Cruise Ship Law

In the Matter of the Complaint of VULCAN MATERIALS CO.

Civil Action No. 3:04CV909
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA, RICHMOND DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38221
December 21, 2005, Decided
December 21, 2005, Filed

Exoneration granted to ship owner where seaman fell on stairs that seaman failed to prove were greasy and further seaman failed to establish that the pitch of the stairs, the absence of a handrail, or violation of OSHA regulations contributed to the seaman's fall.

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GLENN TATE, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. SHOWBOAT MARINA CASINO PARTNERSHIP, et al., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 05-1681
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT
431 F.3d 580; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 27168
October 24, 2005, Argued
December 13, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, members of the operating crew on a floating casino, appealed an order of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, granting summary judgment in their action against defendants, the casino and others, brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

OVERVIEW: On appeal, the court noted that the instant case was materially identical to a case filed the previous year. It involved the same boat, the same job titles, an overlapping time period, and the same plaintiffs' lawyer. Defendants were different as they were successors to defendants in the first case, but the only material difference between the two cases was the identity of plaintiffs. Because they were different people from plaintiffs in the first case, the instant case was not barred by res judicata or collateral estoppel. However, the court held that the instant action was barred by stare decisis because the facts in the two cases were the same and plaintiffs in the first case lost because the jury correctly found that they had no claim because they were part of the boat's operating crew and engaged in maritime-related activities, so they were seamen within the meaning of FLSA § 13(b)(6), 29 U.S.C.S. § 213(b)(6), which exempted seamen from the FLSA's overtime provisions. Plaintiffs gave no good reason for the court to overrule the prior decision, and a case cited by plaintiffs did not support their position as it was a Jones Act case.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the district court's judgment.

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MURRAY A. POWELL, Plaintiff, vs. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES and DOES 1 through 50, Defendants.

No. CV-F-05-1238 REC DLB, (Docs. 4 & 10)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29982
November 17, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff filed an action in state court against defendant cruise line to recover for injuries he suffered during the cruise, and the cruise line removed the action to federal court. Plaintiff filed a motion to remand and the cruise line filed a motion to dismiss based on a forum selection clause in the parties' contract.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff, an experienced traveler, booked a cruise with the cruise line, whose principal place of business was in Florida. The court first held that it was powerless to order a remand because plaintiff's sole ground for his motion -- the difficulty of traveling to the federal court -- was no a theory provided for in 28 U.S.C.S. § 1447(c). The court then held that the forum selection clause was valid and its enforcement was reasonable because (1) the physical characteristics of the contract and the circumstances surrounding purchase and retention of the ticket indicated that the forum-selection clause was reasonably communicated to plaintiff; (2) plaintiff failed to show that the cruise line had invoked the forum-selection clause fraudulently or to thwart litigation against it; and (3) plaintiff's physical disability did not require the court to refuse to enforce the forum-selection clause. However, rather than dismissing the action under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(3), the court held that, in the interest of justice, the case should be transferred under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1406 to the location of the federal court specified in the forum selection clause.

OUTCOME: The court denied plaintiff's motion to remand, denied defendant's motion to dismiss, and transferred the action to the Southern District of Florida for further proceedings.

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ALMOTAZ ALSHAZLI, Plaintiff, v. AMERICAN SEAFOODS COMPANY, LLC, a Washington corporation and F/T NORTHERN HAWK, her tackle, gear, furniture, apparel and equipment, Defendants.

Case No. C04-1684L
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38860
December 12, 2005, Decided

Seaman who slipped and fell on fish processing vessel awarded approximately $70,000 for operated herniated disk in back. This is after deduction 25% for seaman's comparative negligence.

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IN RE: Houseboat STARSHIP II and CLYDE CRAIG and VICKI CRAIG Individually and d/b/a EAST PORT MARINA, and JIM BARNA LOG SYSTEMS OF TENNESSEE, LLC, a domestic corporation d/b/a EAST PORT MARINA & RESORT.

NO. 2:05-0086
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36237
December 12, 2005, Decided
December 12, 2005, Filed

Company that had management and operation responsibilities for rented house boat could file for limitation of liability as an owner.

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JEFFREY WAYNE WITHHART, Plaintiff-Counter Defendant-Appellee, versus OTTO CANDIES, L.L.C., ET AL., Defendants, SEA MAR, INC., SEA MAR MANAGEMENT L.L.C., NABOR MARINE, L.L.C., Defendant-Counter Claimants-Appellants

No. 04-31267
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 26270
December 2, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant shipowner-employer (owner) sought review of a decision of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, which dismissed the owner's counterclaims for negligence and indemnity brought against appellee seaman-employee (seaman) pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). The seaman had filed the original action under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688 and general maritime law to recover for his injuries.

OVERVIEW: The matter arose from an accident at sea, and the owner paid a second shipowner for damages to its vessel. The owner sought to recover from the seaman that amount plus an amount for property damage to the owner's vessel allegedly caused by the seaman's negligence. In a case of first impression, the court reversed in an interlocutory appeal under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1292(b), holding that the owner's counterclaims were consistent with general maritime law and should not have been dismissed. The Federal Employers' Liability Act, 45 U.S.C.S. § 51, and consequently the Jones Act, contained no prohibition against a general maritime negligence and indemnity counterclaim by the owner against its seaman-employee for property damage. Allowing the owner to bring a claim against its seaman for property damage arising out of the seaman's negligence did not narrow the remedies available to the seaman under the Jones Act. The fact that seamen worked under difficult conditions was not a reason to shield them from liability from negligence and indemnity actions.

OUTCOME: The court reversed the district court's judgment of dismissal and remanded the cause for further proceedings.

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DIANA LEE HOUSE, Plaintiff, v. MARINE TRANSPORT LINES, INC. et al, Defendants.

CIVIL ACTION NO. G-05-188
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30006
October 31, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed suit pursuant to the Jones Act against defendants, a ship's manager, the United States, and the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD), seeking to recover damages for personal injuries she sustained. Defendants moved for dismissal.

OVERVIEW: Because the seaman did not object to the motion to dismiss with regard to the manager and MARAD, the court granted dismissal as to those defendants. The U.S. contended that the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the suit because the seaman had not followed the claims procedures in 46 C.F.R. § 327 and 346 C.F.R. § 327.6. The court agreed. Reading these provisions together, a party could not file suit pursuant to the Suits in Admiralty Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 745, as amended by the Clarification Act, 50 U.S.C.S. app. § 1291, until 60 days after MARAD received an administrative claim unless the party received notice of disallowance prior to that day. Here, the seaman's complaint was filed 59 days after the Division of Marine Insurance received her claim, which was 80 days after the claim had been sent. However, the claim was not addressed to the party specified in the regulations, and thus spent three weeks being passed around until it reached the Division. The court held that it was the seaman's sole burden to make sure that the claim was properly addressed. Because the seaman had not waited 60 days to file her claim, the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain it.

OUTCOME: The court granted defendants' motion to dismiss and dismissed the suit with prejudice.

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PATRICK J. CONNORS, Plaintiff, v. IQUIQUE U.S.L.L.C., et al., Defendants.

CASE NO. C05-334JLR
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27935
November 8, 2005, Decided
November 9, 2005, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Connors v. Iqueque U.S.L.L.C., 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33580 (W.D. Wash., Aug. 25, 2005)

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendants, a shipowner and a fisheries corporation as employers, filed a motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b) to modify the court's previous order compelling the payment of maintenance to plaintiff seaman as employee. Plaintiff filed a motion to force defendants to comply with the court's order. Defendants also filed a motion for summary judgment on their intentional concealment defense.

OVERVIEW: Before boarding the ship, plaintiff disclosed to defendants that he had undergone heart bypass surgery four years earlier. Within one month of serving aboard the ship, plaintiff experienced chest pain while lifting a pump. Plaintiff returned to shore and underwent a variety of cardiac treatments for complications from coronary artery disease. As an initial matter, the court found that disputed facts prevented summary judgment on the intentional concealment defense. Because defendants appealed the order directing defendants to make maintenance payments for at least an additional three months, the court also concluded that it lacked jurisdiction to grant the relief that defendants were entitled to under Rule 60(b)(1) based on deposition testimony from plaintiff's physician, which was taken subsequent to the court's order and which demonstrated that plaintiff reached maximum recovery six months after the shipboard injury. The court, however, exercised its inherent power to stay enforcement of its order pending appellate court action. Nevertheless, the court found defendants' unilateral decision to ignore its original order contemptuous, and it imposed sanctions against defendants.

OUTCOME: The court denied defendants' motion for summary judgment. The court also denied defendants' motion for relief from the court's order pending action in the appellate court. The court, however, stayed enforcement of its order. The court denied plaintiff's motion to compel further payment of maintenance, but it ordered defendants to pay sanctions for willful violation of the court's order

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BASIL ROBINSON, Plaintiff, v. GREGORY PRIOR and F/V KARRIE N, Defendants.

Civil No. 05-24-P-C
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28596
November 16, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed a motion for summary judgment on his maintenance and cure claim against defendants, a shipowner and a vessel, and on the shipowner's counterclaim for wrongful or malicious seizure of the vessel. The seaman also filed a motion for interlocutory sale of the vessel. The matter was referred to a magistrate.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was injured in 2000. The seaman claimed that even if the three-year statute of limitations was applicable and even if principles of equitable tolling did not save the bulk of his complaint, he was entitled to maintenance and cure commencing three years prior to the date he filed suit, and that his maintenance and cure claim was sufficient to justify his action in rem against the vessel, thereby negating the owner's counterclaim for wrongful or malicious seizure of the vessel. The owner argued that the entire maintenance and cure claim was barred by laches. The court held that the seaman's claim for maintenance and cure since 2002 was not time-barred. Based on the shipowner's showing of prejudice, the application of the laches doctrine was the subject of factual disputes. The shipowner failed to brief the equitable or legal standard that governed his counterclaim for damages for the allegedly wrongful institution of arrest proceedings against his vessel. The court rejected the seaman's argument that sale of the vessel was inevitable. Because of concerns over storage fees, the court suggested that the vessel be released to the owner with an obligation to preserve it.

OUTCOME: The court recommended that the seaman's motion for summary judgment against the shipowner's counterclaim for damages be granted but that it otherwise be denied, and that action be postponed on the seaman's motion for interlocutory sale.

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Sean O'Donnell v. Jean McCausland, LLC et al,

Case No. 04-cv-175-PB
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
2005 DNH 158; 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29202
November 17, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant vessel owner filed a motion to dismiss plaintiff crew member's unseaworthiness claim.

OVERVIEW: The crew member was injured when his arm became ensnared in the line of a dock winch that was permanently affixed to the dock. The crew member was using the winch to move a cooler filled with bait from the dock to a fishing boat, not the vessel. In granting the owner's motion to dismiss, the court held that the dock winch did not qualify as an appurtenance of the vessel because it did not travel with the vessel, was neither owned nor controlled by the owner, was not in contact with the owner's vessel when he was injured, and it was not being used to perform a function that was important to the vessel's operation. The court also held that the evidence revealed that the vessel had its own winch and did not regularly use the dock winch in loading or unloading operations.

OUTCOME: The court granted the owner's motion to dismiss.

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MAURICE WARNER versus UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CIVIL ACTION No. 04-2789 SECTION: I/4
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 36528
November 29, 2005, Decided
December 1, 2005, Filed

Experienced ship captain's testimony as an expert with respect to lifting paint cans on a vessel was not allowed.

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BRANDEN DOONAN, individually and as personal representative of THE ESTATE OF JAMES DOONAN, LYNDSEY DOONAN, KRISTINE DOONAN, Plaintiffs, vs. CARNIVAL CORPORATION, a Panamanian Corporation, and GARY COLNER, ship's physician, Defendants.

Case Number: 05-20128-CIV-MARTINEZ-BANDSTRA
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, MIAMI DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31609
November 30, 2005, Decided
November 30, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In a wrongful death case, plaintiffs, a personal representative and two other individuals, sued defendants, a cruise line and a ship's physician. The court denied the cruise line's motion to dismiss the original complaint as moot since plaintiffs filed an amended complaint. The cruise line filed a motion to dismiss three counts in the amended complaint. Plaintiffs moved to amend the complaint by interlineation.

OVERVIEW: The cruise line argued that counts III and IV had to be dismissed because, under the Barbetta decision, it could not be held vicariously liable for the negligence of its ship's medical staff in the treatment and care of passengers. Plaintiffs chiefly relied on the Florida state court decisions in Carlisle and Huntley, which the present court declined to follow, in arguing that they were entitled to relief. Their argument was not sufficiently persuasive to justify deviation from the majority rule in the Barbetta decision. Regarding count IV, addressing vicarious liability and apparent agency, plaintiffs alleged that in addition to being the ship's physician, the doctor was recognized in other capacities aboard the ship. The court was unwilling to conclude that there were no conceivable facts under which plaintiffs would have been entitled to relief. Count V alleged a breach of contract. That claim failed because there was no express provision guaranteeing safe passage. Futhermore, the same arguments regarding count V raised in the current motion to dismiss were also raised in the original motion to dismiss. The amended complaint did not remedy the breach of contract claim.

OUTCOME: The cruise line's motion to dismiss was granted as to counts III and V of the amended complaint. Those claims were dismissed with prejudice. The motion to dismiss was denied in all other respects. Plaintiffs' motion for leave to amend the complaint by interlineation was granted in part.

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JAMES MACK and SHEILA MACK, Plaintiffs and Respondents-Appellees, v. ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES, LTD., Defendant and Petitioner-Appellant.

No. 1-04-2168
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS, FIRST DISTRICT, FOURTH DIVISION
2005 Ill. App. LEXIS 1035
October 20, 2005, Decided
October 20, 2005, Opinion Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs James and Sheila Mack brought suit against defendant Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Ltd., alleging that James cut his foot in the swimming pool area of a cruise ship owned and operated by defendant. Plaintiffs alleged that defendant was liable for negligently maintaining its swimming pool area; that defendant was vicariously liable for the negligent medical treatment James received from defendant's on-board physician; and that defendant was liable to Sheila for loss of consortium. Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 308 (155 Ill. 2d R. 308), defendant appeals the trial court's interlocutory orders reinstating the plaintiffs' vicarious liability count and denying defendant's motion to dismiss.

HELD: Affirmed.

DISCUSSION: Defendant argues that, in reinstating the vicarious liability claim, the trial court ignored a largely established rule of law which precludes vicarious liability counts against carriers for the alleged negligence of shipboard doctors. Plaintiffs respond that the trial court was correct to follow the more reasoned approach of modem cases, which allows vicarious liability claims against carriers. Whether vicarious liability will be imposed generally turns on the ability of the principle to control the acts of his agent and on a variety of other factors, including "whether the work is 'part of the regular business of the employer'; whether the contractor is engaged in a distinct calling; the degree of skill of the contractor; who supplies the locale, tools and instrumentalities; the period of employment and the method of payment." A passenger does not have control over his relationship with a ship's doctor because a cruise passenger at sea and in medical distress does not have any meaningful choice but to seek treatment from the ship's doctor. Additionally, vicarious liability for an on-board physician's negligence should be imposed because cruise lines reap the benefits of carrying a doctor aboard their vessels. Finally, to impose vicarious liability on a cruise line for the negligent treatment of passengers by its on-board physician is not unreasonable because the cruise line is already held vicariously liable for the negligence of the same ship's doctor in the treatment of hundreds of people-the crew-under the maritime duty to provide maintenance and cure.

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DAVID W. BOWMAN, Appellee, v. AMERICAN RIVER TRANSPORTATION COMPANY et al., Appellants.

Docket No. 99094
SUPREME COURT OF ILLINOIS
2005 Ill. LEXIS 1604
October 20, 2005, Opinion Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff filed suit against defendants in St. Clair County for injuries suffered while working as a seaman aboard a harbor boat. He claimed negligence under the Jones Act, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure. Defendants filed a timely request for a jury trial, which was stricken by the trial court on plaintiff's motion arguing that only plaintiffs in Jones Act cases can demand a jury trial.

HELD: REVERSED.

DISCUSSION: The key sentence of the Jones Act at issue here states: "Any seaman who shall suffer personal injury in the course of his employment may, at his election, maintain an action for damages at law, with the right of trial by jury" (46 U.S.C. App. § 688(a) (2000)). We believe that anyone well versed in statutory construction, or even English grammar, would find the plain language of that sentence clearly states that the "election" to be made by the seaman pertains to his choice to maintain an action "at law," and not his election of a "right of trial by jury." Under the principle of statutory construction known as the last antecedent doctrine, relative or qualifying words or phrases in a statute serve only to modify words or phrases which are immediately preceding and do not modify those which are more remote.

NOTE: This conclusion, however, does not negate the fact that, under the Jones Act, a plaintiff does control the choice between a bench or jury trial by using his choice of the forum. That is, the plaintiff desiring a bench trial may bring his case in admiralty under 28 U.S.C. § 1333, as there, neither party is entitled to a jury trial. See 30 J. Mar. L. & Com. at 669. On the other hand, the plaintiff desiring a jury trial may bring his case, pursuant to the saving-to-suitors clause, on the law side of federal court or in a state court whose law guarantees the right to a jury trial. See 30 J. Mar. L. & Com. at 669-70. Thus, having the power to control the forum, the Jones Act plaintiff starts out with full control over whether the case will be tried to a jury. It is in this sense that statements to the effect that "the Jones Act gives only the plaintiff the right to choose a jury trial" are true. However, [*21] Johnson and its predecessor in the Second Circuit make it clear that once the Jones Act plaintiff has made his forum choice, if defendants in that forum normally have a right to a jury, then so does the Jones Act defendant.

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New trial ordered where maritime ergonomic engineering expert witness was improperly not permitted to testify as to opinions regarding ship's door latches and procedures for inspecting such latches where such expert had not conducted a ship board inspection of the subject area.

COLIN ORPE, Appellant, v. CARNIVAL CORPORATION AND GARY FERRIS, Appellees.

CASE NO. 3D02-3186
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
909 So. 2d 929; 2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 12010; 30 Fla. L. Weekly D 1858
August 3, 2005, Opinion Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Colin Orpe appeals a final judgment entered in a negligence action. Because the trial court would not allow Orpe to present the testimony of his expert witness at trial, we reverse. FACTS: Dr. Marc Wilson was Orpe's sole liability expert witness. Orpe was injured while he was a passenger on Carnival Corporation's vessel Holiday when his cabin bathroom door swung shut and severed a portion of his finger. The door opened outward and a magnetic device on the adjacent wall was designed to hold the door against the adjacent wall. Orpe's cabin-mate testified that the door had malfunctioned several times before the accident occurred. At trial, Orpe sought to introduce Dr. Wilson's testimony that a door dampener should have been used to slow down the rate at which the door closed; that an outward opening door without a door dampener is a hazard; that written warnings and a handrail in this area on a ship were necessary from an ergonomics, human factors and safety standpoint; that magnets lose their power over time; and that such devices must be regularly inspected and replaced. In the alternative, he suggested that the use of the hook-and-eye-type door latch, the usual type of latch used on cruise ships, was appropriate. In addition, he was to testify about general considerations for safety in equipping a ship's bathroom and door. The court excluded Dr. Wilson's testimony ruling that he was not qualified to testify concerning the appropriate safety measures in a ship's passenger cabin and that expert testimony on this issue was unnecessary. Carnival's expert, however, was permitted to offer his opinion as to a magnet's properties and characteristics, the force necessary to separate the door from the magnetic latch, and use of dampeners on cruise ship doors.

DISCUSSION: Although Dr. Wilson never visited the accident area on the ship, by the time of Dr. Wilson's pre-trial deposition, he had viewed photographs of the subject door, latch and bathroom. Furthermore, he personally interviewed Orpe and read his deposition transcript and read Hahn's affidavit. He had been advised of Orpe and Hahn's testimony regarding how the accident occurred and that there were no handrails or warnings in the bathroom. In addition, at the time of his deposition, Dr. Wilson had seen photographs of a bathroom door in a cabin of a competing cruise line, Celebrity Cruises. This door contained a "door dampener" such as here. He further viewed Carnival's video tape of the accident area, previously had inspected passenger bathroom doors on this same vessel, the HOLIDAY, and was familiar with the bathroom doors. Dr. Wilson testified that ergonomics is based primarily on prior research and that there are ample studies on different types of door closure devices, latching devices and dampeners. Dr. Wilson testified that he was able to give opinions from an ergonomic and safety point of view here without having personally viewed the subject accident scene based on the photographs, which showed that the door did not have a dampener, showed the door's magnetic latch at the bottom of the door, and showed there was no warning or safety handrail inside the bathroom or on the door. Dr. Wilson's experience and education afforded him knowledge of how magnets work and whether magnets can lose power. The proffered testimony was a proper subject for expert testimony.

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Injured cruise line passengers' claims dismissed as time barred for failing to file suit within one year as required by cruise line's limitation provision within the passenger's cruise ticket despite cruise line's failure to specifically inform plaintiff's lawyer of such provision while communicating with the lawyer during the limitations period.

BETTY REESER, et al. v. NCL (BAHAMAS) LTD.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 05-2344
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17159
August 17, 2005, Decided
August 17, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, cruise line passengers, who suffered injuries aboard Defendant's cruise line in June 2003, filed suit against the cruise line in April 2005. Defendant moved to dismiss Plaintiff's claims as time barred pursuant to a one year limitations period set forth in the cruise line's passenger ticket. Plaintiff's argued that they did not receive reasonable notification of Defendant's limitation provision, that such limitation provision was not reasonable or reasonably communicated, and that Defendant failed to provide a copy of the limitation provision or ticket to Plaintiff's attorney despite communicating with the attorney during the limitation period.

HELD: Plaintiffs claims are time barred and Defendant's Motion to Dismiss is granted.

DISCUSSION: Although the time limitation provision could have been more prominent, the standard is one of reasonableness, which means the Court does not ask whether the cruise line took every possible step to put plaintiffs on notice. The location of the term does not render it unenforceable. Similarly, the size of the text in which terms are printed does not necessarily render terms unenforceable, provided that the text is readable. Although the provision could have been expressed in simpler language, the standard is one of reasonable communicativeness and the Court will not engage in "hypothesizing some further step the shipowner could possibly have taken." Finally, even if NCL did not inform the plaintiffs' counsel of the time limitation, the Court notes that NCL did point out the "rights and defenses" contained in the "passenger ticket contract" in at least two notices to plaintiffs' counsel before the time limitation period expired. The following paragraph appeared in a letter dated October 21, 2003, addressed to the plaintiffs' lawyer and signed by NCL's Senior Claims Representative: "This request for information and any conversations or correspondence between us should not be construed as an admission of liability and is without prejudice to the rights and defenses of Norwegian Cruise Line Limited, including the terms and conditions set forth in the passenger ticket contract of passage."

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BILL WIGGINS and ALICE WIGGINS, Plaintiffs, v. CARNIVAL CORPORATION d/b/a CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, Defendant.

EP-05-CV-0230-FM
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, EL PASO DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18235
August 25, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant, cruise line, filed a Motion to Dismiss or in the Alternative to Transfer Venue, based upon a forum selection clause placed in a passenger cruise ticket requiring passengers to file suit in federal court in Miami, Florida.

HELD: This case should be TRANSFERRED to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division and Defendant's "Motion to Dismiss Under FED. R. CIV. P. 12(b)(3) and (6), or, in the Alternative, to Transfer Under 28 U.S.C. 1404(a), and/or 1406(a)" [Rec. No. 2] should be GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART to the extent that the case is transferred but not dismissed.

DISCUSSION: This Court finds no reason why the Court should not enforce the forum selection clause. Even though Plaintiffs argue they did not have adequate notice of the forum selection clause and it is fundamentally unfair, the position is unsupported by the case law and facts making up this cause of action. In this action based on a cruise to the Bahamas departing from Florida and purchased through a travel agent outside of Texas, Plaintiff has not overcome its heavy burden and shown the clause "unreasonable under the circumstances."

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Minor sues hotel chain and owner of wave runner rental operation in Cayman Islands - Admiralty law held to apply precluding application of Connecticut parental immunity law; Hotel chain's motion for summary judgment denied as issues of fact remained as to hotel chain's control over wave runner operation; and Limitation of Liability not available as to hotel chain defendants which were not owners of the subject wave runner.

LINDA SZOLLOSY, on behalf of herself and as parent and next friend of CHARLES DEAN SZOLLOSY, Plaintiff v. HYATT CORPORATION, HYATT BRITANNIA CORPORATION LTD., WATERSPORTS ADMINISTRATION INC., AND RED SAIL CAYMAN LTD., Defendants/Third-Party Plaintiffs v. CHARLES SZOLLOSY, Third-Party Defendant

Civil Action No. 3:99 CV 870 (CFD)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22088
September 26, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff Linda Szollosy brought this action as parent and next friend of her minor son Charles "Dean" Szollosy, seeking damages for injuries suffered by Dean Szollosy during a September 1998 vacation in the Cayman Islands. Linda Szollosy's complaint contains five counts, alleging the common law torts of negligence and breach of warranty by defendants Hyatt Corporation and Hyatt Britannia Corporation Ltd., and alleging negligence, breach of warranty, and strict products liability under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572m et seq. against defendants Watersports Administration, Inc("WAI"), and Red Sail Cayman Ltd. The defendants then brought a third-party action against Charles Szollosy for contribution, common law indemnification, and apportionment, alleging that Charles Szollosy was liable for all or part of Dean's injuries due to negligence. Charles Szollosy has now filed a motion for summary judgment on the defendants' third-party complaint, arguing that Connecticut law governs the defendants' action and affords Charles Szollosy parental immunity. Defendants Hyatt, Hyatt Britannia, and WAI have filed a separate motion for summary judgment as to Linda Szollosy's complaint, arguing that they are distinct legal entities that cannot be held responsible for any liability of Red Sail. Finally, Linda Szollosy has filed a motion for summary judgment on the defendants' nineteenth affirmative defense, in which the defendants claim limitation of liability under the federal admiralty statutes at 46 U.S. § 183 et seq.

HOLDINGS AND DISCUSSION:

1. Admiralty law applies and hence, Connecticut's parental immunity laws do not. The Lauritzen test appears to support the application of federal maritime law in this case. The location of the wrongful act, the first factor to be considered, is of course the Cayman Islands. The remaining factors, however, weigh more heavily in favor of the United States. The second factor, the law of the flag of the vessel involved, is not a compelling one; this was a wave runner designed for tourist use, not a vessel registered and doing business in international waters. The third factor, the domicile of the injured party, is the United States. The fourth factor, the national allegiance of the defendant shipowner, does not favor either body of law strongly. While the owner of the wave runner was Red Sail Cayman Ltd., the defendants have sworn that Red Sail is 66% percent Cayman-owned and approximately 34% owned by entities which also own the American-based defendant Hyatt Corporation. Red Sail appears to have allegiances to both the Cayman Islands and the United States, and therefore would not be materially prejudiced by applying the law of either nation. The fifth factor, place of contract, is not applicable here, as the parties did not contract for the use of the wave runner. Finally, the sixth and seventh factors, the relative accessibility of the foreign forum and the law of the forum chosen, weigh in favor of applying federal maritime law. The Szollosys are United States residents who would be greatly inconvenienced by litigating in the Cayman Islands, while the defendants/third-party plaintiffs are all corporations with at least some United States contacts or ownership, lessening the difficulty of pursuing a lawsuit here. Additionally, Linda Szollosy filed the original complaint in this case in federal court for the District of Connecticut; the law of this forum for an admiralty action is federal maritime law. Therefore, after evaluating the Lauritzen factors as a whole, the Court will apply federal maritime law to this action. Parental immunity is treated quite differently across the 50 states. Even looking wholly intrastate, Connecticut takes different approaches to parental immunity depending on the nature of the tort alleged. The Court must agree with the Byrd court that importing state law rules on parental immunity to federal admiralty actions would detract from the uniformity of admiralty law, undermine the simplicity of the admiralty system, and too greatly impair admiralty's rule of contribution among joint tortfeasors. Therefore, in its application of federal admiralty law to this action, the Court will not import Connecticut's rules of decision on parental immunity.
2. The Court finds that genuine disputes of material fact exist, including the precise nature of the various defendants' corporate relationship with and control over Red Sail and its rental operation at Rum Point. Therefore, the Court denies the motion for summary judgment and leaves Linda Szollosy's claims against Hyatt, Hyatt Britannia, and WAI for resolution by the trier of fact.
3. Limitation of Liability may not be invoked by non vessel owners. The Court finds that defendants Hyatt, Hyatt Britannia, and WAI cannot invoke the protections of the Limitation of Liability Act. It is undisputed that the wave runner at issue here was owned solely by defendant Red Sail. The non-Red Sail defendants argued that since Linda Szollosy elsewhere has asserted that they own or control Red Sail, such putative ownership or control allows them to seek relief under the Limitation of Liability Act. Linda Szollosy maintains that her allegations relate only to Hyatt, Hyatt Britannia, and WAI's control over the "policies and 'standards' concerning the operation of the Red Sail concession at Rum Point." She does not seek to hold them liable as owners of the wave runner, nor as the entities responsible for the maintenance or operation of Red Sail's wave runners. The Second Circuit has suggested that limitation of liability is available only to those parties who "had actual title or [were] capable of exercising some measure of dominion or control over the vessel at the time of the accident. As such, the non-Red Sail defendants may not seek relief under the Limitation of Liability Act.

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Ashley R. Bunch, Appellant, v. Canton Marine Towing Co., Inc., a Missouri Corporation; Sir Joseph, an inland river towboat, Her Engines, Boilers, etc., Appellees.

No. 04-1292
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT
419 F.3d 868; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 18017
April 14, 2005, Submitted
August 23, 2005, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Bunch v. Canton Marine Towing Co., 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28412 (E.D. Mo., Jan. 6, 2004)

DISPOSITION: Reversed.

OPINION: Ashley Bunch was injured aboard the M/V Sir Joseph, a tugboat owned by Bunch's employer, Canton Marine Towing Company, Inc. Bunch sued Canton and the Sir Joseph under section 33 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, 46 U.S.C. app. § 688, commonly known as the Jones Act. The district court granted summary judgment to the defendants, concluding Bunch was not a "seaman" covered by the Jones Act, because Bunch "simply did not have a substantial connection to a vessel in navigation." We reverse. Bunch worked as a barge cleaner at Canton's Missouri facility, a cleaning barge moored to the bed of the Missouri River. Almost every day, Bunch was ferried in the morning to the cleaning barge from Canton's Illinois facilities, then back for lunch and again to return home in the evening, usually aboard the Sir Joseph. On most days Bunch spent twenty minutes aboard the Sir Joseph. Cleaning third-party barges consumed Bunch's normal workday aboard the cleaning barge. Bunch cleaned barges on all but approximately ten of the 242 days he worked during his first year with Canton. On those approximately ten days, Bunch worked as a deckhand for a few hours on the Sir Joseph. Viewing the evidence most favorably to Bunch, for summary judgment purposes, the district court assumed Bunch spent, at most, ten percent of his work time as a deckhand. We hold the cleaning barge was a vessel and, thus, a vessel in navigation under the Jones Act. In Templeton, after noting the Rand had inoperable engines and would need to be towed if she were to be moved, we concluded such facts were insufficient to strip the Rand of vessel status. Templeton, 378 F.3d at 850-52. The Rand also was connected to spud poles by bolts, "which could easily be removed, permitting the Rand to be towed because she floated on her own, which [was] sufficient to bestow 'vessel' status on her." Id. at 852. The undisputed facts of this case do not show the cleaning barge was permanently moored or anchored to the river bed, and the barge had been moved from its mooring to travel across the river during the time Bunch worked for Canton. Although the cleaning barge was secured in position, strong currents would shift the barge, belying the permanency of its mooring. Nor does the evidence show the barge had been taken out of service or rendered practically incapable of maritime transportation.

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JESUS VELASQUEZ, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus C.S.C.S. International, N.V., a foreign corporation, COSTA CROCIERE, S.P.A., a foreign corporation, et al., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 05-11170 Non-Argument Calendar
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 19448
September 6, 2005, Decided
September 6, 2005, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. D. C. Docket No. 03-61183-CV-MGC.

DISPOSITION: AFFIRMED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant Jesus Velasquez appeals the district court's order dismissing his suit based on Jones Act and general maritime claims for forum non conveniens.

OVERVIEW: Velasquez, a Honduran citizen and resident, was employed by Cruise Ships Catering & Service International N.V. ("C.S.C.S."). He worked on a ship named the Costa Victoria, which embarked from Genoa, Italy. Velasquez alleges that he was injured aboard the ship while lifting boxes of wine. During the time of his alleged injury, the Costa Victoria was in international waters calling on ports in the Mediterranean Sea. After receiving shoreside diagnostic testing in Genoa, Italy, Velasquez left the Costa Victoria on medical leave and went back to Honduras where he was treated and underwent three back operations. He also had subsequent surgery in Miami. The district court properly dismissed this action for forum non conveniens. The law of the United States should not apply in this case as the alleged wrongful act occurred in the Mediterranean Sea, the vessel on which Velasquez worked was foreign, Velasquez is a resident and citizen of Honduras, the shipowner, Costa, is an Italian corporation and foreign fora are accessible to Velasquez.

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ROLF L. LINDSTROM, Plaintiff, WILLARD E. BARTEL and DAVID C. PEEBLES, administrators of the estate of ROLF L. LINDSTROM, deceased, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. A-C PRODUCT LIABILITY TRUST, et al., Defendants, A.W. CHESTERTON, COFFIN TURBO PUMP, INC., INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, WALWORTH COMPANY, THE ANCHOR PACKING COMPANY, COLTEC INDUSTRIES, GARLOCK SEALING TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, GOULDS PUMPS, INC., HENRY VOGT MACHINE CO., and JOHN CRANE, INC., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 04-3751
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT
424 F.3d 488; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 21010; 2005 FED App. 0400P (6th Cir.)

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Rolf L. Lindstrom, a merchant seaman, brought suit against numerous defendants seeking compensation for his mesothelioma, a disease he claims was caused by exposure to asbestos released from products manufactured by defendants-appellees.The district court granted summary judgment in favor of defendants-appellees Ingersoll Rand Company, Coffin Turbo Pump, Inc., Garlock Sealing Technologies, LLC, Henry Vogt Machine Company, and Goulds Pumps, Inc., but denied John Crane, Inc.'s summary judgment motion. Following a bench trial, the district court entered a verdict in favor of John Crane, Inc. Willard E. Bartel and David C. Peebles, administrators of Lindstrom's estate, now appeal.

DISPOSITION: Affirmed.

OVERVIEW: The requirement is that the plaintiff make a showing with respect to each defendant that the defendant's product was a substantial factor in plaintiff's injury, As a matter of law the evidence presented by the Plaintiff did not provide a basis for a causation finding as to any particular defendant. A holding to the contrary would permit imposition of liability on the manufacturer of any product with which a worker had the briefest of encounters on a single occasion.

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DENNIS S. GRENNAN, Appellant, v. CROWLEY MARINE SERVICES, INC., Respondent.

No. 55134-5-I
COURT OF APPEALS OF WASHINGTON, DIVISION ONE
2005 Wash. App. LEXIS 1788
July 25, 2005, Filed

NOTICE: [*1] PUBLISHED IN PART

PRIOR HISTORY: Superior Court County: King. Superior Court Cause No: 03-2-28136-1 SEA. Date filed in Superior Court: October 8, 2004. Superior Court Judge Signing: Hon. Nicole MacInnes.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant employee challenged a decision from the Superior Court in King County (Washington), which granted summary judgment in favor of respondent employer in an action brought under the Jones Act and general maritime law to recover for injuries suffered on a ship.

OVERVIEW: The employee was injured on a ship that was docked in Russia. He later filed an action against the employer under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, and general maritime law. The employer filed a motion for summary judgment, contending that the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act (LHWCA) governed instead. After the motion was granted, the employee sought review. On appeal, the court determined that the situs of the injuries fell within the coverage of 33 U.S.C.S. § 903(a). There was no genuine issue of material fact whether the employee had the status of "seaman" at the time of his injury. He did not have "seaman" status because he lacked a connection to a vessel in navigation that was substantial both in terms of duration and nature. Rather, he was an "employee" for purposes of and subject to exclusive coverage under 33 U.S.C.S. § 905(a). Thus, dismissal of his claims was proper. Next, the court reversed the sanctions awarded under Wash. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 37 for the failure to produce a document because the three-part inquiry was not conducted. The court did not consider whether the violation was willful, if there was prejudice, or if a lesser sanction was appropriate.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the decision to grant summary judgment in favor of the employer and the order denying the employee's motion to strike the employer's affirmative defense. The court vacated the sanctions order and remanded that issue for further consideration.

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MARK CASAVANT & another n1 vs. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD. n1 Tara Casavant.

No. 04-P-47
APPEALS COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS
63 Mass. App. Ct. 785; 829 N.E.2d 1171; 2005 Mass. App.LEXIS 632
September 9, 2004, Argued
June 30, 2005, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: [**1] Worcester. Civil action commenced in the Superior Court Department on October 3, 2002. The case was heard by James P. Donohue, J., on motions for summary judgment.

DISPOSITION: Judgment reversed. Order denying motion for reconsideration vacated.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff customers filed a claim against defendant cruise line seeking to recover payment for a cruise they attempted to reschedule. The cruise line moved to dismiss the complaint based on a forum selection clause, which required that litigation be filed in Florida. The Worcester Superior Court Department (Massachusetts) entered judgment dismissing the complaint and denying the customers' motion for reconsideration. The customers appealed.

OVERVIEW: The customers purchased tickets for a cruise that was scheduled to depart from Boston harbor on September 16, 2001. The customers were fearful of going on the cruise, and sought to reschedule. The cruise line denied the customers' requests. The cruise line did not provide the customers with information concerning the forum selection clause until close to one year after the original booking, two months after full payment was made, and approximately 13 days before sail date. The appellate court concluded that because the manner and means of the delivery of the terms of the contract for passage did not fairly allow the customers the option of rejecting the contract with impunity, and because, in the limited time frame allotted, the customers did not accept the ticket as a binding contract, under controlling Federal maritime law and Massachusetts contractual law, the Florida-dictated forum selection clause was not enforceable. The appellate court also found fundamental error in the manner in which the trial court handles the cruise line's motion to dismiss which included extra material concerning the forum selection clause and thus, should have been treated as summary judgment motion.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the trial court was reversed.

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ROBERT MCINNIS VERSUS PARKER DRILLING COMPANY AND STONE ENERGY CORPORATION

NO. 2004-CA-1887
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT
04-1887 (La.App. 4 Cir. 06/01/05);
2005 La. App. LEXIS 1565
June 1, 2005, Decided

[*1] THIS DECISION IS NOT FINAL UNTIL EXPIRATION OF THE FOURTEEN DAY REHEARING PERIOD.

PRIOR HISTORY: APPEAL FROM CIVIL DISTRICT COURT, ORLEANS PARISH. NO. 2001-13692, DIVISION "G-11". Honorable Robin M. Giarrusso, Judge.

DISPOSITION: AFFIRMED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant drilling company employee was injured aboard platform rig-3 while in the course and scope of his employment. He alleged that he was employed by appellee employer as a seaman at the time of his employment injury, thereby entitling him to recover under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688. The Civil District Court, Orleans Parish, Division "G-11" (Louisiana) found that the employee failed to prove seaman's status, and he appealed.

OVERVIEW: The issue was whether the employee's transfer to rig-3, which was not a vessel, was temporary or permanent. If the transfer was permanent, then the employee forfeited whatever seaman's status he previously had enjoyed prior to the transfer. The employee claimed that because he had worked on both platform rigs and jack-up rigs for the employer, his transfer to rig-3 had to be considered temporary. The appellate court disagreed and held that the fact that the employee might have been a seaman in the past and might have had the prospect of becoming one again in the future did not mean that his assignment to rig-3 was temporary instead of permanent as those terms were understood in the jurisprudence. It was to the new duties that the appellate court had to look in determining the employee's seaman's status. The court found that all of his duties in his new work assignment to rig-3 were non-vessel-related. Coupling that undisputed fact with the trial court's finding that the employee's reassignment to rig-3 was permanent compelled the conclusion that the employee was not a seaman at the time of his injury regardless of whether he might have qualified as such immediately prior thereto.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the trial court was affirmed

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STERLING CASINO LINES, L.P., Appellant, v. LESLIE ROSALEEPLOWMAN-RENDER, Appellee.

Case No. 5D04-2830
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, FIFTH DISTRICT
902 So. 2d 938; 2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 8265; 30 Fla. L. WeeklyD 1404
June 3, 2005, Opinion Filed

SUBSEQUENT HISTORY: Released for Publication June 22, 2005.

PRIOR HISTORY: [*1] Appeal from the Circuit Court for Brevard County, Lawrence V. Johnson III, Judge.

DISPOSITION: REVERSED and REMANDED for a new trial.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant cruise line appealed a judgment in favor of appellee individual by the Circuit Court for Brevard County (Florida) in the individual's personal injury action; the cruise line claimed that the trial court erred in admitting improper character evidence, evidence of prior bad acts, and other irrelevant evidence.

OVERVIEW: The individual claimed that she injured her shoulder when a waitress carrying a tray of coffee bumped into her. The cruise line's emergency medical technician treated the individual with a first aid spray. The individual returned home, and her burns healed in a few days. However, two or three days later, she had a stiff neck and a sore shoulder. She went to see her primary care physician, whose medical records indicated the injury occurred when the individual struck her shoulder on a door a month later. Over the cruise line's objection, the individual was able to introduce information relating to the medical technician's alcohol-induced coma, suicide attempt, stays in a mental facility, and the reason for his termination from employment with the cruise line. The court held that the questions asked of the technician might have been appropriate in a discovery context. However, they were irrelevant to the issues at trial and served simply to portray the technician in an unfavorable light. Because the questions impugned the technician's character and might have destroyed his effectiveness as a witness, the cruise line was entitled to a new trial.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed, and the cause was remanded for a new trial.

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BETTY FROST, Plaintiff, vs. TECO BARGE LINES, Defendant.

No. 04-CV-00752-DRH
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFILLINOIS
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11795
June 1, 2005, Decided
June 1, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed an admiralty complaint against defendant barge company under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 et seq., and general admiralty and maritime law to recover for personal injuries sustained in the course and scope of her employment as a crew member aboard one of the company's vessels. The seaman filed a motion for cure, punitive damages, and/or attorney fees.

