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Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc. (2019)

Our plain-English summary of Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc. (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, December 13, 2019).

Carey Gomez sued a number of defendants in 2018, alleging asbestos exposure and a diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma. He said he was first exposed through his father's work at Avondale Shipyards in the 1960s and later through his own work as a plumber for Aardvark Contractors from 1988 to 2011. Defendants included Huntington Ingalls (Avondale), the Jefferson Parish School Board, and Nicholls State University's governing board. Gomez's claims against Nicholls State had already been dismissed. Avondale and the School Board had filed cross-claims against Nicholls State, which moved to dismiss them, citing Eleventh Amendment immunity. Avondale dropped its cross-claims, and the School Board did not oppose the motion. The court held that Nicholls State is an arm of the State of Louisiana, which has not waived its immunity from suit in federal court. It granted the motion as to the School Board's cross-claims and denied it as moot as to Avondale's.

We wrote this summary from the court's opinion with the help of AI. It is not the court's wording, and it is not legal advice. The full opinion is below.

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The decision

Outcome. The court granted Nicholls State's motion to dismiss the Jefferson Parish School Board's cross-claims on Eleventh Amendment immunity grounds and denied the motion as moot as to Huntington Ingalls, which had already dropped its cross-claims.

What the court held. Nicholls State is an arm of the State of Louisiana, which has not waived Eleventh Amendment immunity, so cross-claims against it cannot proceed in federal court.

Issues decided: Personal Jurisdiction.

The people and their exposure

Who Work Where When Products
Carey Gomez child of a shipyard employee (shipyards and maritime work); dust brought home Avondale Shipyards 1960s
Carey Gomez plumber 1988-2011

The defendants

  • Board of Supervisors for the Louisiana University System through Nicholls State University at Thibodaux (government)
  • Jefferson Parish School Board (government)
  • Huntington Ingalls Incorporated (shipowner)
  • Aardvark Contractors, Inc. (employer)

Other decisions in this case

Other rulings from the same court in the same case, in our library:

  • Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc. (November 1, 2018). The court granted Nicholls State's motion to dismiss the executive officer liability, products liability and punitive damages claims (the last two unopposed), denied it as to Gomez's negligence and strict liability claims, and ordered service on the Office of Risk Management within 60 days.
  • Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc. (January 6, 2020). The court granted Nicholls State's unopposed motion to dismiss plaintiff Carey Gomez's claims against it on Eleventh Amendment immunity grounds.
  • Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc. (January 22, 2020). The court granted Viking Pump's unopposed motion for summary judgment and dismissed, without prejudice, plaintiff Cary Gomez's claims and the cross-claims of Huntington Ingalls and Jefferson Parish School Board against Viking Pump.
  • Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc. (January 22, 2020). The court granted plaintiff Cary Gomez's motion to extend the deadline for his industrial hygienist expert report to February 7, 2020, and gave the defendants until March 6, 2020 to submit opposing expert reports.
  • Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc. (May 13, 2020). The district court denied the Jefferson Parish School Board's motion for partial summary judgment seeking an automatic virile share credit for the Johns-Manville Trust, and denied Huntington Ingalls' withdrawn part of the motion as moot, so the plaintiffs prevailed on the motion.

The court's opinion

The text below is Google Scholar's copy of the court's opinion, a public record. Numbers in brackets, such as [*921], mark where each page of the printed reporter begins.

CAREY GOMEZ, SECTION "L" (5),

v.

AARDVARK CONTRACTORS, INC. ET AL.

Civil Action No. 18-4186.

December 13, 2019.

United States District Court, E.D. Louisiana.

Cary Gomez, Chucky R. Gomez, Norma C. Gomez, Brittany G. Ford & Chance J. Gomez, Plaintiffs, represented by Damon R. Pourciau, Ardoin Law Firm, Scott Michael Galante, Galante & Bivalacqua LLC & Stephanie Moore Hartman, Galante & Bivalacqua LLC.

Anco Insulations Inc, Defendant, represented by Jamie Hebert Baglio, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Douglas R. Elliott, Pugh, Accardo, LLC & Margaret M. Joffe, Pugh, Accardo, LLC.

