce OSHA regulations.

LANDIS AND THE MRBA EACH ASSERT:

7) The trial court erred by not finding that the exclusive remedy against the MRBA was in Worker’s Compensation and that the MRBA was immune from tort liability pursuant to La.R.S. 23:1032.
8) The trial court erred in awarding interest from the date of judicial demand.

B & T INDIVIDUALLY ASSERTS:

9) The trial court erred in granting the MRBA’s third party claim against B & T.
10) The trial court erred in denying B & T's third party claim against the MRBA.
11) The trial court erred in denying B & T’s third party claim against Aetna Insurance Company, its insurer who denies coverage.

[1309]*1309THE MRBA INDIVIDUALLY ASSERTS:

12) The trial court erred by casting Southern American Insurance Company in judgment.2
13) The trial court erred by dismissing the third party demand of the MRBA against Gulf Marine Design.

LANDIS INDIVIDUALLY ASSERTS:

14) The trial court erred in finding the MRBA entitled to indemnity from Lan-dis.
15) The trial court erred in finding the damages payable by the MRBA not covered by Southern American Insurance Company.

ISSUE

Resolution of the following issues is determinative of the result we reach in this case.

1) Did Congress intend that UMTA assume the enforcement responsibilities of OSHA and other labor standards, and if so, was that obligation transferred by contract to the MRBA?
2) Did B & T have a contractual obligation to enforce OSHA regulations irrespective of any such duty by MRBA?

As previously noted, the trial judge decided MRBA’s liability, while the jury determined the liability of B & T and Landis. The trial judge in his reasons for judgment, stated:

“A condition of the grant contract between MRBA and UMTA was that the receipt of the funds, i.e. the MRBA, ensure compliance by its contractor and subcontractors with safety and healthy standards promulgated by the Secretary (OSHA regulations and/or other health and safety regulations.)”

The first interrogatory to the jury, answered in the affirmative, provided:

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Related

Walters v. Landis Construction Co.
530 So. 2d 89 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
522 So. 2d 1306, 1988 La. App. LEXIS 841, 1988 WL 24263, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walters-v-landis-construction-co-lactapp-1988.