OVERVIEW: The seaman alleged that she sustained back injuries while working on one of the company's vessels. The seaman's doctor recommended treatment in the form of medication, nerve blocks, and possible physical therapy. The company stated that it was not required to pay for this treatment because the injury was not related to the injuries the seaman sustained on the vessel and because the treatment was purely palliative, not curative. The court disagreed. First, the seaman's doctor sent a letter clarifying that the treatment was related to the injury sustained aboard the vessel. Second, the medical treatment was aimed at resolving pain at the injury site, thereby relaxing tissue and allowing healing of the tissue. Thus, the seaman was entitled to cure. However, the court held that the seaman was not entitled to an award of attorney fees because the company's failure to pay was not willful as there had been confusion over whether the injury for which cure was sought was one that was sustained aboard the vessel. Nor was the seaman entitled to punitive damages, which the court held were not available even for an employer's willful failure to pay maintenance and cure.

OUTCOME: The court granted the seaman's motion for cure to the extent that the company was ordered to comply with its cure obligations with regard to the seaman's medical treatment. The remainder of the motion was denied.

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JOHN F. HURLEY, Plaintiff, v. M/V MAJESTIC STAR, herengines, boilers, furniture, tackle and apparel; and MAJESTIC STAR CASINO, Defendants.

NO. 2:04-CV-277 PS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OFINDIANA, HAMMOND DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13480
July 6, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, a riverboat casino employee, sued defendant casino seeking overtime wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C.S. § 201 et seq. The employee also attempted to invoke the court's admiralty jurisdiction; he brought an action in rem against the physical vessel on which he worked pursuant to the Maritime Lien Act (MLA), 46 U.S.C.S. 31342(a)(2). The vessel and the casino moved to dismiss.

OVERVIEW: The employee had not stated a claim for relief with respect to the vessel because the complaint alleged that the employee was not "employed as a seaman" and that he performed services of a non-maritime nature aboard a vessel that was virtually permanently moored. By attempting to take advantage of the protections of the FLSA, the employee had, in effect, pled himself out of court on his maritime lien claim. Moreover, there was no right to overtime under general maritime law principles, and the employee admitted that he was properly paid his regular wages in full. Further, the employee could not bring an FLSA claim directly against the vessel because the vessel was not an employer. The employee also could not maintain a maritime lien against the casino because the employee had pled that he was not a seaman. However, the employee could maintain an FLSA claim against the casino as he alleged that he worked in excess of 40 hours per week, that he was not compensated at a rate of one and one half times his regular rate, that he was not employed as seamen, and that he performed non-maritime duties.

OUTCOME: The in rem case against the vessel was dismissed for failure to state claim, but the casino's motion to dismiss was denied.

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JOHN F. HURLEY, Plaintiff, v. M/V MAJESTIC STAR, herengines, boilers, furniture, tackle and apparel; and MAJESTIC STAR CASINO, Defendants.

NO. 2:04-CV-277 PS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OFINDIANA, HAMMOND DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13480
July 6, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, a riverboat casino employee, sued defendant casino seeking overtime wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C.S. § 201 et seq. The employee also attempted to invoke the court's admiralty jurisdiction; he brought an action in rem against the physical vessel on which he worked pursuant to the Maritime Lien Act (MLA), 46 U.S.C.S. 31342(a)(2). The vessel and the casino moved to dismiss.

OVERVIEW: The employee had not stated a claim for relief with respect to the vessel because the complaint alleged that the employee was not "employed as a seaman" and that he performed services of a non-maritime nature aboard a vessel that was virtually permanently moored. By attempting to take advantage of the protections of the FLSA, the employee had, in effect, pled himself out of court on his maritime lien claim. Moreover, there was no right to overtime under general maritime law principles, and the employee admitted that he was properly paid his regular wages in full. Further, the employee could not bring an FLSA claim directly against the vessel because the vessel was not an employer. The employee also could not maintain a maritime lien against the casino because the employee had pled that he was not a seaman. However, the employee could maintain an FLSA claim against the casino as he alleged that he worked in excess of 40 hours per week, that he was not compensated at a rate of one and one half times his regular rate, that he was not employed as seamen, and that he performed non-maritime duties.

OUTCOME: The in rem case against the vessel was dismissed for failure to state claim, but the casino's motion to dismiss was denied.

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DEBORAH HELLMAN, Plaintiff, v. ROYAL CARRIBEAN INTERNATIONAL Defendant.

Case No. 04 C 4041
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OFILLINOIS, EASTERN DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14177
July 8, 2005, Decided
July 8, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger, an Illinois resident, sued defendant cruise ship company for negligence, alleging she sustained serious injury to her arm as the result of a massage she received while a passenger aboard one of the company's ships. The company moved to dismiss the complaint for improper venue and lack of personal jurisdiction, or, in the alternative, to transfer the case to a court where venue was proper.

OVERVIEW: The passenger's ticket contract provided that the forum for any litigation would be Miami, Florida. She argued that the forum selection clause was unenforceable because she lacked adequate notice of the clause and because it was fundamentally unfair. The court disagreed. The contract stated in bold letters that the document was "Important" and admonished the passenger to "Read All Clauses"; the forum selection clause itself appeared in all capital letters. That the passenger chose not to read the contract was immaterial. She was presented with adequate notice of the forum selection clause and the opportunity to reject it within 30 days without incurring a substantial financial penalty. She failed to show that fundamental unfairness would result from prosecuting the claim in Florida rather than in Illinois, as there was at least some likelihood that discoverable material and/or witnesses related to the company's alleged negligence would at its corporate offices in Miami. The court determined that justice was better served by transfer under 28 U.S.C.S. 1406(a) rather than dismissal, since the contract limited the time period in which an action could be brought.

OUTCOME: The company's motion to dismiss was denied, and its motion to transfer was granted. The case was transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

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SUE LEVICK, Plaintiff, v. STEINER TRANSOCEAN LIMITED, Defendant.

CASE NO. 04-21910-CIV-LENARD/KLEIN
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFFLORIDA, MIAMI DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14770
July 13, 2005, Decided
July 13, 2005, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Levick v. Steiner Transocean Ltd., 228 F.R.D. 671, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11350 (S.D. Fla., 2005)

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff claimant brought a negligence action against defendant, a provider of spa services, after the claimant was injured when stepping down from a massage table while a passenger on a cruise line. The provider filed a motion to dismiss, which the court construed as a motion for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The provider contended that the claimant's action was barred by the shortened one-year limitation period under the cruise ticket contract, as allowed by 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 183b(a). The court granted summary judgment in favor of the provider because there were no material facts in dispute relevant to the one-year limitation period. The court found that the provider could benefit from the shortened filing time because the one year period was lawful under § 183b(a) and the ticket contract clearly notified the claimant and other passengers of the types of liability exclusions and the types of entities who could benefit. The contract included independent contractors and detailed the type of contractors covered, including spa and masseuse services. Thus, the provider was clearly the type of independent contractor or concessionaire covered by the contract. Equitable tolling was not applicable because the claimant chose to pursue her action solely in the state court system without preserving her claim by filing in federal court. The claimant was aware of the shortened time period before its expiration, and no inequitable event prevented her from timely filing in federal court.

OUTCOME: The court granted the provider's motion to dismiss, construed as a motion for summary judgment, and closed the case. The court denied as moot all pending motions.

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EDDIEPATTERSON,Plaintiff-Counter-Defendent-Appellee, Versus ALLSEAS USA,INC., ET ALDefendants, ALLSEAS MARINE CONTRACTORS SA, Defendants-Counter Claimant-Appellant

$ 04-40949
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 10692
June 8, 2005, Filed

NOTICE: [*1] RULES OF THE FIFTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS MAY LIMIT CITATION TO UNPUBLISHED OPINIONS. PLEASE REFER TO THE RULES OF THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THIS CIRCUIT.

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Lufkin Division. No. 9:02-CV-175.

DISPOSITION: REVERSED; RENDERED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant employer sought review of a judgment from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Lufkin Division, which ruled in favor of appellee employee in his suit to recover damages for personal injuries pursuant to the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688.

OVERVIEW: The employee, who was the highest ranking employee on the ship other than the captain, went with a co-employee to inspect a pool of standing water. The employee's boots became wet during the process. Following the inspection, the employee descended a stairway and slipped, though he was prevented from falling because the co-employee blocked the employee's fall. The employee's boots were wet at the time of the fall, and a portion of the handrail on one side of the stairs was missing. The district court entered judgment for the employee on the grounds that the co-employee, who was a barge supervisor tasked with safety, had breached a duty to warn the employee of the dangers of descending the stairway with wet boots and that the employer was vicariously liable for the co-employee's breach of duty. In reversing the judgment, the court pointed out that under the Jones Act, a shipowner need not warn seamen of dangers that were "open and obvious." The court held that the employee, who was the co-employee's supervisor and the main safety official on the ship, should have known of the dangers associated with descending a stairway in wet boots, and thus, the co-employee had no duty to warn.

OUTCOME: The court reversed the district court's judgment and rendered judgment in favor of the employer.

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PAUL SOBIESKI and GAIL SOBIESKI, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. ISPAT ISLAND, INC., INDIANA HARBOR STEAMSHIP CO., LLC, CENTRAL MARINE LOGISTICS,INC., and M/V JOSEPH L. BLOCK, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 04-3001
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT
2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 12901
January 5, 2005, Argued
June 29, 2005, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: [*1] Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division. No. 2:01-CV-617-PRC. Paul R. Cherry, Magistrate Judge.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellants, crewman and his wife, filed suits against appellees, corporations, employer, and vessel, and alleged various negligence claims under maritime law. The United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division dismissed the claims that remained after a grant of summary judgment. The crewman challenged the grant of summary judgment on the claims under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688.

OVERVIEW: The crewman's neck was injured when his crewmate forcefully cracked his neck unexpectedly. The crewman then fell down his basement stairs when he experienced a lock up pinch in his neck. As a result, the crewman broke his neck in three places and required multiple surgeries and rehabilitation. The crewman and his wife contended that the employer was vicariously liable under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688 for what they described as the crewmate's pseudoctic ways. The crewman and his wife also argued that the employer was directly negligent and liable for the crewman's injury because it was aware, or should have been aware, through its officers, of the crewmate's neck-tractioning activities and did nothing to prevent them. The court found that the crewmate's altruistic tractioning of necks clearly fell within that category of acts commonly held to be outside the scope of employment, those undertaken by an employee for a private purpose and having no causal relationship with his employment. Thus, no reasonable jury could have found that the crewmate's act of cracking the crewman's neck fell within the scope of employment, and the crewman's respondeat superior argument failed.

OUTCOME: Summary judgment on the crewman and the wife's Jones Act claims was appropriate. Therefore, the judgment of the district court was affirmed.

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FOLKSAMERICA REINSURANCE COMPANY, as successor in interestto Christiania General Insurance Company of New York, Plaintiff-Appellant, v.CLEAN WATER OF NEW YORK, INC., Defendant-Appellee.

Docket No. 03-9124
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 13041
November 9, 2004, Argued
June 30, 2005, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: [*1] Appeal from a memorandum and order entered on August 14, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Block, J.), dismissing the complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction in the absence of admiralty jurisdiction. Folksamerica Reinsurance Co. v. Clean Water of N.Y., Inc., 281 F. Supp. 2d 530, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13991 (E.D.N.Y., 2003)

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: A worker was injured cleaning an oil tank of a barge moored in New York Harbor. Plaintiff insurer filed suit for a declaration that it had no obligation to defend or indemnify defendant ship tank cleaning business, which had subcontracted the work to the worker's employer. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York dismissed the case for lack of maritime jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1333(1). The insurer appealed.

OVERVIEW: The shiprepairers legal liability section and the modified comprehensive general liability (CGL) section together operated seamlessly to provide coverage that was primarily marine in nature. The sections shared a premium and were subject to the same deductible and limitations. The policy was custom-built to fill the gaps that traditional marine insurance policies--hull, collision, and protection and indemnity insurance--left in maritime-industry coverage. The SLL section protected against property damage to vessels undergoing repair, and the CGL section added completed operations, products, pollution, contractual liability, and premises and operations coverage. The provisions rounded out coverage for maritime transport operations and gave ship repair and maintenance coverage. Because one section provided full marine insurance, and the other was specifically modified to cover maritime risks, the policy was marine in nature without the necessity of determining whether the premises and operations coverage was marine or not. The policy's primary objective was marine insurance. It was error to conclude that there was no admiralty jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1333(1).

OUTCOME: The district court's dismissal was vacated and the case was remanded.

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DOUGLAS SPECTOR, ET AL., PETITIONERS v. NORWEGIAN CRUISELINE LTD.

No. 03-1388
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
125 S. Ct. 2169; 162 L. Ed. 2d 97; 2005 U.S. LEXIS 4655; 73U.S.L.W. 4429; 16 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1345; 18 Fla. L.Weekly Fed. S354;11 Accom. Disabilities Dec. (CCH) 11-256
February 28, 2005, Argued
June 6, 2005, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT. Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line, Ltd., 356 F.3d 641, 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 340 (5th Cir. Tex., 2004)

DISPOSITION: Reversed and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff disabled passengers filed a class action against defendant foreign cruise line under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), 42 U.S.C.S. § 12181 et seq. Though holding Title III generally applicable, the district court dismissed some claims but left others in place. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that the ADA was inapplicable to foreign vessels. The passengers sought review.

OVERVIEW: The passengers claimed the line's ships were covered by Title III's prohibition on discrimination in "public accommodations," 42 U.S.C.S. § 12182(a), and "specified public transportation services," 42 U.S.C.S. § 12184(a). Inter alia, the Supreme Court held that although the statutory definitions of "public accommodation" and "specified public transportation" did not expressly mention cruise ships, the cruise ships in question clearly fell within both definitions under conventional principles of interpretation. The "clear statement rule" demanded a clear congressional statement, not for all applications of a statute to foreign-flag vessels, but only those applications that would interfere with the foreign vessel's internal affairs. This did not mean the clear statement rule was irrelevant to the ADA, however. If Title III by its terms imposed duties that interfered with a foreign-flag ship's internal affairs, the lack of a clear congressional statement could mean that those specific statutory applications were precluded. The Circuit Court's broadly sweeping clear statement rule interpretation was inconsistent with the Supreme Court's case law and sound statutory interpretation.

OUTCOME: The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Circuit Court and remanded for further proceedings.

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[*1] S.M. Pires and VIRGINIA PIRES, his wife, Plaintiff,v. Frota Oceanica Brasileira, S.A., BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF GALVESTON WHARVES d/b/aPORT of GALVESTON & CITY OF GALVESTON d/b/a PORT OF GALVESTON, Defendants. S.M.PIRES and SAUL RUDES, Plaintiffs, KENNETH HELLER, Defendant KENNETH HELLER,Third-party Defendant, SUSAN HARMON, Third-party Defendant. S.M. PIRES and SAULRUDES, Plaintiffs, v. KENNETH HELLER, Defendant

23829/76
SUPREME COURT OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK COUNTY
2005 NY Slip Op 50315U; 6 Misc. 3d 1036A; 2005 N.Y. Misc.LEXIS 434
January 14, 2005, Decided

According to the verified complaint in Pires and Rudes v Heller, plaintiff S.M. Pires retained defendant Kenneth Heller to represent him in[**5] the an action commenced in 1976 against Frota Oceanica Brasileira, S.A. et al, for personal injuries Mr. Pires sustained while employed as[*3] a seaman on Frota's ship. That action for maintenance and cure resulted in a judgment in Mr. Pires' favor in a sum exceeding $4,000,000 plus interest. The complaint further avers that Mr. Heller retained plaintiff Saul Rudes as appellate counsel to handle appeals resulting from the judgment and agreed that Mr. Rudes' fee would be 10% of Heller's net fee in Mr. Pires' personal injury action. After several appeals, the total judgment with interest awarded to Mr. Pires was $8,329,720.65. Defendant Frota issued a check in that amount made payable to "Starkheiser Pires and Kenneth Heller and Saul Rudes, his attorneys."

According to the supporting affidavit of Mr. Pires', Mr. Heller represented him in the personal injury action S.M. Pires v Frota Oceanica Brasileira, Index No. 23829/76. Mr. Pires states that (1) Mr. Heller showed him the June 24, 1997 Appellate Division decision which held that Mr. Pires was entitled to a $4,000,000 damage award, (2) after further appeals, defendant Frota was ordered to pay that amount with interest which amount totaled $8,239,720.65 and that Mr. Heller never informed him of this accrued additional interest and Mr. Heller kept that amount for himself, (3) at the time that Mr. Pires went to the bank with Mr. Heller to receive the $4,000,000 amount, Mr. Heller asked Mr. Pires to sign blank sheets of paper and Mr. Pires has no knowledge of the contents of those documents now, (4) after learning of the higher award, Mr. Pires confronted Mr. Heller who stated he took the other 50% as his fee, (5) Mr. Pires protested to Mr. Heller as he was never told of the higher award and never agreed to the 50% fee, (6) Mr. Pires never signed a retainer[**8] agreement, (7) Mr. Pires filed a complaint with the Disciplinary Committee of the Appellate Division, First Department, Mr. Heller promised that he would pay the money back because the Court would award an additional $4,000,000 as attorneys' fees against defendant Frota's insurance company, (8) Mr. Pires withdrew the complaint under duress as Mr. Heller said he would not get the money back if Mr. Heller was disbarred as Mr. Pires had no[*4] other attorney at the time, (9) Mr. Heller came to Brazil and Mr. Pires signed an affidavit which he did not read and gave a deposition recorded on videotape, a copy of which Mr. Pires does not have and which is invalid according to Brazilian law, (10) Mr. Heller has told Mr. Pires that he has no money to repay him and Mr. Heller has previously told him that he keeps money in bank accounts in Switzerland, Leichtenstein and Germany, and (11) Mr. Heller has threatened to leave the state and live in Brazil as Brazil has no extradition policy with the United States specifically for the purpose of defeating the collection of any judgment Mr. Pires would obtain against him.

Mr. Pires has taken contradictory positions regarding his former attorney Kenneth Heller and the[**9] submissions on these motions reflect those differing positions. However, the explanations given, that he signed blank sheets of paper for Mr. Heller and that Mr. Heller told him that he would not see the money owed to him unless he withdrew his complaints, are plausible.

The affirmation of plaintiff Saul Rudes n2 avers that Mr. Rudes has been co-counsel with Kenneth Heller in the Pires v Frota Oceanica Brasileira personal injury action since 1996, having been retained by Mr. Heller to handle several post-judgment appeals. Mr. Rudes states that (a) his status as an attorney of record was confirmed in a Supreme Court order dated July 29, 1999, (b) his fee agreement with Mr. Heller in this action as well as other actions for which he was retained is that he would receive 10% of Mr. Heller's net fee, and, thus, he has a 10% interest in the attorneys' fee against the judgment of $8,329,720.65, (c) Mr. Heller committed a fraud against Mr. Pires and Mr. Rudes when Mr. Heller took half of the full judgment amount, (d) Mr. Heller duped Mr. Rudes into waiving an attorneys' fee lien by falsely stating to Mr. Rudes, and to the Court, that the $8,329,720 was to be paid directly to the client, Mr. Pires [**10]and that attorneys' fees were to be awarded separately, (e) Mr. Heller moved to have defendant Frota issue a new check without Mr. Rudes name on it and as a result Frota issued a new check which was issued payable solely to Heller as attorney.

DISPOSITION: Plaintiffs' motion for an order of attachment granted; cross-motion to dismiss denied.

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HAROLD YOUNCE VERSUS PACIFIC GULF MARINE, INC. AND ABCINSURANCE COMPANY

No. 04-CA-839
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FIFTH CIRCUIT
04-839 (La.App. 5 Cir. 01/25/05);
893 So. 2d 909; 2005 La. App. LEXIS 57
January 25, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant claimant challenged the judgment of the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson, Division I, Louisiana, granting summary judgment in favor of appellee employer denying the claimant maintenance and cure benefits for his injury suffered aboard a ship.

OVERVIEW: The claimant was involved in an accident aboard a ship in December 1995 while employed by the employer. The evidence presented showed that the claimant was injured aboard another ship in April 1995. The employer argued that the claimant intentionally concealed his injury and treatment for the prior accident in April 1995, thereby forfeiting his right to maintenance and cure. The appellate court ruled that whether the claimant intentionally misrepresented his medical condition or fraudulently concealed material information regarding his medical condition when he presented to get his clinic card was a disputed question of fact. Since the claimant admitted to having a prior neck injury and that the prior injury occurred on a ship, there was a material issue of fact as to whether the claimant fraudulently concealed his medical condition and should be deprived of maintenance and cure. Also, it was not clear from the evidence submitted whether the prior injury and medical treatment even if disclosed would have prevented the claimant from receiving a clinic card.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed and the matter was remanded.

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ARMONDO MARTINEZ VERSUS MARLOW TRADING, S.A. AND FOREIGNCREW EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, INC.

No. 2004-CA-0538
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT
2004-0538 (La.App. 4 Cir. 02/02/05);
894 So. 2d 1222; 2005 La. App. LEXIS 283; 2005 AMC 778
February 2, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant injured Honduran seaman brought a suit for maintenance and cure against appellees, a Greek vessel owner and its Louisiana agent. Both filed, inter alia, a motion to dismiss pursuant La. Code Civ. Proc. Ann. art. 123(B), stating that Orleans Parish was not an appropriate forum and that Panama or Honduras were more appropriate. The Civil District Court, Orleans Parish, Division "G-11" (Louisiana) granted the motion. The seaman appealed.

OVERVIEW: Panama and Honduras were both adequate and available forums for the proceedings to be conducted and therefore, they fulfilled the requirements for transfer to a more convenient forum. Panama was available because it was the chosen forum of both parties based upon the contractual agreement, and the vessel was also registered in Panama. Honduras was available because the seaman was domiciled there and it was where key witnesses, including his doctors, were located. Based upon the affidavits of a Panamanian attorney, the seaman's claims would be recognized in Panama and he would receive an adequate remedy. The seaman was domiciled and had received the remainder of his medical treatment in Honduras; therefore Honduras was also the location of his treating physicians who would be required to testify at trial. In the interest of fostering greater access to sources of proof and minimizing the costs of obtaining witnesses the trial should be held in either Panama or Honduras; especially because the witnesses were not located in Orleans Parish nor was the vessel registered in that parish. Therefore the appellate court held that both countries provided adequate forums for the trial.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the trial court was affirmed.

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STEPHEN C. SMITH VERSUS TIDEWATER INC.

NO. 2004-CA-0195
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT
04-0195 (La.App. 4 Cir. 3/02/05);
2005 La. App. LEXIS 905
March 2, 2005, Judgment Released

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant employer, a marine company, appealed a decision of the Civil District Court, Orleans Parish (Louisiana), which awarded damages to plaintiff employee in finding that the defendant violated the duty to rescue plaintiff after he fell overboard. Plaintiff was also awarded damages for wrongful termination.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff was working for defendant when he allegedly fell overboard off the coast of Puerto Rico. Plaintiff swam for nearly 20 hours to shore. The court held that defendant complied with 46 C.F.R. § 26.03-2(b). However, once the Coast Guard began searching for plaintiff, defendant brought its tow into port claiming that it created a burden in the search efforts. The court held that even if that were so, defendant's action of spending over three hours in port while its seaman was lost at sea was not diligent. Further, while 46 C.F.R. § 4.06 required chemical testing on those directly involved, the testing could have been done later. But for the vessel returning the barge to port so that it could remain on schedule, plaintiff may have been rescued and his post-traumatic stress disorder lessened. However, the trial court erred in not assessing plaintiff a percentage of contributory negligence. Therefore, because defendant was not negligent in plaintiff's actual fall, it assigned plaintiff 70 percent fault. Finally, the court held that the retaliatory discharge award was proper because there was evidence that plaintiff was fired in because he was considering filing a claim.

OUTCOME: The court amended the judgment to cast plaintiff 70 percent comparatively at fault. The award for retaliatory discharge was amended to reflect the intention to include an award for lost wages and loss of future income.

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SIVIRINO CARREON, BULIG-BULIG KITA KAMAGANAK ASSOCIATION,RENATO ASISTORGA, PEDRO B. SORIMA, ARNEL N. GALANG, ELSA MONTIAGODO, ERASTOMAGHACUT, ISABEL MAGNO, LORITA ACOSTA, ACEBEDO VIOLETA, SABULAO FAIYAZ, JULIETABENASO, ESCOLASTICA BALDO, JOSE BAGUHIN VERSUS CAL-TEX PHILIPPINES, INC.,CAL-TEX PETROLEUM, CORP., CAL-TEX ASIA, LTD., CAL-TEX OIL CORP., CALIFORNIATEXAS OIL CORP., CAL- TEX PHILIPPINES PETROLEUM COMPANY, INC., CAL--TEX TRADINGAND TRANSPORT CORP., STEAMSHIP MUTUAL, ET AL.

NO. 2004-CA-0809
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT
2004-0809 (La.App. 4 Cir. 03/23/05);
2005 La. App. LEXIS 1010
March 23, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: After two vessels collided off of the coast of the Philippines, appellee petitioners brought a suit in the Civil District Court, Orleans Parish, Division "G-11" (Louisiana). The court initially conditionally dismissed the suit based on forum non conveniens pursuant to La. Code Civ. Proc. Ann. art. 123, but the court subsequently reinstated the suit because no foreign forum would provide an adequate remedy. Appellant ship owner appealed.

OVERVIEW: The issue was whether the district court erred in reinstating the claim. The ship owner argued, inter alia, that the petitioners sabotaged their own motion to intervene in the Manila court by failing to provide support for the motion and failing to advise the Manila court of the previous dismissal in Catabalogan. The appellate court found that the record reflected that the petitioners accurately filed their motion in accordance with the appropriate law and that there was no harm in the petitioner's efforts to seek another forum to litigate. The record did not reveal any wrongdoing or ill filings on the part of the petitioners that warranted the label of "sabotage" or deceit. Twice the district court ordered the conditional dismissal of the case. The petitioners complied with the order of the district court by filing their claims in Manila and Catabalogan. Each judgment provided for the reinstatement of the case in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans should the Philippine courts choose not to accept jurisdiction. The district court had not abused its discretion by reinstating the claims, especially when it clearly rendered its judgments with that possibility in mind.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the trial court reinstating the claims of the petitioners was affirmed.

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BETTY FISK, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. ROYAL CARIBBEANCRUISES, LTD., a Liberian corporation, Defendant-Appellant.

Docket No. 30041, 2005 Opinion No. 39
SUPREME COURT OF IDAHO
108 P.3d 990; 2005 Ida. LEXIS 44
March 4, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: The District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, Ada County, Idaho, denied appellant cruise line's Idaho R. Civ. P. 12(b) motion to dismiss an action brought against it by respondent passenger for having been filed in an improper forum. The cruise line appealed.

OVERVIEW: Under principles of federal maritime law, the cruise line sought enforcement of a forum selection clause in the cruise ticket contract signed by the passenger. The appellate court noted that the suit arose from a tort occurring on the high seas and involved the interpretation of a maritime contract. As such, both the tort and the contract were subject to federal maritime law. Although the passenger argued that Idaho law applied, any public policy exceptions were not controlling in an international commercial agreement outside of American waters. The maritime contract at issue was international in nature as it involved a cruise to Mexico. There was no authority permitting the appellate court to apply Idaho law in place of federal maritime law. The forum selection clause in the non-negotiated cruise ticket contract established Florida as the sole appropriate forum for litigation. The passenger did not raise fairness issues such as inconvenience, fraud, or overreaching. Therefore, the forum selection clause in the cruise ticket contract had to be enforced. The passenger was not the prevailing party on appeal; therefore, no award of attorney fees was warranted.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed and remanded.

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IRIS FRANGO and JOSEPH FRANGO, Appellants, v. ROYALCARIBBEAN CRUISES, LTD., Appellee.

CASE NO. 3D03-3261
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
891 So. 2d 1208; 2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 954; 2005 AMC 804; 30Fla. L. Weekly D 320
February 2, 2005, Opinion Filed

DISPOSITION: Affirmed in part; reversed in part and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellants, a wife and a husband, brought suit against defendant cruise company to recover for injuries sustained by the wife on one of the company's ships and for loss of consortium. Appellants sought review of the judgment of the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County (Florida), which granted the company's motion for summary judgment on both of the claims.

OVERVIEW: While appellants were passengers on one of the company's ships, the automatic sliding doors that led into the ship's lounge closed on the wife's face and caused her injuries. The incident occurred as the wife entered the lounge and turned her head around to find her husband, who was walking behind her. In appellants' suit against the company, the trial court granted summary judgment against appellants on both the wife's negligence claim and the husband's claim for loss of consortium. On appeal, the court found that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment against the wife on her negligence claim because the court could not agree that by briefly stopping to look back at her husband, the wife was entirely responsible for the accident. However, the court determined that the trial court properly granted summary judgment against the husband on his loss of consortium claim because maritime law did not recognize a claim for loss of consortium to non-seamen.

OUTCOME: The court reversed the judgment granting summary judgment for the company on the wife's claim for injuries but affirmed the judgment granting summary judgment for the company on the husband's claim for loss of consortium. The court remanded the cause to the trial court.

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MARLON VALDIVIA, Appellant, v. PRESTIGE CRUISES, N.V. andCSCS INTERNATIONAL, N.V., Appellees.

No. 4D04-1942
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, FOURTH DISTRICT
2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 4653; 30 Fla. L. Weekly D 905
April 6, 2005, Decided

OPINION: Per Curiam.

We affirm the trial court's dismissal of this seaman's personal injury suit on forum non conveniens grounds. In dismissing this case, the trial court properly applied the analysis required by Kinney System, Inc. v. Continental Insurance Co., 674 So. 2d 86 (Fla. 1996), and rule 1.061(a) of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure. The Kinney factors provide the proper analysis for maritime cases filed in state court. See Tananta v. Cruise Ships Catering & Svcs. Int'l, 2004 Fla. App. LEXIS 19661, 2004 WL 2955023, 30 Fla. L. Weekly D18 (Fla. 3d DCA Dec. 22, 2004) (clarifying that[*2] where dismissal of a Jones Act action filed in state court is sought on the grounds of forum non conveniens, Kinney standards apply, rather than a federal choice of law venue analysis).

Further, the time limitation in rule 1.061(g) does not affect the trial court's ability to raise the forum non conveniens issue sua sponte at any time. See Verysell-Holding LLC v. Tsukanov, 866 So. 2d 114 (Fla. 3rd DCA), rev. denied, 874 So. 2d 1194 (2004) (holding that the sixty-day time limit imposed by rule of civil procedure governing service of a party's motion to dismiss based on forum non conveniens does not apply to a trial court's inherent power to raise the issue of forum non conveniens sua sponte.).

Affirmed.

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Audre Capaldo v. Camelot Cruises, Inc. et al.

CV030179618S
SUPERIOR COURT OF CONNECTICUT, JUDICIAL DISTRICT OFWATERBURY, AT WATERBURY
2005 Conn. Super. LEXIS 551
February 18, 2005, Decided
February 18, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff injured party filed a negligence action against defendants, a cruise line and performing theatre company (company), for injuries she sustained during one of the company's on- ship performances. The cruise line moved for summary judgment on the ground that it had no duty to the injured party, no issues of material fact existed, and thus, it was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. This proceeding followed.

OVERVIEW: The injured party alleged that the cruise line was negligent in allowing the company to have personal contact with the ship's passengers, allowing the performance to take place in their proximity, failing to provide a warning that performers would have contact with passengers, not properly supervising the performers, and not providing reasonable assistance to her once she was injured. The court first held that it appeared that the company was an independent contractor. Second, the cruise line retained some degree of control over the equipment used in the performances, such as the cordless microphones used for the actors. It also had the sole responsibility to promote and advertise the performance and had the right to control the content and format of all written and printed materials that came in contact with passengers. These contract provisions, coupled with the fact that the performances took place on the ship, raised material fact issues regarding the cruise lines's retention of control over the premises where the performances took place. Further, given the interaction between the company and the audience, it was foreseeable that an actor would step on a passenger's foot.

OUTCOME: The motion was denied.

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DONALD J. LEBLANC v. M/V NAUMACHIA (O.N. 672110), herengines, tackle and appurtenances, inrem

CA No. 04-009 ML
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODEISLAND
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5152; 2005 AMC 506
January 4, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In an in rem action, pro se plaintiff former captain asserted maritime liens against a vessel. After the vessel was arrested, claimant bank intervened asserting that it held a preferred ship mortgage against vessel superior to any lien asserted by the captain.

OVERVIEW: It was undisputed that the bank's mortgage was a preferred mortgage under the Commercial Instruments and Maritime Liens Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 31301 et seq. The bank disputed the very existence of the liens asserted by the captain and argued instead that the captain was a joint venturer who was legally incapable of asserting a maritime lien against the vessel. The court engaged in a five-part analysis and determined that a joint venture existed. The captain and his former fiancee intended to purchase the vessel together, but could not because of the captain's poor credit. The captain controlled nearly all of the operational activities of the vessel. While his former fiancee was legal owner of the vessel, the captain nonetheless managed the operations of the vessel and, as such, had a proprietary interest in the vessel and its success. The final two factors considered the share of the venture's profits and losses. The captain and his former fiancee agreed to equally share all profits. The fact that they never discussed who would bear the enterprise's losses did not necessarily foreclose a determination that the captain was a joint venturer.

OUTCOME: The bank had a preferred ship mortgage against the vessel, but the captain had no valid maritime liens. The vessel was ordered sold, and the resulting proceeds would first be allocated to any expenses that had accumulated while the vessel was detained in custodia legis. The remainder would then be paid into the registry of court for disbursement on any claims made.

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JAMES WHITE, Plaintiff, v. WATERMAN STEAMSHIP CORP.,Defendant.

CIVIL ACTION NO. G-03-1026
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFTEXAS, GALVESTON DIVISION
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7246
January 7, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Following an injury while working aboard a vessel, plaintiff seaman sued defendant, the vessel's owner, alleging causes of action under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 588, unseaworthiness, maintenance and cure, and penalty wages under 46 U.S.C.S. § 10313. Defendant filed a motion for partial summary judgment only as to the claim for penalty wages.

OVERVIEW: There was no evidence that defendant intentionally withheld plaintiff's wages for his work on the first day he was on the vessel or arbitrarily or willfully refused to pay him those wages. A simple accounting error in the calculation of a seaman's wages did not qualify as arbitrary or willful so as to invoke the draconian penalties under 46 U.S.C.S. § 10313. Moreover, plaintiff was not entitled to penalty wages for any lost past and future wages, unpaid maintenance and cure benefits, and lost union benefit plan contributions. Lost union benefit plan contributions and unpaid maintenance and cure benefits were outside the scope of the wage penalty statute. Lost union benefit contributions were paid to the seaman's union and not directly to the seaman. Lost wages were those that a seaman could have earned but did not because of his incapacity, thus, they did not accrue until after he was discharged.

OUTCOME: The court granted defendant's motion for partial summary judgment for penalty wages.

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LUCKY STEVENS VERSUS OMEGA PROTEIN, INC.

CIVIL ACTION No: 00-3326 SECTION "T" (2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFLOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 537
January 11, 2005, Decided
January 13, 2005, Filed; January 13, 2005, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman was injured while working aboard a vessel owned by defendant employer. The seaman filed an action pursuant to the Jones Act, 26 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, and general maritime law seeking compensation for his injuries. The court conducted a bench trial, in admiralty, and entered its findings and judgment.

OVERVIEW: While working on a fishing boat, the seaman was struck in the back by a hydraulically operated galvanized steel block. His last treating physician reported that he suffered a 15 to 20 percent permanent partial total body medical impairment, which would limit his ability to work. The seaman's economic expert concluded that he would lose between $203,435 and $267,254 in wages, as a result of his physical impairments. The court found that the employee who operated the block was negligent, as was the rest of the crew for failing to warn the seaman of the impending danger created by the block operator. The employer could be held liable and was negligent through the actions of its boat crew; their incompetence also rendered the boat unseaworthy. The court found no contributory fault on the seaman's part. The seaman was entitled to recover unpaid maintenance and cure benefits and was also entitled to recover damages for pain and suffering and for past and future lost wages. He was not entitled to attorney's fees because he failed to show that the employer's denial of maintenance and cure benefits was egregious.

OUTCOME: The court entered a judgment for the seaman and ordered the employer to pay him $629,656.64, together with interest from the date of the judgment. It held that the seaman was not entitled to attorney's fees. The court declined to award prejudgment interest.

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IN THE MATTER OF CRESCENT SHIP SERVICE, INC., as owner andowner pro-hac-vice, of the M/V MR. FREDDIE, her engines, tackle, appurtenances,etc. in a cause of EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

CIVIL ACTION NO. 03-2107, c/w 03-2163, C/w 04-0340, c/w04-0397 SECTION "C" (5)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFLOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1294
January 26, 2005, Decided
January 27, 2005, Filed; January 28, 2005, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In an action that arose out of an accident involving a crew boat and a barge, the matter was before the court to determine whether claimant longshoremen suffered injury and damages as a result of the collision.

OVERVIEW: The 22 longshoremen alleged they were on board a crew boat when, at approximately 8:00 p.m., the vessel struck a slow-moving barge. The crew boat was ferrying the longshoremen back to shore from a mid-river work site. The owner of the crew boat and the owner of the barge stipulated that they were jointly and severally liable for causing the accident that was the basis of the suit. The court first found that the collision was strong enough to cause injury to passengers on the crew boat. The court reasoned that virtually all of the longshoremen testified that the collision provided a strong jolt to the crew boat, and the impact itself was exacerbated by the sharp acceleration and turn of the crew boat immediately prior to contact, a result of the captain's attempt to maneuver the boat out of harm's way. Next, the court stated that it would consider each longshoremen's allegations of injury without regard to their failure to report injury or their reasons for not doing so. Finally, the court addressed each of the longshoremen individually. In doing so, most of the longshoremen were awarded medical specials and general damages.

OUTCOME: The court awarded medical specials and general damages to most of the longshoremen. Two of the longshoremen were awarded nothing.

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GLEN TATE, et al., Plaintiffs, v. SHOWBOAT MARINA CASINOPARTERNSHIP, et al., Defendants.

No. 02 C 3432
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OFILLINOIS, EASTERN DIVISION
357 F. Supp. 2d 1075; 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6245

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employees filed suit against defendant vessel owners, seeking overtime pay and damages for delay in payment pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C.S. § 201 et seq. The owners filed a motion for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The employees, who worked as crew members on a gambling boat, claimed that they were entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA. The owners contended that the employees were exempt from the overtime provisions of the FLSA under 29 U.S.C.S. § 213(b)(6) because they were employed as "seamen" on a vessel. The court held that the owners were entitled to summary judgment on the employees' claims because: (1) the employees were considered seaman for purposes of the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, and, thus, a presumption arose that they were seaman under the FLSA as well; and (2) there was no genuine issue of material fact such that the employees could rebut the presumption that they were seaman. The court found that the activities relied upon by the employees in support of their assertion that they spent over 20 percent of their time on non-maritime services--acting as security guards, greeting guests while they stood watch on the rampway, changing and cleaning ceiling tiles, performing general housekeeping duties, moving slot machines and furniture, and answering telephones--were in fact maritime services because they were related to the safety of the boat as a ship and not a casino.

OUTCOME: The court granted the owners' motion for summary judgment.

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ANTHONY ALFRED VERSUS HORNBECK OFFSHORE SERVICES, ET AL.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 04-2243 SECTION "L" (5)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFLOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3325
February 22, 2005, Decided
February 22, 2005, Filed; February 24, 2005, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed suit against defendants, his employer, a vessel owner, and a charterer, alleging claims against the owner and charterer for negligence and unseaworthiness. The seaman also alleged claims against his employer for negligence and unseaworthiness under the Jones Act and for maintenance and cure. The charterer and the employer filed motions for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The seaman, who was working as a cook aboard a vessel, claimed that he was injured when he slipped on a wet floor while walking down a hallway from his bedroom to the bathroom. The seaman further contended that he did not know that the floor had just been mopped and was wet. The charterer and the employer sought summary judgment on the seaman's negligence claim. The court held that the charterer was entitled to summary judgment because the seaman's injuries did not occur within the traditional spheres of activity over which a time charterer might exercise control, the charterer had no employees aboard the vessel, and the charterer had no responsibility for controlling tasks like mopping. Thus, the charterer did not owe the seaman a "hybrid duty" to instruct the captain to maintain a safe work place and keep the floors from being slippery and dangerous. The court further held that the employer was entitled to summary judgment on the issue of liability under the Jones Act because the evidence established that the employer had no way of knowing that the floor was wet at the time of the accident. Thus, the employer did not have notice and an opportunity to correct the unsafe condition.

OUTCOME: The court granted the charterer's motion for summary judgment, granted the employer's motion for summary judgment with respect to the employer's liability under the Jones Act, and denied the employer's motion for summary judgment with respect to the seaman's claim for maintenance and cure.

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RICHARD T. ARNOLD, Plaintiff, v. LUEDTKE ENGINEERING, CO.,Defendant.

File No. 1:04-CV-69
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN, SOUTHERN DIVISION
357 F. Supp. 2d 1019; 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3107
February 24, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employee filed suit against defendant employer, seeking damages for negligence and vessel unseaworthiness pursuant to the Jones Act (Jones Act or Act), 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688. The employer filed a motion for summary judgment on the ground that the employee was not a " seaman " under the Act.

OVERVIEW: The employer was a maritime construction company. During his 23 years of employment, the employee worked in various capacities, including as a runner, deckhand, tugboat pilot, and project foreman. At the time of the events in question, the employee was assigned as project foreman to a seawall construction project. The employee was injured during the wedge plate phase of the project. The court held that the employer was entitled to summary judgment on the employee's Jones Act claim because the employee's job assignment at the time of his injury--attaching wedge plates to a seawall--was a new, land-based assignment that did not involve any service to a vessel; thus, the employee did not have a substantial connection to a vessel as required for " seaman " status under the Act. The court found: (1) the employee's prior work history with the employer was not relevant to the seaman inquiry; (2) the employee's service as a tug boat pilot during the wedge plate phase of the project did not satisfy the substantial connection requirement; and (3) the employee's membership in a seafarers union and receipt of maintenance and cure pursuant to a union contract did not establish his seaman status.