Bayer CropScience, Inc., as successor to Rhone Poulene AG Company, Defendant, represented by McGready Lewis Richeson, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey, Francis Xavier DeBlanc, III, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey, Kathleen Erin Jordan, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey, Milele N. St. Julien, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey & Perrey S. Lee, Kuchler Polk Weiner, LLC.

Burmaster Land & Development Co., LLC, formerly known as E.F. Burmaster & Sons, Burmaster Land & Development Company, Inc, Defendant, represented by Kevin John Webb, Litchfield Cavo, LLP & Brett F. Willie, Litchfield Cavo, LLP. CBS Corporation, A Delaware Corporation, A successor by merger to CBS Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation, Defendant, represented by John Joseph Hainkel, III, Frilot L.L.C., Angela M. Bowlin, Frilot L.L.C., James H. Brown, Jr., Frilot L.L.C., Kelly L. Long, Frilot L.L.C., Kelsey A. Eagan, Frilot L.L.C., Magali Ann Puente-Martin, Frilot L.L.C. & Peter R. Tafaro, Frilot L.L.C.

Certain-Teed Corporation, formerly known as Certain-Teed Products Corporation, Atwood & Morrill & Atwood & Morrill, incorrectly named Weir Valves and Controls, USA, Inc., f/k/a Atwood & Morrill, Defendants, represented by Jennifer E. Adams, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP, Arthur Wendel Stout, III, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP, Barbara Bourgeois Ormsby, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP, Jason P. Franco, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP & William Claudy Harrison, Jr., Deutsch Kerrigan LLP. Crane Company, Defendant, represented by Lawrence G. Pugh, III, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Donna M. Young, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Jacqueline Romero, Pugh, Accardo, LLC & Shelley L. Thompson, Pugh, Accardo, LLC.

FMC Corporation, improperly sued as FMC Corporation individually and as successor in interest to Crosby Valve, Inc. and Peerless Pump Corporation, Defendant, represented by John Joseph Hainkel, III, Frilot L.L.C., Angela M. Bowlin, Frilot L.L.C., Barry C. Campbell, Dogan & Wilkinson, PLLC, James H. Brown, Jr., Frilot L.L.C., Kelly L. Long, Frilot L.L.C., Kelsey A. Eagan, Frilot L.L.C., Lacey Taylor McCoy, Frilot L.L.C. & Magali Ann Puente-Martin, Frilot L.L.C. Foster Wheeler Corporation, Defendant, represented by John Joseph Hainkel, III, Frilot L.L.C., Angela M. Bowlin, Frilot L.L.C., James H. Brown, Jr., Frilot L.L.C., Kelly L. Long, Frilot L.L.C., Kelsey A. Eagan, Frilot L.L.C., Lacey Taylor McCoy, Frilot L.L.C., Magali Ann Puente-Martin, Frilot L.L.C. & Peter R. Tafaro, Frilot L.L.C.

General Electric Company & Ingersoll-Rand Company, Defendants, represented by John Joseph Hainkel, III, Frilot L.L.C., Angela M. Bowlin, Frilot L.L.C., Barry C. Campbell, Dogan & Wilkinson, PLLC, James H. Brown, Jr., Frilot L.L.C., Kelly L. Long, Frilot L.L.C., Kelsey A. Eagan, Frilot L.L.C., Lacey Taylor McCoy, Frilot L.L.C., Magali Ann Puente-Martin, Frilot L.L.C. & Peter R. Tafaro, Frilot L.L.C.

Goulds Pumps LLC, Defendant, represented by Lauren Ann McCulloch, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius & Mitchell F. Tedesco, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.

Grefco, Inc. & Viking Pump, Inc., incorrectly named as IDEX Corporation f/k/a Viking Pump, Inc., Defendants, represented by Kaye N. Courington, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC & James Matthew Matherne, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC.

