Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-01777/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-01777-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 360
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:2671 Federal Tort Claims Act (Definitions)

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FILED 

MAY 14 2019 

CLERK. u.s 01o:n~1cr COURT 

SOUTHERN DISYR1Cl OF CALIFORNIA 

ev ______ "tlf "f'"u·rv 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

WENDY SHINDLEDECKER, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; 

LEIDOS, INC., AEGIR SYSTEMS, INC.; 

and DOES 1through100, inclusive, 

Defendants. 

CaseNo.: 3:17-cv-01777-BEN-JMA 

ORDER GRANTING APTIM 

FEDERAL SERVICES, LLC'S 

MOTION FOR LEA VE TO FILE 

THIRD-PARTY COMPLAINT 

AGAINST CLEAN HARBORS, INC. 

[Doc. No. 73] 

Presently before the Court is a Motion for Leave to File Third-Party Complaint 

Against Clean Harbors, Inc. submitted by Defendant/Cross-Defendant Aptim Federal 

Services, LLC formerly known as CB&I Federal Services, LLC, ("Aptim"). Aptim seeks 

to file a Third-Party Complaint to add Clean Harbors, Inc. ("CHI" or "Third-Party 

Defendant"). As of the date of this Order, Plaintiff has not filed a response in opposition. 

The Court finds the motion suitable for determination on the papers submitted and without 

oral argument in accordance with Civil Local Rule 7.l(d)(l ). For the following reasons, 

the Motion is hereby GRANTED. 

BACKGROUND 

On September 1, 2017, Plaintiff Wendy Shindledecker ("Plaintiff') filed a 

Complaint asserting Premises Liability, Negligence, and Res Ipsa Loquitur. (Doc. No. 1.) 

Since then, Plaintiff has filed a first, second, third, and fourth amended Complaint to add 

Defendants Leidos, Inc., Aegir Systems, Inc., CB&I Federal Services, LLC, and 

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McDermott International, Inc. (Doc. Nos. 4, 10, 16, 44.) Defendant United States of 

America ("USA") also filed a Third-Party Complaint against Cross-Defendants Leidos, 

Inc. and Aegir Systems, Inc. and Against Third-Party Defendant CB&I Federal Services, 

LLC. Plaintiff alleges that on April 6, 2016, Plaintiff was working to complete hazardous 

waste cleanup at Naval Base San Diego, when a steel plate barrier above her, negligently 

operated and/or maintained, slammed down upon her body causing her severe injuries. 

(Doc. No. 1.) Plaintiff alleges that the named defendants are responsible to varying degrees 

for the injuries she suffered. 

Aptim now seeks leave to file a Third-Party Complaint against CHI containing 

causes of action that are derivative of Plaintiffs personal injury claims and are based off 

CHI's written contract allowing for express indemnity to be determined by the outcome of 

the trial. (Doc. No. 73 at 3.) Aptim seeks to have these claims consolidated with the 

pending litigation. (Doc. No. 73 at 3.) 

DISCUSSION 

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 14(a) provides for service ofa third-party impleader 

complaint upon a person not a party to the action who is or may be liable to [the original 

defendant] for all or part of the claim against it. The defendant need not obtain leave of 

the court to serve and file a third-party complaint if it is filed within 10 days after the 

defendant serves its original answer to the complaint in the main action. Fed. R. Civ. P. 

14(a)(l). In all other circumstances, leave of the court to serve and file a third-party 

complaint must be sought by motion. Id. 

The purpose of imp leader is to promote judicial efficiency by eliminating the need 

for the defendant to bring a separate action against the parties secondarily or derivatively 

liable to the defendant because of the plaintiffs claim. Southwest Admin., Inc. v. Rozay's 

Transfer, 791 F.2d 769, 777 (9th Cir. 1986). The decision whether to permit a third party 

claim under Rule 14 is left to the sound discretion of the trial court. Id. But since the rule 

is designed to reduce multiplicity of litigation, it is construed liberally in favor of allowing 

impleader. Lehman v. Revolution Portfolio L.L.C., 166 F.3d 389, 394 (1st Cir. 1999). 

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1 Here, Aptim's reasons for filing a Third-Party Complaint against CHI meet the 

2 standard set forth in Federal Rule 14(a) because Aptim's liability to the Plaintiff is 

3 dependent counterclaim against CHI. Aptim may be entitled to express indemnity in 

4 proportion to their level of responsibility for Plaintiffs' damages. Moreover, Aptim has 

5 submitted its Motion timely before January 15, 2019, the cutoff to join other parties. (Doc. 

6 No. 73 at 3.) In addition, CHI will not be unduly prejudiced by the filing of this Third7 Party Complaint. While not directly a party to this action, CHI has appeared and 

8 participated as a lien claimant in this matter. Id. As a result, CHI has received service of 

9 all filings since July 25, 2018, and has been fully aware of this litigation. Id. at 4. Finally, 

10 such prejudice is greatly outweighed by the judicial efficiency of having all the claims 

11 adjudicated in the same forum. Accordingly, Aptim's motion for leave to file a Third12 Party Complaint is GRANTED. 

13 CONCLUSION 

14 For the reasons set forth above, the Court HEREBY ORDERS as follows: 

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Defendant's motion for leave to file a Third-Party Complaint is GRANTED; 

Defendant shall file the Third-Party Complaint within five ("5") days of the 

date of this Order; 

Within seven ("7") days of this order, the parties shall contact the chambers 

19 of Magistrate Judge Lopez to schedule a status/case management conference 

20 to discuss the need to extend discovery and reset pre-trial dates once the third21 party has appeared in the action. 

22 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

23 Dated: May -'21--, 2019 

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