OUTCOME: The court granted the employer's motion for summary judgment.

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JAMES BAILEY, Plaintiff, -against- SEABOARD BARGECORPORATION, PETROLEUM TRANSPORT CORPORATION, MORAN TOWING CORPORATION, CLEANWATER OF NEW YORK, INC., MARINERS HARBOR MARINE CORP., and EGRET REALTY CORP., Defendants.

03 CV 0267 (GBD)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2860
February 25, 2005, Decided
February 25, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, a tankerman, brought claims under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, against his employer, a barge owner, and their parent corporation, and brought common law negligence claims against a barge docking facility owner and its operator, following injuries he sustained while attempting to board his employer's barge. The employer, owners, and operator moved for summary judgment under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56.

OVERVIEW: The tankerman claimed that the facility owner and its operator failed to provide a safe means for him to access the barge he was assigned to work on. The court held that the tankerman's negligence claims failed because there was no evidence that the facility owner or its operator breached their duty of reasonable care or that any such breach was the proximate cause of the tankerman's injuries. The court found that there was no evidence that the barge docking facility was inherently unsafe or that the tankerman was not warned of any hidden dangers, and that the tankerman's injuries occurred on mothballed barges adjacent to the docking facility's property which he chose, of his own volition, to walk through. The court further held that the tankerman's Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, claims failed because there was no evidence that the employer or barge owner failed to provide a safe and available way to get from the shore to the barge. The court found that a safe route was available to the barge, and that the tankerman was injured as a result of his decision to board the barge through mothballed barges, which were not owned, operated, or controlled by the employer or barge owner.

OUTCOME: The motions for summary judgment were granted. The tankerman's claims against the employer, owners, and operator were dismissed.

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OFMASSACHUSETTS
360 F. Supp. 2d 195; 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3121
March 3, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman, who sustained injuries when he was stuck with a fish hook while working on board a vessel, sued defendant owner of the vessel for a claim under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, for a claim of unseaworthiness, and for a claim of maintenance and cure. Defendant owner moved for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The captain of the vessel removed the hook and cleaned and bandaged the wound. Two weeks later when the vessel docked, the seaman was diagnosed as having an infection and was prescribed antibiotics. He was also treated for gastrointestinal bleeding. Tests revealed that he had used cocaine and opiates, and the seaman reported using drugs intravenously. The issue in the case was whether the fish hook incident was causally related to two surgeries for the seaman's ulcers. The seaman could not rely on his doctor's opinion to establish causation because there was no evidence to support the opinion that the seaman had taken aspirin and Motrin for pain after the fish hook incident which caused the ulcers. Without evidence of causation, his Jones Act and unseaworthiness claims failed as a matter of law. However, because the seaman denied in deposition that he had ever used, or reported using, cocaine or other drugs intravenously, a question of material fact was raised as to whether his own willful misconduct foreclosed an award for maintenance and cure.

OUTCOME: The court granted in part and denied in part the owner's motion for summary judgment. The motion was granted as to the Jones Act and unseaworthiness claims and denied as to the claim for maintenance and cure.

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SANDRA JEAN SIMPSON, and ALEXANDER J. SIMPSON, PersonalRepresentative for the Estate of DR. MOSTAFA KARIM Plaintiffs, v. THE SOCIALISTPEOPLE'S LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA, Defendant.

Civil Action No. 00-1722 (RMU), Document No.: 45
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3292
March 7, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, spouse of deceased husband and his estate, sued defendant Libya under international law, federal law, and state law, seeking compensatory damages for an act of hostage taking that Libya allegedly committed in 1987. Libya sought dismissal for lack of jurisdiction, inter alia, which implicated the state sponsored terrorism exception to Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, specifically 28 U.S.C.S. § 1605(a)(7).

OVERVIEW: In 1987, Libyan authorities boarded the boat the spouse and deceased were traveling on, forcibly removed all passengers, and detained the spouse and deceased. Eventually, the spouse was forcibly separated from her husband and allowed to leave, but her husband was detained for the next seven months. The exception to foreign sovereign immunity at issue in the present case was the state-sponsored terrorism exception, codified at 28 U.S.C.S. § 1605(a)(7). The court held that in light of the political situation at the time and evidence produced by the plaintiffs, the allegations used to support the hostage-taking claim including use of the plaintiffs as human shields to prevent American air attacks; revenge and compensation for American air attacks; exchange for Egyptian military hardware; and Libya's pattern of terrorist activity, were sufficient for the court to exercise subject matter jurisdiction. Competent evidence demonstrated that Libya's purpose in the alleged hostage taking was to compel a third party to do or abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the hostages' release. Thus, the court had jurisdiction under the state sponsored terrorism exception.

OUTCOME: The court denied Libya's motion to dismiss and granted the spouse and estate leave to amend their complaint to state with specificity their causes of action.

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HOEKSTRA, et al., Plaintiff(s) v. CARIBBEAN CRUISES, LTD.,et al, Defendant(s)

CIVIL NO. 04-1044(JAG)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO
360 F. Supp. 2d 362; 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4153
March 9, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs vacationers filed a breach of contract and constitutional-tort action seeking compensatory and punitive redress for the losses of their failed vacation against defendant cruise line. The cruise line filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and for improper venue.

OVERVIEW: The vacationers made a booking with the cruise line's subsidiary and were aware that the subsidiary had a policy not allowing women who were in an advanced stage of pregnancy on board. Three days before the departure date, the vacationers sought clarification regarding the aforementioned policy, and the vacationers were assured that the wife could board the ship because at the time of the scheduled boarding she would be only twenty-five weeks pregnant. Relying on this information, the vacationers boarded a transatlantic flight to Miami from their home in The Netherlands. However, upon arriving at the pier where the cruise ship was docked, the vacationers were not allowed to board. The court would not dismiss the action because the vacationers were raising the possibility that the cruise line, as a parent company, developed policies for the subsidiary and had the duty to train the subsidiary's employees. As to venue, the vacationers could not have had prior knowledge of the forum selection clause because they were supposed to pick up the relevant documents at the pier. Thus, the court could not impute to the vacationers the required knowledge to enforce the forum selection clause.

OUTCOME: The court denied the cruise line's motion to dismiss.

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VEGA-PEREZ, et al., Plaintiff(s) v. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, et al., Defendant(s)

CIVIL NO. 04-2358(JAG)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO
361 F. Supp. 2d 1; 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4156
March 16, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendants, a cruise line and others, filed a motion, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), to dismiss plaintiff parents' action for personal injuries based on improper venue.

OVERVIEW: The parents authorized their sons to take a cruise trip with their grandparents and other relatives. While playing at a close distance from their relatives, one of the sons tripped on the rug and slit his left cheek with an air hockey machine that had a protruding piece of metal at the bottom part of the machine. Defendants moved to dismiss the action because the passage contract contained a forum selection clause that designated Miami, Florida, as the exclusive forum for resolution of disputes arising from the contract of passage. Defendants claimed that the ticket contract, as well as the travel brochure, reasonably communicated the forum selection clause to the passengers. The court held that, given the fact that the parents presumably became aware of the forum selection clause at the moment they received the travel tickets, they were reasonably communicated the terms and conditions of the passage contract. Further, the court found that the clause was fair and reasonable. The court also found that the enforcement of the forum selection clause would not have gravely inconvenienced the parents since Miami was a relatively close litigation forum to Puerto Rico.

OUTCOME: The court denied defendants' motion to dismiss for improper venue, but transferred the case to the United States District Court of Southern District of Florida.

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JANE DOE, Plaintiff, vs. ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES, LTD.,Defendant.

CASE NO. 04-21627-CIV-HOEVELER
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFFLORIDA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6582
March 18, 2005, Decided
March 18, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant employer moved to compel arbitration in plaintiff employee's action, which resulted from a rape experienced while she was working on one of the employer's vessels. The employee moved for remand.

OVERVIEW: The employee brought an action against the employer, a cruise ship line, relating to her employment on one of the employer's vessels. The employee's claims arose from a rape experienced while she was working on one of the employer's vessels and from the employer's subsequent actions toward her. The employer removed the action to federal court pursuant to the United States Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (Convention), 9 U.S.C.S. § 201 et seq., and asked the court to compel arbitration. The employee filed a motion for remand. The court found that the employee was employed pursuant to an agreement that required that her dispute be brought either before the National Labor Relations Commission of the Philippines, or an arbitrator. While it was plausible that economic hardship might make a prospective Filipino seaman susceptible to a hard bargain during the hiring process, the employee failed to explain how that made for a defense under the Convention. Thus, the court sent the employee's claims to arbitration.

OUTCOME: The court denied the employee's motion for remand. The court granted the employer's motion to compel arbitration.

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SANDERS COLEMAN, III VERSUS M/V ORHAN EKINCI, VAKIF DENIZFINANSAL, HYUNDAI MERCHANT MARINE (AMERICA), INC., AND ABC INSURANCE COMPANY

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-3599 SECTION "T" (4)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFLOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5513
March 22, 2005, Decided
March 22, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, a longshoreman and, apparently, his wife, sued defendants, a vessel owner and a time charterer, under § 905(b) of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) to recover for losses that resulted when the longshoreman was injured while assisting with the discharge of cargo from the owner's vessel. Defendants moved for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The longshoreman was injured when he fell through material know as doorskin that covered a gap between stacks of cargo, apparently after it had been torn loose from some cargo. Plaintiffs argued that defendants were liable for plaintiff's losses under § 905(b) of the LHWCA because defendants failed to fulfill their Scindia duties with respect to the vessel and cargo. Defendants were entitled to summary judgment. The Scindia duties applied not only to the vessel owner but also to the time charterer because the condition of the cargo caused the accident. However, defendants did not violate any of those duties. Defendants turned over a safe ship, as the stevedores inspected the vessel before taking control of it and unloading operations had been going on for two days before the accident occurred. Defendants were not in active control of the ship when the accident occurred. And, there was no evidence that defendants should or even could have known of the hazard posed by the torn doorskin. Plaintiffs offered only speculation about how the hazard was created and that defendants knew or should have know about it.

OUTCOME: The court granted defendants summary judgment.

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THOMAS J. GREEN, Plaintiff, -against- McALLISTER BROTHERS,INC., Defendant. McALLISTER BROTHERS, TOWING OF NEW YORK, sued herein asMcALLISTER BROTHERS, INC., Third-Party Plaintiff, THE CITY OF NEW YORK,Third-Party Defendant. JACK SALTARELLA, et al., Plaintiffs, -against- THE CITYOF NEW YORK, Defendant.

02 Civ. 7588 (FM), 03 Civ. 1482 (FM)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFNEW YORK
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4816
March 24, 2005, Decided
March 25, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In separate Jones Act actions arising from exposure to debris following the destruction of the World Trade Center, (1) plaintiff former employee sued defendant former employer, which brought a third-party negligence claim against third-party defendant city, and (2) plaintiff city workers sued defendant city. In the first action, the parties moved in limine to preclude expert testimony. Defendants in both actions moved for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The employee claimed that he developed asthma and other medical problems while working on the employer's tugboat transporting barges that contained Trade Center debris. The city workers had worked aboard boats at a landfill where the debris was taken; they claimed that they had medical problems attributable to their handling of the debris. The parties consented to a magistrate's jurisdiction. In the first action, with respect to the admissibility of testimony by the employee's treating physician that the employee's illness was caused by his exposure to Trade Center dust while working for the employer, there was an adequate showing of general causation; however, a Daubert hearing was necessary to determine why the physician ruled out as a cause any earlier exposure the employee may have had to Trade Center debris. Medical testimony offered by the employer and the city was admissible. In the second action, the workers had failed to designate any expert witnesses and therefore could not show causation as required for their toxic tort claim, and they could not recover for fear of future illness absent any physical manifestation of their exposure to asbestos or carcinogens.

OUTCOME: In the first action, the magistrate ordered a Daubert hearing prior to ruling on the admissibility of certain of the physician's proposed testimony; the motions in limine by all parties and the motion for summary judgment were otherwise denied, except to the extent that they might be affected by the Daubert ruling. The city's summary judgment motion in the second action was granted.

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JEFFERY OWENS VERSUS GLOBAL SANTA FE DRILLING CO.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 04-702 SECTION "K" (4)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFLOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6225
April 8, 2005, Decided
April 8, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, an assistant derrickman, filed a Seaman's Complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C.S. § 1916, seeking damages for neurological problems that he allegedly sustained while working on a rig owned by defendant drilling company. The company filed a motion for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The derrickman alleged that he was suffering from panic attacks, depression, and neurological problems due to repeated minor injuries he sustained on the rig, as well as due to witnessing coworkers sustain injuries. In granting the company's motion for summary judgment, the court held that the facts alleged by the derrickman did not state a claim for damages for purely emotional injuries. Under the zone of danger theory, a claimant could cover for purely emotional harm if he was objectively within the zone of danger; he feared for his life at the time of the accident, and his emotional injuries were a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the defendant's alleged negligence. Here, the derrickman did not allege that he feared for his life as a result of his own injuries or the injuries sustained by coworkers. Further, his minor injuries had all healed, and the derrickman had gone to work for eight months before claiming to be suffering from emotional distress. Thus, the emotional injuries were not foreseeable. The court opined that emotional injuries resulting from nothing more than the accumulation of years of common encounters with the hardships of the sea were not foreseeable.

OUTCOME: The court granted the company's motion for summary judgment.

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CHRISTOPHER SAIENNI versus CAPITAL MARINE SUPPLY, INC., ET AL

CIVIL ACTION No. 03-2509 SECTION I/2
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFLOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6928
April 18, 2005, Decided
April 18, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff worker who repaired vessels sued defendant employers under the Jones Act, alleging that the employers were liable for injuries sustained by the worker on one of the employer's vessels. The employers moved for summary judgment on the ground that the worker was not a seaman for purposes of the Jones Act.

OVERVIEW: The worker's job title was shoreside mechanic and the worker's daily duties included performing preventive maintenance, coordinating repairs, and performing mechanical and electrical repairs aboard the employers' vessels and at a land-based facility. The worker contended that he was a seaman under the Jones Act based on his contribution to the function of the employers' fleet, but the employers asserted that the worker had an insufficient connection to the fleet to be considered a seaman. The court held that, while the worker spent a significant amount of time aboard the employers' vessels, the nature of the worker's function of performing land-based repairs of the vessels could not be deemed to confer seaman status. The worker was a shoreside mechanic operating out of a land-based fleeting facility, the worker's repairs aboard the vessels generally occurred while the vessels were moored at stationary locations, and the worker did not sleep aboard the vessels when performing repairs which required an overnight stay. Moreover, the worker's job was not of a seagoing nature and involved only sporadic exposure to the perils of the sea.

OUTCOME: The employers' motion for summary judgment was granted.

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RICKY GROS, JR. versus L&L MARINE TRANSPORTATION, INC., etal.

CIVIL ACTION No. 04-2681 SECTION I/2
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFLOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6932
April 19, 2005, Decided
April 19, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed a motion, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(2), for voluntary dismissal without prejudice of a personal injury claim against defendants, an employer and an insurer, asserting claims pursuant to the Jones Act and maritime law.

OVERVIEW: The seaman alleged that he was injured while employed as a deckhand aboard a ship. The seaman originally filed a petition state court against the employer and an unnamed insurer asserting claims based on the same incident. After some discovery had been conducted, the state court granted the seaman's motion to voluntarily dismiss his state court petition so he could pursue his federal lawsuit. The seaman later filed a second lawsuit in state court against defendants, and moved to voluntarily dismiss the instant action in order to pursue his remedies in state court. Defendants alleged that the seaman was forum shopping. The court held that defendants produced no evidence to support a finding that they would have been legally prejudiced by a dismissal at an early stage in the proceeding. However, because defendants identified some evidence of abuse by the seaman, he was prohibited from refiling the action in federal court.

OUTCOME: The court granted the seaman's motion for voluntary dismissal and dismissed his claims without prejudice with the condition that the seaman could not re-file the action in federal court.

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IRENE VALENTI and JOSEPH VALENTI, Plaintiffs, - against -NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, Defendant.

04 Civ. 8895 (RWS)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6811
April 21, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passengers filed an action against defendant cruiseline alleging that the passenger wife suffered personal injuries due to the negligence of the crew on a cruise ship. The cruiseline filed a motion to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b) and 12(c), claiming that the forum selection clause contained on the ticket purchased by the passengers precluded the passengers from bring a lawsuit in the forum.

OVERVIEW: The cruiseline maintained a principal place of business and corporate headquarters in Florida. The passengers purchased and used a ticket for a voyage with the cruiseline. The ticket, retained by the passengers, contained a contract of passage, including a forum selection clause that required all litigation to go forward in Florida. The passengers did not reject the ticket contract even though the had the tickets at their home for almost a month before the cruise. The passengers had an opportunity to cancel the contract without facing a penalty. The court held that the source of substantive law for the action was federal maritime law. Under federal maritime law, a forum selection clause in a maritime contract was prima facie valid unless there was some independent justification for refusing to enforce it. The passengers had not provided any grounds for justifying non-enforcement of the forum selection clause that was reasonably communicated to the passengers. Additionally the court found that the cruiseline's requirement that litigation be initiated in a court in Florida was fair and reasonable.

OUTCOME: The court granted the cruiseline's motion to dismiss.

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DOYLE RUSSELL HART VERSUS FOREST OIL CORPORATION, ET AL

CIVIL ACTION NO. 03-2776 SECTION "C" (2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8027
April 25, 2005, Decided
April 26, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employee sued defendants, an employer, a barge owner, a vessel owner, and a compressor repair company, seeking compensation for injuries he received while on a production barge. Defendants filed several motions for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: While the employee contended that he was unable to ascertain how long the barge was located in its stationary position and that it qualified as a special purpose vessel, the depositions and discovery presented by defendants supported the conclusion that the barge was used strictly as a platform for storing and processing oil and gas. Thus, the employee did not qualify as a seaman based on work performed on the barge. Although the parties conceded that the vessel qualified as a vessel in navigation for purposes of the Jones Act, they disputed whether the employee's affiliation with the vessel was merely incidental to his employment or whether he spent a substantial portion of his time on board the vessel. In light of the employee's allegations that he spent a substantial portion of his day aboard the vessel or attending to its needs and acted as the vessel's skipper and the evidence that the vessel was essential to the performance of the employee's job duties, summary judgment was inappropriate on whether the employee was a seaman based on his work aboard the vessel. The compressor repair company was granted summary judgment as there was no evidence establishing fault on its part.

OUTCOME: The motions for summary judgment were granted with respect to the employee's status as a seaman based on his work aboard a barge and the compressor repair company's liability but was denied as to the employee's status as a seaman based on his work aboard a vessel.

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EDWARD A. CARNEY v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CCB-03-3493
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND
2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7697
May 2, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, a seaman-engineer, suffered an injury to his hand while attempting to measure a shipboard fan unit to facilitate repairs. He brought claims for negligence and failure to provide prompt maintenance or cure, pursuant to the Suits in Admiralty Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. §§ 741-752, and the Public Vessels Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app.§§ 781-790. Defendant United States moved to dismiss the claims as subject to the discretionary function exception.

OVERVIEW: The engineer was employed by a private contractor, but was assigned to a vessel used by the government. He was injured when his superior officer failed to take certain safety precautions with the fan machinery, such as failing to stabilize it and replace protective covers as required by the machinery's manual. The government asserted the claims should be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under the discretionary function theory, and also moved for summary judgment on the maintenance and cure claims, asserting it had paid the benefits due to the engineer and did not presently owe maintenance and cure. The court agreed with the government that selecting a ship for public use was a discretionary act as to the government's procurement of the vessel and crew, but rejected the argument that the negligent failure to warn and a negligent creation of unsafe working conditions or equipment were covered under discretionary function exception immunity. The government was current on maintenance and cure, but could be liable for compensatory damages for delay in payment. The engineer set forth no statutory basis for an award of attorney's fees.

OUTCOME: To the extent that the delay in receipt of maintenance and cure exacerbated the engineer's injury or pain and suffering, he could seek consequential or compensatory damages, not including attorney's fees or punitive damages. Summary judgment was otherwise granted. The motion to dismiss was denied as to the failure to warn claim, and granted as to the arguments about the crew and the vessel, which were within the government's discretion.

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RICKEY BROWN, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus PARKER DRILLINGOFFSHORE CORPORATION, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 03-30782
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
396 F.3d 619; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 125; 2005 AMC 827
January 5, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed a suit against defendant employer seeking to recover damages under the Jones Act for an injury allegedly sustained aboard a vessel. The employer appealed after the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana accepted the jury's verdict and awarded damages to the seaman and argued that the evidence did not support the jury's finding that the employer unreasonably withheld benefits from the seaman.

OVERVIEW: The seaman failed to disclose on his job application that he had suffered back injuries in the prior two years; he was fired from his previous job for failing to disclose his back trouble. The seaman claimed that he injured his back while working on one of the employer's oil rigs. The employer refused to pay him benefits on the ground that the seaman's complaints derived from his prior back injuries and that he had willfully concealed those injuries. The jury found that the seaman was injured due to the employer's negligence, that he had not willfully concealed his medical condition, and that the employer had unreasonably withheld maintenance and cure benefits from him. The employer contended that the jury had clearly erred in finding no willful concealment and an unreasonable withholding of benefits. The court agreed. The record showed that the seaman had willfully failed to disclose his prior back injuries on his job application, that the information was material to the employer's decision to hire him, and that the withheld information was causally related to the seaman's claimed injuries; under the circumstances, it was reasonable for the employer to withhold benefits from him.

OUTCOME: The court reversed the district court's judgment, vacated the jury's verdict, and dismissed the seaman's suit with prejudice.

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RIZALYN BAUTISTA, Individually and as PersonalRepresentative of the Estate of Mari-John Bautista, and all claiming by andthrough her, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus STAR CRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE,LTD., Defendants-Appellees. PAUL PERALTA, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus STARCRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Defendants-Appellees. RAYMOND LOVINO,Plaintiff-Appellant, versus STAR CRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD.,Defendants-Appellees. RONALDO MARCELINO, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus STARCRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Defendants-Appellees. ROLANDO TEJERO,Plaintiff-Appellant, versus STAR CRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD.,Defendants-Appellees. ABDI COMEDIA, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus STAR CRUISES,NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Defendants-Appellees. CRISTINA L. VALENZUELA,Individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of Candido S.Valenzuela, Jr. and all those claiming through her, Plaintiff-Appellant, versusSTAR CRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Defendants-Appellees. MARILEN S.BERNAL, Individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of Ramil G.Bernal, and all those claiming by and through her Plaintiff-Appellant, versusSTAR CRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Defendants-Appellees. WILLY I.VILLANUEVA, Individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of ReneVillanueva, and all those claiming through him, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus STARCRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Defendants-Appellees. MARIA GARCIA L.ROSAL, Individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of Ricardo B.Rosal, III, and all those claiming by and through her, Plaintiff-Appellant,versus STAR CRUISES, NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 03-15884
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
396 F.3d 1289; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 889; 2005 AMC 372; 18Fla. L. Weekly Fed. C 177
January 18, 2005, Decided
January 18, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellants, crewmembers of a foreign vessel or their representatives (crewmembers), sued appellee vessel owners in state court, seeking recovery for injury or death caused by a boiler explosion on the vessel in a United States port. The action was removed to federal court, and the crewmembers appealed the order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida which compelled arbitration of the dispute.

OVERVIEW: The owners contended that the arbitration clause in the crewmembers' employment contracts required arbitration under the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (Convention), opened for signing June 10, 1958, 21 U.S.T. 2517, 330 U.N.T.S. 3. The crewmembers argued that arbitration was not required under the seaman employment contract exemption of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), 9 U.S.C.S. § 1 et seq., and that the arbitration clause was otherwise unenforceable. The appellate court first held that, since the Convention broadly defined the commercial legal relationships subject to the Convention, the FAA's narrow seaman exemption conflicted with such definition and thus did not apply to preclude arbitration under the Convention. Further, despite assertions that the crewmembers had insufficient time to review the contract terms, the crewmembers executed the contracts containing the arbitration clause, and there was no requirement that the owners prove the crewmembers knowingly agreed to arbitration. Also, there was no basis for finding that the arbitration provision was null and void as unconscionable, or could not otherwise be performed.

OUTCOME: The order compelling arbitration was affirmed.

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JOHN MARCIC, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. REINAUER TRANSPORTATIONCOMPANIES, REINAUER TRANSPORTATION CO., L.L.C., REINAUER MARITIME GROUP, STEPHENREINAUER, in rem, AUSTIN REINAUER, in rem, and BARGE RTC 501, in rem,Defendants-Appellees.

Docket No. 03-9273
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
397 F.3d 120; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 1735; 66 Fed. R. Evid.Serv. (Callaghan) 470; 2005 AMC 621

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: A jury returned a verdict in favor of defendant ship owners on plaintiff seaman's unseaworthiness and Jones Act claims but awarded the seaman $75,000 for maintenance. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York granted the owners' motion to reduce the maintenance award under a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The seaman appealed, seeking a new trial on the failed claims and restoration of the award.

OVERVIEW: It was not improper for the owners' counsel to invoke financial incentive in an impeachment attempt. There were only a handful of questions as to a previous injury and consultation with a lawyer. Asking the vocational expert if he had seen a document signed by a doctor releasing the seaman to full duty did not require a new trial; the document had stated that the seaman was able to return to work. While counsel suggested that the seaman and his witnesses were willing to lie to make money, counsel did not engage in personal attacks on opposing counsel, use epithets or slurs, or appeal to prejudices. There was an insufficient foundation to support admission of a deck hand's alleged statement that the ship's rail was painted without a non-skid additive. There was no evidence the deck hand painted the rail so that his statement related to a matter within the scope of his agency relationship with the owner. The ambiguous CBA provided a minimum of $15 per day for maintenance, but also stated that $15 per day was subject to a non fit for duty certificate. It allowed for a flexible-rate interpretation. The jury was free to exceed $15 per day minimum. The award was to be restored.

OUTCOME: The jury's finding for the owners was affirmed as to the unseaworthiness and Jones Act claims. The district court's reduction of the maintenance award was vacated and the case was remanded for reentry of the jury's $75,000 maintenance award.

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PRINCESS CRUISES, INC., Plaintiff-Cross Appellant, v. UNITEDSTATES, Defendant-Appellant.

03-1330, 03-1345
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT
397 F.3d 1358; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 1955; 26 Int'l TradeRep. (BNA) 2153
February 8, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant United States sought review of a decision of the United States Court of International Trade, which determined that liability for harbor maintenance tax (HMT) payments on certain cruises before January 27, 1993, was barred by the retroactivity doctrine. Plaintiff cruise line filed a cross-appeal that awarded prejudgment interest to the government because the government was entitled to receive arriving passenger fee (APF) payments.

OVERVIEW: After enactment of the Harbor Maintenance Revenue Act of 1986 (HMRA), 26 U.S.C.S. § 4461 et seq., the United States Customs Bureau determined that the cruise line was liable for further HMT and APF payments, and the cruise line challenged the determination in court. The trial court determined upon remand that the cruise line could not be subjected to HMT liability for cruises that occurred before January 1993 because an earlier application was improperly retroactive. The trial court further determined that the government was entitled to prejudgment interest for the APF payments. Affirming, the court concluded that the application of the January 1993 ruling to conduct occurring before the ruling was issued would have an impermissible retroactive effect. The imposition of the ruling worked a significant change in the law, and applying the evidentiary presumption to pre-1993 conduct would prejudice the cruise line. The court found that the imposition of prejudgment interest on the APF payments was appropriate because it provided full compensation to the government.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the decision of the trial court.

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MARC W. WEBSTER, Plaintiff - Appellant, versus HANSFORD T.JOHNSON, Acting Secretary of the Navy, Defendant - Appellee.

No. 04-1022
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 2965
December 3, 2004, Argued
February 18, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant United States Secretary of the Navy (Navy), alleging that he was not promoted on a civilian operated vessel due to a racially hostile environment that produced performance evaluations motivated by racial animus and that the promotion board was racially biased. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, at Alexandria, granted the Navy summary judgment. The seaman appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman's racially-motivated hostile work environment claim was barred because he failed to timely initiate administrative remedies. Specifically, he did not contact the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counselor until 120 days after receiving the allegedly improper evaluations rather than the required 45 days. Equitable tolling of the limitations period was not available as the seaman was familiar with the EEO process and he offered no evidence that his superiors tricked him into sleeping on his rights. The seaman also presented no evidence of a racially hostile work environment as evidence that his superior officer was a strict supervisor did not demonstrate racial animus. As for the promotion board's decision, the seaman failed to rebut the legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the decision not to promote, i.e., the seaman's score in the board's review process was substantially lower than that necessary to be rated "best qualified." In fact, the seaman's score was the lowest of all candidates, even under his own calculation method.

OUTCOME: The district court's judgment was affirmed.

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PARADISE DIVERS, INC., as Owner of the 30' Island hopper M/VParadise Diver IV bearing hull identification number D929003, her engines, tackle, appurtenances, etc., Petitioner, in a cause for exoneration from limitation of liability, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus KEVIN R. UPMAL, Claimant-Appellee.

No. 04-12037
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
402 F.3d 1087; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 3938; 18 Fla. L. WeeklyFed. C 308
March 9, 2005, Decided
March 9, 2005, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellee claimant filed an action against appellant vessel owner for Jones Act negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure. The owner filed a limitation of liability action under 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 185. The claimant moved the district court to dismiss the action as untimely. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida dismissed the limitation action as untimely and the vessel owner appealed.

OVERVIEW: The sole issue in this admiralty appeal was whether correspondence from the claimant to the vessel owner in March and May of 2002 was sufficient written notice of a claim, under 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 185, to begin the running of the six-month limitation period during which the vessel owner had to file an action for limitation of liability. The instant court found that the letters from the claimant to the vessel owner, which referenced claims under the Jones Act and for unseaworthiness and maintenance and cure worth tens of thousands of dollars, were sufficient to begin the running of the limitation period. The court reasoned that the May 30, 2002, letter advised the vessel owner of a claim subject to limitation, because the claimant asserted a claim for Jones Act negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure, and stated his intent to file a complaint. Additionally, the court reasoned that the May 2002 letter referenced the liability of the vessel owner in relation to the accident. Finally, the court found that the May 30, 2002, letter was unambiguous.

OUTCOME: The judgment was affirmed.

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CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, INC., HAL ANTILLEN, N. V., HALLSHIPPING LTD., WIND SURF LIMITED, HOLLAND AMERICA LINE, N. V., and HAL CRUISESLIMITED, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. UNITED STATES, Defendant-Cross Appellant.

04-1110, 04-1219
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT
2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 5929
April 12, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, a cruise ship operator and its subsidiaries, appealed a decision of the U.S. Court of International Trade, which affirmed the position of the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection that it was improper for the operator to deduct certain amounts from the price of the cruise tickets for the purpose of paying the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) under the Harbor Maintenance Revenue Act of 1986, 26 U.S.C.S. §§ 4461, 4462.

OVERVIEW: The operator was subject to the HMT, which was a tax imposed on any port use in an amount equal to a percentage of the value of the commercial cargo involved. Commercial cargo included passengers transported for compensation or hire. 26 U.S.C.S. § 4462(a)(5)(B) defined value to mean the actual charge paid for the transportation of passengers or the prevailing charge for comparable service if no actual charge was paid. Customs took the position that the "actual charge" for transportation paid by the passenger included all embarkation to disembarkation costs reflected on passenger tickets. The operator argued that it was improper for Customs to include, when calculating the value, charges for services, amenities, and other expenses not directly tied to the actual transportation of the passengers. In affirming the trial court's decision, the court held that the tax was imposed on the actual charge for the transportation, not on the transportation component of a service that consisted largely of providing entertainment. The court held that Customs' interpretation was a reasonable one that avoided the problems created by attempting to separate the entertainment charges.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the decision.

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DISABLED AMERICANS FOR EQUAL ACCESS, INC. Plaintiff, EDUARDOUMPIERRE, Plaintiff, Appellant, v. FERRIES DEL CARIBE, INC., Defendant, Appellee.

No. 04-2086
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 7091
April 26, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff individual and organization sued defendant cruise vessel operator, seeking injunctive relief, attorney's fees, and costs for violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C.S. § 12181 et seq., and its implementing regulations. The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico granted the operator's motion to dismiss. The individual appealed.

OVERVIEW: The individual had standing to raise the ADA claim because his allegations that he visited the operator's vessel and that various barriers to accessibility endangered his safety were sufficient to show a real and immediate threat of discrimination by the operator. Moreover, the individual had stated a claim for relief by alleging that the operator's land based facilities violated the ADA. Taking judicial note of a pending case addressing precise question of whether Title III applied to foreign-flagged ships, the appellate court instructed the district court to defer further proceedings until a decision in that case was available. If the legal or factual resolution of the foreign-flagged ship issue did not preclude application of Title III to the operator's cruise vessel, the district court also was to consider on remand whether the individual's vessel-based statutory and regulatory claims under Title III and 28 C.F.R. §§ 36.302-36.305 could proceed despite the absence of a separate category of regulations governing the new construction and alteration of cruise ships.

OUTCOME: The district court's decision was vacated and the case was remanded for further proceedings.

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WILLARD STEWART, Petitioner v. DUTRA CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

No. 03-814
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
125 S. Ct. 1118; 160 L. Ed. 2d 932; 2005 U.S. LEXIS 1397; 73U.S.L.W. 4130; 2005 AMC 609; 18 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 115
November 1, 2004, Argued
February 22, 2005, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Petitioner, a maritime engineer, sued respondent owner of a large dredge under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), alleging that the owner was liable for the engineer's injuries from a collision between the dredge and scow on which the engineer was working. Upon the grant of a writ of certiorari, the engineer appealed the judgment of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit which held that the LHWCA did not apply.

OVERVIEW: The dredge was a floating platform used to remove silt from the ocean floor and dump the silt onto scows floating alongside, and the dredge navigated short distances by manipulating its anchors and cables. The dredge used its bucket to move the scow on which the engineer was working, which caused the scow to collide with the dredge causing the engineer's severe injuries. The lower court found that the dredge was not a vessel, and thus the owner was not the owner of a vessel for purposes of the LHWCA, since the dredge did not have the primary purpose of navigation and was not in transit when the collision occurred. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held, however, that the definition of a vessel set out in 1 U.S.C.S. § 3 applied under the LHWCA, and thus the dredge was a vessel since it was a watercraft practically capable of maritime transportation. The definition did not require that the dredge be used primarily for navigation nor was the dredge required to be in motion at the time of the collision to qualify as a vessel, and the dredge was in fact used to transport equipment and workers over water.

OUTCOME: The judgment holding that the dredge was not a vessel under the LHWCA was reversed, and the case was remanded for further proceedings.

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JANE DOE, Plaintiff-Appellant-Cross Appellee, versusCELEBRITY CRUISES, INC., in personam, ZENITH SHIPPING CORPORATION, in personam,APOLLO SHIP CHANDLERS, INC., in personam, CELEBRITY CATERING SERVICESPARTNERSHIP, in personam, Defendants-Appellees-Cross-Appellants, BARIS AYDIN, inpersonam, M/V ZENITH, her engines, boilers, tackle, etc., in rem,Defendants-Appellees.

No. 03-15321
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 26743
December 22, 2004, Decided
December 22, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff cruise line passenger sued defendant cruise line, vessel owner, and two other service providers after she was allegedly raped by a cruise crew member. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, after a verdict favoring the passenger, granted a Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(b) judgment to all defendants concluding it had not been proven that any single defendant was both a common carrier and the employer. The passenger appealed.

OVERVIEW: The alleged rape occurred off the ship at a port of call in a park near a disco that the crew member, as the passenger's waiter, had recommended to the passenger and her friends. The court held that: (1) it had admiralty jurisdiction; (2) the district court had clearly erred because it lacked authority to enter judgment under Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(b) for defendants on a ground not raised prior to the submission of the case to the jury; (3) defendants owed a non-delegable duty to protect their passengers from crew member assaults and thereby safely transport their cruise passengers; (4) thus the district court had not erred in concluding that defendants were strictly liable for crew member assaults on their passengers during the cruise; and (5) the common carrier- passenger relationship did not have a strict spatial limit and thus was not severed when the passenger and the crew member left the ship's premises. The court could not conclude that the interaction between them was outside the scope of the on-going carrier- passenger relationship. The court concluded that the sexual battery and sexual assault charges, and the jury's verdict as to those charges, were in no way inconsistent.

OUTCOME: The entry of judgment for defendants was reversed because the district court lacked authority to enter judgment as a matter of law on a new ground not raised by any party prior to submission of the case to the jury. The jury's verdict for plaintiff was reinstated and affirmed and the case was remanded to the district court to enter final judgment on the jury's verdict for plaintiff and against defendants.

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JOSEPH THIBODAUX VERSUS C & G BOATS INC.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 03-3617 SECTION "J" (3)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25638
December 15, 2004, Decided
December 15, 2004, Filed
December 15, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant ship owner filed a motion to limit the testimony of plaintiff seaman's marine safety expert in connection with an action for negligence under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was removing P-tank covers to inspect the water tight integrity of the void around the hold. While he was removing one of the covers, he was allegedly injured as a result of the negligence of the ship owner. The ship owner argued that the report and testimony of the seaman's expert should have been limited because: (1) he was not qualified to testify as an ergo dynamics expert; (2) his report was replete with references to OSHA and NIOSH regulations; and, (3) his opinions regarding the ship owner's duty to supervise the seaman's work were within the common understanding of lay jurors. Exercising its gatekeeping function under Fed. R. Evid. 702, the court held that, because the case was to have a non-jury trial, the danger of confusion that might have existed in a jury trial did not exist. The court would consider the report, along with all of the evidence presented at trial, in deciding the merits of the case. At trial, the court would properly limit or disregard any expert testimony that was neither helpful nor within the scope of the witness's expertise.

OUTCOME: The court denied the ship owner's motion to limit expert testimony and report without prejudice to urge any objections to specific testimony at trial.

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APRIL FASOLD, Appellant v. DELAWARE RIVER & BAY AUTHORITY

No. 03-3624
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 26709
December 6, 2004, Argued
December 21, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, a supervisor for the food service crew on a passenger ferry, appealed from a judgment of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, granting summary judgment to defendant precluding the supervisor's pursuit of her claims under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 et seq., and general maritime law.

OVERVIEW: The supervisor supervised the food service crew on a passenger ferry traveling between Lewes, Delaware and Cape May, New Jersey. Among her responsibilities was keeping clean the kitchen and galley area. While cleaning the walk-in refrigerator located in the ferry's galley, the supervisor injured her back moving a keg of beer stored there. The supervisor claimed that the refrigerator was "filthy" and that, in order for her to do her job, the keg had to be moved so food and debris behind it could be picked up. The supervisor alleged that defendant failed to, inter alia, provide a safe place to work, properly stow the keg, provide the proper equipment to move the keg, and provide a sufficient number of able-bodied crew. The instant court found that the record demonstrated that there had been problems in the past with women having to lift heavy objects, the unsuitability of hand trucks and the size of the crew being insufficient to handle all the work aboard the ship. While a jury might determine that the supervisor's actions contributed to her injury and apportion liability accordingly, that did not foreclose her claims.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed.

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GEORGE LEWIS, Plaintiff, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Defendant.

No. C 04-1834 PJH
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25283
December 2, 2004, Decided

OVERVIEW: The seaman alleged that he was injured while working on board a United States Navy vessel in June 2003. The seaman moved to California around February 2004. In May 2004, after the vessel set sail, the seaman filed suit in the Northern District of California, on the grounds that the PVA permitted suit in the residence of the seaman if the vessel was at sea. The Government argued that the seaman had to establish domicile, not mere residence in the district, and that he did not truly reside in the district. The court determined that, under the PVA, the seaman was required only to prove that he established "residence" in the district and not "domicile." The court also determined that the seaman established his residence in the district by his physical presence.

OUTCOME: The court denied the Government's motion to dismiss and denied as moot the Government's motion to transfer for improper venue.

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PABLO MEMBRENO, Plaintiff, vs. COSTA CROCIERE, S.p.A., aforeign corp., and CSCS INTERNATIONAL N.V., a foreign corp., Defendants.

CASE NO. 03-61180-CIV-HUCK/TURNOFF
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25116
November 23, 2004, Decided
November 23, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff filed a complaint, alleging five-counts under the Jones Act and general maritime law against four defendants related to a personal injury that he alleged occurred while he was working on a cruise ship. Defendants moved to dismiss based upon forum non conveniens.

OVERVIEW: The Jones Act and the general maritime law of the United States did not apply and the private and public factors weighed in favor of the case being tried in one of the three countries, Italy, Honduras, or the Netherlands Antilles, with a greater interest in the action and where there were available and adequate fora. There appeared to be no real disagreement that six of the eight choice of law factors weighed in favor of defendants' contention that the Jones Act and U.S. maritime law did not apply. As to the place of the accident, the accident did not occur within the U.S. or U.S. territorial waters. The remaining question was whether defendants' base of operations was in the U.S. or whether defendants otherwise had sufficient contacts with the U.S. to warrant the application of U.S. law. Defendants' limited commercial activities in the U.S. and its business affiliation with two U.S. companies for purposes that were ancillary to plaintiff's employment were not sufficiently substantial connections to justify application of U.S. law. All of the forum non conveniens factors weighed in favor of dismissal and allowing the case to be heard in a more convenient and appropriate forum.

OUTCOME: Defendants' motion to dismiss based upon forum non conveniens was granted, and the case was dismissed without prejudice to plaintiff's ability to re-file the action in an alternative forum or to reinstate his action in the instant court if no alternative fora accepted his case.

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JUDITH LIPFORD, Plaintiff, vs. CARNIVAL CORPORATION, a foreign corporation, d/b/a CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, Defendant.

Case No. 04-21120-CIV-GRAHAM
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, MIAMI DIVISION
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24530
November 23, 2004, Decided
November 24, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger filed a motion to stay her action for personal injuries suffered in the high seas against defendant cruise line pending the resolution of a pending, identical state court case.