Huntington Ingalls Incorporated, formerly known as Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Inc., Avondale Industries, Inc., Avondale Shipyards, Inc., Defendant, represented by Gustave A. Fritchie, III, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alex Tyler Robertson, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alexander R. Saunders, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alison A. Spindler, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Christopher Thomas Whelen, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, David Michael Melancon, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, David Wayne O'Quinn, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Edward Winter Trapolin, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Michael Kevin Powell, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC & Timothy Farrow Daniels, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC. IDEX Corporation, formerly known as Viking Pump, Inc., Defendant, represented by James Matthew Matherne, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC.

International Paper Company, formerly known as Champion International Corporation, U. S. Plywood Corporation, Defendant, represented by Walter G. Watkins, III, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP, Chelsea Elizabeth Gaudin, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP, Daniel S. Roberts, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP, Elizabeth Riddell Penn, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP, Jason K. Elam, Cosmich Simmons & Brown, PLLC & Thomas Peyton Smith, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP. International Paper Company, formerly known as Champion International Corporation U. S. Plywood Corporation, Defendant, represented by Mary Reeves Arthur, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP.

Jefferson Parish School Board, Defendant, represented by E. John Litchfield, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC, Kathy L. Torregano, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC & Michael J. Marsiglia, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC.

John Crane Inc, Defendant, represented by Kenan Slade Rand, Jr., Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP, Lauren B. Dietzen, Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP, Meredith R. Durham, Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP & Scott H. Mason, Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Defendant, represented by Jay Morton Jalenak, Jr., Kean Miller & Patrick Dale Roquemore, Kean Miller.

McCarty Corporation, Defendant, represented by Susan Beth Kohn, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, April Ann McQuillar, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Douglas Kinler, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Douglas Watson Redfearn, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, James R. Guidry, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Janice M. Culotta, Simon, Peragine, Smith and Redfearn, LLP, Louis Oliver Oubre, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP & Nicole M. Loup, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP.

Warren Pumps, LLC, Defendant, represented by Joseph Henry Hart, IV, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Daniel E. Oser, Pugh, Accardo, LLC & Thomas A. Porteous, Pugh, Accardo, LLC.

World Trade Center of New Orleans, Inc., Defendant, represented by Timothy S. Madden, King, Krebs & Jurgens, PLLC & Nicole M. Babb, King, Krebs & Jurgens, PLLC.

A.W. Chesterton Company, Defendant, represented by Glenn Lyle Maximilian Swetman, MG+M The Law Firm, Bradley Adam Hays, MG+M The Law Firm, Brandie Mendoza Thibodeaux, MG + M The Law Firm & Helen Meredith Buckley, MGM The Law Firm.

Zurich American Insurance Company, as successor by merger to Maryland Casualty Company and incorrectly sued as Maryland Casualty Company, Defendant, represented by Edward T. Hayes, Leake & Andersson, LLP, Lee M. LeBouef, Leake & Andersson, LLP & Marc E. Devenport, Leake & Andersson, LLP.

John Crane Inc, Third Party Plaintiff, represented by Kenan Slade Rand, Jr., Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP, Lauren B. Dietzen, Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP & Scott H. Mason, Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP.

Huntington Ingalls Incorporated, Third Party Plaintiff, represented by Gustave A. Fritchie, III, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alex Tyler Robertson, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alexander R. Saunders, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alison A. Spindler, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Christopher Thomas Whelen, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart

& Moore, LLC, David Michael Melancon, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, David Wayne O'Quinn, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Edward Winter Trapolin, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Michael Kevin Powell, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC & Timothy Farrow Daniels, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC.

Eagle, Inc., formerly known as Eagle Asbestos & Packing Company, Third Party Defendant, represented by Susan Beth Kohn, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, April Ann McQuillar, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Douglas Kinler, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Douglas Watson Redfearn, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Janice M. Culotta, Simon, Peragine, Smith and Redfearn, LLP, Louis Oliver Oubre, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP & Nicole M. Loup, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP.

Uniroyal Holding, Inc., Third Party Defendant, represented by Mary Reeves Arthur, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP, Amy Louise Maccherone, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP, Chelsea Elizabeth Gaudin, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP & Elizabeth Riddell Penn, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP.

