Emj Corp. v. Hudson Specialty Ins. Co.

• Decision Date: 26 August 2014
• Docket Number: CIVIL ACTION NO. 2:11-cv-00228-GHD-JMV
• Parties: EMJ CORPORATION and WESTCHESTER FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY PLAINTIFFS v. HUDSON SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY DEFENDANT
• Court: U.S. District Court — Northern District of Mississippi

EMJ CORPORATION andWESTCHESTER FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY PLAINTIFFS v. HUDSON SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY DEFENDANT

CIVIL ACTION NO. 2:11-cv-00228-GHD-JMV

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI DELTA DIVISION

August 26, 2014

MEMORANDUM OPINION DENYING PLAINTIFFS' MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON INSURED STATUS, PLAINTIFFS' MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON PRIORITY OF COVERAGE, DEFENDANT'S SECOND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, AND DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO BIFURCATE TRIAL

Presently before the Court in this declaratory judgment action are Plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment on insured status [78], Defendant's second motion for summary judgment [96], Plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment on priority of coverage [98], and Defendant's motion to bifurcate trial [120].¹ Upon due consideration of the parties' motions, responses, replies, corresponding briefs, exhibits, and authorities, the Court finds that the four motions should be denied. Genuine disputes of material fact still exist that preclude the granting of summary judgment, and bifurcation of the trial on Plaintiffs' bad faith/punitive damages claim is not warranted.

Summary judgment "should be rendered if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S. Ct. 2548, 91 L. Ed. 2d 265 (1986). See FED. R. CIV. P. 56(a); Weaver v.CCA Indus., Inc., 529 F.3d 335, 339 (5th Cir. 2008). The rule "mandates the entry of summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who fails to make a sufficient showing to establish the existence of an element essential to that party's case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial." Celotex Corp., 477 U.S. at 322, 106 S. Ct. 2548.

The party moving for summary judgment bears the initial responsibility of informing the Court of the basis for its motion and identifying those portions of the record it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine dispute of material fact. See id. at 323, 106 S. Ct. 2548. Under Rule 56(a), the burden then shifts to the nonmovant to "go beyond the pleadings and by . . . affidavits, or by the 'depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file,' designate 'specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.' " Id. at 324, 106 S. Ct. 2548; Littlefield v. Forney Indep. Sch. Dist., 268 F.3d 275, 282 (5th Cir. 2001); Willis v. Roche Biomedical Labs., Inc., 61 F.3d 313, 315 (5th Cir. 1995).

Where the parties dispute the facts, the Court must view the facts and draw reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372, 378, 127 S. Ct. 1769, 167 L. Ed. 2d 686 (2007) (internal citations omitted). "However, a nonmovant may not overcome the summary judgment standard with conclusional allegations, unsupported assertions, or presentation of only a scintilla of evidence." McClure v. Boles, 490 F. App'x 666, 667 (5th Cir. 2012) (per curiam) (citing Hathaway v. Bazany, 507 F.3d 312, 319 (5th Cir. 2007)).

On or about February 15, 2005, EMJ Corporation ("EMJ") and Contract Steel Construction, Inc. ("Contract Steel") entered into a subcontractor agreement for the execution of work on a JC Penney Project in Southaven, Mississippi (the "Project"). EMJ was the general contractor on the Project. Contract Steel was the subcontractor, performing, in relevant part, theinstallation of a steel stairway, which was designed and constructed by another entity. With regard to requisite liability insurance coverage, the subcontractor agreement provides in relevant part:

[Contract Steel] shall maintain, at its own cost, such insurance as will protect it and [EMJ] from . . . any claim for bodily injury, . . . both physical and loss of use, which may arise from the Work or any performance under the [subcontract, whether such work or performance are by [Contract Steel] or its officers, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, employees[,] or those with whom it controls for any part of the Work . . . . This indemnification shall only be applicable to the conduct attributable to [Contract Steel] or anyone directly or indirectly employed, contracted[,] or supervised by [Contract Steel] or by anyone for whose acts [Contract Steel] may be liable.

Subcontractor Agreement [1-1] at 2, ¶ 5. In accordance with the subcontractor agreement, Contract Steel took out insurance policies, including one from Hudson Specialty Insurance Company ("Hudson Specialty"). In relevant part, the Hudson Specialty Policy provides that an insured under the policy includes:

[a]ny person or organization for whom you [Contract Steel] have agreed in writing prior to any "occurrence" or "offense" to provide insurance such as is afforded by this policy, but only with respect to operations performed by you [Contract Steel] or on your behalf, or facilities owned or used by you [Contract Steel].

Hudson Specialty Policy [1-4] at 22, Part III(2)(f).

Thereafter, Contract Steel installed a steel stairway at the Project and tendered the installation of the stairway to EMJ, which accepted it. Approximately two weeks later, JC Penney apparently engaged Professional Services Industries, Inc. to inspect an entrance canopy at the construction site. John Meeker, an employee of Professional Services Industries, Inc., was assigned the job. In the course of conducting the inspection, Meeker fell while descending thesteel stairway previously installed by Contract Steel. Meeker sustained injuries that rendered him a paraplegic.

On or about April 24, 2008, Meeker and his wife sued Contract Steel, EM J, and others in the Circuit Court of Desoto County in an action styled John Meeker et al. v. J.C. Penney Corp., Inc., et al., Civil Action No. CV2008-0148, seeking damages for Meeker's personal injuries. Apparently, the claims asserted included allegations that the steps, as installed, were too steep to be safely navigated and lacked an anti-slip surface application. The state-court judge dismissed the claims by the Meekers against Contract Steel, as well as a cross-claim by EMJ against Contract Steel for indemnity. In his opinion, the state-court judge explained that under Mississippi law once a contractor or owner accepts the work of a subcontractor or contractor, liability for injuries related to the work accepted shifts to the party accepting the work, regardless of the subcontractor's negligent performance of the contract. Consequently, the state-court judge held that Contract Steel owed no duty to Meeker; only EMJ could owe such a duty to Meeker. The state-court judge further found that that the responsibility for applying a non-slip coating to the steps was outside the scope of Contract Steel's contractual obligations; thus, Contract Steel was found to have no liability to Meeker on that basis, as well. According to Plaintiffs, the Meekers' remaining allegation in the underlying state-court litigation was one for unspecified "independent" or "sole" negligence of EMJ. This Court notes that the state-court judge expressly reserved ruling on whether EMJ might nevertheless allocate fault to Contract Steel at the state-court trial. After Contract Steel was dismissed from the state-court case, the state-court judge stayed the proceeding pending EMJ's appeal of the state-court rulings to the Mississippi...