OVERVIEW: The passenger alleged that she was injured on an excursion while on a cruise. Pursuant to a forum selection clause, all disputes had to be instituted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida within one year. The passenger filed suit in state court, and simultaneously filed a "cautionary complaint" with the court. The state court held that the forum selection clause was invalid. The passenger sought a stay because of the expiration of the one year limitations period and the possibility that the state court's ruling invalidating the forum selection clause might have been overturned. The court held that because the stay would have remained in place until the completion of the trial and appeals in the state court case, the requested period of the stay was indefinite and therefore unwarranted. The passenger's ability to sue the cruise line within the one year period was not dependent upon the court's granting of a stay, but rather on the passenger's decision to sue in state court. Having made the decision to avail herself of the benefits of the state forum, the passenger was not justified in delaying an identical case in federal court indefinitely.

OUTCOME: The court denied the passenger's motion to stay the case and dismissed the action without prejudice.

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WALTER RADUT and DOROTHY RADUT, Plaintiffs, - against -STATE STREET BANK & TRUST CO. as Owner Trustee, HURON LEASING, LLC, U.S. SHIP MANAGEMENT, INC., MAERSK, INC., MAERSK LINE LIMITED d/b/a Maersk Sealand, and the MV SEA-LAND ACHIEVER, her engines, tackle, gear, appurtenances, etc., Defendants.

03 Civ. 7663 (SAS)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22318
November 3, 2004, Decided
November 4, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, an independent contractor and his wife, sued defendant corporation on various claims arising out of injuries sustained by the contractor while working on the corporation's vessel. The corporation moved for summary judgment on plaintiffs' claim for unseaworthiness. The corporation also moved to dismiss plaintiffs' claims alleging non-pecuniary damages and the wife's claim for loss of consortium.

OVERVIEW: The corporation argued that because the contractor was not a seaman he was not entitled to pursue an unseaworthiness claim under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688. The court found that the undisputed facts established the contractor's status as a Sieracki seaman where the contractor worked, slept, and ate alongside the crew; he went to sea with the ship; he was exposed to the same hazards as the crew; and, most importantly, he was performing the ship's service, at the owner's request. Therefore, because the contractor was a Sieracki seaman, he was entitled to bring an action for unseaworthiness against the corporation, and the corporation's motion for summary judgment was denied. The Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688 and the Death on the High Seas Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 761 did not permit recovery for non-pecuniary damages. Therefore, because the contractor and his wife had availed themselves of a cause of action available only to seamen--their unseaworthiness claim under the Jones Act--they could not recover non-pecuniary damages from the corporation, and the corporation's motion to dismiss the claims for punitive damages and loss of consortium was granted.

OUTCOME: The corporation's motion for summary judgment was denied. The corporation's motion to dismiss the non-pecuniary claims was granted.

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FLOYD RESNICK, Plaintiff, -against- VANTAGE DELUXE WORLDTRAVEL, INC., Defendant.

03 Civ. 1114 (LAK)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22904
November 12, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger was injured in a slip and fall aboard a ship. The passenger alleged that defendant owner owned, operated, maintained and controlled the ship, and that the passenger was injured in consequence of unspecified negligence. The passenger motioned for partial summary judgment of liability and for other relief and the owner's motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint.

OVERVIEW: The passenger contended that the owner waived its ticket limitations by failing to plead them as affirmative defenses. The court noted that even assuming that a plaintiff's allegation of compliance with contractual conditions could overcome a defendant's failure to plead the defense affirmatively, the passenger never alleged timely institution of the action. The owner's failure to plead that the action was not timely commenced therefore waived any such defense. There was a genuine issue of material fact as to what documents were given to the passenger and as to their contents. It was impossible to determine on motion what if any notice was required, let alone whether legal standards determining the sufficiency of limitation in passenger tickets were satisfied. There was ample evidence to go to the jury on the issue whether the owner had constructive notice of a dangerous condition that was a proximate cause of the accident. The passenger was entitled to partial summary judgment to the extent that he fell as a proximate consequence of getting his shoes wet by walking across the mat and then slipping. There was no competent evidence as to the extent of his injuries.

OUTCOME: The passenger's motion for partial summary judgment was granted to the extent that the passenger was injured in a fall caused in part by a wet mat and the owner was estopped to deny that, at the time of the accident, it was the owner of the vessel; the motion was denied in all other respects.

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ERIC BOUTTE, Plaintiff, v. CENAC TOWING, INC., Defendant

CIVIL ACTION NO. G-03-1054
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, GALVESTON DIVISION
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24726
November 15, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employee sued defendant employer pursuant to admiralty jurisdiction under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, seeking recovery for injuries sustained while working aboard the employer's vessel. The court previously issued an order denying the employer's motion to dismiss or, in the alternative, to transfer venue. The employer moved for reconsideration of that order. The employee contested the motion.

OVERVIEW: As a condition of employment, the employee executed a choice of forum agreement designating Louisiana as the appropriate forum. The employee sustained injuries while aboard a vessel in Texas, where he filed suit. In denying the employer's motion to transfer venue to Louisiana, the court found that the choice of forum agreement was enforceable, but that the location of the alleged wrong and delay from a transfer favored retention. The court denied the motion for reconsideration. In admiralty, venue was proper in any court with personal jurisdiction over the defendant. However, the court held that choice of forum agreements in employment contracts between American seamen and American companies were unenforceable in Jones Act claims. Further, discretionary transfer under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1404(a) was properly denied. The location of the alleged wrong was of primary importance. The citizens of Texas had a legitimate interest in the safety conditions and seaworthiness of vessels doing business in the state. The employee's choice of forum was entitled to deference. The convenience of the employer's witnesses was not entitled to much weight as the employer could compel their testimony.

OUTCOME: The court denied the employer's motion for reconsideration of its order denying its motion to dismiss and its alternative motion to transfer venue.

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ROBERT HASTY, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus TRANS ATLAS BOATSINC; GREATER LAFOURCHE PORT COMMISSION, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 03-30884
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
389 F.3d 510; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 22768
November 2, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant seaman sought judicial review of a decision by the United States District Court For the Eastern District of Louisiana that granted summary judgment in favor of appellees, a port commission and ship owner, on negligence, unseaworthiness, and vicarious liability claims. The seaman's injuries arose when he intervened in a fight between two other seamen.

OVERVIEW: The seaman contended that the captain was negligent by allowing: (1) the other seaman to come onto the vessel and remain aboard despite being aware that he was intoxicated, and (2) the intoxicated seaman to sneak away from the harbor police and the captain and re-board the vessel. A reasonable could conclude that the seaman's injury was a foreseeable consequence of permitting the intoxicated seaman on board because of the risk he posed to his shipmates. A reasonable jury might also find the captain was negligent in allowing the intoxicated seaman to re-board the vessel after being terminated. The harbor police testified that the owner possessed a duty to remove the terminated employee safely from both the vessel and the surrounding port area. The seaman offered no evidence that the intoxicated seaman possessed the characteristics needed to make the ship unseaworthy. The owners were not vicariously liable for the acts of the harbor police. Since the conduct and activities of the harbor police were insufficiently related to traditional maritime activity, admiralty jurisdiction does not exist over the seaman's claims against the harbor police.

OUTCOME: The district court's summary judgment dismissal of the seaman's negligence claim against the owner was reversed, and the case was remanded. The district court's grant of summary judgment as to the seaman's other claims was affirmed.

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MELODEE WHITMAN, Plaintiff, Appellant, v. RICK MILES, Defendant, Appellee.

No. 04-1117
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
387 F.3d 68; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 22624
October 28, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant seaman challenged a decision from the United States District Court for the District of Maine, which entered judgment in favor of appellee employer in a claim for maintenance and cure.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was taken to the hospital after falling, suffering a burn, and experiencing other symptoms. Following testing, the seaman was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Thereafter, she sought maintenance and cure payments. After summary judgment was granted in favor of the employer, the seaman sought review. In affirming, the court determined that the employer was only required to pay maintenance and cure until the condition had stabilized and further progress had ended. The court rejected the argument that the condition could have been improved through treatment. Although the symptoms could have been alleviated, there was no cure for MS. Further, there was no need for any physician to use the word "permanent" in the diagnosis. The seaman's asymptomatic status did not mean that her overall condition had improved; therefore, the district court did not err by setting the date of maximum improvement shortly after the diagnosis. In addition, the seaman was unable to recover maintenance and cure for her depression. She was unable to show that it started while in the service of a ship or that it was a symptom of MS. Finally, attorney's fees were not awarded.

OUTCOME: The decision was affirmed.

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KENNETH LONG, Plaintiff, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Defendant.

Action No: 2:04cv82
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFVIRGINIA, NORFOLK DIVISION
339 F. Supp. 2d 729; 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20881
October 6, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff former steward was injured while working in the walk-in freezer of a vessel and filed an action against defendant United States, alleging claims under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, and a claim that the vessel operated by the United States was unseaworthy. The United States filed a motion for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The steward was injured when he was in a walk-in freezer and a piece of frozen meat fell and landed on the steward's foot. The steward claimed that the United States, as the owner of the vessel, was negligent under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, because the meat in the vessel was improperly stored, secured, and inspected. The steward alleged a claim that the vessel was unseaworthy for the same reasons. The court denied the United States' motion for summary judgment. The court held that there was a genuine factual controversy relating to the Jones Act claim so that summary judgment was not appropriate. The parties disputed who was responsible for the negligence that caused the steward's injury, particularly when the steward had been charged with securing items in the freezer. The court noted that the same factual disputes made summary judgment on the claim of unseaworthiness inappropriate. The steward provided evidence that other ships used for long voyages had larger freezers. The court rejected the United States' assertion that the primary duty rule acted as a complete bar to the steward's claims.

OUTCOME: The court denied the United States' motion for summary judgment.

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JENNIFER ANN McALLISTER, by and through her parents, SHERRI and PATRICK McALLISTER, Guardians ad Litem, and SHERRI and PATRICK MCALLISTER, Individually v. ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES, LED, and PETER WALL

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-2393
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19166
September 14, 2004, Decided
September 14, 2004, Filed; September 15, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, a minor child and her parents, filed suit against defendants, a cruise ship company and one of its employees, alleging that the child was sexually molested by the employee. Plaintiffs subsequently filed a motion to compel the depositions of a corporate representative and certain employees. The company filed a cross-motion for a protective order.

OVERVIEW: The company objected to many of the areas upon which plaintiffs sought to question the corporate representative. The company also objected to the production for deposition of the captains of the vessel on which the alleged incident took place. The court held that plaintiffs could question the representative as to: (1) any meetings or publications in which sexual assaults of any sort, perpetrated by a crew member upon a passenger, were discussed; (2) any and all sexual assaults perpetrated by a crew member against a passenger during the past 10 years; and (3) any lawsuit involving sexual assaults of any sort, perpetrated by a crew member upon a passenger. However, the court held that plaintiffs could not question the corporate representative as to information regarding successor liability, claims handling policies, employee grievance policies, and insurance coverage and exclusions because those areas of inquiry did not appear to be relevant to any issue in the case. The court further held that plaintiffs could depose the captains because they might have information concerning the company's history of failing to deal adequately with sexual assaults by crew members.

OUTCOME: The court ordered that plaintiffs could not question the company's corporate representative with respect to four areas of inquiry but could question the representative on all other areas of inquiry, with certain modifications. The court also ordered that plaintiffs could depose the captains of the vessel on which plaintiffs cruised at the time of the alleged incident.

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LINDA REYNOLDS-NAUGHTON, Plaintiff, Appellant, v. NORWEGIANCRUISE LINE LIMITED, d/b/a/ NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, Defendant, Appellee.

No. 04-1183
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
386 F.3d 1; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 19372; 2004 AMC 2370
September 14, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger filed a negligence claim in admiralty against defendant cruise ship owner in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The owner filed suit in the Southern District of Florida, and filed a motion to dismiss the Massachusetts case pursuant to a forum selection clause in the parties' contract. The Massachusetts court granted the motion to dismiss; the passenger appealed.

OVERVIEW: After a door closed on her hand, the passenger lost part of a middle finger. Her passenger -ticket contract contained a forum selection clause which she claimed was invalid under the Limitation of Vessel Owner's Liability Act, former 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 183(c). The appellate court noted that U.S. Supreme Court had read the Act as allowing forum selection clauses that limited a passenger's choice of venue, so long as a court of competent jurisdiction remained available to the passenger. Examining the legislative history of the Act, the appellate court held that later amendments to it had not legislatively overruled the Supreme Court's reading of the Act.

OUTCOME: The judgment was affirmed.

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PATRICIA A. WILLS, individually and as personalrepresentative of the Estate of RICKY LEE WILLS, deceased, on behalf of RickyLee Wills and those persons similarly situated, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. AMERADAHESS CORP., SPENTONBUSH/RED STAR COMPANIES, INC., SHERIDAN TRANSPORTATION CORP.and HYGRADE OPERATORS INC., Defendants-Appellees.

Docket No. 02-7913
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
379 F.3d 32; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 16510; 64 Fed. R. Evid.Serv. (Callaghan) 1153; 2004 AMC 2082
August 7, 2003, Argued
August 11, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant spouse of a deceased seaman sued appellee vessel owners and operators under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, and general maritime law, alleging that the seaman's death from cancer was caused by exposure to hazardous chemicals while working aboard appellees' vessels. The spouse appealed the order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York which granted summary judgment to appellees.

OVERVIEW: Appellees' vessels transported petroleum-based fuels, but appellees asserted that, despite the unreliable conclusions of the spouse's expert, there was no evidence that any fumes on the vessels could or did cause the seaman's cancer. The spouse argued that appellees' failure to comply with their duty to protect the seaman from exposure to toxins shifted the burden to appellees to show that such exposure could not cause the cancer. The spouse also argued that her expert established that such exposure was the likely cause of the seaman's cancer and, in any event, the seaman was entitled to maintenance and cure. The appellate court held, however, that the spouse's failure to establish causation precluded her claims. The rule shifting the causation burden did not apply since it could not be said with confidence that the seaman's cancer resulted from appellees' actions. Further, expert testimony was required to establish causation and, even with the relaxed burden of proof under the Jones Act, the theory of causation of the spouse's expert was admittedly controversial, was contrary to generally accepted theory, and was not grounded in reliable scientific methods.

OUTCOME: The order granting summary judgment to appellees was affirmed.

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PETITION OF RJF INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, CIVIL AND MARITIME

C.A. No. 01-588S
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND
332 F. Supp. 2d 458; 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16146
August 10, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Claimant was a young seaman who was injured on August 11, 2001 while working on petitioner vessel owner's vessel when it was docked in Newport, Rhode Island. Before the court was the vessel owner's motion to terminate maintenance and cure benefits. Intervenor-plaintiff was the United States.

OVERVIEW: The question presented was whether Medicare supplanted maintenance and cure as the payor of first resort when a seaman became Medicare eligible. The vessel owner contended that it no longer was obligated to provide the seaman with "cure" due to his entitlement to Medicare benefits. It attempted to bring Medicare under the umbrella of the general rule that, under the doctrine of maintenance and cure, a shipowner will not be required to pay for medical care that is furnished at no expense to the injured seaman. The dispute focused upon the period of time between the expiration of Medicare's 25 month waiting period (the point at which a seaman became eligible for Medicare), and the seaman's subsequent attainment of maximum medical recovery. This period of time would vary on a case-by-case basis, the court stated. The court concluded that, under the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) provisions and regulations promulgated thereunder, Medicare was barred from providing payments to eligible beneficiaries when a primary plan was obligated to cover the same medical expenses--in other words, Medicare had to be the secondary payor in those circumstances.

OUTCOME: The vessel owner's motion to terminate the seaman's maintenance and cure benefits because of his eligibility for Medicare was denied.

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GENEVA MCCARTHY, Plaintiff, v. The F/T SEAFREEZE ALASKA, et al., Defendants.

Case No. C03-1189L
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20375; 2004 AMC 2107
August 9, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sought partial summary judgment in connection with her claim for maintenance from defendant corporations. The corporations sought to strike a declaration of the seaman's attorney. The seaman requested $2,500 in attorneys fees for filing the motion.

OVERVIEW: On July 5, 2000, the seaman was injured on board a ship. On September 19, 2001, an orthopedic surgeon diagnosed her with a herniated nucleus pulposus with chronic neck, right shoulder, and arm pain. The seaman's treating physician opined that her cervical disk herniation was related to the seaman's injury. Between September 19, 2001, and April 30, 2003, the corporations paid for the costs for the seaman's treatment, but the seaman's requests for maintenance were denied. The corporations asserted that the seaman injured her back in an earlier car crash. A second surgeon concluded that it was not possible to state that her symptoms were attributable to the on-board injury. The court held that there was no fact issue that precluded a declaration of liability for maintenance. The second surgeon's failure to make a statement as to causation did not create a factual dispute. If the corporations truly believed that the seaman's symptoms after September 19, 2001, were not their responsibility, they presumably would have refused to pay cure. The seaman was entitled to attorney's fees because they ignored the seaman's request for maintenance for over a year without explanation.

OUTCOME: The court denied the corporations' motion to strike, granted the seaman's motion for maintenance, and granted in part the seaman's motion for attorney's fees. The court excluded $500 in fees for which there was no evidence in support.

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ROSE SCHLESSINGER et al., Plaintiffs and Appellants, v.HOLLAND AMERICA, N.V., Defendant and Respondent.

B166213
COURT OF APPEAL OF CALIFORNIA, SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT,DIVISION SEVEN
2004 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 5458
June 9, 2004, Filed

OPINION: Rose Schlessinger, Virginia Adams and Renee Ladenheirn sued Holland America N.V. (HAL) for damages caused by failure to warn and negligence after they became ill during a seven-day Alaskan cruise on a passenger ship operated by HAL. The trial court granted HAL's motion to dismiss the complaint based on a forum selection clause in the cruise ticket contract that required all disputes relating to the cruise to be litigated in courts[*2] located in the State of Washington. Schlessinger n1 appeals on the ground she had insufficient notice of the forum selection clause. We affirm.

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NICHOLAS J. MUSACCHIA, JR. VERSUS HILTON NEW ORLEANSCORPORATION, NEW ORLEANS PADDLEWHEELS, INC., QUEEN OF NEW ORLEANS, INC., QUEENOF NEW ORLEANS AT THE HILTON JOINT VENTURE, NEW ORLEANS PADDLEWHEELS (TEXAS),INC., HILTON HOTELS CORPORATION AND HILTON HOTELS PARTNER I, INC.

NO. 2003-CA-1100
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT
2003-1100 (La.App. 4 Cir, 06/02/04);
2004 La. App. LEXIS 1524
June 2, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendants, a casino gaming vessel and an individual, appealed a judgment from the Civil District Court, Orleans Parish (Louisiana), which, in a bench trial under general maritime law, awarded damages to plaintiff patron for personal injuries sustained aboard the vessel.

OVERVIEW: The elevator in the vessel was not operational when the patron visited. The patron, who used a wheelchair, received assistance from the vessel's employees in boarding and leaving the vessel. He was injured when he fell from his chair. The court affirmed the judgment in favor of the patron, concluding that the vessel owner was negligent in instructing its employees to carry wheelchair patrons up and down flights of stairs when safer means could have been used. The vessel owner breached its duty to provide a safe means of ingress and egress. Comparative negligence could not be imputed to the passenger because he allowed the vessel's employees to assist him in boarding or because he did not give them instructions in how to do so. Although it was probable that the individual defendant participated in the effort to carry the patron, his involvement was minimal; hence, the allocation of a small percentage of fault to him was not demonstrably wrong. Based on the medical testimony given, the injuries caused the patron to endure great pain and suffering. Accordingly, the court found that a substantial award of damages did not constitute a clear abuse of the trial court's discretion.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment in favor of the patron.

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CHRISTINA TORREJON, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS PERSONALREPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH TORREJON VERSUS MOBIL OIL COMPANY,INDIVIDUALLY AND AS SUCCESSOR TO SOCONY VACUUM OIL COMPANY AND SOCONY MOBIL OILCOMPANY; BABCOCK & WILCOX COMPANY; COMBUSTION ENGINEERING, INC.; THE FLINTKOTECOMPANY; FOSTER WHEELER CORPORATION ; GARLOCK INC.; ET AL.

NO. 2003-CA-1426
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT
2003-1426 (La.App. 4 Cir, 06/02/04);
2004 La. App. LEXIS 1517
June 2, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant employer appealed a judgment from the Civil District Court, Orleans Parish (Louisiana), which, in a maritime wrongful death case, granted a judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV) in favor of plaintiff, the personal representative of a deceased employee's estate.

OVERVIEW: The employee died of mesothelioma. The parties stipulated that the disease was caused by asbestos exposure. The employer argued that the particular asbestos exposure that caused the mesothelioma could have occurred elsewhere. The jury found that the employer was negligent in exposing the employee to asbestos, but the jury also found a lack of causation. The court, in affirming the trial court's grant of JNOV to the estate, concluded that the jury's finding of lack of causation was completely absent of evidence, inferences, and pertinent law to support it. The court noted that a featherweight standard of causation was applicable in Jones Act cases. Although some manufacturers of asbestos had entered into a settlement agreement with the estate, the trial court did not err in finding that the employer was wholly liable, having failed to establish liability on the part of the settling manufacturers. The trial court acted within its discretion in clarifying its reasons for judgment to delete an improper reference to loss of society damages, which were not available in a Jones Act case; hence, the trial court did not err in denying the employer's motion for new trial.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment in favor of the estate.

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GEORGE MICHAEL ORR VERSUS OTTO CANDIES, INC., ET AL.

04-60
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, THIRD CIRCUIT
04-60 (La.App. 3 Cir, 06/09/04); 2004 La. App. LEXIS 1477
June 9, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff merchant marine filed suit for damages after he sustained injury on defendant company's property. The Sixteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of Iberia, Louisiana, found in favor of the company and ruled that any fault for the fall was to be apportioned between the marine and his employer.

OVERVIEW: The merchant marine's ship docked at an unimproved portion of the landowner's property to take on water. When the captain approached the docking area, the landowner gave them permission to dock but advised them of the washouts, or holes in the landscape, and advised them to be careful. The merchant marine was injured when he left his employer's ship to disconnect a water hose and stepped into a "washout" on the landowner's property and sustained serious injuries. The trial court held that the landowner had fulfilled any duty that it had by informing the captain of the ship of the "washout" conditions where they docked. The appellate court affirmed. The appellate court held that given that this was an area where the landowner did not regularly conduct business, the landowner advised the ship's captain to be careful of the washout areas, and it was dark enough at the time that the merchant marine was injured that he could not see his steps, the landowner acted reasonably and fulfilled his duty.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the trial court was affirmed.

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KENTRELL DORSEY VERSUS J. RAY MCDERMOTT, INC.

2003 CA 2264
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FIRST CIRCUIT
2003 2264 (La.App. 1 Cir, 06/25/04);
2004 La. App. LEXIS 1634
June 25, 2004, Judgment Rendered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In plaintiff claimant's suit against appellee employer for injuries sustained offshore, the 23rd Judicial District Court, in and for the Parish of Assumption (Louisiana), dismissed his unseaworthiness and Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, negligence claims, but ordered the employer to pay his maintenance and cure until he reached maximum medical cure. The trial court then entered a judgment establishing the amount of cure owed. Both parties appealed.

OVERVIEW: Much of the claimant's complaint was grounded in the allegation that the material barge was mis-rigged. Specifically, the claimant challenged the placement of the eye of the rope, or line, on the material barge rather than on the lay barge. However, the overwhelming evidence supported the conclusion that having the eye of the line on the material barge was not indicative of the line being mis-rigged. Additionally, handling lines was "manual work," and the fact that the claimant's duties as a rigger required physical straining did not equate to a negligent or unseaworthy condition. Furthermore, although the claimant maintained that his injury was caused by there being insufficient personnel on board and because his supervisors failed to recognize his need for assistance in lifting the polypropylene line from the water, the claimant admitted that he did not request assistance from anyone. Thus, the record clearly supported the trial court's conclusion that (1) the employer was not negligent in causing the claimant's injury and (2) the vessel was seaworthy. Therefore, the claimant was not entitled to damages under the Jones Act or the doctrine of unseaworthiness.

OUTCOME: The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment.

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WENDY PETERSON, Plaintiff v. SCOTIA PRINCE CRUISES LIMITED,Defendant

Docket No. 03-174-P-H
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9987
June 2, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff former passenger sued defendant ferry operator for assault and battery, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, conversion, common law misrepresentation, and breach of a contract of carriage and absolute vicarious liability. The operator moved for summary judgment on those claims, and on any claim for punitive damages. The case was referred to a magistrate for a report and recommendation.

OVERVIEW: The passenger alleged that she was robbed and assaulted by a crewmember while travelling on the ferry. The allegations were investigated at the time the passenger reported the incident, and no arrest or other action was taken. The passenger's failure to file a response to the operator's statement of material facts or a statement of additional material facts in her own behalf meant that there was no evidence in the summary judgment record to support the necessary factual predicate for all of the counts at issue -- that she was assaulted by an employee of the operator. The passenger had not produced sufficient facts to establish the presence of a trial worthy issue. The operator could not be held liable for punitive damages unless the employee at issue was a managerial agent, the operator authorized or ratified the tortious behavior, the operator had reason to suspect or was aware of the misconduct before it took place, or the operator failed to take appropriate action after learning what had happened. The summary judgment record did not include any evidence that would have allowed a reasonable factfinder to conclude that any of these conditions were met.

OUTCOME: The magistrate recommended that the court grant the motion.

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PATRICIA MACKLIN - DUCRE, ON BEHALF OF MONIKA MACKLIN, MINORVERSUS RENTAL SERVICE CORP., ET AL CIVIL ACTION NO: 03-3559 SECTION: "A" (3)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10284
June 3, 2004, Decided
June 4, 2004, Filed
June 7, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, on behalf of two minors, sued defendants, including the United States, the United States Department of the Navy, and a vessel, alleging that plaintiff's decedent was fatally injured during an accident on the vessel. The United States moved to dismiss the action or for summary judgment due to lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

OVERVIEW: The decedent allegedly was fatally injured while working onboard a vessel being built for the United States Department of the Navy. The complaint asserted that the court had jurisdiction over plaintiff's action pursuant to 28 U.S.C.S. § 1331(1); the Public Vessels Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. §§ 781-790; the Suits in Admiralty Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. §§ 741-752; 33 U.S.C.S. § 905(b); and 33 U.S.C.S. § 933(a) of the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act. The United States moved to dismiss or for summary judgment on all claims against it, the Department of the Navy, and the vessel because the United States had not waived sovereign immunity from liability for such claims, and consequently, the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the federal defendants. The court agreed. The Public Vessels Act and the Suits in Admiralty Act applied only if the court had admiralty jurisdiction over the dispute. A ship under construction, even one that was nearly finished, was not a "vessel" for maritime jurisdiction purposes, and it was undisputed that the vessel the decedent was working on was not yet complete when the fatal accident occurred.

OUTCOME: The court granted the United States' motion.

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WENDY PETERSON, Plaintiff v. SCOTIA PRINCE CRUISES LTD.,Defendant

Docket No. 03-174-P-H
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10457
June 9, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger filed a personal injury action against defendant ferry carrier alleging that she was assaulted while she was a passenger on the ferry. Both parties filed motions in limine to exclude all or part of the testimony of an expert witness named by the opposing party.

OVERVIEW: The ferry sought to exclude all of the testimony from the passenger's expert, who was going to offer an opinion about the safety and security requirements for the ferry. The ferry contended that the expert's opinions were not reliable or helpful, in part, because they did not meet the Daubert standard. The court held that the ferry's emphasis on scientific principles and replicable experiments or studies was misplaced when the case involved an alleged assault and robbery. The court found that the passenger's designated expert could potentially assist the jurors with industry standards of safety and security. The passenger sought to exclude medical testimony from the ferry's expert who would testify that the passenger was not raped or assaulted and that her injuries could be explained by her intoxication. The court denied the passenger's motion to exclude the testimony because there was no showing that the opinions would mislead the jury or cause the passenger undue prejudice. The physician provided evidence that he was qualified, and the physician had demonstrated his methodology and the reliability of the opinion. The opinions were not speculative or conjectural.

OUTCOME: The court denied both parties' motions in limine to exclude testimony from the opposing parties' designated expert.

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DELMA J. DAIGLE VERSUS L & L MARINE TRANS. CO.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-2325 SECTION "L"(5)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10958
June 14, 2004, Decided
June 14, 2004, Filed
June 15, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, a former ship employee, sued defendants, a ship owner and its insurer, under, inter alia, the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688 et seq., and general maritime law for damages he sustained when a captain's chair collapsed under him. The owner filed a third-party complaint against third-party defendants, the captain's chair pedestal's seller and its manufacturer. A bench trial ensued.

OVERVIEW: The seller claimed that it was not strictly liable for the faulty chair pedestal because it was merely a middle-man seller. The court initially held that the owner was liable to the employee under the Jones Act because it had actual or constructive notice, through its employees, of the unsafe condition of the ship's captain's chair and failed to correct the unsafe condition, and that the owner was not entitled to limit its liability to the amount of the vessel because it failed to prove lack of privity and knowledge of the unsafe condition. The court further held that the employee established his unseaworthiness claim against the owner because the captain's chair collapsed when put to its normal and intended use causing injuries to the employee, but that the owner was entitled to indemnity from the seller and the manufacturer. The court then held that the seller was liable for the majority of the employee's damages because it failed to warn of the dangers involved in adjusting the leveling mounts on the pedestal, and that the manufacturer was comparatively liable for the employee's damages due to its expertise concerning metals and construction.

OUTCOME: The employee was entitled to joint and several recovery for his damages and pre- and post-judgment interest from the owner, its insurer, the seller, and the manufacturer.

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MARTHA A. DOWNS CALLASSO, as Personal Representative of theEstate of William Seaman Smith, Plaintiff, vs. MORTON & CO., NICARAGUA LINECO., and ARIANE SHIPPING CORP., LTD., Defendants.

Case No. 03-21136-CIV-MOORE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11205
June 15, 2004, Decided
June 15, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, a personal representative of a decedent, sued defendants, a vessel owner, the vessel's technical manager, and a charter corporation, alleging wrongful death under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688 et seq., unseaworthiness based on general maritime law, and for negligence and unseaworthiness under the Death on High Seas Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 761 et seq. The owner and manager moved to dismiss based on forum non conveniens.

OVERVIEW: The owner and manager claimed that the representative was collaterally estopped from challenging a previous state court order dismissing the representative's claims based upon forum non conveniens. The court initially held that the representative was barred by the doctrine of collateral estoppel from challenging the legal and factual findings of the state court order. The court then held that the owner and manager did not have sufficient contacts with the United States (U.S.) because the decedent's fatal accident occurred on the vessel docked in Nicaragua, the vessel was an Antiguan flagged ship, neither the decedent nor the representative were U.S. citizens, the owner was not registered to do business in the forum, the place of contract was Nicaragua, and Nicaragua was an accessible forum. The court further held that the representative failed to show that Nicaragua was an inadequate forum because the owner and manager consented to jurisdiction of the Nicaraguan courts, satisfactory remedies were available to the representative, the private and public interest factors weighed in favor of a Nicaraguan forum, and Nicaraguan law would most likely have to be applied to decide the case.

OUTCOME: The motion to dismiss under the doctrine of forum non conveniens was granted. The motion to dismiss under the doctrines of abstention and res judicata was denied as moot.

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DAMON L. RENFROW, Plaintiff, v. SILVER SPRAY SEAFOODS,L.L.C., Defendant.

Civil No. 03-6039-TC
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11947
June 17, 2004, Decided
June 17, 2004, Filed

OVERVIEW: Defendant, in a motion for summary judgment, asserted the affirmative defense of limitation of liability pursuant to the Limitation of Liability Act. The court found that the defense was timely raised, but ruled that the defense would be considered, if necessary, after the jury had considered the merits of plaintiff's claims and determined damages. Order of October 15, 2003 (# 22). The jury having reached a verdict for plaintiff, and having awarded damages in excess of the value of the vessel on which he served and its cargo at the time of his injury, n1 it is now the court's obligation to consider whether the limitation of liability defense should be applied.

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JOHN MULLETT v. SABINE TRANSPORTATION CO., Owner and/or Operator of SS SAG RIVER

CIVIL NO. 02-12014-RGS
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11262
June 21, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff merchant seaman sued defendant employer, the operator of a cargo vessel, for Jones Act negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure. The employer moved for summary judgment asserting that the seaman could not prove that a defect or condition of the ship played a part in his accident, that his claim for maintenance and cure was satisfied, and that the foundation of the Jones Act claim rested solely on conjecture.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was injured when, just as he was trying to put the eye of a mooring line over a bollard, the Bulgarian crew members let go of the line, causing it to jerk the seaman's arm that was, at that moment, through the eye. The seaman's account, which began with the line being held fast by the Bulgarians and ended with the line suddenly in free play, was sufficient to warrant a jury, if it credited his testimony, in finding negligence on the part of the Bulgarian crew members. If the jury also found that letting go the line caused the seaman's injury, the employer was liable. The employer argued that by claiming that the accident was caused by human error, the seaman admitted that no physical condition caused his injury, and thus, no basis existed for a claim for unseaworthiness. While the evidence depended largely on the seaman's opinion of the seamanship of the Bulgarians, if the seaman persuaded the jury that the employer had employed an inexperienced crew who could not understand the operating language of the ship, it could also have found that the employer was responsible for a defect in the ship wholly apart from the momentary negligence that resulted in his injury.

OUTCOME: The court denied the employer's motion for summary judgment on the Jones Act negligence claim and the claim for unseaworthiness; the claim for maintenance and cure was deemed waived.

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NOOR BEGUM KARIM, Etc.; ET AL., Plaintiffs, FAZAL KARIM,Plaintiff-Appellee, versus FINCH SHIPPING COMPANY LTD.; ET AL., Defendants, andTHE LAW OFFICE OF PAUL C. MINICLIER, Appellant. In Re: In the Matter of FINCHSHIPPING COMPANY LTD., Owner and Operator of the M/V Loussio for Exonerationfrom or Limitation of Liability; NOOR BEGUM KARIM, Etc.; ET AL., Claimants,FAZAL KARIM, Claimant-Appellee, versus THE LAW OFFICE OF PAUL C. MINICLIER,Appellant.

No. 03-30069
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 11815
June 16, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant, the attorney who represented appellee seaman pursuant to a contingency fee agreement, sought review of an order of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, asserting that the court erred when it modified the terms of the contingent fee agreement to be more beneficial to the seaman, who was absent from the jurisdiction. The ultimate issue was whether the district court abused its discretion.

OVERVIEW: The seaman, a Bangladeshi national, was injured at sea and taken to New Orleans to recuperate. The attorney advanced many of the seaman's expenses, for which he had been reimbursed. When the vessel owner eventually paid the judgment in favor of the seaman, he had long since been deported. Rather than pay the judgment to the attorney, as the attorney demanded, the owner paid the judgment into the court, which exercised its protective role for the seaman, as a ward of the court. It modified the fee agreement from the contract terms, whereby the attorney would have received 40 percent of the gross judgment, which would have left the seaman with no recovery. The attorney appealed, arguing the district court lacked jurisdiction and lacked the legal authority to alter the fee agreement. The court of appeals affirmed. The district court, sitting in admiralty, had the equitable power to reform the contingent fee agreement, particularly to the benefit of an absent seaman, and was not limited to paying out the funds. The fact that the court applied Louisiana and Bangladeshi law in the case did not alter the admiralty jurisdiction. There was no abuse of discretion by the district court.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the district court was affirmed.

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Amerada Hess Corporation, et al., Third-PartyPlaintiffs-Appellants, v. G. Marine Diesel Corp., Third-PartyDefendant-Respondent, FCE Industries Ltd. (Inc.), Third-Party Defendant.

2598
SUPREME COURT OF NEW YORK, APPELLATE DIVISION, FIRST DEPARTMENT
2004 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 6500
May 4, 2004, Decided
May 4, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendants, a barge owner and its operator, appealed a judgment of the Supreme Court, New York County (New York), which after a jury trial, awarded plaintiff administratrix over $7 million in damages in her suit, filed individually and as administratrix of a decedent's estate, to recover damages for a fatal injury decedent incurred while working as a rigger on defendants' barge.

OVERVIEW: The administratrix filed a suit against defendants, seeking to recover for the fatal injury decedent incurred while working as a rigger on defendant's barge. Defendants filed a third-party action against decedent's employer. After claims based on the Jones Act and N.Y. Lab. Law § 240 were dismissed because the decedent did not qualify as a seaman and federal maritime law preempted state law, the jury awarded damages after finding the barge unseaworthy and defendants negligent. On appeal, the court reversed and remanded for a new trial, first finding that the trial court erred when it submitted the issue of seaworthiness to the jury. The court found that because decedent was covered under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and received federal workers' compensation benefits from his employer, the administratrix was limited to a claim of negligence against defendants; therefore the issue of seaworthiness should not have been presented to the jury. The court then found that the trial court erred in its instructions on negligence because it improperly placed primary responsibility for safety on the vessel owner and its agents, rather than on decedent's employer.

OUTCOME: The court reversed and vacated the judgment to the extent that it awarded the administrator damages and remanded the matter for a new trial.

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WILLARD E. BARTEL and DAVID C. PEEBLES, ADMINISTRATORS ofthe ESTATE of ROLF L. LINDSTROM, Plaintiffs, v. JOHN CRANE, INC., Defendant.

CASE NO. 1:98 CV 13222
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8132
May 3, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, administrators of the estate of a deceased merchant seaman, sued defendant corporation and asserted claims for negligence under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688 et seq., the general admiralty and maritime law, and traditional product liability law. After the seaman's death, the complaint was amended to include wrongful death and survival claims. The parties consented to the case being tried before the court.

OVERVIEW: The seaman claimed that his exposure to the corporation's asbestos-containing products was a substantial factor in causing his peritoneal mesothelioma. After the seaman's death, the administrators were substituted as plaintiffs in the suit against the corporation. The court found that the administrators had not met their burden of proving that the corporation's gaskets or packing was a substantial factor or a proximate cause in the seaman's peritoneal mesothelioma because the seaman was exposed to lots of other asbestos-containing material on board ship during his 30-year career, the corporation's gaskets and packing contained only chrysotile asbestos, and it was generally accepted that it took a far greater exposure to chrysotile fibers than to amphibole fibers to cause mesothelioma, and the chrysotile asbestos in the corporation's packing and gaskets was at least partially encapsulated. Moreover, there was no evidence that the corporation did not take reasonable care in designing or manufacturing its products, and the corporation had no duty to warn, because there was no information available suggesting there was any condition that required a warning.

OUTCOME: The court entered a verdict in favor of the corporation.

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ROGER PERALTA VERSUS AMERICAN CONTINENTAL LINE, LLC, et al

CIVIL ACTION NO. 03-2497 SECTION "N" (1)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8103
May 6, 2004, Decided
May 6, 2004, Filed; May 7, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman brought suit against defendant tugboat owner and alleged barge owner, seeking recovery for personal injury, alleging claims of negligence under the Jones Act and unseaworthiness under general maritime law. The tugboat owner moved for summary judgment, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 56.

OVERVIEW: The seaman fell on a barge attached to the tugboat and was injured. The seaman brought a negligence action against the tugboat owner, and in its motion for summary judgment, the tugboat owner claimed that the seaman was solely responsible for his fall and resulting injuries. However, the court found that the tugboat owner failed to defeat the negligence claim by only making conclusory statements regarding its purported lack of a duty. While the tugboat owner alleged that it did not have a duty to warn of open and obvious conditions, the tugboat owner failed to prove its absence of a duty. Thus, there was a genuine material fact as to whether the tugboat owner exercised reasonable care under the circumstances surrounding the seaman's injury. Next, the seaman challenged the seaworthiness of the barge, and the tugboat owner sought summary judgment on the ground that it did not own or possess an interest in the barge. Regardless, the tugboat owner failed to offer any evidence, by way of affidavit, contract with the alleged barge owner or any other material, to support its assertion. Therefore, the tugboat owner was not granted summary judgment as to liability of unseaworthiness.

OUTCOME: The tugboat owner's motion for summary judgment was granted insofar as it sought dismissal of any claim for unseaworthiness of the tugboat. The motion was denied in all other respects.

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JERRY STOGNER VERSUS CENTRAL BOAT RENTALS, INC. ET AL

CIVIL ACTION NO: 03-2119 SECTION: "J"(2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8503
May 11, 2004, Decided
May 11, 2004, Filed, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed an action against defendants, an employer and the owner of a mud barge, under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 761. The seaman later added defendant third-party non-employer to the action and added a cause of action against the non-employer for punitive damages under general maritime law. The court granted the non-employer's motion to dismiss the punitive damages claim, and the seaman filed a motion for reconsideration.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was injured while working offshore between a rig and a mud barge. The seaman sought relief in an action against defendants. The action included a punitive damages claim against the non-employer, who had "company men" aboard the barge participating in the operation conducted at the time of the seaman's injury. After the seaman failed to respond to the non-employer's motion to dismiss the punitive damages claim, the court granted the motion as unopposed. The next day, the seaman sought a reconsideration of the decision. The court held that punitive or nonpecuniary damages could be recovered in a general maritime law negligence action against non-employers. The court also implicitly held that the seaman's punitive damages claim against the non-employer was viable where his claims against the non-employer were governed solely by the general maritime law and did not arise from any federal maritime statutes.

OUTCOME: The court granted the seaman's motion for reconsideration and reinstated the seaman's claim for punitive damages.

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PAUL WUESTEWALD, Plaintiff(s), v. FOSS MARITIME COMPANY,SHORE TERMINALS LLC, Defendant(s).

Case No. C02-03002 BZ
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9521
May 11, 2004, Decided
May 11, 2004, Filed, Entered in Civil Docket

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff tankerman sued defendants, his employer and the owner of a dock, seeking damages under general maritime law and the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, for injuries the tankerman sustained after he fell from a ladder while attempting to access a barge owned and operated by his employer, from the dock owner's dock.