Huntington Ingalls Incorporated, Cross Claimant, represented by Gustave A. Fritchie, III, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alex Tyler Robertson, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alexander R. Saunders, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alison A. Spindler, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Christopher Thomas Whelen, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, David Michael Melancon, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, David Wayne O'Quinn, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Edward Winter Trapolin, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Michael Kevin Powell, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC & Timothy Farrow Daniels, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC.

FMC Corporation, Ingersoll Rand Company & FMC Corporation, Individually and as successor in interest to Crosby Valve, Inc. and Peerless Pump Corporation, Cross Defendants, represented by John Joseph Hainkel, III, Frilot L.L.C., Angela M. Bowlin, Frilot L.L.C., Barry C. Campbell, Dogan & Wilkinson, PLLC, James H. Brown, Jr., Frilot L.L.C., Kelly L. Long, Frilot L.L.C., Kelsey A. Eagan, Frilot L.L.C., Lacey Taylor McCoy, Frilot L.L.C. & Magali Ann Puente-Martin, Frilot L.L.C. Foster Wheeler Corporation & General Electric Company, Cross Defendants, represented by John Joseph Hainkel, III, Frilot L.L.C., Angela M. Bowlin, Frilot L.L.C., James H. Brown, Jr., Frilot L.L.C., Kelly L. Long, Frilot L.L.C., Kelsey A. Eagan, Frilot L.L.C., Magali Ann Puente-Martin, Frilot L.L.C., Lacey Taylor McCoy, Frilot L.L.C. & Peter R. Tafaro, Frilot L.L.C. Goulds Pumps LLC, Cross Defendant, represented by Lauren Ann McCulloch, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius & Mitchell F. Tedesco, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius.

Hopeman Brothers, Inc., Cross Defendant, represented by Brittney Bullock Ankersen, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC, Kaye N. Courington, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC, Blaine Augusta Moore, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC, Jeffrey Matthew Burg, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC, Mathilde Villere Semmes, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC & Troy Nathan Bell, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC.

Grefco, Inc. & Viking Pump, Inc., incorrectly named as IDEX Corporation f/k/a Viking Pump, Inc., Cross Defendants, represented by Kaye N. Courington, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC & James Matthew Matherne, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC.

International Paper Company, Cross Defendant, represented by Chelsea Elizabeth Gaudin, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP, Walter G. Watkins, III, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP, Daniel S. Roberts, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP, Elizabeth Riddell Penn, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP, Jason K. Elam, Cosmich Simmons & Brown, PLLC, Mary Reeves Arthur, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP & Thomas Peyton Smith, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP.

Jefferson Parish School Board, Cross Defendant, represented by E. John Litchfield, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC, Kathy L. Torregano, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC & Michael J. Marsiglia, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC.

Owens Illinois, Inc, Cross Defendant, represented by Walter G. Watkins, III, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP, Elizabeth Riddell Penn, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP & Mary Reeves Arthur, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP.

Taylor Seidenbach, Inc., Cross Defendant, represented by Christopher Kelly Lightfoot, Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale, LLP, Edward J. Lassus, Jr., Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale, LLP & Richard J. Garvey, Jr., Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale, LLP.

World Trade Center of New Orleans, Inc., Cross Defendant, represented by Timothy S. Madden, King, Krebs & Jurgens, PLLC & Nicole M. Babb, King, Krebs & Jurgens, PLLC.

Bexar Canyon Management, Inc., Cross Defendant, represented by David A. Barfield, Pettis, Barfield & Hester P.A. Zurich American Insurance Company, as Successor in Merger to Maryland Casualty Insurance Company, Cross Defendant, represented by Edward T. Hayes, Leake & Andersson, LLP, Lee M. LeBouef, Leake & Andersson, LLP & Marc E. Devenport, Leake & Andersson, LLP.

Jefferson Parish School Board, Cross Claimant, represented by E. John Litchfield, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC, Kathy L. Torregano, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC & Michael J. Marsiglia, Berrigan & Litchfield, LLC.

A.W. Chesterton Company, Cross Defendant, represented by Glenn Lyle Maximilian Swetman, MG+M The Law Firm, Bradley Adam Hays, MG+M The Law Firm, Brandie Mendoza Thibodeaux, MG + M The Law Firm & Helen Meredith Buckley, MGM The Law Firm.

Anco Insulations Inc, Cross Defendant, represented by Jamie Hebert Baglio, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Douglas R. Elliott, Pugh, Accardo, LLC & Margaret M. Joffe, Pugh, Accardo, LLC.

Bayer CropScience, Inc., as successor to Rhone Poulene AG Company, Cross Defendant, represented by McGready Lewis Richeson, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey, Francis Xavier DeBlanc, III, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey, Kathleen Erin Jordan, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey, Milele N. St. Julien, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey & Perrey S. Lee, Kuchler Polk Weiner, LLC.

Burmaster Land & Development Co., LLC, Cross Defendant, represented by Kevin John Webb, Litchfield Cavo, LLP. CBS Corporation, A Delaware Corporation, A successor by merger to CBS Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation, Cross Defendant, represented by John Joseph Hainkel, III, Frilot L.L.C., Angela M. Bowlin, Frilot L.L.C., James H. Brown, Jr., Frilot L.L.C., Kelly L. Long, Frilot L.L.C., Kelsey A. Eagan, Frilot L.L.C., Magali Ann Puente-Martin, Frilot L.L.C. & Peter R. Tafaro, Frilot L.L.C.

Certain-Teed Corporation, Cross Defendant, represented by Jennifer E. Adams, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP, Arthur Wendel Stout, III, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP, Barbara Bourgeois Ormsby, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP, Jason P. Franco, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP & William Claudy Harrison, Jr., Deutsch Kerrigan LLP.

Crane Company, Cross Defendant, represented by Lawrence G. Pugh, III, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Donna M. Young, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Jacqueline Romero, Pugh, Accardo, LLC & Shelley L. Thompson, Pugh, Accardo, LLC.

Crescent Materials Service Inc, Cross Defendant, represented by Lawrence G. Pugh, III, Pugh, Accardo, LLC & Donna M. Young, Pugh, Accardo, LLC.

Huntington Ingalls Incorporated, Cross Defendant, represented by Gustave A. Fritchie, III, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alex Tyler Robertson, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alexander R. Saunders, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Alison A. Spindler, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Christopher Thomas Whelen, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, David Michael Melancon, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, David Wayne O'Quinn, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Edward Winter Trapolin, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, Michael Kevin Powell, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC & Timothy Farrow Daniels, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC.

IDEX Corporation, Cross Defendant, represented by James Matthew Matherne, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC. Ingersoll-Rand Company, Cross Defendant, represented by John Joseph Hainkel, III, Frilot L.L.C., Angela M. Bowlin, Frilot L.L.C., Barry C. Campbell, Dogan & Wilkinson, PLLC, James H. Brown, Jr., Frilot L.L.C., Kelly L. Long, Frilot L.L.C., Kelsey A. Eagan, Frilot L.L.C., Lacey Taylor McCoy, Frilot L.L.C., Magali Ann Puente-Martin, Frilot L.L.C. & Peter R. Tafaro, Frilot L.L.C.

John Crane Inc, Cross Defendant, represented by Kenan Slade Rand, Jr., Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP, Lauren B. Dietzen, Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP & Scott H. Mason, Plauche, Maselli, Parkerson, LLP.

Liberty Mutual Group, Inc., as the Insurer of Wayne Manufacturing Co., Cross Defendant, represented by Susan Beth Kohn, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, April Ann McQuillar, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Douglas Kinler, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Douglas Watson Redfearn, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, James R. Guidry, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Janice M. Culotta, Simon, Peragine, Smith and Redfearn, LLP & Louis Oliver Oubre, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP.