OVERVIEW: The tide on the evening of the tankerman's injury was extremely low. Consistent with his customary practice of accessing the dock, the tankerman braced the bottom of an aluminum ladder inside the side of the coaming facing the dock and leaned the ladder against the dock. The court held that there was no suitable place against which to brace the ladder or to tie off the ladder at either end. When he placed his right foot on the rung the ladder slipped from the bottom, causing him to fall approximately nine to 12 feet to the deck of the barge. The employer was aware of the customary use of ladders to access the docks, but never investigated conditions affecting dock accessibility or verified the feasibility of following its own ladder safety guidelines. The court declined to fault the tankerman for failing to employ many of the employer's suggested alternatives, the majority of which were not included in the employer's safety manual. The employer was negligent by failing to provide the tankerman with a safe means of access to and from the dock. The dock owner, however, did not have a duty to assist the tankerman or provide a safe means for accessing its dock from the barge.

OUTCOME: Having concluded that the employer was negligent and failed to provide a seaworthy vessel, the court awarded the tankerman damages. The tankerman's claim against the dock was dismissed.

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BANUEL ROSALES VERSUS BOUCHARD COASTWISE MANAGEMENT CORP.

CIVIL ACTION No. 03-2978 SECTION "K"(2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9172
May 18, 2004, Decided
May 19, 2004, Filed; May 20, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed a motion to strike the jury in connection with the seaman's suit against defendant ship owner under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, and General Maritime Law.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was injured when he slipped and fell while working aboard the owner's vessel. The owner requested a trial by jury. The court held that the seaman's simple statement in its initial complaint that he asserted jurisdiction based on the Jones Act and the general maritime law was adequate to designate his claim as one in admiralty. Because the seaman exercised his prerogative in electing to proceed in admiralty initially, Fed. R. Civ. P. 39(a) did not apply. Since the seaman did not invoke the court's diversity jurisdiction, and instead based his claim upon admiralty jurisdiction from the outset of the litigation, the owner had no right to a trial by jury.

OUTCOME: The court granted the seaman's motion to strike the jury.

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DERIC COAKLEY VERSUS SEARIVER MARITIME, INC.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-3509 SECTION "F"
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9980
May 25, 2004, Decided
May 25, 2004, Filed; May 26, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employee brought an action against defendant employer and asserted claims for Jones Act negligence and breach of the warranty of seaworthiness. The court had previously denied the employer's motion for summary judgment on the unseaworthiness claim. The matter was before the court again after the parties submitted their trial briefs.

OVERVIEW: The employee worked for the employer on a tug. At the time of the accident, the tug had several barges under tow. The employee went to fix the sounder on the front of an unmanned barged, which was owned by another company and pulled by agreement with the employer, and the employee injured himself. He brought this action, alleging negligence and unseaworthiness. The court had denied the employer's summary judgment motion with respect to the unseaworthiness claim, but the court rescinded that order and granted the employer partial judgment as a matter of law on the issue. There was no question that the employee was a seaman with regard to the tug. However, the barge being towed by the tug was unmanned. The employee was required to establish that he was a seaman on the vessel on which he sustained the injury. The employee's work on the barge while in service of the tug did not meet that standard. The employee was not a seaman as to all barges that could be towed by the employer under its towing agreement with the company, because the group of vessels was not a finite group. The agreement was not considered a demise charter, and thus the employer did not own the barge in question.

OUTCOME: The court recalled and rescinded its previous order and entered partial summary judgment as a matter of law on the issue of unseaworthiness in favor of the employer. That claim was thus dismissed.

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VINOD KUMAR DAHIYA, Plaintiff-Appellee, versus TALMIDGEINTERNATIONAL, LTD., NEPTUNE SHIPMANAGEMENT SERVICES (PTE) LTD., AMERICAN EAGLETANKERS, INC., LTD., AMERICAN EAGLE TANKERS AGENCIES, INC., BRITANNIA STEAM SHIP INSURANCE ASSOCIATION, LTD., Defendants-Appellants.

No. 02-31068
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 9680
May 18, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellants, an employer, a shipowner, co-owners of the fleet, and the ship's insurer, sought review of a decision of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, New Orleans, which remanded the claim filed by appellee employee to the state court where it was originally filed and denied appellants' motions to stay the proceedings and compel arbitration.

OVERVIEW: The employee, a native of India, filed a maritime personal injury action in a Louisiana state court against appellants. Appellants did not file a notice of removal within the 30-day time limit allowed under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1446, but argued that removal was still proper under 9 U.S.C.S. § 205, which allowed for removal at any time before trial. Appellants stated that the matter was governed by the United Nations Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, Sept. 1, 1970, 21 U.S.T. 2517, T.I.A.S. 6997, art. I et seq., (Convention). The district court rejected the argument, remanded the matter, and denied appellants' motions to stay pending arbitration. Affirming, the court held that the remand, whether or not it was appropriate, deprived the court of appellate jurisdiction, pursuant to 28 U.S.C.S. § 1447, and the court could not consider whether or not the stay and arbitration proceedings invoked under the Convention were applicable to the case. The limited exceptions that would have allowed review of the remand order did not apply because the orders did not have a preclusive effect and the matter could proceed in state court.

OUTCOME: The court dismissed the appeal.

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STAVROS ANDROUTSAKOS, as Guardian Ad Litem for EliasAndroutsakos, an incapacitated person, Plaintiff, vs. M/V PSARA, her engines,tackle, apparel and equipment, CHEVRON USA, INC., a Pennsylvania Corporation,PSARA SHIPPING CORPORATION, a Liberian Corporation, Defendants.

Case No. 02-1173-KI
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8214
April 29, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant, a Liberian shipping company, filed a motion for application of Greek law and for dismissal of plaintiff's tort action. Plaintiff moved for application of U.S. law.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff, a Greek citizen, sustained injuries after he was struck in the head by a mooring line on the deck of a ship owned by the company. The ship was docked at a U.S. port. The ship sailed under the flag of Greece and the company's board of directors was made up of Greek citizens. Plaintiff, through his guardian, brought a tort action against the company and defendant domestic corporation. In granting plaintiff's motion to apply U.S. law, the court held that the presence of the domestic corporation in the action as an alleged joint tortfeasor had to be considered in applying the appropriate factors to the choice of law analysis. The court held that the location of the injury pointed toward the application of U.S. law and was an important consideration. However, the court also held that the law of the flag and the domicile of plaintiff indisputably pointed to the application of Greek law. The court concluded that, due to the presence of the domestic corporation, to which there was no real argument that U.S. law applied, applying two different maritime laws would have been unworkable.

OUTCOME: The court denied the company's motion for application of Greek law and for dismissal. The court granted the guardian's motion for application of U.S. law.

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DAFYDD HOFFMAN, ET AL., Plaintiffs, ANDREW MARIANO,Plaintiff - Appellant, v. HALCOT SHIPPING CORP., ET AL., Defendants, HALCOTSHIPPING CORP.; ZODIAC MARITIME AGENCIES, LTD., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 03-30301
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
93 Fed. Appx. 658; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 6241
April 1, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant boat operator sued appellee shipping company to recover for injuries sustained in an accident involving the shipping company's oceangoing tanker. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana found the shipping company at fault, but reduced the award in half due to the employer's fault and denied recovery of medical expenses that were paid under the employer's health plan. The boat operator sought review.

OVERVIEW: At the time of the incident only one other boat operator and one deck hand were working for the employer's water taxi service. The boat operator was injured when he attempted to untie a vessel by himself in response to an emergency call. On appeal, the court reversed the 50 percent reduction of the award based on the employer's fault. A vessel owner did not owe a duty to maintain a standby crew for all of its available vessels. However, the court upheld the district court's refusal to permit the boat operator to recover medical expenses already paid by his employer's insurer. Although the collateral source rule prohibited reduction of a tort recovery by the amount of such benefits, there was an exception where an insurer had the right to subrogate against the tortfeasor who injured the plaintiff. This exception applied even if the subrogated party did not appear to assert its subrogation rights. The shipping company introduced evidence of the subrogation right by introducing the plan summary. Thus, the subrogation exception to the collateral source rule was properly applied to prevent the boat operator from recovering medical expenses paid by his employer's insurer.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed that part of the district court's judgment denying the boat operator recovery of medical expenses paid by his employer's insurer. The court reversed the district court's judgment insofar as it reduced the boat operator's recovery based on his employer's fault. The court vacated this part of the judgment and remanded the case for entry of judgment reflecting this change.

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JOHN HOWARD, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. SOUTHERNILLINOIS RIVERBOAT CASINO CRUISES, INC., doing business as PLAYERS ISLANDCASINO, Defendant, Third-Party Plaintiff-Appellant, v. TRIANGLE ENTERPRISES,INC., doing business as TRIANGLE INSULATION AND SHEET METAL COMPANY, Third-PartyDefendant-Appellant.

Nos. 02-3818 & 02-3819
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT
364 F.3d 854; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 6919

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant casino owner and third party defendant insulation company appealed an order from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, which denied their motions for summary judgment on plaintiff workers' negligence action under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688 (a), and which certified for interlocutory review the question of whether the Act applied to workers on a permanently moored riverboat casino.

OVERVIEW: Workers on a permanently moored riverboat casino were exposed to chemicals in the course of their employment and sued the owner under the Act. The owner filed a third party claim against the company, and both defendants filed motions for summary judgment, which were denied. On interlocutory review, the court held although the riverboat was capable of cruising on the river, was licensed as a passenger vessel with the U.S. Coast Guard, and left its moorings once a year for Coast Guard mandated propulsion tests, the riverboat did not in fact transport passengers, was connected to land-based utilities, and maintained its status as vessel merely to comply with state gambling regulations. Therefore, using a pragmatic approach, the court held that the riverboat was not a vessel in navigation and, consequently, the workers were not seamen under the Act and could not bring claims under the Act.

OUTCOME: The court reversed the order and remanded the case with instructions to enter judgment in favor of defendant and third party defendant.

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DOUGLAS SPECTOR, ANA SPECTOR, JULIA HOLLENBECK, DAVID KILLOUGH, and RODGER PETERS, Appellants v. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE LTD. D/B/ANORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, Appellee

NO. 01-02-00017-CV
COURT OF APPEALS OF TEXAS, FIRST DISTRICT, HOUSTON
2004 Tex. App. LEXIS 2941
March 30, 2004, Opinion Issued

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant consumers sought review of an order from the 270th District Court, Harris County (Texas), which denied class certification in the consumers' lawsuit against appellee cruise line for contract breach, fraud or fraudulent inducement, unjust enrichment, negligent misrepresentation, deceptive trade practices, and disability discrimination.

OVERVIEW: The consumers alleged that the cruise line falsely represented that its vessels or related port excursions were accessible to mobility-impaired passengers and that those passengers would have assistance on and off the ship. The court, in affirming the denial of certification, concluded that the consumers had failed to preserve a spoliation argument for review. The trial court did not abuse its discretion or act improperly by ruling without reviewing sealed volumes of documents that it had been told related to the issue of numerosity, which was not seriously contested. The denial of class certification was proper because the consumers did not show that common issues predominated, as required by former Tex. R. Civ. P. 42(b)(4) (renumbered as Tex. R. Civ. P. 42(b)(3)). As to the claim of deceptive practices, the trial court reasonably could have determined that individual reliance inquiries under Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ann. § 17.50(a)(1)(A), (B) (2002) would predominate over common ones. Determination of oral contract terms also required individual inquiries, as did unjust enrichment allegations. Tex. Hum. Res. Code Ann. ch. 121 applied only to vessels that sailed in Texas waters.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the trial court's order denying class certification.

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EUGENE BURNS, Appellant, v. RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISES,INC., SERVICES ET TRANSPORTS TAHITI, COPROPRIETE DU NAVIRE PAUL GAUGUIN, THECRUISE STATION, and DIMENSIONS IN TRAVEL, INC., Appellees.

CASE NO. 4D03-1333
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, FOURTH DISTRICT
867 So. 2d 1191; 2004 Fla. App. LEXIS 2710; 29 Fla. L.Weekly D 544
March 3, 2004, Opinion Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger appealed an order by the Circuit Court for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, Broward County (Florida), that dismissed his complaint against defendant cruise line for improper venue; the passenger claimed that the venue was inconvenient and unreasonable.

OVERVIEW: The passenger contracted to act as radio host for seven days on a Tahitian cruise ship. He was subsequently injured in a slip and fall while on board. The cruise ticket contained a forum selection clause providing that United States citizens had to bring suit, for any incidents arising on board a cruise ship that did not touch a United States port, in Paris, France. The appellate court held that the ship both departed and returned from a foreign locale, never making contact with any ports or waters of the United States. Therefore, it was reasonable that the cruise line selected France as a neutral location in order to dispel confusion as to where passengers from a variety of countries could bring a lawsuit. The forum selection clause was valid. The passenger failed to meet his burden of proving that the venue was improper.

OUTCOME: The order was affirmed.

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OSAY DUPLESSIS versus DAYBROOK FISHERIES, INC.

CIVIL ACTION No. 03-1901 SECTION: I/1
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3259
March 2, 2004, Decided
March 3, 2004, Filed; March 4, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff bailer who unloaded fishing vessels sued defendant employer which operated a fishing business and processing plant, alleging that the employer was liable under the Jones Act and general maritime law for the bailer's injuries from a fall on one of the employer's vessels. The employer moved for summary judgment on the ground that the bailer was not a seaman entitled to protection under maritime law.

OVERVIEW: The bailer contended that maritime law applied to render the employer liable for the bailer's injuries suffered in a fall from a ladder while aboard the employer's vessel. The employer argued that the bailer was not a seaman for maritime purposes since he was a land-based employee who was only aboard vessels when they were docked. The court held that the bailer, whose duties involved only unloading fish from vessels using land-based equipment when the vessels were docked, was not a seaman for purposes of maritime law. The bailer was not involved in fishing operations and did not go to sea, and thus the bailer did not contribute to the primary fishing function of the vessels and had no substantial connection to the vessels in terms of duration and nature.

OUTCOME: The employer's motion for summary judgment was granted.

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GWEN WARD VERSUS BOYD GAMING CORPORATION IN PERSONAM and TheM/V TREASURE CHEST, her engine, Tackle, etc. IN REM

CIVIL ACTION NO. 04-0060 SECTION "K" (2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3509
March 4, 2004, Decided
March 4, 2004, Filed; March 5, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant filed a motion to dismiss pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) plaintiff's personal injury action in which plaintiff asserted that she seriously injured her right leg on the job, attributing defendant's negligence and the vessel's unseaworthiness as the cause of the accident. Plaintiff brought her action under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, and General Maritime Law, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 9(h).

OVERVIEW: The boat upon which plaintiff worked was a paddlewheel-driven riverboat casino. The court noted that the Jones Act provided that "any seaman " who sustained personal injury in the course of his employment could maintain an action for damages at law, with the right to trial by jury. Plaintiff alleged that at the time of her injury, the boat was a vessel in navigation and as such, she was a member of the crew, entitling her to seaman status under the Jones Act, and general maritime law. The court disagreed. It held that the federal courts had consistently held that indefinitely or permanently moored riverboat casinos were not Jones Act vessels. Therefore, Jones Act seaman status did not apply to plaintiff. Plaintiff next asserted that if she was not a seaman, then she still had a general maritime law cause of action because the casino was floating in navigable waters at the time of her injury and thus was within the admiralty jurisdiction. The court found that plaintiff had failed to establish a sufficient maritime nexus due to a lack of potential impact on maritime commerce. Her claims were not within the court's admiralty jurisdiction and, therefore, had to be dismissed.

OUTCOME: The court granted defendant's motion and dismissed plaintiff's claims with prejudice.

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KATHLEEN HUNTLEY, Plaintiff, v. CARNIVAL CORPORATION, aforeign corporation, d/b/a CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, and DR. GREGORY M. McNAMARA,M.D., Defendants.

CASE NO. 03-21925-CIV-KING
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFFLORIDA, MIAMI DIVISION
307 F. Supp. 2d 1372; 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4195; 17 Fla. L.Weekly Fed. D 415
March 12, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger filed an action against defendants, a cruise ship corporation and a cruise ship doctor, to recover damages after she suffered injuries during a fall on a cruise ship. Her complaint contained five negligence-based counts. Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), the corporation moved to dismiss the counts of the complaint that alleged medical negligence and vicarious liability for the doctor's alleged medical malpractice.

OVERVIEW: The passenger claimed that she slipped while in the ship's casino bar and that the doctor, who was employed by the corporation, committed medical malpractice while treating her. The corporation moved to dismiss the passenger's two medical malpractice based claims, asserting that under the majority legal rule articulated by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, it could not be held vicariously liable for the alleged negligence of the ship's doctor. The court denied the motion after concluding that the passenger might be able to establish a set of facts entitling her to relief. The court had already recognized the possibility of a cruise line's vicarious liability for a ship doctor's actions based upon apparent agency grounds. The Third District Court of Appeal of Florida had rejected the majority rule and had embraced the minority view, which held that a shipowner might be held vicariously liable where a ship's physician was in the regular employment of a ship, as a salaried member of the crew, subject to the ship's discipline and the master's orders, and presumably also under the direction and supervision of the company's chief surgeon.

OUTCOME: The court denied the corporation's motion to dismiss. It ordered the corporation to file an answer to the passenger's complaint within 20 days of the court's order.

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SERGE VOILLAT and SIMONE VOILLAT, individually and assuccessors-in-interest to LIONEL VOILLAT, Plaintiffs, v. RED AND WHITE FLEET,FISHERMAN'S WHARF BAY CRUISE CORPORATION d/b/a RED AND WHITE FLEET, GOLDEN GATESCENIC STEAMSHIP CORPORATION, LON RICHARDS, LOU'S BLUE SNAX, INC., JOHNNY BRETTand KEITH O'REILLY, both individually and d/b/a "OBLIVION," "OBLIVIONSF," and/or"OBLIVIONSF.COM," SPECIALIZED SECURITY ENTERPRISES, WILLIAM O. MONAGHAN, andDOES 1-50, inclusive, Defendants.

No. C 03-3016 MHP
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4359
March 18, 2004, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendants, a cruise ship passenger, cruise ship owners, corporations, and individuals, moved to dismiss plaintiff parents' survival and dram shop liability claims for failure to state a claim, or, in the alternative, to strike portions of the parents' prayer for relief in a wrongful death and survival action.

OVERVIEW: After their son was killed when he was thrown overboard from a cruise ship by another passenger, the parents brought a wrongful death and survival action against defendants. Defendants moved to dismiss the survival and dram shop liability claims for failure to state a claim, or, in the alternative, to strike portions of the parents' prayer for relief. The court found that the parents properly stated a claim for relief under a general maritime survival action. The court further found, however, that California's anti-dram shop provision, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 25602(b), precluded the parents' dram shop claim. Under California law, the parents failed to state a claim for relief under their claim for improper service of alcohol. Finally, the court found that while the parents were entitled to punitive damages and damages for pre-death pain and suffering, they were not entitled to damages for both loss of support and lost future earning capacity, though they could seek one or the other. As wrongful death beneficiaries, they were entitled to damages for loss of support.

OUTCOME: The court denied defendants' motion to dismiss the parents' survival action. The court granted defendants' motion to dismiss the parents' claim for improper service of alcohol. The court denied defendants' motion to strike the parents' request for damages for pre-death pain and suffering, damages for lost future earning capacity, and punitive damages.

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ENRIQUE WILLIAMS, Plaintiff, vs. CRUISE SHIPS CATERING ANDSERVICE INTERNATIONAL, N.V.; PRESTIGE CRUISES N.V.; and COSTA CROCIERE, SPA,Defendants.

Case No. 03-60158-CIV-GOLD/SIMONTON
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFFLORIDA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7586; 17 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. D 595
March 31, 2004, Decided
March 31, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, a Costa Rican citizen and injured employee, sued defendants, including a vessel's owner, for injuries suffered working aboard an Italian-flagged vessel. He alleged claims under the Jones Act, and claims for unseaworthiness, failure to cure, and failure to treat. Pending was defendants' motions for reconsideration.

OVERVIEW: The motion for reconsideration pertained to the court's order denying defendants' motion to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds. The court earlier denied the dismissal motion primarily due to its conclusion that defendants' base of operations was in the United States. It examined the motion for reconsideration under both Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(e), 60(b). Based on defendants' arguments, the court examined the motion under these Fed. R. Civ. P. 59(e), 60(b) standards: (1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect, or the need to correct clear error, and (2) new evidence. Regarding the first standard, none of defendants' three grounds warranted reconsideration. As for newly discovered evidence, a review of the entire record simply strengthened the court's conclusion that defendants' base of operations was in the United States. Even upon consideration of new filings, reconsideration was not warranted. The case involved a controlling question of law, i.e., whether the United States could be considered the base of operations for a shipowner that was owned by a company that primarily conducted its business in the United States. The case was appropriate for certification.

OUTCOME: Defendants' motions for reconsideration were denied.

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Fanos, on behalf of himself and those similarlysituated,vs-Maersk Line, Ltd., Maersk Sealand, A. P. MollerGroup, Maersk, Inc., Wilmington Trust, Expander Transport Corporation, ExpediterTransport Corporation, Expresser Transport Corporation, Exporter TransportCorporation, and Extender Transport Corporation, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 03-40418
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
363 F.3d 358; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 4558; 9 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 810
March 10, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman appealed an order of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, which granted summary judgment to defendants, a shipper, an owner, and contractors, in connection with the employee's action seeking wages and penalty wages pursuant to 46 U.S.C.S. § 10313.

OVERVIEW: The shipper and the contractors entered into a collective bargaining agreement with a union, which provided employees with paid vacation and required employers to contribute to union benefit plans. The contractors and the union later signed a memorandum of understanding which eliminated employers' duplicate benefit contributions for days when two officers were aboard a ship to perform one job. The shippers and the contractors were not required to pay vacation benefits directly to employees. Rather, they were required to make contributions to the union vacation plan, which distributed the funds. The seaman argued that withholdings pursuant to the memorandum of understanding were improper. The court held that assuming that the vacation benefits were wages, defendants did not violate § 10313 because the seaman did not allege that they did not make proper contributions to the plan and because defendants were not responsible for the withholding of the benefits. Further, the seaman showed no evidence that the union was not authorized to negotiate the terms of its members' employment. Thus, the memorandum of understanding provided sufficient cause for withholding the vacation benefits.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment.

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OPINION: Appellants and defendants Nicholas Bachko Company and First American Bulk Carrier Corporation appeal the judgment on jury verdict in favor of plaintiff and respondent Richard Andrews in Andrews's action for personal injuries that occurred while he was serving as a crew member aboard a merchant ship. Appellants contend the trial court erred in instructing that a regulation promulgated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act could be used to establish their duty of care to a merchant seaman. They also contend the jury committed[*2] misconduct by including the contingency fee Andrews would owe his attorney in the damage award.

The jury specifically found not only that the Chesapeake Bay was unseaworthy, but also that its unseaworthiness was a "substantial" factor in Andrews's injuries. Thus, the erroneous instruction regarding the OSHA crane regulation was superfluous as to Andrews's theory of entitlement to damages from the Chesapeake Bay's owner, i.e., First American Bulk Carrier, and operator, i.e., Bachko, on the grounds of unseaworthiness. Even without resort to the erroneous instruction, the jury was given ample instructions to determine whether the ship was unseaworthy for lack of ladders, etc., on the crane, and, if so, to determine whether that particular basis of unseaworthiness caused/contributed to Andrews's injury. (See Da Silva v. Pacific King, Inc. (1987) 195 Cal. App. 3d 1, 6, 240 Cal. Rptr. 395.)[*25]

On this record we cannot say that the erroneous instruction misled the jury to believe Andrews was entitled to recover damages simply if it found that Bachko violated the OSHA crane regulation. Consequently, it is not reasonably probable the jury would have reached a different result absent the instruction. (Lundquist v. Reusser, supra, 7 Cal.4th at p. 1213; Kaljian v. Menezes, supra, 36 Cal.App.4th at pp. 589-590.)

The court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion for new trial on grounds of juror misconduct. First, the jurors' declarations conflict as to whether the jury had "extensive" discussions regarding attorney fees. A trial court's determination on a motion for new trial that is submitted on affidavits containing conflicting facts is a determination of those facts in favor of the prevailing party. (Young v. Brunicardi (1986) 187 Cal. App. 3d 1344, 1350-1351, 232 Cal. Rptr. 588.) We therefore accept the trial court's implied finding that the discussion regarding Andrews's attorney's potential fee was brief and did not dominate the deliberations.

DISPOSITION: The judgment is reversed and remanded with directions to reduce the amount of the jury's award of damages by the percentage by which the jury found Andrews contributorily negligent. Parties to bear their own costs. In all other respects the judgment is affirmed.

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DAVE P. FOLSE, JR. VERSUS GULF TRAN, INC.

2003 CA 0758
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FIRST CIRCUIT
2003 0758 (La. App. 1 Cir, 2/23/04); 2004 La. App. LEXIS 333
February 23, 2004, Rendered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff claimant filed this action against respondent employer in the Seventeenth Judicial District Court, Parish of Lafourche (Louisiana), pursuant to the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 et seq., and general maritime law. Judgment was rendered in favor of the claimant, and the employer appealed.

OVERVIEW: The claimant advised the employer, that he was injured while working on a vessel. The employer began paying him maintenance and cure. After further investigation, the employer discontinued those benefits. The claimant sued seeking recovery under the Jones Act and general maritime law. The trial court rendered judgment for the claimant. The employer appealed asserting the trial court erred in failing to conclude that the claimant forfeited his claim for maintenance and cure by failing to disclose to his employer that he suffered from Type II Diabetes. The appellate court disagreed. The claimant agreed to have any medical examinations desired by the employer and gave the employer access to his medical records. The employer did not require that he submit to examination by a physician before or after he began working for the employer and did not examine his medical records. The record supported the factual conclusion that he did not intentionally misrepresent or conceal his diabetes. There was no manifest error on behalf of the trial court's determination that the claimant did not forfeit his right to maintenance and cure.

OUTCOME: The judgment was affirmed.

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DARCE CARLISLE, Appellant, vs. CARNIVAL CORPORATION, et al.,Appellees.

CASE NO. 3D01-1518
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2004 Fla. App. LEXIS 895; 29 Fla. L. Weekly D 328
February 4, 2004, Opinion Filed

We certify that we have passed on a question of great public importance:

WHETHER A CRUISE LINE IS VICARIOUSLY LIABLE FOR THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE OF THE SHIPBOARD DOCTOR, COMMITTED ON A SHIP'S PASSENGER?

The motion for rehearing is denied.

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RUBY HOPKINS and RONALD HOPKINS, Appellants, v. THE BOATCLUB, INC., a FLORIDA CORPORATION d/b/a EMBARK BOAT CLUB and BILLY R. BRAWNER,Appellees.

CASE NO. 1D02-3385
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, FIRST DISTRICT
2004 Fla. App. LEXIS 1299; 29 Fla. L. Weekly D 415
February 10, 2004, Opinion Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant injured parties, a husband and wife, sought review of the grant of summary judgment by the Circuit Court for Duval County (Florida) in favor of appellee boat club in a personal injury action. The trial court determined that the injured parties' action was barred based on an exculpatory clause in the parties' contract.

OVERVIEW: The injured parties were using a watercraft under the terms of the parties' agreement. While operating the craft under the supervision of one of the boat club's employees, the husband crossed a large boat wake at a high rate of speed resulting in his wife being thrown from the boat and sustaining serious injuries. The appellate court held the exculpatory clause was legally sufficient under the federal maritime law. There was no indication the boat club was operating a commercial carrier or that transportation was occurring port to port. Thus, 46 U.S.C.S. § 83c was not applicable. There was no indication that the parties were in unequal bargaining positions, the contract referred to specific risks, and it covered all employees. Thus, the language was sufficient to inform a reasonable person that the boat club was released from liability.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the trial court was affirmed

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JOSEPH JOHNSON VERSUS GALLIANO MARINE SERVICE, INC., ET AL

CIVIL ACTION NO: 03-2075 SECTION: "J" (2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2046
February 10, 2004, Decided
February 11, 2004, Filed
February 12, 2004, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed an action against defendants, two limited liability companies (LLCs), a corporation and an individual, after the seaman sustained injury when a smoke detector device on the ship exploded. The LLCs filed a third party complaint against third party defendant manufacturer. The manufacturer filed a motion to dismiss asserting immunity and lack of personal jurisdiction.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was injured while working on a ship, docked in Louisiana waters, when a smoke detector device exploded. The seaman filed an action against four defendants and the two defendant LLCs filed a third party action against the manufacturer. The manufacturer asserted that it was entitled to immunity under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1603 of the Federal Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), 28 U.S.C.S. §§ 1602-1605, because two foreign countries had an ownership interest in the manufacturer. The court held that the manufacturer was not entitled to immunity because the manufacturer was not acting as a regulator of the market, which could potentially invoke sovereign immunity protection, but as a participant in the market engaged in commercial activity. Even if the manufacturer qualified as an instrumentality of a foreign sovereign, the exception to immunity set forth in 28 U.S.C.S. § 1605(a)(2) applied. The court had personal jurisdiction over the manufacturer. Minimum contacts with the forum were established because the manufacturer clearly intended to sell its products within the United States and within the forum. Additionally, imposition of jurisdiction was fair and reasonable.

OUTCOME: The court denied the manufacturer's motion to dismiss.

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JACKIE DALTON, Plaintiff, -v- NEW COMMODORE CRUISE LINESLIMITED, Defendant.

02 Civ. 8025 (DLC)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2590
February 24, 2004, Decided
February 27, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In a personal injury case, plaintiff passenger sued defendant cruise line in Louisiana. The cruise line's motion to transfer was granted. Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 56, the cruise line moved for summary judgment. The passenger moved to amend the complaint. After the accident, but prior to the present suit being filed, the cruise line filed for bankruptcy.

OVERVIEW: The passenger's lawsuit was filed in derogation of the automatic stay imposed by the bankruptcy court, and she did not petition the bankruptcy court for leave to file her suit. Her lack of notice that the cruise line had filed for bankruptcy was immaterial. Since the passenger's contractual one year statute of limitations expired during the pendency of the automatic stay, she had 30 days from the time she received notice that the stay had been lifted to re-file her lawsuit. She was aware that the automatic stay had been lifted since at least June 20, 2002. Rather than re-file her lawsuit, the passenger chose to pursue the lawsuit, which was void, in the Louisiana. The passenger was now time-barred from re-filing the lawsuit in the present district. Allowing the passenger to amend her pleading now would be both prejudicial and futile. There was no timely filed complaint to which this amendment may relate back. There was also no reasonable explanation as to why she waited until such a late stage in the litigation to file an amended complaint. She did not show that her failure to name the cruise line's insurer was due to either a mistake of law or fact.

OUTCOME: The cruise line's motion for summary judgment was granted, and the passenger's motion to amend was denied.

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BETH LURIE and MARK LURIE, Plaintiffs, - against - NORWEGIANCRUISE LINES, LTD. and M/V NORWEGIAN STAR, Defendants.

03 Civ. 5033 (PKL)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2873
February 25, 2004, Decided
February 26, 2004, Filed

Plaintiffs Beth and Mark Lurie, residents of New York, brought this action under the Court's diversity jurisdiction seeking damages for unlawful imprisonment and breach of contract. Plaintiffs' claims arise from their alleged mistreatment at the hands of defendant Norwegian Cruise Lines, Ltd. ("NCL"), a Florida corporation with its principle place of business in Miami, Florida, while on board NCL's cruise ship, Norwegian Star. NCL now moves to dismiss this case based on a forum selection clause contained in the passenger ticket contract issued to plaintiffs for their cruise that requires claims against NCL to be brought in Dade County, [*2] Florida. Plaintiffs oppose this motion and, as an alternative to dismissal, request that the Court transfer the action to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. For the reasons stated below, the Court finds that the forum selection clause is valid and enforceable and orders transfer rather than dismissal.

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ANTHONY CALDERON, Plaintiff, - against COMMODORE HOLDINGSLIMITED et al., Defendants.

02 Civ. 8273 (DC)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3122
February 26, 2004, Decided
March 1, 2004, Filed

Calderon was a passenger on a Commodore cruise ship when he was injured on August 30, 2000. (Calderon[*2] Aff., P 1). As the parties agree, his ticket contained a one-year limitation for bringing suit. Suit also had to be brought in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. (See Def. Rule 56.1 Statement, P 4; Pl. Rule 56.1 Statement). Hence, absent a stay or tolling, Calderon was required to file suit by August 30, 2001.

On December 27, 2000, Commodore filed for bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. As a result, pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 362, an automatic stay came into effect preventing Calderon from commencing suit against Commodore.

On March 15, 2002, a plan of reorganization was confirmed by the bankruptcy court. (Harwood Aff., Ex. H at Ex. 6). As discussed below, by operation of law, the automatic stay was lifted and Calderon had thirty days from receipt of notice of the termination of the automatic stay to file suit.

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In re the EXXON VALDEZ. This Order Relates to ALL CASES

No. A89-0095-CV (HRH)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF ALASKA
296 F. Supp. 2d 1071; 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1514
January 28, 2004, Decided
January 28, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Thousands of plaintiffs' oil spill claims were consolidated against defendants, oil and shipping companies, and captain. The case was pending proceedings on remand from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The oil and shipping companies submitted a second renewed motion for reduction or remittitur of punitive damages.

OVERVIEW: The appellate court had earlier vacated a $4 billion punitive damages judgment and remanded the case, this time to reconsider the punitive damages award in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's State Farm decision. The question was whether the jury's $5 billion punitive damages award offended the Due Process Clause. The court again concluded that a $5 billion award was justified by the facts and was not grossly excessive so as to deprive defendants of fair notice--their right to due process. This conclusion was based on the court's findings that (1) defendants' conduct was highly reprehensible, (2) the ratio of punitive damages to actual harm was a permissible 9.74-to-1, and (3) comparable criminal and civil penalties could have exceeded $5 billion. However, the appellate court instructed the court to reduce the punitive damages award. In light of State Farm, which instructed that single-digit multipliers passed constitutional muster for highly reprehensible conduct, which was what was before the court, and in light of Zhang, in which the appellate court approved a 7-to-1 ratio for conduct that was also highly reprehensible, the court reduced the award to $4.5 billion.

OUTCOME: The motion for reduction or remittitur of the punitive damages award was granted. $500 million of the $5 billion jury award was remitted, and therefore, the punitive damages award was reduced to $4.5 billion. The clerk was directed to enter an amended partial judgment accordingly.

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DOUGLAS SPECTOR, ET AL., Plaintiffs-Appellants, versus NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE LTD., doing business as Norwegian Cruise Line,Defendant-Appellee. DOUGLAS SPECTOR, ET AL., Plaintiffs-Appellees, versusNORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE LTD., doing business as Norwegian Cruise Line,Defendant-Appellant.

No. 02-21154, 03-20056
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
356 F.3d 641; 2004 U.S. App. LEXIS 340
January 12, 2004, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellants, disabled travelers and their companions, sued appellee cruise line and alleged that they were discriminated against in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C.S. § 12181 et seq. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas dismissed the travelers' claim concerning removal of physical barriers, and certified the matter for interlocutory appeal.

OVERVIEW: The question presented on appeal was whether Title III of the ADA, 42 U.S.C.S. § 12181 et seq., applied to foreign-flagged cruise ships. The cruise line challenged the district court's conclusion that Title III of the ADA applied to foreign-flagged cruise ships, and asserted that there was no evidence that Congress intended Title III to apply to foreign-flagged vessels or that it even considered the issue. The court found that there was no indication, either in the statutory text or in the ADA's extensive legislative history, that Congress intended Title III to apply to foreign-flagged cruise ships. If Congress had so intended, it would have addressed the subject of conflicts with foreign laws and procedures. Congress's silence could not be read to express an intent to legislate where issues touching on other nations' sovereignty are involved. Extraterritorial application of any statute was impermissible absent the affirmative intention of the Congress clearly expressed. Congress, in enacting Title III of the ADA, failed to express any intention to subject foreign-flagged cruise ships to its dictates. Thus, application of Title III to foreign-flagged cruise ships was impermissible.

OUTCOME: The district court's dismissal of the travelers' barrier removal claims was sustained. However, the judgment of the district court was reversed to the extent that any Title III ADA claims remained, including those of the non-disabled travelers, and the case was remanded for further proceedings.

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THOMAS LOVEJOY VERSUS HARDIE BERGEAUX AND CRAIN BROTHERS,INC.

03-862
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, THIRD CIRCUIT
03-862 (La.App. 3 Cir, 12/11/03); 862 So. 2d 490; 2003 La. App. LEXIS 3436
December 11, 2003, Rendered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employee challenged a decision of the Fourteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of Calcasieu (Louisiana), which granted defendant employer's motion for summary judgment and found that there were no genuine issues of material fact as to the employee's status as a seaman for purposes of the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688(a).

OVERVIEW: The employer hired the employee to perform welding services on a project involving placing pipeline crossings under an intracoastal waterway. A particular boat transported the employees down the waterway to a crossing site on a daily basis. The employee was injured when someone dropped a bucket on the employee's head. The injury occurred on a levee when the pipelines were being welded together. After the accident, the employee spent a substantial part of his time on the boat, which included piloting it. The employee filed this action, but the trial court ruled in the employer's favor. The court reversed on appeal and remanded for a trial on the merits. The court did not find this to be a case where the undisputed facts revealed that a maritime worker had a clearly inadequate temporal connection to vessels in navigation. The court believed that a reasonable jury could have concluded that the employee spent more than 30 percent of his employment time aboard vessels owned or controlled by the employer. Thus, seaman status under the Act remained a genuine issue of material fact and the trial court erred in granting summary judgment on the issue.

OUTCOME: The court reversed and remanded for a trial.

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MICHAEL GROS VERSUS FRED SETTOON, INC.

03-461
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, THIRD CIRCUIT
03-461 (La.App. 3 Cir, 12/23/03); 2003 La. App. LEXIS 3602
December 23, 2003, Opinions Rendered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: The Sixteenth Judicial District Court, Parish of St. Martin (Louisiana), granted summary judgment to appellee employer dismissing appellant claimant's Jones Act claims for negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure because the claimant received benefits under 33 U.S.C.S. § 905(b) of the Longshoreman's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). The claimant appealed.

OVERVIEW: The claimant alleged that he severely injured his back while attempting to lift and hold up a heavy load while working on a barge owned by the employer. The barge allegedly shifted and rolled due to the weight and movement of the operation. The employer filed a motion for partial summary judgment contending that all of the claimant's claims based on seaman status should be dismissed because of his voluntary receipt of LHWCA benefits. The claimant argued that the question of seaman status was never litigated during the trial for longshoreman's benefits, and therefore, he was entitled to a determination of his seaman status. The trial court granted the employer's partial motion for summary judgment and dismissed the claimant's Jones Act claims. Although the LHWCA credit provision did ostensibly prevent double recovery for the claimant, a real possibility existed that the employer could be forced to engage in repetitious litigation. Despite that possibility, the credit provision of the LHWCA clearly indicated an intent on Congress's part to allow for recovery under both the LHWCA and the Jones Act. Thus, the dismissal of the claimant's Jones Act claims was improper.

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SAMUEL SAMUELOV, Appellant, vs. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, INC.,Appellee.

CASE NO. 3D03-215
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 18356; 28 Fla. L. Weekly D 2763
December 3, 2003, Opinion Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, employee and spouse, sought review of the decision of the Thirty-Second Judicial District Court, Parish of Terrebonne (Louisiana), which granted summary judgment in favor of defendant employer in plaintiffs' action pursuant to the Jones Act (Act), 26 U.S.C.S. app. § 688.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiffs appealed the dismissal by summary judgment of their action for Act damages against the employer based on the trial court's conclusion that the employee lacked the requisite seaman status necessary to recover under the federal compensation scheme. The employee had sustained personal injuries while assigned to an oil-drilling job working aboard a vessel. The court agreed and affirmed, stating that plaintiffs failed to produce factual support sufficient to satisfy their burden of proving a substantial connection to an identifiable group of vessels acting together or under one control. Accordingly, the court found no error in the trial court's conclusion that the plaintiffs failed to prove seaman status to support an action for damages under the Act.

OUTCOME: The judgment was affirmed.

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SAMUEL SAMUELOV, Appellant, vs. CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, INC.,Appellee.

CASE NO. 3D03-215
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 18356; 28 Fla. L. Weekly D 2763
December 3, 2003, Opinion Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: The Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County (Florida) granted partial summary judgment to appellant passenger, and against appellee cruise ship, on the passenger's breach of a non-delegable duty claim. At trial, the cruise ship was granted a directed verdict on the remaining claims. Both parties sought further review.

OVERVIEW: The passenger appealed and the cruise ship cross-appealed the judgments entered. The cruise ship argued that, in accordance with its disclaimer of liability, it had no duty to the passenger while he was on a shore excursion that was operated by an independent contractor. The appeals court disagreed. The transportation provided to the passenger between the cruise ship and the shoreline was a tender, and the cruise ship had a non-delegable duty to provide passengers with safe transportation, under adequate supervision, to and from the ship to shore. With regard to the main appeal, the passenger alleged that the condition that caused his injury was open and obvious. The appeals court agreed. The fact that passengers had to cross the wet, slippery exposed upper deck of the tender should have been reasonably anticipated by the cruise ship. Therefore, the trial court should have allowed the case to proceed to a jury verdict on this issue.

OUTCOME: Partial summary judgment entered in favor of the passenger was affirmed. However, the directed verdict entered in favor of the cruise ship was reversed, and the case was remanded.

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ENRIQUE WILLIAMS, Plaintiff, vs. CRUISE SHIPS CATERING AND SERVICE INTERNATIONAL, N.V.; PRESTIGE CRUISES N.V.; and COSTA CROCKER, SPA,Defendants

Case No. 03-60158-CIV-GOLD/SIMONTON
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24048; 17 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. D 211
December 9, 2003, Decided
December 9, 2003, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant cruiseline owners filed a motion to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds related to plaintiff seaman's allegations under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, and claims for unseaworthiness, failure to cure, and failure to treat.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant cruise line owners for injuries he suffered while he worked aboard an Italian-flagged vessel. Defendants filed a motion to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds contending, inter alia, that the place of the wrongful act was not the United States but the high seas, the law of the ship's flag was Italian; and plaintiff was domiciled in Costa Rica. However, the district court denied defendants' motion to dismiss on finding, inter alia, that defendants conducted substantial business in United States ports generating revenues for the ship's owner, plaintiff was treated for his medical condition in the United States while serving aboard defendants' vessel and in their employment, and important decisions relating to the plaintiff's care and maintenance were made by defendants' subsidiary in the United States. The district court held that defendant ship owner had a substantial base of operations in the United States, the law of the United States should be applied, and thus the case should not be dismissed for forum non conveniens.

OUTCOME: Defendants' motion to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds was denied.

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MARK P. DISHONG, Plaintiff, v. PEABODY CORP., Defendant andThird-Party Plaintiff, v. TIDEWATER ORTHOPAEDIC ASSOCIATES, INC. and TIDEWATERPHYSICAL THERAPY, INC., Third-Party Defendants.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 4:03cv107
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA, NEWPORT NEWS DIVISION
219 F.R.D. 382; 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22348
December 12, 2003, Decided
December 12, 2003, Opinion Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant shipowner for injuries sustained due to the shipowner's alleged negligence and the unseaworthiness of the shipowner's vessel. The seaman sought maintenance and cure. The shipowner filed a third-party complaint against third-party defendant medical facilities seeking contribution and indemnification for all liability. The medical facilities moved for a more definite statement and to strike the third-party complaint.

OVERVIEW: Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 14, the court did not permit the shipowner to implead the medical facilities because introduction of the third-party claims would have unduly complicated the case, possibly to the prejudice of the seaman and the medical facilities. Specifically, even if the shipowner was permitted to recover maintenance and cure payments made to the seaman from the medical facilities whose alleged negligence caused the seaman's disability, that theory of recovery would have required the shipowner to prove that the medical facilities were tortfeasors. In other words, the shipowner would have to prove that the medical facilities' medical malpractice was the cause of the seaman's damages for maintenance and cure. The issues involved in medical malpractice were unrelated to those presented by the seaman and almost all of the evidence that would have been relevant to the medical malpractice claim had no connection to the seaman's claims. Thus, permitting the third-party claim to remain in the lawsuit would not have served the purposes of Fed. R. Civ. P. 14 and would likely have prejudiced the seaman and the medical facilities.

OUTCOME: The third-party complaint was dismissed without prejudice. The medical facilities' pending motions were moot.

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PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In a Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, case, plaintiff employee sued defendant foreign cruise line in state court for damages for injuries he allegedly sustained on a cruise ship. Following removal pursuant to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (Convention), 9 U.S.C.S. § 201-208, the cruise line moved to compel arbitration. The employee moved to remand.

OVERVIEW: The employee argued that removal was improper for six reasons. While the employment contract did not expressly include an arbitration agreement, the contract was an approved Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) contract that vested original and exclusive jurisdiction over all disputes under the contract with the POEA or the Philippine National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC). Since the NLRC was a body of labor arbitrators, arbitration was effectively mandated. The court rejected the assertion that the Convention did not apply to the employment contracts of seaman. Based on United States Supreme Court precedent, the court rejected the employee's argument that his employment contract was not a commercial contract. While the employee cited authority for the proposition that a foreign seaman could bring a Jones Act claim, he did not show that the claim could not be removed by a foreign company under the Convention. The arbitration agreement between the parties was valid under U.S. law. The contract was not one of adhesion and was valid under Philippine law. Finally, the court could not determine whether the agreement was enforceable under Philippine law.

OUTCOME: The employee's motion to remand was denied. The cruise line's motion to compel arbitration was granted. Any pending motions were denied as moot.

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JOSEPH LODRIGUE VERSUS DELTA TOWING, L.L.C.

CIVIL ACTION NUMBER: 03-0363 SECTION: "R"
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22933
December 19, 2003, Decided
December 19, 2003, Filed
December 22, 2003, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In response to plaintiff seaman's motion for an expedited trial of his maintenance and cure claims against defendant shipowner, the court held a trial on the seaman's maintenance and cure claim severed from his claims alleging Jones Act negligence and unseaworthiness of a vessel. The seaman also requested compensatory damages, prejudgment interest, and attorney fees.

OVERVIEW: The seaman slipped and fell while working as a captain on the vessel. The shipowner paid for the seaman's initial medical expenses, but the seaman was discharged from employment two months after the accident because he gave a false excuse for an absence. When an orthopedic surgeon subsequently recommended surgery, the shipowner denied the seaman's request for maintenance and cure. The court held that the seaman was entitled to maintenance and cure because he advanced credible medical testimony as to his back and knee injuries and potential for medical improvement. Although the shipowner presented contrary evidence from a qualified physician who testified that the seaman had reached maximum medical improvement, the court found that the testimony merely raised doubts as to the seaman's entitlement to maintenance and cure, which the court was required to resolve in favor of the seaman. Although the seaman did not disclose a pre-existing knee injury during a pre-employment physical, the court found that the shipowner failed to show that the injury would have affected its decision to hire the seaman. No damages or attorney fees were assessed because the denial was not unreasonable.

OUTCOME: The court held that the seaman was entitled to maintenance and cure and that he was entitled to prejudgment interest on the award. The court held that the seaman was not entitled to compensatory damages or attorney fees. The court sustained the seaman's objection to the admissibility of bills of information that charged the seaman with issuing worthless checks.

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MARGARET PERKS, v. SCOTIA PRINCE CRUISES, LTD.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23208
December 29, 2003, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger brought an action against defendant cruise ship to recover for personal injuries sustained while on board the ship. The ship filed a motion to dismiss the action pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), or, in the alternative, for summary judgment. The matter was referred to a magistrate judge.

OVERVIEW: The ship's motion was based on a one-year time limitation imposed by the terms and conditions in its ticketing materials. After she sustained the injury, the passenger obtained a refund and filed a notice of claim. However, she filed suit after the one-year ticket limitation had passed. The magistrate found that he could only consider the ticketing material by considering the ship's motion as seeking summary judgment. The magistrate recommended that this summary judgment be granted. The court found that 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 183b(a) permitted the one-year limitation, but that the ship had to make a reasonable effort to warn passengers of the limitation. In particular, the ticket contract had to be sufficiently obvious and understandable and the passenger had to be familiar with the ticket terms, although actual knowledge was not required. The court further found that both of these requirements were met. The ticket jacket containing the limitations was sent directly to the passenger before the trip. Further, she had a sufficient opportunity to become aware of this information, as evidenced by the fact that she obtained a refund and contacted counsel to file a notice of claim.

OUTCOME: The magistrate recommended that the ship's motion for summary judgment be granted. The parties were granted time to file objections.

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WILLIAM T. WRIGHT -v- MAERSK LINE,LTD.

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
84 Fed. Appx. 123; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 26524
December 31, 2003, Decided

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant ship operator appealed from the judgment of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York following a jury trial awarding plaintiff seaman damages under 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 of the Jones Act of 1920, and from the court's denial of the operator's post-trial motion for judgment as a matter of law under Fed. R. Civ. P. 50.

OVERVIEW: The seaman became ill on the operator's vessel. The options were to leave the seaman at St. Helena, which had no airport and only monthly mail boat service, or at Ascension Island, which would require an additional 41 hours to reach, but had a hospital and an airport, allowing for easier return to the United States. The captain chose St. Helena, where doctors advised that the seaman probably had passed a gallstone. When the seaman returned to the United States, gallstones and sludge were found in his gallbladder. His treating physician opined that the delay in returning to the United States caused significant damage to his liver. The operator argued that it fulfilled its duty to the seaman by pulling into the nearest port known to have adequate medical facilities. However, the court of appeals found that the "nearest port" consideration was not the sole and determinative factor, and that other factors should also have been considered in ascertaining whether the captain acted reasonably in responding to the seaman's illness, including his ability to return home. The evidence sufficiently supported the jury's finding that the operator negligently responded to the seaman's illness.

OUTCOME: The court of appeals affirmed the judgment of the district court.

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ROGER C. BENSON and PATRICIA HARDY-SMITH, individually andas Co-Personal Representatives of the Estate of NOAH BENJAMIN BENSON, a minor,Appellants, vs. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE LIMITED, and CARLA VON BENECKE, M.D.,Appellees.

CASE NO. 3D01-1845
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 16714
November 5, 2003, Opinion Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: An appeal from the Circuit Court for Dade County, Judith L. Kreeger, Judge. LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 99-4704. Opinion Substituted for Opinion dated January 15, 2003 reported at: Benson v. Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd., 834 So. 2d 915, 2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 225 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 3d Dist., 2003)

DISPOSITION: Reversed and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: The court withdrew an earlier opinion and substituted the instant opinion. Appellant parents brought a wrongful death action asserting medical malpractice against appellees, a cruise line and a cruise ship doctor. The court ruled that the ship was outside Florida's territorial waters at the relevant times and granted a motion to dismiss as to the doctor. The parents appealed from the Dade County Circuit Court (Florida).

OVERVIEW: Where alleged medical malpractice aboard a cruise ship occurred when the ship was 11.7 nautical miles east of the Florida shore, the medical malpractice incident occurred within Florida's territorial waters. The ship had not yet reached the edge of the Gulf Stream, which was 14 nautical miles east of the relevant portion of Florida's coastline on the day in question. Thus, based on the boundary as stated in Fla. Const. art. II, § 1 (1968), the claimed incident occurred within Florida's territorial boundaries. The doctor argued that under the federal Submerged Lands Act, 43 U.S.C.S. § 1301 et seq., Florida was not allowed to claim an Atlantic territorial sea greater than three nautical miles. That was not so. The present case did not involve any claim of ownership of the ocean bed or the resources contained therein and the Submerged Lands Act did not prevent Florida from asserting a territorial sea beyond three miles in the Atlantic, and exercising police powers thereon. The conduct at issue occurred on the ocean's surface, not on the ocean bottom. International law was not addressed, as the incident occurred when the cruise ship was less than 12 nautical miles offshore.

OUTCOME: The appellate court reversed the judgment dismissing the doctor from the lawsuit, and remanded for further proceedings. In light of the opinion, the motion for rehearing and certification of a question of great public importance were denied.

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GLEN A. BAUMGART, Plaintiff, -against- TRANSOCEANIC CABLE SHIP COMPANY, INC. and C/S GLOBAL MARINER, L.P., Defendants.

No. 01 Civ. 5990 (LTS) (HBP)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFNEW YORK
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19921
November 7, 2003, Decided

SUBSEQUENT HISTORY: Motions ruled upon by Baumgart v. Transoceanic Cable Ship Co., 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19921 (S.D.N.Y., Nov. 7, 2003)

DISPOSITION: Defendant's motion for summary judgment was granted in part and denied in part.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant vessel owner, employer, and another company for injuries he sustained while serving on board a vessel, including claims of unseaworthiness, negligence under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, and maintenance and cure. Defendants moved for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The employer and vessel owner were not entitled to summary judgment on the unseaworthiness claims because it was undisputed that the seaman was employed exclusively by the employer, that the vessel owner owned the vessel upon which he was injured, and that the employer was the demise charterer at the time the injuries were incurred. However, the unseaworthiness, negligence, and maintenance and cure claims against the other company did not survive as the seaman offered no evidence as to that company's role other than pointing out that it was named in the preamble to a collective bargaining agreement between the seamen's union and the employer. The Jones Act and maintenance and cure claims against the vessel owner were dismissed as those claims could only be asserted against a seaman's employer.

OUTCOME: The motion for summary judgment was granted with respect to the claims against the other company, and the negligence and maintenance and cure claims against the vessel's owner, but was otherwise denied.

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MELODEE WHITMAN, PLAINTIFF v. RICK MILES, DEFENDANT

CIVIL NO. 03-61-P-H
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20906
November 20, 2003, Decided

DISPOSITION: Defendant's motion for summary judgment granted in part.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff sailor sued defendant ship owner for maintenance and cure. The ship owner moved for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: While working on board the owner's ship, the sailor began experiencing symptoms that included fatigue, loss of balance, numbness, and incontinence. The sailor was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which was incurable. The ship owner paid the sailor's medical bills for initial treatment, but did not pay for treatment or living expenses following the diagnosis. About a month after the initial diagnosis, a specialist determined that the sailor's condition had resolved to the extent that she had only some mild and tingling feelings. The sailor had suffered periodic exacerbations since that time. The court found that the sailor's condition was "permanent" for purposes of terminating the ship owner's maintenance and cure obligation. The ship owner conceded that his obligation extended for a short period of time after the initial diagnosis, but the sailor offered no facts from which the court could find that her condition was capable of being improved after the specialist's determination that it had resolved. Slowing or arresting a decline was not the same as effecting an improvement. The specialist's opinion sufficiently established that the sailor's condition was permanent.

OUTCOME: The ship owner was granted partial summary judgment as to all maintenance and cure after the date of the specialist's diagnosis, as to all lodging expenses, and as to attorney fees. The ship owner was responsible for an additional month of the sailor's food and medical expenses following the initial diagnosis.

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RIZALYN BAUTISTA, etc., et al., PAUL PERALTA, RAYMONDLOVINO, RONALDO MARCELINO, ROLANDO TEJERO, ABDI COMEDIA, CRISTINA L. VALENZUELA,etc., et al., MARILEN S. BERNAL, etc., et al., WILLY I. VILLANUEVA, etc., etal., MARIA GARCIA L. ROSAL, etc., et al., Plaintiffs, v. STAR CRUISES andNORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Defendants.

CASE NO. 03-21642-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.03-21643-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.
03-21644-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.03-21645-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.
03-21646-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.03-21647-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.
03-21648-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.03-21649-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.
03-21650-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA, CASE NO.03-21651-CIV-SEITZ/BANDSTRA
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18274
October 14, 2003, Decided
October 14, 2003, Filed

DISPOSITION: Defendant NCL's motion to compel arbitration granted. Plaintiffs' motion for remand denied; Plaintiffs' motion for attorneys' fees denied; all pending motions not otherwise ruled upon denied.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, seamen and personal representatives of dead crewmembers, sued defendant cruise ship, in state court, alleging negligence, unseaworthiness under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, and failure to provide maintenance, cure and unearned wages under the general maritime law of the United States. The cruise ship removed the action to federal court and moved to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs moved to remand and moved for attorneys' fees.

OVERVIEW: A steam boiler explosion killed six of the seamen, and seriously injured four others. The cruise ship removed the cases to district court and alleged that plaintiffs had entered into written agreements to arbitrate claims arising from their employment with the cruise ship in the Philippines, and these agreements were subject to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (Convention), 9 U.S.C.S. § 201 et seq. The court found that the exclusion of seamen contract under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), 9 U.S.C.S. § 1 et seq., did not apply to the Convention because the term "including" instructed that the transactions, contracts and agreements described in 9 U.S.C.S. § 2 were covered by the Convention Act, as well as other arbitration agreements that arose out of commercial legal relationships. The arbitration agreements between plaintiffs and the cruise ship fell within the scope of the Convention and the agreements were not null and void, inoperative, or incapable of being performed. Removal was proper under 9 U.S.C.S. § 205 because the Convention was construed broadly in favor of removal.

OUTCOME: The cruise ship's motion to compel arbitration was granted. Plaintiffs' motions for remand and for attorneys' fees were denied.

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In the Matter of Island Express Boat Lines, as Owner of theMV Island Rocket II, Petitioner

Case No. 3:02CV7108
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OFOHIO, WESTERN DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19152
October 17, 2003, Decided

DISPOSITION: Petitioner's motion for summary judgment denied and claimant-respondents; motion for summary judgment denied. Claimants motion for leave to amend their pleading granted.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Petitioners/third-party plaintiffs, owners of a ferry, filed a petition to exonerate themselves of liability for an occurrence on a lake during which respondents/claimants/third party defendants, husband and wife, and claimants, passengers, were injured. The owners moved for summary judgment. The husband and the wife moved for summary judgment. The husband, the wife, and the passengers moved to amend their claim for injuries and damages.

OVERVIEW: As the ferry passed the boundary of the harbor's no-wake zone, the pleasure boat, which was owned by the wife and was operated by the husband approached the entrance to the harbor. The husband turned his attention to a cabin cruiser and when he looked to port, he noticed a large wave about to strike the boat. The boat was hit by three large swells. The husband, the wife, and their passengers were injured. The court found that the owners were not entitled to summary judgment because the testimony of one of the passengers that he saw the ferry accelerate, its bow come up, and the wake it was leaving before the boat struck the wave was sufficient to overcome the owners' motion for summary judgment because if credited, the testimony supported a finding that the ferry failed to give adequate heed to the presence of other boats approaching that harbor in violation of the Inland Navigation Rules, 33 U.S.C.S. § 2006, Rule 6. The husband and the wife were not entitled to summary judgment because a fact finder could have concluded that the husband failed to fulfill his duty to maintain sufficient lookout, as codified in the Inland Navigational Rules, 33 U.S.C.S § 2005, Rule 5.

OUTCOME: Leave was granted to the husband, the wife, and the passengers to amend their claim. The cross-motions for summary judgment were denied.

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REYNALDO OYUELA VERSUS SEACOR MARINE (NIGERIA), INC., ET AL.

CIVIL ACTION NUMBER 02-3298 SECTION "L" (2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18859
October 21, 2003, Decided
October 21, 2003, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: Matter was dismissed provided certain conditions are met.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff sailor commenced the instant lawsuit against various affiliates of defendant shipping company and its affiliated entities and asserted causes of action under the Jones Act, general maritime law, the laws of Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and France, to recover damages for his personal injuries. Timely responsive pleadings were filed by the shipping company.

OVERVIEW: The sailor claimed to have injured his back when he attempted to move a heavy deck plate from its stowed position. There were a variety of issues of jurisdiction and choice of law, which needed to be resolved before the case, could proceed to final resolution. The present court had jurisdiction over two of the shipping company's entities, but the issue was whether there was jurisdiction over its Bahamian entity. The court could assert personal jurisdiction over the Bahamian entity under a number of jurisdictional bases. First, the sailor served one of the Bahamian entity's corporate officers, while he was present within the forum. Second, the Bahamian entity had sufficient minimum contacts with the present forum because a company officer worked and resided there. Third, the Bahamian entity did not maintain a corporate existence independent of the shipping company. However, private and public interest factors weighed in favor of dismissal under the second step of the forum non-conveniens framework, in part because the parties themselves expressed a preference for British law and a British forum and British courts were best suited to interpret and apply British law.

OUTCOME: The court dismissed the matter provided that: (1) the shipping company submitted to jurisdiction in the appropriate United Kingdom forum; (2) the sailor initiated appropriate proceedings within 120 days of the order of dismissal, inter alia.

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SEAN GEORGE VERSUS THE DELTA QUEEN STEAMBOAT CO.

No. 2001-CA-1902
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT
2001-1902 (La.App. 4 Cir, 09/10/03);
854 So. 2d 476; 2003 La. App. LEXIS 2531
September 10, 2003, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: APPEAL FROM CIVIL DISTRICT COURT, ORLEANS PARISH. NO. 99-11572, DIVISION "C-6". Honorable Roland L. Belsome, Judge.

DISPOSITION: AFFIRMED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant deckhand was awarded damages under the Jones Act and general maritime law for the injuries suffered while he was employed by appellee steamboat company occasioned in the course and scope of his work while assisting in the mooring of the boat. The Civil District Court, Orleans Parish, Division "C-6" (Louisiana) awarded, inter alia, general damages of $450,000 and special damages of $797,889. The company appealed.

OVERVIEW: Although the trial court may have used the incorrect case law and articulated the negligence standard inartfully, the factual findings were more than adequate to support the lower court's determination of negligence on the part of the company. The captain and mates had a duty to evaluate and anticipate the likelihood of problems associated with the landing; i.e., the possibility of mud being soft underneath, which could have posed a hazard for the deckhands on shore trying to retrieve the heaving line when thrown from the ship. An alternative method existed that would have been safer for the deckhands given the condition of the recently-dried mud on the bank, which information was readily available to the captain and mates of the vessel. The crew was familiar with the stage method in which a mooring line was walked down to shore. It seemed that the captain and mates might have opted for that method to avoid the possibility of injury to the deckhands if they got stuck in the riverbank mud. The deckhand had no comparative negligence; his actions were consistent with those of deckhands on shore retrieving heaving lines to secure the boat. The trial court committed no reversible error.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the trial court was affirmed.

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EDWARD ARTHUR v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-2931
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18050
September 15, 2003, Decided
September 15, 2003, Filed; September 16, 2003, Entered

PRIOR HISTORY: Arthur v. United States, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15494 (E.D. Pa., Aug. 12, 2003)

DISPOSITION: Court's Order of August 12, 2003 was vacated; Motions of defendant United States to dismiss claims of plaintiff was granted in part and denied in part.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed a complaint under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, and the Suits in Admiralty Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 741 et seq., against defendant employers for injuries suffered on four United States Naval Ships. Defendant United States was added and the employers were dismissed. The government's motion to dismiss, based on the limitations period of 46 U.S.C.S. § 745 and improper venue, was granted in part. Reconsideration was sought.

OVERVIEW: The seaman claimed negligence, unseaworthiness, and failure to pay maintenance and cure. On reconsideration, the court held § 745 was not jurisdictional. But, the seaman should have known that the last ship was a government ship when he was injured, when suit was filed, and as of a status conference over a month before the claim was time barred. The employers' motions for summary judgment argued the only remedy was against the government. The motion to add the government was filed over three months after the limitations period had expired on the negligence and unseaworthiness claims, and almost three months after the summary judgment motion. Relation back under Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(c)(3)(B) was improper. All negligence and unseaworthy claims were barred. Maximum cure as to three of the injuries was reached more than two years prior to either filing suit or adding the government. The maintenance and cure claims for those injuries were barred. As further treatment was needed for the last injury, maximum cure for that injury had not been reached. That claim was not barred. The government had not timely submitted the last ship's location, thus failing to show that venue was improper.

OUTCOME: The prior order was vacated. The government's motion to dismiss the claims for negligence and unseaworthiness was granted. The claims for maintenance and cure were also dismissed, except for the seaman's claim for his injury on the last ship, which was viable only for the period beginning two years prior to the date of the filing of the motion to amend to add the government. The government's motion to dismiss for improper venue was denied.

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Cruise Ship Operator, Which Is A Common Carrier, Is Not Vicariously Liable For The Intentional Torts Of Crew Members Aboard Its Vessels Which Are Not Employees Of The Cruise Ship Operator But, Rather, Are Employees Of A Catering Company. Additionally, Catering Company, Which Is Not A Common Carrier, Is Not Vicariously Liable For The Intentional Torts Of Its Employees.

JANE DOE, Plaintiff, vs. CELEBRITY CRUISES, INC., et al., Defendants.

Case Number: 00-2523-CIV-MARTINEZ
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, MIAMI DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17573
September 22, 2003, Decided
September 23, 2003, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Doe v. Celebrity Cruises, 145 F. Supp. 2d 1337, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8111 (S.D. Fla., 2001)

DISPOSITION: Defendants' Motion for Judgment as Matter of Law GRANTED. Prior judgment VACATED and judgment ENTERED for Defendants.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff passenger sued defendants, a cruise ship operator, a cruise ship owner, a catering company, and the ship, for damages associated with an alleged sexual assault by a crew member on the passenger. The matter went to trial and a jury found that the crew member committed a sexual battery on the passenger. Defendants filed a post-verdict motion for judgment as a matter of law.

OVERVIEW: The matter went to trial on the issue of strict liability against defendants for the alleged intentional torts by the crew member for intentional infliction of emotional distress, sexual assault, and sexual battery. The jury awarded the passenger one million dollars and attributed 25 percent of the responsibility to the cruise ship operator, the cruise ship owner, the catering company, and the ship. The court found that it was bound by the law of the case doctrine with regard to the judge's opinion, and the opinion was not clear error. The court would not make credibility determinations regarding the passenger's testimony and the jury could have reasonably found that the passenger was more credible than the crew member. However, there was an issue as to whether any defendant was a common carrier for purposes of vicarious liability for the intentional torts of the crew member. Only the cruise ship operator was a common carrier, but it was not the crew member's employer. None of the other defendants were common carriers. As such no defendants could be held vicariously liable for the intentional torts of the crew member.

OUTCOME: Defendants' motion for judgment as a matter of law was granted. The judgment was vacated and judgment was entered in favor of defendants.

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RICHARD LANDRY VERSUS SPECIALTY DIVING OF LOUISIANA, INC.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-1746 SECTION "K" (5)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17586
September 25, 2003, Decided
September 26, 2003, Filed; September 26, 2003, Entered

PRIOR HISTORY: Landry v. Specialty Diving of La., Inc., 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21483 (E.D. La., Nov. 4, 2002)

DISPOSITION: Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment GRANTED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff diver brought an admiralty suit against defendant employer to recover damages under the Jones Act and general maritime law for wrist injuries that were allegedly due to the employer's negligence. The employer moved for summary judgment on the grounds that no genuine issue of material fact existed as to the diver's alleged seaman status.

OVERVIEW: The diver claimed that he was injured while working above water from a small barge to restore a pile on a bridge. In granting summary judgment for the employer, the court held that the diver could not satisfy the second prong of the Chandris test for determining seaman status, which required the seaman's connection to a vessel to be substantial in both duration (temporal prong) and nature (functional prong). The diver did not allege a substantial connection to a vessel or an identifiable group of vessels under defendant's ownership and control. The diver worked only five percent of his time aboard vessels owned or controlled by the employer. This was not enough to satisfy the guideline that a worker who spent less than approximately 30 percent of his time in the service of a vessel in navigation should not qualify as a seaman. An exception for divers did not apply because, unlike the plaintiff in the Louisiana case establishing the exception, the diver did not regularly spend days or weeks at a time working, eating, and sleeping on vessels, thus being exposed to the same hazards as other seamen. Further, he worked only 53 percent of his time aboard any sort of vessel.

OUTCOME: The court granted the employer's motion for summary judgment.

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TERRY J. WILLIAMS, Plaintiff-Appellant-Cross-Appellee, -v.-WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, Defendant-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, AMERICAN SHIP MANAGEMENT LLC, APL LIMITED, JIM LONDAGAN, Capt., NEPTUNE ORIENT LINES, LTD. And M/V APL KOREA, her engines, boilers, generators, tackle, equipment, apparel, appurtenances, etc. in rem, Defendant-Appellees

Docket Nos. 02-9452(L), 02-9455(XAP)
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
345 F.3d 128; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 19931; 8 Wage & Hour Cas.2d (BNA) 1882
August 25, 2003, Argued
September 25, 2003, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: Plaintiff appeals from a judgment of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Martin, J.) granting summary judgment on plaintiff's claim for penalties under the seaman's wage statutes, 46 U.S.C. §§ 10313, 10504 (2000). We affirm on the alternative ground that the defendant, the nominal owner of the vessel, had given over control and operation of the vessel to another entity, such that the defendant was not an "owner" as that term is used in the wage penalty statute.

DISPOSITION: Decision of magistrate judge in appeal number 02-9455 (XAP) reversed. Judgment of District Court in appeal number 02-9452(L) affirmed.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff sailor alleged that he demanded and did not receive timely payment for his work aboard defendant vessel, and that defendant nominal owner was liable for the wage penalty under 46 U.S.C.S. §§ 10313, 10504. The owner moved to dismiss arguing that it was not an owner. The magistrate judge denied the motion. The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the owner summary judgment. The parties appealed.

OVERVIEW: The district court accepted the owner's argument its clerical errors fell within a statutory safe harbor for late payments having substantial cause. The instant court did not decide whether the owner's argument, which was accepted by the district court, was correct. If the owner was not the master or owner, it was not liable for a wage penalty. The instant court found that where a putative owner of a vessel entered into a demise or bareboat charter sufficient to render another entity the owner pro hac vice of the vessel, it was the owner pro hac vice that was liable for a wage penalty. There was no real dispute that defendant management company was in complete and exclusive possession, command, and navigation of the vessel. There was no evidence that anyone other than the company took any action in response to notices, and the owner did not pay the mortgage bills it received. Therefore, any reasonable finder of fact would have had to conclude that the owner was not the owner of the vessel. The magistrate judge erred in determining that the owner was an owner subject to penalties under the seaman's wage statutes. The owner was entitled to summary judgment on that basis.

OUTCOME: The decision of the magistrate judge was reversed. The judgment of the district court was affirmed.

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ANDRAS POTA, etc., et al., Appellants, vs. KENNETH HOLTZ,M.D., Appellee.

CASE NO. 3D02-1095
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 12371
August 20, 2003, Opinion Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: An Appeal from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Barbara Levenson, Judge. LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 01-1315.

DISPOSITION: Reversed.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant parents, individually and as personal representatives of their deceased son's estate, sued appellees, a cruise line and a ship's doctor, for wrongful death, medical malpractice, personal injury, and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Appellants sought review of the non-final order of the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County (Florida), which granted the doctor's motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction.

OVERVIEW: The doctor authorized his attorney to accept personal service and his attorney acknowledged that the doctor had been personally served. However, on appeal, the doctor argued that he was not served within the trial court's jurisdiction, i.e., Florida, because service took place aboard a foreign-flagged vessel. The appellate court concluded that a Liberian vessel moored at a dock in the City of Miami was within the State of Florida, not Liberia. Thus, because the ship was in Florida, the process server could have boarded the ship and served the doctor personally. Instead, by agreement of counsel, service was effected on the doctor's attorney. Thus, personal jurisdiction over the doctor was attained through personal service and the service was proper.

OUTCOME: The order dismissing the case was reversed.

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DARCE CARLISLE, Appellant, vs. CARNIVAL CORPORATION, et al.,Appellees.

CASE NO. 3D01-1518
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 12794
August 27, 2003, Opinion Filed

DISPOSITION: Affirmed in part; reversed in part and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant parents appealed from the entry of summary judgment by the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County (Florida), in favor of appellee cruise line, in the parents' suit seeking to hold the cruise line vicariously liable for the negligence of a ship's doctor in his treatment of their daughter.

OVERVIEW: The parents argued that the cruise line was vicariously liable for the doctor's negligence under agency and apparent agency law. The appellate court held that the cruise line had control over the doctor's medical services for agency law purposes. The doctor was to provide medical services to passengers and crew in accordance with the cruise line's guidelines. As it was foreseeable that some passengers at sea would develop medical problems and that the only realistic alternative for such a passenger was treatment by the ship's doctor, the cruise line had an element of control over the doctor-patient relationship. The holding of the Barbetta v. S/S Bermuda Star, 848 F.2d 1364 (5th Cir.1988), line of cases was rejected. The cruise line's duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances extended to the actions of a ship's doctor placed on board by the cruise line. For purposes of fulfilling the cruise line's duty to exercise reasonable care, the ship's doctor was an agent of the cruise line whose negligence was imputed to the cruise line. 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 183c invalidated the cruise ticket's purported limitation of the cruise line's liability for the negligence of its agents.

OUTCOME: The summary judgment was reversed on the issue of vicarious liability, and the case was remanded for further proceedings.

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DARCE CARLISLE, Appellant, vs. CARNIVAL CORPORATION, et al.,Appellees.

CASE NO. 3D01-1518
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 12794
August 27, 2003, Opinion Filed

DISPOSITION: Affirmed in part; reversed in part and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant parents appealed from the entry of summary judgment by the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County (Florida), in favor of appellee cruise line, in the parents' suit seeking to hold the cruise line vicariously liable for the negligence of a ship's doctor in his treatment of their daughter.

OVERVIEW: The parents argued that the cruise line was vicariously liable for the doctor's negligence under agency and apparent agency law. The appellate court held that the cruise line had control over the doctor's medical services for agency law purposes. The doctor was to provide medical services to passengers and crew in accordance with the cruise line's guidelines. As it was foreseeable that some passengers at sea would develop medical problems and that the only realistic alternative for such a passenger was treatment by the ship's doctor, the cruise line had an element of control over the doctor-patient relationship. The holding of the Barbetta v. S/S Bermuda Star, 848 F.2d 1364 (5th Cir.1988), line of cases was rejected. The cruise line's duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances extended to the actions of a ship's doctor placed on board by the cruise line. For purposes of fulfilling the cruise line's duty to exercise reasonable care, the ship's doctor was an agent of the cruise line whose negligence was imputed to the cruise line. 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 183c invalidated the cruise ticket's purported limitation of the cruise line's liability for the negligence of its agents.

OUTCOME: The summary judgment was reversed on the issue of vicarious liability, and the case was remanded for further proceedings.

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EDUARDO B. BARLAS, Plaintiff, - against - UNITED STATES OFAMERICA, Defendant.

01 Civ. 6420 (DC)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFNEW YORK
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14298
August 18, 2003, Decided
August 18, 2003, Filed

DISPOSITION: Court found defendant liable for plaintiff's injuries and awarded damages.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman was injured when he tripped on a plastic packing strap on the deck of a ship owned by defendant United States. He filed suit and the U.S. conceded to jurisdiction under the Suits in Admiralty Act, 46 U.S.C.S. §§ 741-52. The case was tried to the court. At trial, the seaman withdrew his claim based upon negligence under the Jones Act, and proceeded solely with a claim of unseaworthiness under the general maritime law.

OVERVIEW: The seaman's feet became entangled in the strap while he was carrying two heavy boxes of canned goods, and the fall injured his ankle, knee, and lower back. He contended that dual defects rendered the ship "unseaworthy:" the plastic strap was inadequate because it must have slipped off a carton, uncut, and the deck was unsafe because it contained a nearly invisible entanglement hazard. In the peculiar world of the general maritime law and the "unusual liability" that was unseaworthiness, the court concluded that the fallen packing strap rendered the ship "unseaworthy" and the U.S. was liable in tort to the seaman for his injuries. The warranty of seaworthiness extended both to ships' stores and to their defective packaging. Notwithstanding the short time that the strap lay on the deck, its presence was both the result and the cause of a defect that caused the seaman's injuries. The presence of the uncut strap on the ship's deck was the result of a defect -- coming loose from its carton -- and rendered the deck defective, or temporarily unsafe, and unfit for the operation of unloading stores.

OUTCOME: Judgment was to be entered in favor of the seaman against the U.S.

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LAWRENCE BROWN, Plaintiff, - against - M/V "GLOBAL LINK" etal., Defendants.

01 Civ. 8298 (DC)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFNEW YORK
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14723
August 21, 2003, Decided
August 26, 2003, Filed

DISPOSITION: Plaintiff's request to reinstate action to enforce settlement agreement granted.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman's personal injury action against defendants under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 et seq., and general maritime and admiralty laws was settled. The court entered a 60-day order, dismissing the action, and subsequently entered a stipulation of dismissal. When a dispute arose regarding defendants' compliance with the settlement agreement, the seaman requested that the court reinstate the action and enforce the agreement.

OVERVIEW: Neither the court's 60-day order nor the stipulation of dismissal provided for the retention of jurisdiction or incorporated the terms of the settlement. The parties disputed whether defendants were required to pay a portion of the settlement to the New York County Child Support Enforcement Unit pursuant to a restraining notice. The court held that while it did not retain jurisdiction over the action for purposes of enforcing the terms of the settlement, the settlement agreement was a maritime contract over which the court had an independent basis for jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C.S. § 1333. Specifically, the agreement related to maritime employment and extinguished the seaman's claims against defendants for injuries sustained while employed on a maritime vessel. Because the agreement was a maritime contract, the court had jurisdiction to enforce the terms of the agreement.

OUTCOME: The court granted the seaman's request to reinstate the action.

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GARY AMMAR, Plaintiff-Appellant-Cross-Appellee, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Defendant-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, BAY SHIP MANAGEMENT,INC., Defendant.

Docket Nos. 02-6047, 02-6048
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 18022
January 16, 2003, Argued
August 29, 2003, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal and cross-appeal from a judgment entered in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York following a bench trial before Reena Raggi, then-District Judge, awarding plaintiff $364,309 against defendant United States under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C. § 688, and general maritime law.

DISPOSITION: Affirmed in part, vacated and remanded in part.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant United States under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, and general maritime law for injuries sustained as a result of negligence and unseaworthiness while working on a United States naval ship. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York entered judgment following a bench trial awarding $364,309. The seaman appealed and the United States cross-appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was injured while operating a shipboard crane. Although the crane normally could be operated by using a remote control, the remote control was inoperable at the time of accident. The seaman was injured getting down from his position on the crane's pedestal. The district court had apportioned responsibility for the accident 60 percent to the United States and 40 percent to the seaman holding that he knew of a safer way to perform the job. The circuit court found no clear error in that finding. The circuit court concluded that although maintenance of $8 per day was not sufficient to meet modern daily living expenses that per diem was more properly viewed as but a small component of the union-negotiated package of compensation and benefits that should have been accorded deference by the district court rather than awarding maintenance of $18 per day. The district court also should have applied a 2 percent discount rate to the award for lost future wages and future medical expenses.

OUTCOME: On the cross-appeal, the circuit court vacated so much of the judgment as (a) awarded maintenance in excess of $8 per day, and (b) awarded damages for lost future wages and future medical expenses without discounting those awards to present value; in all other respects, the circuit court affirmed the district court's judgment.

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EDUARDO B. BARLAS, Plaintiff, - against - UNITED STATES OFAMERICA, Defendant.

01 Civ. 6420 (DC)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFNEW YORK
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14298
August 18, 2003, Decided
August 18, 2003, Filed

DISPOSITION: Court found defendant liable for plaintiff's injuries and awarded damages.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman was injured when he tripped on a plastic packing strap on the deck of a ship owned by defendant United States. He filed suit and the U.S. conceded to jurisdiction under the Suits in Admiralty Act, 46 U.S.C.S. §§ 741-52. The case was tried to the court. At trial, the seaman withdrew his claim based upon negligence under the Jones Act, and proceeded solely with a claim of unseaworthiness under the general maritime law.

OVERVIEW: The seaman's feet became entangled in the strap while he was carrying two heavy boxes of canned goods, and the fall injured his ankle, knee, and lower back. He contended that dual defects rendered the ship "unseaworthy:" the plastic strap was inadequate because it must have slipped off a carton, uncut, and the deck was unsafe because it contained a nearly invisible entanglement hazard. In the peculiar world of the general maritime law and the "unusual liability" that was unseaworthiness, the court concluded that the fallen packing strap rendered the ship "unseaworthy" and the U.S. was liable in tort to the seaman for his injuries. The warranty of seaworthiness extended both to ships' stores and to their defective packaging. Notwithstanding the short time that the strap lay on the deck, its presence was both the result and the cause of a defect that caused the seaman's injuries. The presence of the uncut strap on the ship's deck was the result of a defect -- coming loose from its carton -- and rendered the deck defective, or temporarily unsafe, and unfit for the operation of unloading stores.

OUTCOME: Judgment was to be entered in favor of the seaman against the U.S.

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THEODORE STOMA, Plaintiff, -against- MILLER MARINE SERVICES,INC., Defendant.

CV 01-1843 (ADS) (ARL)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12331
July 18, 2003, Decided

DISPOSITION: Plaintiff's motion for judgment as matter of law denied. Plaintiff's motion for new trial granted.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman obtained a jury verdict against defendant ship owner for his claims pursuant to the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688. However, the jury determined that the seaman was 90 percent contributorily negligent in causing his own injuries. The seaman moved pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(b) for judgment as a matter of law, or in the alternative, for a new trial on the issue of contributory negligence under Fed. R. Civ. P. 59.

OVERVIEW: The seaman's motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(b) was barred because he failed to move for judgment as a matter of law at the close of the evidence. However, the district court determined that that the jury's finding that the seaman was 90 percent contributorily negligent was clearly against the weight of the evidence. The seaman's injury occurred while he attempted to close a hatch door to prevent rain from collecting inside. Based on the angle of the hatch door, rain would get inside and fall on the steps if the hatch was open, causing a safety hazard. There were no handrails in the area of the hatchway. This was an awkward and difficult hatch door to handle and use. A person entering from the aft deck had to hold onto the dog latches or the edge of the door, swing the door open behind the person, and hold it open when descending the steps which were distanced from the edge of the hatch door. Not only was the door cumbersome to use, but in the rain, when the aluminum steps were wet and slippery, it created a hazardous entranceway. The seaman stated that he did not clean the water before closing the hatch because it would continue to get wet due to the rain in the open hatch door.

OUTCOME: The district court denied the seaman's motion for judgment as a matter of law and granted the seaman's motion for a new trial on the issue of the apportionment of liability between the parties. As an alternative to a new trial, the district court allowed the parties to consent to a reapportionment that would have reduced the seaman's contributory negligence apportionment to 50 percent.

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SERGEY TARASEVICH, Plaintiff, -against- EASTWIND TRANSPORTLTD., ERATIRA NAVIGATION CO. LTD., and MAYFLOWER SHIPMANAGEMENT CORP.,Defendants.

02 Civ. 1806 (JSM)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12452
July 18, 2003, Decided
July 21, 2003, Filed

DISPOSITION: Defendants' motion to dismiss granted without prejudice.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In a personal injury action, where plaintiff Russian seaman was injured when the boiler of the vessel on which he was serving exploded, against defendants, the ship's owner, the ship's manager, and the owner's manager, defendants moved to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds, arguing that Russia would be a more appropriate forum in which to litigate the matter.

OVERVIEW: The only connection to the forum was that the owner's manager, a Liberian corporation, maintained offices and a place of business in New York City. The court granted defendants' motion. There were few reasons for choosing New York, aside from the possibility of a more favorable outcome. Except for the ability to sue the owner's manager in a forum where it did business, any conveniences associated with a New York forum were absent. The seaman was seriously injured and lived far from his chosen forum. Most of the crew and the doctors that treated the seaman lived in Russia. Thus, deference to the seaman's choice of forum fell on the lesser end of the sliding scale. Russia was an adequate alternative forum, if defendants voluntarily appeared and stayed present at all stages of proceedings--which defendants agreed to do. Though a Russian court would likely grant a lesser recovery than a U.S. court, it was not shown that a Russian remedy would be akin to no remedy at all. Because the bulk of the evidence was in Russia and defendants conceded their availability in Russian courts, the private interest factors clearly pointed to Russia as the appropriate forum.

OUTCOME: The district court granted defendants' motion to dismiss the case for forum non conveniens, and dismissed the case without prejudice to reinstatement were defendants to fail to submit to jurisdiction in Russia or fail to waive a statute of limitations defense.

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LLOYD W. HERTZ, III VERSUS TREASURE CHEST CASINO, L.L.C., ETAL.