McCarty Corporation, Cross Defendant, represented by Susan Beth Kohn, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, April Ann McQuillar, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Douglas Kinler, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Douglas Watson Redfearn, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, James R. Guidry, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP, Janice M. Culotta, Simon, Peragine, Smith and Redfearn, LLP, Louis Oliver Oubre, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP & Nicole M. Loup, Simon, Peragine, Smith & Redfearn, LLP.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Cross Defendant, represented by Jay Morton Jalenak, Jr., Kean Miller & Patrick Dale Roquemore, Kean Miller.

Owens-Illinois Inc, Cross Defendant, represented by Walter G. Watkins, III, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP, Chelsea Elizabeth Gaudin, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP, Elizabeth Riddell Penn, Forman, Watkins, & Krutz, LLP & Mary Reeves Arthur, Forman, Watkins & Krutz LLP.

Warren Pumps, LLC, Cross Defendant, represented by Joseph Henry Hart, IV, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Daniel E. Oser, Pugh, Accardo, LLC, Kathleen Erin Jordan, Pugh, Accardo, Haas, Radecker & Carey & Thomas A. Porteous, Pugh, Accardo, LLC. Hopeman Brothers, Inc., Cross Claimant, represented by Kaye N. Courington, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC, Blaine Augusta Moore, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC, Brittney Bullock Ankersen, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC, Jeffrey Matthew Burg, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC, Mathilde Villere Semmes, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC & Troy Nathan Bell, Courington, Kiefer & Sommers, LLC.

ORDER

ELDON E. FALLON, District Judge.

Before the Court is the Board of Supervisors for the Louisiana University System through Nicholls State University at Thibodaux's Motion to Dismiss Cross-Claims of Huntington Ingalls Incorporated and the Jefferson Parish School Board. R. Doc. 251. Huntington Ingalls Incorporated has dismissed its cross-claims against the Board of Supervisors for the Louisiana University System through Nicholls State University at Thibodaux, R. Doc. 261, and the motion has not been opposed by the Jefferson Parish School Board by the mandated filing deadline. Accordingly, the Court now rules as follows. I. RELEVANT BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Carey Gomez filed this suit on March 7, 2018, alleging severe asbestos exposure from a number of sources throughout his life. R. Doc. 1-2. Plaintiff claims he was exposed to asbestos first as a consequence of his father's employment at Avondale Shipyards in the 1960s, and later as a result of Plaintiff's work as a plumber for Aardvark Contractors, Inc. ("Aardvark") from 1988-2011. As a result of his repeated exposure to asbestos, Plaintiff was allegedly diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. In his original Petition for Damages, Plaintiff included Defendants Huntington Ingalls Incorporated ("Avondale"), Jefferson Parish School Board ("JPSB), and the Board of Supervisors for the Louisiana University System through Nicholls State University at Thibodaux ("Nicholls State"). R. Doc. 1-2. Plaintiff's claims against Nicholls State were subsequently dismissed. R. Doc. 159.

Meanwhile, in response to Plaintiff's Petition, Avondale filed an Answer, Affirmative Defenses, Cross-Claims, Third-Party Demands, and Request for Jury Trial ("Avondale's Cross-Claim"), naming all of the original defendants as cross-claim defendants, including Nicholls State. R. Doc. 17-1. Thereafter, on June 1, 2018, JPSB filed its Answer, Affirmative Defenses, Cross-Claims and Request for Trial by Jury naming all of the defendants as cross-claim defendants, including Nicholls State. R. Doc. 62. On November 26, 2019, Nicholls State filed this Motion to Dismiss Cross-Claims with respect to Avondale and JPSB's cross-claims against it. R. Doc. 251. On December 10, 2019, Avondale filed an Ex-Parte Motion to Dismiss its Cross-Claims against Nicholls State, R. Doc. 256, which the Court granted. R. Doc. 261.