CIVIL ACTION NUMBER 03-73 SECTION "L" (2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12907
July 25, 2003, Decided
July 25, 2003, Filed, Entered

PRIOR HISTORY: Hertz v. Treasure Chest Casino, L.L.C., 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8297 (E.D. La., May 9, 2003)

DISPOSITION: Plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment was denied, defendant's motion for summary judgment was granted. Plaintiff's claims were dismissed with prejudice.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff captain sued defendant riverboat casino for damages under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, due to injuries he received when he injured his back removing carpet from the deck of a vessel used as a casino. The captain moved for partial summary judgment on the issue of Jones Act seaman status. The riverboat casino moved for summary judgment that the vessel was not a vessel in navigation as a matter of law.

OVERVIEW: The captain alleged that at the time of his injury the riverboat was a vessel in navigation and he was a member of the crew, entitling him to remedies under the Jones Act and the general maritime law. The casino claimed the riverboat was not a vessel in navigation at the time of the captain's injury, which precluded recovery under the Jones Act. The court found that the mere fact that the riverboat had the capacity to resume navigation or was required to maintain Coast Guard inspection certificates did not change the fact that the riverboat was legally prohibited from navigating the waters of Lake Pontchartrain while engaged in the very business for which it was constructed. In order to perform its designed function as a casino, the riverboat was required by law to remain dockside. It moved neither cargo nor crew across navigable waters to accomplish its mission. At the time of the captain's injuries he was removing carpet, and while he had the title of captain of the riverboat, he was a captain in name only. His vessel had been beached and he had no "captain duties" while the riverboat was used as a casino. As such the matter was not within the court's admiralty jurisdiction.

OUTCOME: The captain's motion for partial summary judgment was denied. The riverboat casino's motion for summary judgment was granted and the captain's claims were dismissed with prejudice.

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RUSSELL A. SCOTT and LAUREN SCOTT, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v.TRUMP INDIANA, INC., a corporation; LOLA CRANE RENTAL COMPANY, a corporation;and MARK NICHOLS, Defendants-Appellees, and MGI AMERICA, INC., a corporation,d/b/a TOTAL MARINE SAFETY CENTER, Defendant.

No. 01-2908
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SEVENTH CIRCUIT
337 F.3d 939; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 14958
February 21, 2002, Argued
July 28, 2003, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. No. 00 C 2001. John A. Nordberg, Judge. Scott v. MGI Am., Inc., 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2073 (N.D. Ill., Feb. 22, 2001)

DISPOSITION: Vacated in part and affirmed in part. Dismissed as to defendants Lola Crane and Nichols for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff injured worker (worker) appealed the judgment of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, granting defendants crane owner and crane operator summary judgment, and granting defendant vessel's motion to dismiss in the worker's personal injury action filed under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 et seq., and the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), 33 U.S.C.S. § 905.

OVERVIEW: The employer ceased making maintenance payments to plaintiff after its medical expert examined plaintiff and concluded that he was no longer injured. However, plaintiff asserted that his treating physician had recommended arthroscopic surgery for his knee injury. With such conflicting medical opinions, it could not be concluded that plaintiff had reached the point of maximum cure and that the employer was relieved of the burden of maintenance payments. Such a determination was to be made by the finder of fact. The point of maximum cure was a medical determination, not a legal one, and all doubts were to be resolved in favor of the plaintiff. The employer ordered to resume daily maintenance payments to plaintiff at the rate of $15 per day. However, with respect to the issue of whether the employer had to pay for plaintiff's proposed knee surgery or whether he had reached the point of maximum cure, such issues had to be decided by the jury at trial.

OUTCOME: The employer was ordered to resume daily maintenance payments.

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LUTHER BARTHOLOMEW; ZELJKO BRCIC; JIMMIE HAITHCOCK; JAMESKRISTOVICH, Plaintiffs-Appellees, v. CROWLEY MARINE SERVICES INC., a Delawarecorporation; UNION OIL COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA, Defendants-Appellants.

No. 02-35364
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
337 F.3d 1083; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 15062

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. D.C. No. CV-00-01670-WTM. Walter T. McGovern, Senior Judge, Presiding. Bartholomew v. Crowley Marine Servs., Inc., 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20480 (W.D. Wash., 2002).

DISPOSITION: AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND REMANDED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, who were employed by defendant vessel owner, assisted in the salvage of one of the vessel owner's tugs. Plaintiffs sued the vessel owner for salvage. The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington found that plaintiffs were entitled to an award. The district court's award allowed no compensation to the vessel owner as owner of the salving vessel. The vessel owner appealed.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiffs' job descriptions made no reference to salvage work, and plaintiffs were not trained to perform such work. Their services were voluntary and they placed themselves at a risk not required by their contract. That the collective bargaining agreement mentioned the vessel owner's willingness to perform "salvage work" did nothing to prevent the crew member salvors from receiving an award. Also, the vessel owner's failure to bill for the salvage was not a waiver of a salvage claim. The district court's conclusion that plaintiffs were due a salvage award, and that the vessel owner did not waive the award, was not in error. However, in apportioning the salvage award, the district court should have considered whether the vessel owner, as the owner of the salving vessel, was entitled to part of the award that was set as reasonable salvage by the district court; if the salving vessel was put at risk in any way, then its owner was due some share of the award. The mere fact that the owner had an interest in the ship in distress could not be a basis for denying the owner a share in the award.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed in part the entitlement of the crew members to salvage, but because the vessel owner, in its capacity as salving vessel owner, was allotted no share of the salvage award, the court vacated the district court's judgment on the award and remanded with instructions to determine what portion of the award, if any, the vessel owner should receive.

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JOHN VIERLING, Plaintiff, versus CELEBRITY CRUISES, INC.,Defendants-Cross-Claimaints-Cross-Defendants-Appellants-Cross-Appellees, versus BROWARD COUNTY,Defendant-Cross-Claimant-Cross-Defendant-Appellee-Cross-Appellant, WOLLARDAIRPORT EQUIPMENT CO., INC., CRITON TECHNOLOGIES, f.k.a. Wollard AirportEquipment Co., Inc., Defendants-Cross-Defendants.

No. 01-15975
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 15373; 16 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. C 941
July 31, 2003, Decided
July 31, 2003, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. D.C. Docket No. 99-07059 CV-WDF. Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr., Judge.

DISPOSITION: Vacated and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant cruise ship owner sought review of a summary judgment from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida granted in favor of appellee port authority on the ship owner's cross-claim for indemnification in a personal injury suit. The port authority cross-appealed the denial of its motion to dismiss based on the doctrine of sovereign immunity.

OVERVIEW: The ship owner and the port authority were both named as defendants in plaintiff passenger's personal injury suit to recover damages for injuries he suffered when the gangway fell and slammed into the side of the cruise ship. The ship owner alleged in the cross-claim that the contractual relationship between the parties impliedly warranted a duty of workmanlike performance and that the port authority breached the implied warranty when it failed to properly position the passenger loading bridge and gangway. The court vacated the judgment and remanded the case. Because the ship owner's negligence or non-negligence had no bearing on its right to indemnification under the Ryan doctrine, the court found that the district court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of the port authority on the grounds that the ship owner was actively negligent. The court rejected the port authority's assertion that the Ryan doctrine was only applicable to injured seamen and not to injured passengers. The court affirmed the district court's ruling that the port authority was not an arm of the state and, consequently, was not entitled to immunity under U.S. Const. amend. XI.

OUTCOME: The court vacated the district court's summary judgment in favor of the port authority and remanded the case for further proceedings. The court affirmed the district court's ruling that the port authority was not entitled to immunity.

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TROY HOGANS v. ELMWOOD MARINE SERVICES, INC.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 03-0845 SECTION "T"(5)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11432
June 19, 2003, Decided
June 20, 2003, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: Plaintiff's Motion to Remand denied. Request for Attorney's fees denied.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employee filed a negligence action in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans (Louisiana), seeking damages from defendant employer. The employer removed the action to federal district court, claiming diversity of citizenship jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1332, and the employee filed a motion, pursuant to 28 U.S.C.S. § 1447(c), seeking an order remanding the case to state court.

OVERVIEW: An employee was injured when he fell from a ladder while working at a dry dock facility, and he filed an action in state court against his employer, alleging negligence. The employer removed the action to federal district court, claiming that the federal court had diversity of citizenship jurisdiction. The employee agreed that there was diversity of citizenship jurisdiction but argued that the case was not removable because it was filed under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 (recodified as 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688). The federal district court held that (1) a dry dock was not a vessel for purposes of establishing seaman status under the Jones Act; and (2) because the employee had no reasonable possibility of establishing a Jones Act claim and removal based on diversity jurisdiction by the employer was proper, the court would deny the employee's motion to remand the case to state court.

OUTCOME: The court denied the employee's motion to remand the case to state court.

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CHARLES DESMOND TUCKER, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus FRANK EDWARD FEARN, JUDY FEARN, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 02-14991
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
333 F.3d 1216; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 11536; 16 Fla. L. WeeklyFed. C 707

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. D. C. Docket No. 00-00942 CV-CG-L. Judge: Callie V.S. Granade.

DISPOSITION: Affirmed.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant father sought to recover from appellees, boat operators, nonpecuniary damages, in the form of loss of society damages under general maritime law, for the death of his minor son, who was killed in a boating collision in territorial waters. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama struck the father's claim for nonpecuniary damages. The appellate court granted the father's petition for interlocutory review.

OVERVIEW: In the interlocutory appeal, the only issue was whether the father, as a nondependent parent, could recover loss of society damages for the wrongful death of his minor child under general maritime law. The court found that in light of the limitation on recoverable damages in wrongful death suits to pecuniary loss sustained by the persons for whose benefit the suit was brought under the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA), 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 761 et seq., it would have been inconsistent with Congress's considered judgment for the court to permit the recovery that the father sought under general maritime law. Moreover, it would have been discordant for the court to sanction additional remedies for deaths of nonseamen occurring in a state's territorial waters than: (1) Congress permitted under DOHSA for deaths of nonseamen occurring on the high seas; (2) Congress permitted for seamen under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688; and (3) the United States Supreme Court allowed for seamen under general maritime law. Thus, nondependent survivors of nonseamen equally could not recover loss of society damages in a wrongful death action under general maritime law.

OUTCOME: The district court's order was affirmed.

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SETH A. BECKER, Plaintiff-Intervenor Defendant-Appellee, v.TIDEWATER, INC., ET AL., Defendants, TIDEWATER INCORPORATED, TWENTY GRANDOFFSHORE INCORPORATED, TIDEWATER MARINE, L.L.C., Defendants-Third PartyPlaintiffs-Intervenor Defendants-Appellees-Appellants, R & B FALCON DRILLINGUSA, INC., PENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY, LTD., CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYD'SINSURANCE CO., Defendants-Appellants, HYDRA RIG, a division of Tuboscope VetcoInternational, L.P., Defendant-Third Party Defendant-Third PartyPlaintiff-Appellee, HYDRADYNE HYDRAULICS, INC., Defendant-Third PartyDefendant-Appellee, v. COFLEXIP STENA OFFSHORE, INC., Defendant-Third PartyDefendant Appellee, v. BAKER HUGHES, INC., BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS,INC., Defendants-Intervenor Defendants-Appellants, and BAKER OIL TOOLS, INC., adivision of Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, Inc., Defendant-Third PartyDefendant-Intervenor Plaintiff-Third Party Plaintiff-Appellant, BAKER OIL TOOLS,a division of Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, Inc., Third PartyDefendant-Appellant.

No. 01-31420
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
335 F.3d 376; 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 12343

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. 99-CV-1198. Richard T Haik, Sr, US District Judge.

DISPOSITION: Affirmed in part, reversed in part, vacated in part and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendants, employer, vessel owner, and its underwriters, appealed the judgment of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana which awarded plaintiff intern damages in excess of $43 million under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, for injuries he sustained in an accident aboard the vessel.

OVERVIEW: The intern was assigned to land-based work while working for his employer during his summer vacations. During his third summer, the intern had an opportunity to observe a gravel-packing operation on an offshore fixed platform, and was then assigned by the employer to a vessel to replace a worker who was in need of time off. The intern was involved in an accident on that vessel from which he almost died and necessitated the amputation of legs below the knee. The district court submitted to the jury the question of whether the intern was a seaman under the Jones Act; the jury answered the question in the affirmative and awarded him damages. On appeal, the court determined that the intern was not a seaman under the Jones Act because his connection to the vessel was not substantial in duration and nature, and because his status with his employer did not fundamentally change when he was assigned to the vessel. The intern was a land-based worker who was assigned to a mission on the vessel at sea, and the assignment was one of many activities to take place during his internship that summer. His receiving safety training was insufficient to establish seaman status.

OUTCOME: The judgment for the intern was reversed, the findings of liability and damages against defendants were vacated, and the case was remanded to the district court so that the case could proceed as a Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act case.

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KENT STOBAUGH, NANCY STOBAUGH, RICHARD HEIDBRINK AND DORISHEIDBRINK, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL SIMILARLY SITUATED PERSONS,Appellants v. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE LIMITED D/B/A NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE,Appellee

NO. 14-02-00351-CV
COURT OF APPEALS OF TEXAS, FOURTEENTH DISTRICT, HOUSTON
2003 Tex. App. LEXIS 3690
May 1, 2003, Rendered
May 1, 2003, Opinion Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: On Appeal from the 270th District Court. Harris County, Texas. Trial Court Cause No. 96-56183.

DISPOSITION: Affirmed.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, passengers, sought review of the decision of the 270th District Court, Harris County (Texas), which found in favor of defendant cruise line and denied the passengers class certification.

OVERVIEW: The case was an interlocutory appeal of an order denying class certification. The passengers challenged the trial court's order denying their class certification of their claims against the cruise line arising out of a cruise that the passengers took aboard the cruise line's vessel. The vessel attempted to avoid a hurricane, but was caught in extremely high seas and hurricane-force winds. Several passengers were injured and many became seasick; they then filed an action in part for breach of contract, breach of express and implied warranties, negligent misrepresentation, and negligence and gross negligence. The court affirmed the order, stating that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in its implied determination that the questions of law or fact common to the members of the proposed class did not predominate over questions affecting only individual members. The passengers failed to satisfy the predominance requirement, one of the most stringent requirements for class certification.

OUTCOME: The judgment was affirmed.

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MARINE SOLUTION SERVICES, INC., an Alaska Corporation,Appellant/Cross-Appellee, v. THOMAS HORTON, Appellee/Cross-Appellant. THOMASHORTON, Appellant, v. STEVE ADAMS, Appellee.

Supreme Court No. S-9916, No. 5691, Supreme Court No. S-9935
SUPREME COURT OF ALASKA
2003 Alas. LEXIS 41
May 16, 2003, Decided

DISPOSITION: Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: The Superior Court of the State of Alaska, Third Judicial District, Anchorage, granted judgment in favor of appellee company president after he sued appellant marine services company for unseaworthiness under traditional maritime law and for negligence under the Jones Act, after the president was injured while moving a dock. Both parties appealed.

OVERVIEW: The company appealed several of the jury instructions, focusing on whether the president was an employee and seaman entitled to a remedy under the Jones Act and whether The Pennsylvania rule applied. The appellate court noted that the company was an Alaska corporation that was owner of the vessels at the time of the accident, such that the president could sue in tort the corporation for which he worked. The Pennsylvania Rule applied to personal injury and Jones Act cases. The jury was properly instructed concerning violations of two regulations where the failure to maintain a lookout by the tugboat captain could reasonably have led to the events that resulted in the president's injury. Because all of the president's claimed damages arose out of a single incident, submission of a single interrogatory regarding his possible comparative negligence was appropriate. The president's damages award could not be viewed as a single award flowing from both his unseaworthiness and Jones Act claims, given that his Jones Act claim could not be reduced for comparative negligence. Prejudgment interest would be awarded if the damages award was characterized as an unseaworthiness award.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed as to the finding of a single damage award to the president as the superior court had to perform alternate calculations of the total judgment under the unseaworthiness and Jones Act claims; pre- and post-judgment interest was erroneously set. All other points were affirmed.

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TEODORO C. ZUNIGA, Plaintiff(s), v. TMF, INC., Defendant(s).

CIVIL ACTION NO: 2:02CV 879
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFVIRGINIA, NORFOLK DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7913
May 5, 2003, Decided
May 5, 2003, Opinion Filed

DISPOSITION: Defendant's motion for summary judgment granted in part and denied in part.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff sailor alleged five claims against defendant ship owner: (1) breach of the warranty of seaworthiness; (2) Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, negligence for the assault on the sailor; (3) failure to provide maintenance and cure; (4) willful, arbitrary failure to pay maintenance and cure (which gave rise to damages that included a reasonable attorney's fee); and, (5) Jones Act negligence for delay in treating the sailor following the assault.

OVERVIEW: Sailor was hired to work on the ship owner's vessel. The sailor was allegedly assaulted by a crew member who was known to smoke marijuana every day. The sailor's Jones Act negligence claim was based on two negligent acts attributable to the ship owner in the manner that it managed the vessel or the crew. First, the sailor argues that the vessel owner deprived the crew member of adequate sleep, applied pressure on the crew member to work harder, and allowed the crew member to smoke marijuana on a daily basis. The sailor claimed that these factors, singly or in combination, induced the crew member to attack the sailor. Second, the sailor argues that the ship owner was negligent for its failure to enforce the ban on illegal drug usage aboard the ship. The evidence proffered by the sailor, established a prima facie case of Jones Act negligence. The evidence that the captain and the mate knew that the crew member smoked marijuana each day during the voyage and that this conduct was undertaken in violation of a ship rule forbidding illegal drugs, including marijuana, on board the vessel, established a prima facie case on the seaworthiness claim.

OUTCOME: The ship company's motion for summary judgment on the seaworthiness, negligence regarding the assault, and maintenance claims was denied, but was granted as to the other claims.

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PETITION OF RJF INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION FOR EXONERATIONFROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, CIVIL AND MARITIME

C.A. No. 01-588S
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODEISLAND
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8148
May 7, 2003, Decided

DISPOSITION: Petitioner's Motion for Termination of Maintenance and Cure Benefits DENIED; Claimant's Motion to Compel Payment of Maintenance and Cure Benefits GRANTED; Claimant's request for attorneys' fees DENIED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Petitioner owner of a vessel moved for termination of maintenance and cure benefits for a seaman who was severely injured in a fall from the owner's vessel on the ground that the seaman was incapable of further improvement. Claimant mother of the seaman cross-moved to compel payment of maintenance and cure benefits.

OVERVIEW: The seaman struck his head during the fall and suffered severe brain injuries, and the owner made substantial maintenance and cure payments to the seaman. After the mother requested additional inpatient treatment for the seaman, the owner's medical experts examined the seaman and concluded that the seaman reached the point in his medical treatment where he no longer would benefit from inpatient rehabilitation treatment. The seaman's treating physicians opined, however, that the seaman's medical condition was still capable of improvement and thus warranted continued maintenance and cure. The court held that the competing medical evidence was insufficient to establish that the seaman achieved maximum medical cure, and thus termination of maintenance and cure was not warranted. While the owner provided detailed medical evidence in support of termination of benefits, the seaman's treating physicians had the most experience with the seaman's condition and, especially in view of the requirement for resolving doubts in favor of the seaman, continued maintenance and cure was required.

OUTCOME: The owner's motion for termination of maintenance and cure benefits was denied, and the cross-motion of the seaman's mother to compel such benefits was granted.

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ESMOND HENRY, Appellant, vs. WINDJAMMER BAREFOOT CRUISES, etc., et al., Appellees.

CASE NO. 3D02-93
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 7491
May 21, 2003, Opinion Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: An Appeal from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Thomas S. Wilson, Jr., Judge. LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 98-2260

DISPOSITION: Reversed and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant injured seaman appealed from an order granting summary judgment in favor of appellee cruise line and a ship's owner, by the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County (Florida), and from an order dismissing his suit for the failure to establish subject matter jurisdiction under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. 688, and general maritime law.

OVERVIEW: The seaman, a Guyana national, was injured on a ship, which never called on ports in the United States. He contended that United States law was applicable, as the ship was a member of a fleet, which was operated by several Florida corporations. The operator corporations were owned and run by an American and/or his children. The seaman contended that a Panamanian corporation, which owned the ship, had a director who was also a director of another Panamanian company, which maintained a bank account in Florida. According to the seaman, the operators' use of that bank account and the use of that account to reimburse the ship's owner for expenses established subject matter jurisdiction under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688, and general maritime law. Although the home port of the ship was in St. Maarten, the ship was a Honduran flagged vessel, and the accident occurred while the ship was in the waters of St. Maarten, the appellate court adopted the unpublished opinion in Fantome, S.A. v. Frederick, 2003 U.S. App. Lexis 6639 (11th Cir. Jan. 24, 2003), to hold that dismissal was improper under the Jones Act, even though the ship did not call on ports in the United States.

OUTCOME: The order was reversed, and the case was remanded for further proceedings.

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JACOB RILEY, SR. versus T.T. BARGE CLEANING, INC.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-2531 SECTION "C" (2)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5738
April 4, 2003, Decided
April 7, 2003, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: Intervenor/Defendant's, McKinney Towing, Inc.'s Motion for Summary Judgment dismissing Cross-Claim asserted by Defendant, T.T. Barge Cleaning, Inc. DENIED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employee sued defendant barge cleaning company to recover damages for an accident and injuries allegedly sustained when he fell into an open manhole on a barge at the company's cleaning facility. The cleaning company filed a cross-claim against the employee's Jones Act employer. The employer moved for summary judgment dismissing the cross-claim.

OVERVIEW: It was undisputed that in general the employer's crew bore no responsibility for closing manhole covers on the barge cleaning company's vessels. However, genuine issues of material fact existed as to whether the employer failed to take reasonable measures to provide the employee with a safe work environment and to adequately train him to avoid non-daylight work hazards.

OUTCOME: The employer's summary judgment motion to dismiss the cross-claim was denied.

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JAMES MCWATERS VERSUS LEE ENGINEERING SUPPLY CO. & CARGILL, INC.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-3548 SECTION "K" (4)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5752
April 7, 2003, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: Defendant Cargill's Motion for Summary Judgment granted, and plaintiff's claims against Cargill dismissed with prejudice.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff injured worker sued defendants, his employer and the owner of a midstream grain transfer facility, in Louisiana state court under the Jones Act, general maritime law, the law of unseaworthiness, and the law of maintenance and cure. The facility owner removed the case, and the district court denied the worker's motion to remand. The owner moved for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The worker was injured while working on board the grain transfer facility. A prior opinion of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit had held that the facility was not a vessel as a matter of law; a finding that the worker was a seaman with a substantial connection to a vessel in navigation was a prerequisite to maintaining his claims. The district court found that the worker failed to demonstrate that the facts had changed sufficiently since the Fifth Circuit's opinion so as to alter the facility's non-vessel status. The facility was permanently moored to the riverbed and was used to transfer grain and other commodities from river barges to oceangoing vessels. It moved back and forth on a winch system, and any transportation function was incidental to the facility's primary purpose. As the facility was not a vessel as a matter of law, the worker did not have seaman status, and his claims against the facility owner failed.

OUTCOME: The owner's summary judgment motion was granted, and the worker's claims against the owner were dismissed with prejudice.

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WILLIAM WRIGHT, Plaintiff, - against - MAERSK LINE, LTD.,Defendant.

99 Civ. 11282 (LMM)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6359
April 16, 2003, Decided
April 16, 2003, Filed

DISPOSITION: Prior opinion adhered to on reconsideration. Defendant's motions for judgment as matter of law or for new trial denied.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman received a jury award against defendant shipping line, with a 50 percent apportionment of fault between the parties. Defendant shipping line filed a motion for judgment as a matter of law under Fed. R. Civ. P. 50(b), or alternatively for a new trial under Fed. R. Civ. P. 59. Plaintiff sought reconsideration of the court's reduction of the award for future pain and suffering.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff filed an action under the Jones Act after plaintiff fell sick during a voyage. Defendant's master determined that medical treatment was necessary, and plaintiff was transported to the nearest island, which had a hospital facility but no airport. The vessel could have made about a 41-hour trip to another facility that was serviced by an airport. Plaintiff's medical expert testified that the delay caused by leaving plaintiff at the nearest island affected plaintiff's medical recovery. Defendant contended in its motion that it fulfilled its duty to plaintiff because it transported plaintiff to the nearest medical facility and the presence or absence of an airport at the destination was not relevant to the inquiry of whether defendant fulfilled its duty. The court held that it was necessary under the facts presented in the case to tell the jury that the presence or absence of an airport was one of the factors that the jury could consider to determine whether defendant was negligent under the Jones Act. The court reconsidered its decision to discount the award for future pain and suffering, a non-pecuniary loss, and determined that such a discount was fair.

OUTCOME: The court denied defendant's motion for judgment as a matter of law or alternatively for a new trial. The court granted plaintiff's motion for reconsideration and upon reconsideration, adhered to the court's original decision concerning a discount to the judgment.

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NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, LTD., Appellant, v. MARILYN CLARK and RICHARD CLARK, Appellees.

Case No. 2D02-945
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, SECOND DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 2876; 28 Fla. L. Weekly D 650
March 7, 2003, Opinion Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from a nonfinal order of the Circuit Court for Pinellas County; Thomas F. Penick, Judge.

DISPOSITION: Reversed and remanded with instructions.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellee cruise ship passengers sued appellant cruise ship line in the Circuit Court for Pinellas County (Florida) for negligence. The cruise ship line moved to dismiss or, in the alternative, to transfer the cause to the Circuit Court in Dade County, Florida. The trial court denied the motion. The cruise ship line appealed.

OVERVIEW: The passengers ordered and paid for tickets through their travel agent for a cruise on a ship owned and operated by the cruise line. The passengers received their tickets about 24 days before the cruise began. At the time they received their tickets, the passengers would have been required to forfeit a portion of their ticket purchase if they cancelled their tickets. The tickets contained a forum selection clause requiring that all claims, disputes, or controversies be commenced, filed, and litigated, if at all, before a court of proper jurisdiction located in Dade County, Florida. One of the passengers slipped and fell on wet decking the first day out during a mandatory lifeboat drill, injuring her leg and ankle. The passengers contended that because they received the tickets within the penalty period and would have forfeited an undetermined amount of the ticket price had they decided to cancel, the cruise line provided them with insufficient notice of the ticket's conditions so as to render the contract fundamentally unfair. On appeal, the court found that the forum selection clause was enforceable.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed, and the cause was remanded with instructions to transfer the cause to the Circuit Court in Dade County, Florida.

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DAWN RANNALS, Plaintiff, -vs- DIAMOND JO CASINO, Defendant.

Case No. 3:98 CV 7545
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO, WESTERN DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3066
March 5, 2003, Decided

DISPOSITION: Third-Party Defendant's motion for summary judgment granted. Defendant/ Third-Party Plaintiff's motion for sanctions denied. Defendant/ Third-Party Plaintiff's motion for oral argument denied.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant employer under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, for injuries suffered while training at a center operated by third-party defendant United States. The court granted summary judgment to the employer. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed. The employer then brought suit against the United States seeking contribution and/or indemnity. The United States moved for summary judgment.

OVERVIEW: The Sixth Circuit had ruled that the court erred by holding that any negligence on the part of the training center could not be imputed to the employer and by applying the defense of natural accumulation to the employer to defeat the seaman's claim. The United States argued that since it was not a Jones Act employer, it could avail itself of the common-law defense of natural accumulation, which relieved it of any direct liability to the seaman, barring any claim for contribution and/or indemnity. The court agreed. Nothing in the Sixth Circuit's opinion precluded the application of the defense of natural accumulation to the United States. The training center had direct responsibility for the dangerous condition, not the employer. Thus, the employer's claim against the United States was one for indemnity, not contribution. To recover from a potential indemnitor, the indemnitor had be liable to the seaman. Since the United States could avail itself of the defense of natural accumulation of ice or snow on its premises, it was not liable to the seaman. Since summary judgment was granted, the seaman's motion for separate trials was moot. Sanctions were not warranted.

OUTCOME: The court granted the United States' motion for summary judgment, denied the seaman's motion to vacate order granting the employer leave to file a third-party complaint or in the alternative for separate trials as moot, and denied the employer's motions for sanctions and for oral argument.

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MARY MARTIN VERSUS BOYD GAMING CORPORATION, ET AL

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-3010 SECTION "F"
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5116
March 25, 2003, Decided
March 26, 2003, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: Defendants' motion for summary judgment on seaman status GRANTED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant gambling boat owners filed a motion for summary judgment in plaintiff waitress's negligence action, wherein she sought recovery for injuries sustained when she slipped and fell on grease or cooking oil on the loading dock of the boat. The motion sought summary judgment on the issue of seaman status pursuant to her claim under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, for unseaworthiness.

OVERVIEW: The waitress worked on the riverboat casino during its gaming cruises. When the Legislature abolished the cruise requirement, the boat conducted continuous gaming activities only while it was moored and indicated its intent to be moored indefinitely. The waitress suffered injuries when she fell as a result of grease or cooking oil that had dripped out of a garbage bag. The trial court granted the owners' motion for summary judgment as to her seaman status, holding that the waitress was not entitled to that status because the boat was no longer a vessel in navigation. Although it had the ability to conduct gaming cruises, it clearly had foregone that opportunity and indicated that it would continue to do so. The court noted that the extremely limited transportation function of moving the boat in order to dredge the place where it was moored was subordinate to its contrasting function of providing dockside gaming. Accordingly, the Jones Act did not extend protection or coverage in the action.

OUTCOME: The court granted the motion for summary judgment.

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CARNIVAL CORPORATION, ETC. vs. ROBERT AMATO

FLORIDA THIRD DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
CASE NO. 3D01-198
Filed February 5, 2003

DISPOSITION: Order granting Carnival Corporation a new trial is REVERSED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appeal from trial court order granting Carnival Corporation's motion for new trial and denying motion to direct a verdict for Carnival.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff was a passenger who fell down a flight of stairs on Defendnat's cruise ship. Plaintiff sued Defendant on four theories: (1) negligence for allowing grease to accumulate on the top of the stairs; (2) maintaining a defective handrail; (3) failure to put non-skid strips on the stairs; and (4) building the stairs too steeply and too overlapped. Defendant moved to strike Plaintiff's pleadings because the Plaintiff had allegedly made false statements in his deposition related to a prior workers' compensation claim, prior accidents, medications prescribed at the time of the fall, and failing to disclose doctors who treated his fall injury. This motion was denied. Thereafter, Defendant moved in limine to exclude Plaintiff's expert witnesses claiming the testimony related to issues of common knowledge. This motion was also denied. Following a verdict for the Plaintiff, the Defendant moved for a new trial on all issues which was granted as to damages only. Both parties appealed. The Third District Court of Appeals reversed the trial court's order granting a new trial on damages and remanded for entry of judgment in favor of the Plaintiff for the total amount of the verdict finding that the reasonableness and unassailability of the bottom line amount of the verdict rendered harmless any arguable miscalculation of the component verdict amounts returned.

OUTCOME: Order granting new trial REVERSED and REMANDED to trial court for entry of judgment in favor of the Plaintiff for the total amount of the verdict.

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HELGA VARNELO, as Personal Representative of the Estate of STANISLAV VARNELO, Deceased, Plaintiff, -against- EASTWIND TRANSPORT, LTD.,CHARM NAVIGATION, LTD., & MAYFLOWER SHIP MANAGEMENT CORP., Defendants.

02 Civ. 2084 (KMW)(AJP)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1424
February 3, 2003, Decided

DISPOSITION: Magistrate recommended that defendant's motion to dismiss be granted.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, the personal representative of the estate of decedent, filed suit against defendant ship owners and operators under the Jones Act, 28 U.S.C.S. § 688 et seq., and the Death On the High Seas Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 761 et seq., alleging that defendants negligently caused the decedent's death aboard ship while in Chinese territorial waters. One owner moved to dismiss on forum non conveniens grounds. The matter was referred to a magistrate.

OVERVIEW: The decedent, a Russian citizen residing in Kaliningrad, Russian Federation, was employed as a "boatswain" or "bosun" aboard defendants' ship. The decedent fell overboard and drowned while the ship was off the port of Shanghai, China. At the time of the accident, the ship's "pilot ladder" was being installed in order to take a Chinese river pilot aboard and proceed to Jiangjin, China. Defendants asserted that the accident was the decedent's fault. The personal representative alleged that the vessel was unseaworthy in that the pilot ladder was not safe for its intended use and that defendants were negligent in not securing the pilot ladder in a safe manner. The magistrate found that the private and public interest factors, balanced together, weighed strongly in favor of trial of the action in Russia. The magistrate reasoned that the decedent was a Russian citizen and was hired in Kaliningrad. Moreover, all of the relevant witnesses, including the decedent's shipmates, were Russian nationals. Further, no evidence as to causation or damages appeared to be located in New York. Finally, defendants had consented to jurisdiction in Russia.

OUTCOME: The magistrate recommended that the owner's forum non conveniens motion should be granted and that the case be dismissed without prejudice.

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MICHAEL LEVENE VERSUS UNITED STATES, ET AL.

CIVIL ACTION NO. 02-0242 SECTION "A"(1)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1894
February 7, 2003, Decided
February 10, 2003, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: Motion for Partial Summary Judgment filed by defendants General Dynamics Corporation and American Overseas Marine Corporation denied. Motion in Limine filed by defendant United States granted in part and denied in part.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant, the United States and operators of vessels owner by the United States, alleging that the unseaworthiness of the vessels caused injuries to the seaman. The operators moved for summary judgment, and the United States moved in limine to exclude the testimony of the seaman's maritime expert.

OVERVIEW: The operators contended that, since they were merely agents of the United States in operating the vessels, only the United States was a proper party defendant. The United States asserted that the testimony of the seaman's maritime expert was mere legal conjecture and contained unsupported opinions. The court first held that the contract between the operators and the United States by itself did not conclusively establish or negate the agency status of the operators, and thus fact issues remained concerning such status. Further, the seaman's expert was not entitled to testify concerning the seaworthiness of vessels he never inspected, nor to offer inadmissible legal conclusions as to liability, but the expert could testify concerning vessel operating procedures.

OUTCOME: The operators' motion for summary judgment was denied; the United States motion in limine was granted in part to limit the expert's testimony to vessel operating procedures, but the motion was otherwise denied.

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CHARLES EDWARD SPEED, Plaintiff, v. OMEGA PROTEIN, INC., Defendant.

CIVIL ACTION NO. G-02-740
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, GALVESTON DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2990
February 21, 2003, Decided
February 21, 2003, Entered

DISPOSITION: Defendant's Motion to Dismiss for Improper Venue denied. Defendant's Motion to Transfer Venue to Western District of Louisiana granted.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant ship owner for injuries he allegedly sustained while working aboard the owner's ship. The ship owner moved to dismiss pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(3) because of a forum-selection clause in the seaman's employment contract with the ship owner. In the alternative, the owner sought transfer of the suit to the United States District Court in the Western District of Louisiana.

OVERVIEW: The owner argued that the employment contract required all lawsuits arising out of the seamen's employment to be filed in a United States District Court in Mississippi or Louisiana. The seaman urged the court to maintain the action, both because the forum-selection clause was unenforceable, and because the interests of justice militated in favor of maintaining the action in the forum district. The court held that venue was proper within its jurisdiction because the owner maintained its headquarters in the forum. The court then held that the forum selection clause was enforceable, as it was not the result of overreaching. Noting that 28 U.S.C.S. § 1404 was the proper means to analyze whether to transfer a lawsuit because of a forum-selection clause mandating that the lawsuit be brought in another federal court, if venue was otherwise proper, the court next considered the forum-selection clause in its transfer analysis under 28 U.S.C.S. § 1404(a). The court found that, while deference was due the seaman's choice of forum, the accident occurred offshore of Louisiana, the majority of the key witnesses resided in Louisiana, and the seaman was treated in and resided in Louisiana.

OUTCOME: The ship owner's motion to dismiss for improper venue was denied, but the ship owner's motion to transfer venue to the Western District of Louisiana was granted.

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STAVROS E. FANOS, On Behalf of Himself and Those Similarly Situated, Plaintiff, v. MAERSK LINE, LTD., MAERSK SEALAND, A.P. MOLLER GROUP,MAERSK, INC., WILMINGTON TRUST, EXPANDER TRANSPORT CORPORATION, EXPEDITERTRANSPORT CORPORATION, EXPRESSER TRANSPORT CORPORATION, EXPORTER TRANSPORTCORPORATION, and EXTENDER TRANSPORT CORPORATION, Defendants.

CIVIL ACTION NO. G-02-119
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFTEXAS, GALVESTON DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2991
February 21, 2003, Decided
February 21, 2003, Entered

DISPOSITION: Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment GRANTED. Plaintiff's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment DENIED. Plaintiff's claims DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman brought the instant action for seamen's wages and penalty wages under 46 U.S.C.S. § 10313 against defendants, shippers and charters. The seaman moved for partial summary judgment and the shippers and charters moved to dismiss. The parties' relationship was governed, in part, by a collective bargaining agreement.

OVERVIEW: Defendant shipper successfully bid on a contract to provide ships and after the contract was awarded the charters agreed to bareboat charter each of the ships. The viability of the seaman's claim for wages and penalty wages depended on whether the vacation benefit provided in the collective bargaining agreement was a "wage" within the meaning of 46 U.S.C.S. § 10313. The court's narrow holding was that the seaman's vacation benefits, which were separate from his base wages and were payable some time after discharge through an independent entity upon application by the seaman, were not wages under 46 U.S.C.S. § 10313. Alternatively, the court held that even if the seaman's vacation pay were a wage, the seaman's wage penalty claim would fail because the pay was not wrongfully withheld. In agreeing to reduce union members' vacation pay by approximately one day per year, the seamen were not deprived of a remedy which the master or seamen otherwise would be entitled for recovery of wages. Vacation pay was not a "remedy" in this case, it was a contractual right, which was validly modified by an agreement between the union and the employers.

OUTCOME: The court granted the shippers and charters' motion for summary judgment and denied the seaman's motion for partial summary judgment and accordingly did not reach the shippers and charters' motion to dismiss.

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RAYMOND ZBYLUT, Plaintiff, vs. HARVEY'S IOWA MANAGEMENTCOMPANY INC. and/or HARVEY'S CASINO, Defendant.

CIVIL NO. 1-00-CV-10076
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFIOWA, WESTERN DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3752
February 28, 2003, Decided

DISPOSITION: Defendant's motion for summary judgment granted.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employee sued defendant employer and alleged that he was wrongfully terminated for refusing to violate a federal safety statute, and that he was constructively discharged due to his resistance to the employer's allegedly illegal practices. The employer moved for summary judgment and argued that general admiralty and maritime law did not provide a private cause of action for wrongful discharge.

OVERVIEW: The employee, an at-will employee, worked as a licensed engineer aboard the employer's casino vessel. The employee alleged that he was personally ordered to falsify the engine room log books in violation of a federal safety statute. The employee alleged that after he complained about falsifying the engine room books he was ostracized by his superior officers in the engineering department and subjected to constant harassment. The employee alleged that the working environment was so unbearable that he was forced to leave. The court found that admiralty and general maritime law did not recognize an exception to the employment-at-will doctrine where the employee was discharged for the refusal to violate a federal safety regulation. Thus, recognizing a federal cause of action in that instance would have exceeded the scope of the judiciary's power. The chief engineer and other engine room employees' conduct did not render the employee's work environment so difficult or unpleasant that a reasonable person in the employee's position would have been compelled to resign as was evidenced by the fact that the employee continued working for nearly eight months after the alleged conduct started.

OUTCOME: The employer's motion for summary judgment was granted. The clerk of court was directed to enter judgment in favor of the employer and against the employee.

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DIAMOND OFFSHORE MANAGEMENT COMPANY v. ARCHIE MARKS

NO. 2000-CA-01680-SCT
SUPREME COURT OF MISSISSIPPI
2003 Miss. LEXIS 88
February 27, 2003, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: COURT FROM WHICH APPEALED: HARRISON COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT. DATE OF TRIAL COURT JUDGMENT: 10/2/2000. TRIAL JUDGE: HON. JOHN H. WHITFIELD.

DISPOSITION: AFFIRMED AS TO LIABILITY; JUDGMENT VACATED AND REMITTED FROM $3,643,018.00 TO $1,643,018. 00, CONDITIONED UPON ACCEPTANCE WITHIN TWENTY-ONE (21) DAYS AND PAYMENT WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS; OTHERWISE, THE CASE IS REMANDED FOR A NEW TRIAL AS TO DAMAGES ONLY.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellee seaman sued appellant employer in the Harrison County Circuit Court (Mississippi), alleging, inter alia, negligence under the Jones Act, and maintaining an unseaworthy vessel. The trial court found the employer was negligent and the vessel was unseaworthy, and awarded the seaman damages. It denied the employer's motion for a new trial, but granted its motion for remittitur, and reduced the damage award. The employer appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman permanently injured his back by carrying buckets of water up stairs to clean a pipe rack. The Supreme Court held that it was immaterial whether the trial court applied the ordinary or the "relaxed" negligence standard, as there was split in the federal circuits as to which standard applied in Jones Act cases, and under either standard, the employer was negligent. The trial court found that the employer provided an unseaworthy vessel (in part because the faucets on the upper deck were broken), and that the seaman had not been contributorily negligent; these findings were proper. However, the award (which had been reduced from $3.75 million to $3.643 million) was excessive. Though the seaman was totally disabled, could not work, and suffered great physical and mental pain, an award of $3 million, plus economic damages, was so high as to be unreasonable; a remittitur to $1 million (plus economic damages) was deemed appropriate. The trial court had personal jurisdiction, as the employer recruited Mississippi residents for employment, and contracted with the seaman in Mississippi by offering him advance payments in exchange for keeping it informed of his progress.

OUTCOME: The Supreme Court vacated the award and remitted the judgment from $3.643 million to $1.643 million, provided that this remitted judgment was accepted within two days and paid within 30 days. Otherwise, a new trial confined to the issue of damages was granted, and the case was remanded for such. On all other issues, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the trial court.

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TEDDY CAMPBELL VERSUS HIGMAN BARGE LINES, INC.

2002-0937
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, THIRD CIRCUIT
2002-0937 (La.App. 3 Cir, 02/05/03); 838 So. 2d 80; 2003 La. App. LEXIS 194
February 5, 2003, Rendered

PRIOR HISTORY: APPEAL FROM THE FOURTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT PARISH OF CALCASIEU, NO. 2001-972. HONORABLE PATRICIA MINALDI, DISTRICT JUDGE.

DISPOSITION: REVERSED AND REMANDED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff, an employee of defendant barge corporation filed a maritime action following a work-related injury that occurred aboard a barge, in the Fourteenth Judicial District, Parish of Calcasieu (Louisiana). The barge corporation moved for summary judgment. The trial court granted the motion. The employee appealed.

OVERVIEW: The accident occurred when the employee was instructed to change the oil in the barge engines. He alleged that when he was down in the engine room, with the hatches open above, the weather turned to rain dampening the floor below and he slipped on the wet floor injuring his back. He sought recovery related to what he alleged was a permanent injury, alleging the barge was unseaworthy and the barge corporation was negligent because the hatches were left open. He sought recovery under the saving to suitors clause, 28 U.S.C.S. § 1333, the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688(a) and general maritime law. He argued genuine issues of material fact existed regarding unseaworthiness and Jones Act negligence and maintenance and cure issues. The employee's expert's opinion created genuine issues of material fact as to whether the hatches should have been open. The lower court erred in failing to find genuine issues of material fact created by the inferences reasonably drawn from the expert's affidavit. The appellate court concluded that summary judgment was inappropriate on the negligence question and on the issues of maintenance and cure.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed and the case was remanded for further proceedings.

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SHIRLEY CORONA and ANTHONY CORONA, Appellants, vs. COSTACROCIERE S.P.A., COSTA CRUISE LINE N.V., N/K/A COSTA CRUISE LINES, N.V., L.L.C.,Foreign Business Entities, Appellees.

CASE NO. 3D02-2111
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 1809; 28 Fla. L. Weekly D 499
February 19, 2003, Opinion Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: An appeal from the Circuit Court for Dade County, Paul Siegel, Judge. LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 00-08535.

DISPOSITION: Reversed and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: In a premises liability case arising on a cruise ship, plaintiffs, the injured party and her spouse, appealed the judgment of the Circuit Court for Dade County (Florida), which granted summary judgment to defendant corporations, the owners and operators of the cruise ship in question.

OVERVIEW: The injured party walked with the assistance of a cane. During the first night at sea, she used the bathroom which was within their cabin. While emerging from the bathroom she leaned on the door handle, which came out of its housing. She lost her balance and fell, suffering serious injuries. The appellate court concluded that the corporations had not carried their burden of demonstrating the nonexistence of any disputed issue of material fact. Common experience would indicate that doorknob or door handle assemblies did loosen up from time to time, but typically this was a slow process which should be noticeable to those who use the door. Certainly the cruise ship had a cleaning staff, and undoubtedly they moved the door from time to time in order to clean behind it. It was reasonable to assume that this type of problem would have existed, and worsened, over a period of time such that the cruise ship staff discovered, or reasonably should have discovered, it. The fact that the maintenance person was able to repair the problem using the existing fixture and screws would tend to rule out the possibility that there was any manufacturing defect in the door handle assembly itself.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the trial court was reversed and remanded for further proceedings.

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New Trial Granted After Verdict For Seaman Of $1.137 Million On Claims Of Negligence, Unseaworthiness, And Maintenance And Cure (But Not Attorneys Fees) Because Seaman Introduced Evidence That His Employer Wrongfully Terminated Him Which Was Deemed By The Appellate Court To Be Non Relevant To The Seaman's Claims (Because Attorneys Fees Were Not Sought) And Were Prejudicial To The Employer.

Mark E. Holley, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. Transoceanic Cable Company, Defendant-Appellant.

2233
SUPREME COURT OF NEW YORK, APPELLATE DIVISION, FIRST DEPARTMENT
2003 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 292
January 16, 2003, Decided
January 16, 2003, Entered

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant former employer under the Jones Act (46 U.S.C.S. § 688) and general maritime law, seeking damages for personal injuries, maintenance and cure, and compensatory damages for the employer's failure to provide maintenance and cure. A jury in the Supreme Court, New York County, New York, returned a $1.137 million verdict for the seaman. The employer appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman fell while on board his employer's ship, injuring his back and neck. He alleged he was in pain and unable to work, and that the captain fired him for failing to return to work. The employer claimed that he was not entitled to maintenance and cure because he was able to work within two days of his fall. The seaman testified as to his version of his firing, and was allowed to present the view of a fellow seaman that the discharge was unfair, and testimony from his therapist that his depression was exacerbated, if not caused, by the firing. The appellate court held that the trial court erred by permitting the seaman to present evidence as to the circumstances of his discharge. Such evidence was clearly not relevant to his negligence and unseaworthiness claims, or to his claim for maintenance and cure and for damages for not providing maintenance and cure. Further, it was highly prejudicial to the employer. The seaman argued that the evidence related to his discharge was relevant to show the employer's "callousness." However, such "callousness" was relevant only with regard to a claim for attorneys' fees -- a claim that the seaman had not asserted in his complaint.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed and the case was remanded for a new trial.

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CARNIVAL CORPORATION and, CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, Appellants,vs. SUSAN STOWERS, Appellee.

2003, CASE NO. 3D01-1516
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 231; 28 Fla. L. Weekly D 213
January 15, 2003, Opinion Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: An Appeal from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Jon I. Gordon, Judge. LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 99-14143.

DISPOSITION: Reversed and remanded for a new trial.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellee passenger injured her leg and ankle when she slipped and fell on a granite step while on a cruise ship. She sued appellants, a corporation and its cruise lines, for negligence. Appellants sought review of the adverse order of the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County (Florida).

OVERVIEW: The passenger alleged that she slipped on the step after stepping in soapy liquid on a section of carpet in one of the ship's lounges. After the passenger allegedly stepped in this liquid, she walked the length of the dry carpeted room and outside to the kiddie pool area. She then went back inside the lounge and again walked the length of the carpeted room to the granite step where she slipped and fell. The passenger contended that soapy liquid remained on her shoe from the puddle she stepped in and caused her to slip. The appellate court concluded that the trial court improperly permitted an expert witness to render an opinion based on unconfirmed data. The passenger's expert admitted that he did not know the composition of the carpet, had not tested the water absorbing properties of the carpet, and did not attempt to recreate the incident. Instead, the expert based his opinion on the results of coefficient of friction tests he performed solely on the granite stairs. The expert clearly did not establish the existence of valid underlying data upon which he based his opinion.

OUTCOME: The order of the trial court was reversed and remanded for a new trial.

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LCDR JOHN R. DALY, JR. U.S.N., Plaintiff, v. FAR EASTERNSHIPPING COMPANY PLC, FESCO AGENCIES N.A., INC. AND FESCO INTERMODAL, INC., Defendants.

CASE NO. CO1-0880C
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 914
January 7, 2003, Decided
January 7, 2003, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: Plaintiff's motion for a new trial denied and plaintiff's motion to file declaration granted.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman moved for a new trial after the jury returned a verdict for defendant merchant vessel owner (owner) in the seaman's action seeking damages for an eye injury.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was conducting surveillance of the owner's merchant vessel on behalf of the U.S. Navy when allegedly a laser on the vessel struck and injured the seaman's eye, causing him permanent eye damage. The seaman moved for a new trial after the jury found in the owner's favor. The court held that the seaman was not entitled to a new trial based upon newly obtained evidence, namely a letter from a longshoreman stating that there was a laser on the owner's vessel. Portions of potential testimony, that the longshoreman told the seaman that there was a laser, that the laser's presence was common knowledge, and that a doctor had found the longshoreman's eyes were irritated, were inadmissible hearsay. The fact that the longshoreman claimed to have seen a light coming from the vessel would not have changed the trial's outcome because it was undisputed at trial that a light was housed on the vessel's bridge. The court's imposition of an eight-day limit on the trial did not necessitate a new trial; the seaman's counsel failed to object during the trial, the time limit was based on the parties' own pretrial estimates, and it was more than enough time to try the simple battery claim.

OUTCOME: The seaman's motion for a new trial in his battery action against the owner was denied.

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Limitation Of Liability Petition Granted In Claim Brought By A Passenger Of A Cabin Cruiser Who Was Advised By A Member Of The Boating Party That The Water Was Sufficiently Deep For Him To Dive Into Resulting In A Paralyzing Neck Injury - Owner, Who Was Present On The Vessel At The Time Of The Incident, Not Deemed To Have Privity And Knowledge To Defeat Petition For Limitation.

MATTHEW GINOP, Plaintiff, v. A 1984 BAYLINER 27' CABINCRUISER, HIN No: BLBA29SG0983 and JAMES JACOBS, Defendant.

Civil No. 01-72245
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN, SOUTHERN DIVISION
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1321
January 27, 2003, Decided
January 27, 2003, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff sued defendant owner of a cabin cruiser alleging that the owner's negligence caused plaintiff's injuries from diving into shallow water. The owner petitioned for limitation of liability under 46 U.S.C.S. § 185, and plaintiff and the owner cross-moved for summary judgment with regard to the petition.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff suffered a paralyzing neck injury from diving into shallow water after another member of the boating party and the cabin cruiser's depth finder advised everyone, including plaintiff, that the water was shallow. Parties in other boats were observed standing in the water, but plaintiff dove into the water while the owner was lowering the anchor. Plaintiff contended that the owner was negligent in failing to warn plaintiff of the shallow water and that the owner had privity in causing plaintiff's injuries. The court first held that no breach of the owner's duty of care was shown since plaintiff was provided with sufficient information concerning the shallowness of the water. Further, plaintiff failed to use reasonable care for his own safety in diving into water of an unknown depth after the warnings, and thus plaintiff's unilateral actions were the proximate cause of his injuries. Finally. The owner's mere presence on the boat at the time of the incident was insufficient by itself to establish privity, and there was no showing that the owner otherwise personally participated in causing the injuries.

OUTCOME: Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment was denied, and the owner's cross-motion and his petition for limitation of liability were granted.

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JOSELITO MADRIAGA LIM VERSUS OFFSHORE SPECIALTY FABRICATORS, INC.

CIVIL ACTION NO: 02-2126 SECTION: "J"(5)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1198
January 28, 2003, Decided
January 28, 2003, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: DISPOSITION: Defendant's Motion to Dismiss for Improper Venue and Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction denied.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employees sued defendant employer alleging the employer violated the minimum wage requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act by failing to pay them for overtime hours they worked. The employees were foreign seamen. The employer moved to dismiss for improper venue and lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiffs were hired through a foreign employment administration. The contract contained a forum selection clause choosing a foreign forum and an arbitration clause. Of the three argument plaintiffs made the court only needed to address the assertion that Louisiana's prohibition of forum selection clauses in employment contracts rendered the forum selection and arbitration clauses in their contracts void. La. Rev. Stat. § 23:921(A)(2) made forum selection clauses in employment contracts null and void. The case relied on by the employer that the employment contract should be enforced was decided before the statute was amended. The court rejected the employer's contention that the state statute did not apply because plaintiffs brought the case in federal court and had they brought in state court, it would have removed the case. The employer's reliance on the ratification clause of the statute was misplaced. The ratification contemplated had to take place after the occurrence of the incident, which was the subject of the civil or administrative action.

OUTCOME: The employer's motion to dismiss for improper venue and lack of subject matter jurisdiction was denied.

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MARINA KOT and ALEX KOT, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. CARNIVAL CORPORATION and CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 02-7393
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 1031
January 23, 2003, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Edward R. Korman, Judge).

DISPOSITION: Affirmed.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiffs-appellants Marina and Alex Kot appeal from the district court's March 7, 2002 order, denying the Kots' motion seeking: 1) extension of time to file a motion for reconsideration and reargument of the district court's December 6, 2001 judgment dismissing the Kots' tort claim against defendants-appellees Carnival Corporation and Carnival Cruise Lines ("Carnival"); 2) vacatur of the district court's December 6, 2001 judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b); and 3) extension of time to file a Notice of Appeal. The district court concluded, and the appellate court agreed, that the Kots' motion seeking an extension of time to file a Notice of Appeal is dispositive, because if that motion is not granted the remaining motions are moot. The district court then determined that the rule set forth in Ward--that a ticket must reasonably communicate the existence of important terms and the passenger must have the opportunity to become meaningfully informed of those terms--was satisfied in this case. The district court then declined to grant the Kots' motion seeking an extension of time to file a notice of appeal pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure ("FRAP") 4(a)(5).

OUTCOME: The district court did not abuse its discretion when it declined to grant an extension because it determined that, even after Ward, any appeal would be to no avail.

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Appeals Court Holds That Florida Constitution Provides That Florida's (East Coast) Territorial Waters Extend To The Outside Of The Gulf Stream (Well Beyond Three Miles But Possibly Limited By Twelve Miles) So That A Cruise Ship's Doctor Who Allegedly Committed Malpractice 11.7 Nautical Miles East Of Florida's Coastline Is Subject To Florida's Long Arm Jurisdiction

ROGER C. BENSON and PATRICIA HARDY-SMITH, individually and as Co-Personal Representatives of the Estate of NOAH BENJAMIN BENSON, a minor, Appellants, vs. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE LIMITED, and CARLA VON BENECKE, M.D., Appellees.

CASE NO. 3D01-1845
COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT
2003 Fla. App. LEXIS 225; 28 Fla. L. Weekly D 213
January 15, 2003, Opinion Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: An appeal from the Circuit Court for Dade County, Judith L. Kreeger, Judge. LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 99-4704.

DISPOSITION: Reversed and remanded.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: The Circuit Court, Dade County (Florida), granted appellee ship's doctor's motion to dismiss based on a lack of personal jurisdiction over her where appellant estate representative alleged the ship's doctor committed medical malpractice after the estate representative's decedent suffered an allergic reaction onboard ship and died while the ship was 11.7 nautical miles east of the Florida shore. The estate representative appealed.

OVERVIEW: The decedent was a passenger traveling on appellee cruise line's ship. While on board, the decedent suffered an allergic reaction and could not breathe. The ship's doctor attempted to insert a breathing tube, but he died. The estate representative sued both the cruise line and the ship's doctor. The ship's doctor moved to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction since she was a South African national. Since no dispute existed that the ship's doctor was a nonresident of Florida, the question was whether her alleged medical malpractice occurred within Florida's territorial boundaries. Expert evidence established that the ship was located 11.7 nautical miles east of Florida's coastline. The trial court granted the motion to dismiss after concluding that the ship was outside Florida territorial waters. After that decision was entered, the appellate court found that Florida's boundaries were established in Fla. Const. art. II, § 1 (1968) and included the edge of the Gulf Stream, which was 14 nautical miles east of Florida's coastline. Accordingly, it found that the ship was in Florida's territorial waters and that long arm personal jurisdiction existed over her.

OUTCOME: The judgment dismissing the ship's doctor from the lawsuit was reversed and the case was remanded for further proceedings.

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IN RE AIR CRASH DISASTER NEAR PEGGY'S COVE, NOVA SCOTIA ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1998

MDL NO. 1269 THIS DOCUMENT RELATES TO: ALL CASES
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3309
February 27, 2002, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiffs, the heirs of passengers killed in a plane crash within the territorial waters of Canada, filed several actions against defendants, the airline companies and the manufacturers, to recover for the deaths. The cases were transferred to the court for coordinated and consolidated pretrial proceedings. The airlines and the manufacturers moved to dismiss the punitive damages claims.

OVERVIEW: The airlines and the manufacturers argued that the punitive damages claims were precluded by the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA), 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 761 et seq., because the 2000 amendments to the DOHSA demonstrated that the term high seas was to be given a geographic meaning. The heirs argued that in enacting the 2000 amendments, Congress intended to adopt the definition of high seas as developed in the most recent case law prior to the passage of the amendments. The court found that the DOHSA, as amended, applied to aviation incidents in foreign territorial waters because the case law cited by the heirs did not address whether the DOHSA applied to foreign territorial waters. Rather, the decision was limited to whether the DOHSA applied to domestic waters between three and 12 miles from the shores of the United States. Since the amended DOHSA did not allow recovery for punitive damages, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 762(b)(1), the airlines' and the manufacturers' motion to dismiss all claims for punitive damages under United States law was granted.

OUTCOME:The motion to dismiss the punitive damages claims was granted.

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SILVERINO BASUEL ESTIGOY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. OSG CARCARRIERS, INC., In personam; MARITIME OVERSEAS CORPORATION, In personam,Defendants-Appellees, and M/V OVERSEAS JOYCE O.N. D921012, In Rem, Defendant.

No. 00-16915
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 2538
January 17, 2002, Argued and Submitted, San Francisco, California
February 14, 2002, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant seaman sued appellee employer under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, for negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure. The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii dismissed the seaman's claims against the employer for lack of personal jurisdiction. The seaman appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman argued that the employer had sufficient contacts with Hawaii to create general personal jurisdiction. The district court and, in turn, the appeals court found that the contacts were not sufficient to create either general or specific jurisdiction. The employer had no agent, office, or property in Hawaii; the employer did not advertise and was not authorized to do business in Hawaii; and the employer's ships did not call on ports within Hawaii except in cases of emergency. The employer paid the seaman's airfare and arbitrated the dispute in Hawaii pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. Those "contacts" did not constitute purposeful acts by which the employer invoked the benefits and protections of Hawaii's laws. Further, the court would not attribute to the employer the acts of another entity that served as the exclusive bargaining agent for seamen employed by the employer.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment of the district court.

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SILVERINO BASUEL ESTIGOY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. OSG CARCARRIERS, INC., In personam; MARITIME OVERSEAS CORPORATION, In personam,Defendants-Appellees, and M/V OVERSEAS JOYCE O.N. D921012, In Rem, Defendant.

No. 00-16915
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 2538
January 17, 2002, Argued and Submitted, San Francisco, California
February 14, 2002, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant seaman sued appellee employer under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, for negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure. The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii dismissed the seaman's claims against the employer for lack of personal jurisdiction. The seaman appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman argued that the employer had sufficient contacts with Hawaii to create general personal jurisdiction. The district court and, in turn, the appeals court found that the contacts were not sufficient to create either general or specific jurisdiction. The employer had no agent, office, or property in Hawaii; the employer did not advertise and was not authorized to do business in Hawaii; and the employer's ships did not call on ports within Hawaii except in cases of emergency. The employer paid the seaman's airfare and arbitrated the dispute in Hawaii pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. Those "contacts" did not constitute purposeful acts by which the employer invoked the benefits and protections of Hawaii's laws. Further, the court would not attribute to the employer the acts of another entity that served as the exclusive bargaining agent for seamen employed by the employer.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment of the district court.

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SILVERINO BASUEL ESTIGOY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. OSG CARCARRIERS, INC., In personam; MARITIME OVERSEAS CORPORATION, In personam,Defendants-Appellees, and M/V OVERSEAS JOYCE O.N. D921012, In Rem, Defendant.

No. 00-16915
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 2538
January 17, 2002, Argued and Submitted, San Francisco, California
February 14, 2002, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant seaman sued appellee employer under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, for negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure. The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii dismissed the seaman's claims against the employer for lack of personal jurisdiction. The seaman appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman argued that the employer had sufficient contacts with Hawaii to create general personal jurisdiction. The district court and, in turn, the appeals court found that the contacts were not sufficient to create either general or specific jurisdiction. The employer had no agent, office, or property in Hawaii; the employer did not advertise and was not authorized to do business in Hawaii; and the employer's ships did not call on ports within Hawaii except in cases of emergency. The employer paid the seaman's airfare and arbitrated the dispute in Hawaii pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. Those "contacts" did not constitute purposeful acts by which the employer invoked the benefits and protections of Hawaii's laws. Further, the court would not attribute to the employer the acts of another entity that served as the exclusive bargaining agent for seamen employed by the employer.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment of the district court.

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SILVERINO BASUEL ESTIGOY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. OSG CARCARRIERS, INC., In personam; MARITIME OVERSEAS CORPORATION, In personam,Defendants-Appellees, and M/V OVERSEAS JOYCE O.N. D921012, In Rem, Defendant.

No. 00-16915
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 2538
January 17, 2002, Argued and Submitted, San Francisco, California
February 14, 2002, Filed

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant seaman sued appellee employer under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688, for negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure. The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii dismissed the seaman's claims against the employer for lack of personal jurisdiction. The seaman appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman argued that the employer had sufficient contacts with Hawaii to create general personal jurisdiction. The district court and, in turn, the appeals court found that the contacts were not sufficient to create either general or specific jurisdiction. The employer had no agent, office, or property in Hawaii; the employer did not advertise and was not authorized to do business in Hawaii; and the employer's ships did not call on ports within Hawaii except in cases of emergency. The employer paid the seaman's airfare and arbitrated the dispute in Hawaii pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. Those "contacts" did not constitute purposeful acts by which the employer invoked the benefits and protections of Hawaii's laws. Further, the court would not attribute to the employer the acts of another entity that served as the exclusive bargaining agent for seamen employed by the employer.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment of the district court.

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JUDGMENT NOTHWITHSTANDING THE VERDICT ENTERED IN FAVOR OF TUGBOAT OPERATOR WHERE SHIPOWNER NOT FOUND NEGLIGENT BUT SHIP FOUND UNSEAWORTHY FOR HAVING AN ICY DECK - COURT FINDS THE HAZARDS OF SNOW, SLEET, AND ICE ON VESSELS' DECKS DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY RENDER A VESSEL UNSEAWORTHY BECAUSE THEY ARE UNAVOIDABLE INCIDENTS OF SHIPBOARD LIFE

ROBERT C. FOSTER AND ANN I, FOSTER, his wife, Appellees v. MARITRANS, INC., MARITRANS GP, INC. AND MARITRANS OPERATING PARTNERS, L.P.,Appellants

No. 240 EDA 2001
SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
2002 PA Super 4; 2002 Pa. Super. LEXIS 3
June 26, 2001, Argued
January 9, 2002, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the Judgment entered December 11, 2000. In the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County. Civil No. 001070 - February Term, 1998. Before DEMBE, J.

DISPOSITION: Reversed in part, and remanded. Affirmed in part. Jurisdiction relinquished.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant tugboat operator appealed from that portion of a judgment that awarded plaintiff injured seaman and his wife damages for injuries resulting from the tugboat's alleged unseaworthiness under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 et seq.

OVERVIEW: A seaman was injured when he slipped on the icy deck of the tugboat. In a lawsuit under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 et seq., he sought damages for negligence, as well as the traditional maritime remedies of maintenance and cure, as to which the tugboat operator did not question its liability. The appeals court held that after the jury found the tugboat operator not negligent but that the tugboat was still unseaworthy, the trial court should have granted judgment notwithstanding the verdict in favor of the operator. The hazards of snow, sleet, and ice on vessels' decks did not automatically render a vessel unseaworthy, given that they were unavoidable incidents of shipboard life. So long as the deck was not unreasonably slippery, the operator should not have been held liable.

OUTCOME: The court reversed the judgement to the extent appealed from and remanded with directions to enter judgment notwithstanding the verdict in favor of the tugboat operator, and affirmed the remainder of the judgment.

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WIDOW AND MINOR CHILDREN OF DECEASED SEAMAN AWARDED PRE-DEATH PAIN AND SUFFERING, FUTURE LOSS OF EARNINGS, HOUSEHOLD SERVICES, AND LOSS OF GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT WHERE SHIPOWNER FAILED TO PROVIDE PROMPT, PROPER, AND ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR BACTERIAL MENINGITIS

REBECCA J. LABAT, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF HER MINOR CHILDREN, MEGAN SCOTT AND TIFFANY SCOTT, AND ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT LABAT VERSUS MALLARD BAY DRILLING COMPANY, INC.

NO. 2000-CA-2098
COURT OF APPEAL OF LOUISIANA, FOURTH CIRCUIT
2000-2098 (La.App. 4 Cir, 01/16/02); 2002 La. App. LEXIS 82
January 16, 2002, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: APPEAL FROM PLAQUEMINES 25TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT. NO. 41-375, DIVISION "A". Honorable Anthony Ragusa, Judge.

DISPOSITION: Reversed and rendered.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Appellant widow, individually and on behalf of her minor children, sued appellee employer in a wrongful death and survival action. The district court found that the employer was not responsible for causing or worsening deceased's condition and that employer did not unfairly or improperly withhold or fail to provide proper maintenance and cure to the decedent. The widow appealed.

OVERVIEW: The decedent worked for the employer and was on board a vessel on a well on a lake. The decedent became ill. He was taken by boat to shore, but when it was discovered his wife could not immediately come for him, he was returned to the vessel to rest and was left in isolation. When his fellow workers came to get the decedent they found him to be very ill. He was taken to shore and then a hospital. He died days later from bacterial meningitis. On appeal, the court found that the employer owed the decedent the duty of maintenance and cure as an employee aboard its vessel, whether injured or ill. Further, the failure of the employer to reasonably assess the decedent's condition and to allow his condition to manifest while under its care and control gave rise to the employer's responsibility to the decedent's survivors. Finally, the record supported awards for pre-death pain and suffering, loss of future income, household services, and loss of guidance and support.

OUTCOME: The judgment was reversed and the appellate court rendered an award in favor of the widow for pre-death pain and suffering, future loss of earnings, household services, and loss of guidance and support.

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MARY FREEZE, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. LOST ISLE PARTNERS, Defendant and Appellant.

A093146 /A093390
COURT OF APPEAL OF CALIFORNIA, FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT, DIVISION THREE
2002 Cal. App. LEXIS 281
January 9, 2002, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: San Francisco County Super. Ct. No. 997994.

DISPOSITION: REVERSED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: After jury determined barge worker was not a "seaman" under the Jones Act, barge worker appealed alleging the trial court erred in not properly charging the jury with regard to the barge worker's claims under the general maritime law.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff Mary Freeze was injured while she moored a barge owned by her employer, defendant Lost Isle Partners (Lost Isle). In her amended complaint, she sought relief under the Jones Act (46 U.S.C. App. § 688(a)) and the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) (33 U.S.C. § 905(b)). Additionally, Freeze alleged claims of negligence and unseaworthiness of a vessel under general maritime law. During the trial, Freeze abandoned her LHWCA claim because she was excluded from coverage under that Act. She requested the court to instruct the jury on her other causes of action, in the alternative, contending that the negligence and unseaworthiness claims were not dependent on her entitlement to relief under the Jones Act. The trial court refused to charge the jury as requested by Freeze. Instead, the jury was directed not to consider the general maritime causes of action if they found Freeze was not a "seaman" under the Jones Act. The jury found in favor of Lost Isle on the Jones Act claim, determining that Freeze was not a "seaman." After a judgment in favor of Lost Isle was filed on September 7, 2000, Freeze filed a timely notice of appeal. By a subsequent order filed November 8, 2000, the trial court granted Freeze's motion to strike Lost Isle's bill of costs after judgment. Lost Isle filed a timely notice of appeal from the November 8, 2000 order. On appeal from the judgment, Freeze correctly argues that the trial court's instruction to the jury limiting their consideration of her general maritime claims was prejudicial error.

OUTCOME: Reversed and remanded for new trial.

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SHIPOWNER'S MOTION TO DISMISS SEAMAN'S INJURY ACTION AND CLAIM FOR MAINTENANCE AND CURE GRANTED WHERE SHIPOWNER DID NOT HAVE CONTINUOUS AND SYSTEMATIC CONTACTS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT GENERAL JURISDICTION AND SEAMAN COULD NOT SHOW THAT SHIPOWNER EXERCISED SIGNIFICANT CONTROL OVER LOCAL UNION WHICH CREWED SHIPOWNER'S VESSEL

CHARLES FRISELLA VERSUS TRANSOCEANIC CABLE SHIP COMPANY,ET AL

CIVIL ACTION NO. 01-1855 SECTION "F"
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 943
January 11, 2002, Decided
January 11, 2002, Filed

DISPOSITION: Defendant TCSC's Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Personal Jurisdiction GRANTED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed an action against defendant shipping company, seeking damages for his injury and for maintenance and cure. Defendant moved to dismiss, contending that it did not have sufficient minimum contacts with Louisiana to support the court's assertion of personal jurisdiction over it.

OVERVIEW: The seaman was hired by the company pursuant to an agreement between the company and his seafarer's union. The seaman's complaint alleged that the company did business in Louisiana and failed to provide an adequate crew. The court held that the company did not have the type of continuous and systematic contacts with Louisiana necessary to support general jurisdiction. The court then examined the seaman's claims of specific jurisdiction that: (1) the seafarer's union acted as the company's agent, and so its activities should have been imputed to the company and (2) the union hired an "inadequate" crew inasmuch as the crew members' intentional actions caused his injuries. The court found that there was no evidence that the company exercised significant control over the union's activities in Louisiana. Instead, it was more accurate (and more factual) to say that the union acted as an agent for the seaman and the other union members who paid the union for its services. Furthermore, the court found that the connection between the seaman's injury and the union's hiring practices was tenuous at best.

OUTCOME: The shipping company's motion to dismiss was granted.

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SEAMAN'S PETITION TO COMPEL HIS EMPLOYER TO PAY FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING AS PART OF THEIR CURE OBLIGATION WAS DENIED WHERE SEAMAN FAILED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUCH COUNSELING OR EVIDENCE THAT THE CONDITION FOR WHICH HE NEEDS COUNSELING IS RELATED TO THE PHYSICAL INJURY HE SUSTAINED WHILE IN THE SERVICE OF THE VESSEL

IN RE GULF SOUTH MARINE TRANSPORTATION, INC., OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THE M/V MR. T

CIVIL ACTION NO.01-1755 SECTION: "R" (4)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1312
January 16, 2002, Decided
January 17, 2002, Filed, Entered

DISPOSITION: Claimant's motion for summary judgment on the issue of his entitlement to cure for psychological treatment was denied.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Seaman field petition for cure against his employer/owner/operator of the vessel for psychological counseling.

OVERVIEW: Plaintiff claims that he is entitled to cure because his anxiety about being unable to pay his child support payments resulted from the physical injury he sustained that left him unable to work. He asserts that before the accident he did not suffer from anxiety because he was able to work and pay his child support obligations. However, the record reflects that plaintiff had a long history of being derelict in child support, which predates his injury. The only medical evidence in the record is a progress note written by claimant's treating physician, an orthopedic surgeon, in which the doctor merely restates claimant's claim that he is "fairly stressed" about his failure to pay child support. The physician, however, does not state anywhere in the referral form that the anxiety accompanied injuries plaintiff allegedly suffered on the ship or indeed arose as a result of anything that happened on the ship. Nor is the statement a diagnosis of anxiety. Plaintiff does not submit medical records or physician testimony.

OUTCOME: The Seaman's petition to compel his employer to pay for psychological counseling as part of their cure obligation was denied.

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SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF SHIPOWNER AND AGAINST SEAMAN ON JONES ACT NEGLIGENCE AND UNSEAWORTHINESS AFFIRMED WHERE SEAMAN WHO WAS INJURED WHEN HANDLING A STEEL CABLE COULD NOT SHOW ANY EVIDENCE OF SHIPOWNER'S NEGLIGENT FAILURE TO TRAIN SEAMAN OR ANY NOTICE OF A RISK

GENE A. RUTHERFORD, JR., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. LAKE MICHIGAN CONTRACTORS, INC., Defendant-Appellee.

No. 00-1850
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SIXTH CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 441
January 7, 2002, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: On Appeal from the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. 98-00769. Miles. 07-18-00.
Rutherford v. Lake Mich. Contrs., Inc., 132 F. Supp. 2d 592, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1631 (W.D. Mich. 2000)

DISPOSITION: Affirmed.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff injured worker appealed the decision from the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, which entered summary judgment in favor of defendant tugboat owner in the injured worker's suit for negligence under 46 U.S.C.S. § 688 of the Jones Act and under the doctrine of unseaworthiness. The tugboat owner alleged a lack of negligence.

OVERVIEW: The injured worker hurt his back when he was handling a steel cable. The appellate court affirmed. Under the Jones Act, there was a reduced standard of causation. After negligence was proven, a plaintiff only needed to show that a shipowner's negligence was the cause in whole or in part of the injuries. Even under the reduced standard, there was no evidence of the tugboat owner's negligence. There was no evidence that handling the steel cable was a foreseeable risk nor was there evidence of notice of any risk, if one existed. The appellate court rejected the lack of training argument since there was no evidence of the negligent failure to train. Any evidence on the weight of the cable or unfamiliarity with pulling techniques went to causation, not breach. The injured worker did not identify whether proper safety equipment was used, and the appellate court was not required to search the entire record for this information. Under the seaworthiness doctrine, a shipowner was not required to furnish an accident-free ship. Based on many of the same facts, there was no evidence of defective cables, equipment, or and insufficient number of workers.

OUTCOME: Summary judgment in favor of the tugboat owner was affirmed. Under either the Jones Act claim or the unseaworthiness claim there was insufficient evidence of the tugboat owner's negligence.

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VESSEL OWNER SANCTIONED FOR REFUSING TO ALLOW OSHA TO BOARD VESSEL TO INSPECT WORK AREAS OF SHIPYARD EMPLOYEES - COAST GUARD AUTHORITY OVER REGULATING SAFETY OF SEAMAN'S WORK PLACE DID NOT DISPLACE OSHA AUTHORITY TO INSPECT AREAS OF VESSEL WHERE SHIPYARD EMPLOYEES WORK

ELAINE CHAO, SECRETARY OF LABOR, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Plaintiff-Appellee, VERSUS TRANSOCEAN OFFSHORE, INC., Defendant-Appellant

No. 00-60535
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 292
January 9, 2002, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeal from the United States District Court For the Southern District of Mississippi. 1:99-CV-157-GR. Walter J Gex, III, US District Judge.

DISPOSITION: Affirmed.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Defendant vessel owner appealed the judgment of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi against it for civil contempt and the award of attorneys fees and costs to the Secretary of Labor (secretary) in the secretary's action for civil contempt.

OVERVIEW: The secretary filed an action against the vessel owner for civil contempt arising from the vessel owner's refusal to honor a warrant obtained by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to inspect the work areas of a shipyard's employees, who were working aboard the vessel owner's vessel. The court entered a judgment of civil contempt against the vessel owner and was in the process of determining an award of attorneys fees and costs when the vessel owner appealed the judgment. The court remanded the case for the determination of fees and sanctions. After the award of fees and costs, the vessel owner appealed. On appeal, the court affirmed the judgment. The court held that OSHA had jurisdiction to board the vessel for inspection, pursuant to the warrant, because the workplace of the shipyard employees, not the workplace of the seamen, was being inspected, and OSHA had the authority to adopt safety regulations for such employees pursuant to 33 U.S.C.S. § 941. OSHA's regulatory power was not displaced by the fact that if it were the seamen's workplace that was being inspected, the Coast Guard would have such authority. Good faith was not a defense to civil contempt.

OUTCOME: The court affirmed the judgment of the trial court against the vessel owner for civil contempt and the award of attorneys fees and costs in favor of the secretary.

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COURT AFFIRMS JURY VERDICT FOR SHIPOWNER ON UNSEAWORTHINESS WHERE AN ENGINE SURGE CAUSED THE CAPTAIN OF THE VESSEL TO FALL OUT OF THE VESSEL AND SUFFER INJURIES AND, AT TRIAL, THE COURT INSTRUCTED THE JURY THAT THE RELEVANT TIME OF UNSEAWORTHINESS TO CONSIDER WAS THE TIME SURROUNDING THE ACCIDENT AND LEADING UP TO THE CAPTAIN BEING HURT

ROBERT F. GIFFORD, Plaintiff, Appellant, v. AMERICAN CANADIAN CARIBBEAN LINE, INC., Defendant, Appellee.

No. 00-1688
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 584
January 10, 2002, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS. Hon. Rya W. Zobel, U.S. District Judge.

DISPOSITION: Affirmed.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff captain of a cruise ship sued defendant ship owner, alleging inter alia that the unseaworthiness of the ship's rescue boat caused the captain to fall out of the boat and suffer injuries. The captain appealed the judgment in favor of the owner, entered on a jury verdict in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, contending that the jury was improperly instructed.

OVERVIEW: The captain asserted that engine problems caused the rescue boat to operate intermittently, and that an engine surge caused the captain to fall out of the boat, after which he suffered severe injuries from the boat's propeller. During deliberations, the jury requested clarification concerning the time at which they were to determine the seaworthiness of the boat. The district court responded that the relevant time was the time surrounding the accident and leading up to the captain being hurt, but then directed the jury to focus on the time when the captain was hurt. The appellate court held that the jury was properly and repeatedly instructed that they were to determine whether the unseaworthiness of the boat was a substantial direct cause of the captain's injuries, and the isolated reference to the time when the injury occurred was insufficient to lead the jury to believe that unseaworthiness at the time of the fall was insufficient to establish causation. The one remark, taken in the context of the instructions as a whole, thus did not have a tendency to confuse or mislead the jury.

OUTCOME: The judgment in favor of the owner was affirmed.

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CARROLL P. BOUDREAUX, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration); BAY SHIP MANAGEMENT INC, Defendants-Appellees. CARROLL P. BOUDREAUX, Plaintiff-Appellant v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Defendant-Appellee

No. 00-30705, No. 00-31358
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 615
January 15, 2002, Decided

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeals from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. 97-CV-1592-C. Helen Ginger Berrigan, US District Judge.
Boudreaux v. Unites States, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3933 (E.D. La. Mar. 16, 2000)

DISPOSITION: District court's attribution of 50% comparative negligence to Boudreaux and the court's finding that the OSPREY was not unseaworthy, affirmed. District court's allocation of an additional 20% negligence to Boudreaux for lifting the valve despite his prior back injury reversed. On remand, the court should restore to Boudreaux $59,941.17 representing the 20% of actual tort damages.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman filed suit against defendants the United States and ship management company for injuries he sustained on the ship. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana found that the seaman was comparatively negligent, and reduced his damages. The seaman filed a motion to alter or amend, which was denied in part, and filed a suit for maintenance and cure, which was dismissed. The seaman appealed.

OVERVIEW: The seaman had injured his back while working on another ship, and was limited to light industrial work. The seaman was injured again at work when he and a pumpman had to carry a valve that weighed about 300 pounds. The seaman filed suit against the government and the ship management company under general maritime law and the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.S. app. § 688. The district court found that the government was negligent, but that the seaman was comparatively negligent to the extent of 70 percent, and reduced the seaman's actual damages accordingly. The seaman filed a motion to alter or amend the judgment, which was partially granted and denied. The seaman filed a new lawsuit and sought maintenance and cure. The suit was dismissed. The two appeals were consolidated. The court found that the government failed to identify any record evidence that the seaman's decision to lift the object despite his back condition in any way caused his injuries, so the finding of an additional 20 percent negligence was clearly erroneous. There was no showing that the ship was not reasonably safe for the purposes for which it was used. The seaman had not reached maximum medical cure.

OUTCOME: The judgment of the district court was affirmed in part, and reversed and remanded in part.

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BORA DO, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. OCEAN PEACE INC, inpersonam; OCEAN PEACE F/T, official no 677399, her engine, machinery, appurtenances and cargo, in rem, Defendants-Appellees. TINH PHAM,Plaintiff-Appellant, v. OCEAN PEACE INC, in personam; UNITED STATES SEAFOODS LP,in personam; SEAFREEZE ALASKA F/T, official no 517242, her engines, machinery, apurtenances, and cargo, in rem, Defendants-Appellees.

No. 01-35177, No. 01-35179
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 1200
December 5, 2001, Argued and Submitted, Seattle, Washington
January 29, 2002, Filed

PRIOR HISTORY: Appeals from the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. D.C. No. CV-00-00315-TSZ D.C. No. CV-00-00321-TSZ. Thomas S. Zilly, District Judge, Presiding.
Boro Do v. Ocean Peace, Inc., 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19810 (W.D. Wash. 2000)

DISPOSITION: AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in part, and REMANDED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff employees sued defendants, employer and vessels, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, seeking wages owed them for work performed aboard the employer's fishing trawlers. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the employer on (1) claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and (2) the employees' remaining wage claims. The employees appealed.

OVERVIEW: The employees worked on different vessels for the employer. One worked as a fish processor, the other as a housekeeper. They each signed an employment contract with the employer, but the ships' masters did not sign them. The court of appeals found that the employees' duties were exempt from the FLSA, under the "first processing" exemption of 29 U.S.C.S. § 213(a)(5). Though the statute was ambiguous, the regulations under it, including 29 C.F.R. § 784.133, squarely addressed the issue of the definition of "first processing." That definition included the employees' duties, even though one of them was not actually engaged in fishing. The parties' contracts were entered into pursuant to 46 U.S.C.S. § 10601, and included a six-month limitation period for in rem actions that was also provided in 46 U.S.C.S. § 10602. However, the contracts' failure to include the ships' masters' signatures rendered them void, and the six-month limitations periods did not apply.

OUTCOME:The court of appeals affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in part, as to FLSA claims, and denied it in part, as to in rem wage claims.

NOTE: Another case holding that the master must sign a written contract with each crew member before a voyage pursuant to 46 U.S.C. § 10601 decided this month is: HARPER v. UNITED STATES SEA FOODS LP, 2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 1201 (9th Cir. 2002)

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TERRY J. WILLIAMS, Plaintiff, -against- WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, Defendant.

01 Civ. 7590 (AJP)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 816
January 22, 2002, Decided

DISPOSITION: Wilmington's motion to dismiss DENIED.

PROCEDURAL POSTURE: Plaintiff seaman sued defendant, the ultimate owner of the vessel on which he had been employed as a seaman, for statutory wage penalties pursuant to 46 U.S.C.S. § 10313(g). The vessel owner moved to dismiss pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6).

OVERVIEW: The vessel owner asserted that it was not the "owner" of the vessel within the meaning of the statute, because its bareboat charter to another company relieved it of the obligations of ownership. In interpreting § 10313(g), the court noted that absent a "clearly expressed legislative intention to the contrary," the wage penalty clearly applied to the vessel owner. As there was no such clearly expressed intention to the contrary, the vessel owner was liable. The court further noted that when the statute was revamped in 1983, Congress left intact the words that the owner or master was liable for the wages due. There were no exceptions for, explanations of, or references to non-employing owners and no distinctions were made.

OUTCOME: Vessel owner's motion to dismiss was denied.

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