II. PRESENT MOTION

Nicholls State filed a Motion to Dismiss Avondale and JPSB's Cross-Claims. R. Doc. 251. Because Avondale has since dismissed its cross-claims against Nicholls State, R. Doc. 256, this Motion is only applicable to JPSB. Nicholls State argues it is entitled to a dismissal of these cross-claims because it is protected by the Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution, which bars suits against individual states in federal court unless the state has waived its immunity. R. Doc. 251 at 1. The State of Louisiana has declined to waive this immunity, so the cross-claim against Nicholls State by JPSB should be dismissed. R. Doc. 251 at 1.

JPSB has not filed an opposition to this Motion.

III. LAW AND ANALYSIS

"A case is properly dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction when the court lacks the statutory or constitutional power to adjudicate the case." Home Builders Ass'n of Miss., Inc. v. City of Madison, 143 F.3d 1006, 1010 (5th Cir. 1998) (quoting Nowak v. Ironworkers Local 6 Pension Fund, 81 F.3d 1182, 1187 (2d Cir. 1996)). "The Eleventh Amendment bars a state's citizens from filing suit against the state or its agencies in federal courts." Cozzo v. Tangipahoa Par. Council-President Gov't, 279 F.3d 273, 280 (5th Cir. 2002) (citing Williams v. Dallas Area Rapid Transit, 242 F.3d 315, 318 (5th Cir. 2001)). So, " [a]bsent a waiver or consent by the state or an express negation of immunity by act of Congress, the [E]leventh [A]mendment prohibits a federal court from awarding either legal or equitable relief against the state." Neuwirth v. Louisiana State Bd. of Dentistry, 845 F.2d 553, 555 (5th Cir. 1988) (citing Papasan v. Allain, 478 U.S. 265, 276 (1986)). "By statute, Louisiana has refused any such waiver of its Eleventh Amendment sovereign immunity regarding suits in federal courts." Cozzo, 279 F.3d at 281. Therefore, "[n]o suit against the state or a state agency or political subdivision shall be instituted in any court other than a Louisiana state court." La. Rev. Stat. § 13:5106(A)). Suits against the State of Louisiana, a state agency, or a political subdivision must be brought pursuant to the Louisiana Governmental Claims Act ("the Act"). See La. Rev. Stat. § 13:5101 et seq. Under the Act, a "state agency" includes departments of a state agency and "suit" means civil actions instituted by either principal or incidental demand. La. Rev. Stat. § 13:5102(A),(C). In this case, in support of its argument that it is entitled to immunity under the Eleventh Amendment, Nicholls State points to the fact that this Court has previously ruled, "Nicholls State is an arm of the state." R. Doc. 251-1 at 3 (citing R. Doc. 159). Moreover, the Fifth Circuit has previously affirmed the dismissal of claims against Nicholls State as barred by the Eleventh Amendment. R. Doc. 251-1 at 3 (citing Kooros v. Nicholls State Univ., 379 F. App'x 377, 379 (5th Cir. 2010) ("This court has previously recognized that the Board of Trustees is an arm of the State of Louisiana and thus entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity from suit. The claims against Nicholls State are thus subject to dismissal under Eleventh Amendment immunity.")). Nicholls State thus contends that the remaining cross-claim of JPSB against Nicholls State should be properly dismissed because it is entitled to immunity under the Eleventh Amendment. R. Doc. 25-1 at 4.

The Court agrees with Nicholls State that as an "arm of the state," it is entitled to immunity under the Eleventh Amendment, which the State of Louisiana has not waived in this matter. JPSB has not filed an opposition to this Motion explaining why Nicholls State would not be entitled to this immunity.

IV. CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons,

IT IS ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors for the Louisiana University System through Nicholls State University at Thibodaux's Motion to Dismiss Cross-Claims, R. Doc. 251, is hereby DENIED AS MOOT with respect to Huntington Ingalls Incorporated's cross-claims and GRANTED with respect to the Jefferson Parish School Board's cross-claims.

Sources

How to cite it

Cite the decision

Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc., No. Civil Action No. 18-4186 (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana December 13, 2019).

Cite our summary

“Summary of Gomez v. Aardvark Contractors, Inc.” AsbestosClaims.Law Library. https://asbestosclaims.law/library/cases/gomez-v-aardvark-contractors-inc-2019.

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