Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-03-02213/USCOURTS-ca8-03-02213-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Brandee K. Adams
Appellant
Jordan Adams
Appellant
Continental Casualty Company
Appellee

Document Text:

1

 The Honorable H. Dean Whipple, Chief Judge, United States District Court

for the Western District of Missouri.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 03-2213

___________

Brandee K. Adams, Individually; * 

Jordan Adams, by and through her * 

Natural Mother, Legal Guardian and * 

Next Friend, Brandee K. Adams, * 

* 

Appellants, * Appeal from the United States

* District Court for the

v. * Western District of Missouri.

* 

Continental Casualty Company, * 

* 

Appellee. *

___________

Submitted: November 20, 2003

Filed: April 20, 2004

___________

Before BYE, RICHARD S. ARNOLD, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

___________

SMITH, Circuit Judge.

Brandee K. Adams and Jordan Adams appeal the district court's1

 summary

judgment for Continental Casualty Company ("Continental") in the Adamses's claim

Appellate Case: 03-2213 Page: 1 Date Filed: 04/20/2004 Entry ID: 1758635 
2

 Michael, age 29, was employed by J. B. Hunt Transport, Inc., and was insured

by an accidental death and dismemberment insurance policy provided through

Continental. The policy was in full force and effect on April 29, 2000. 

-2-

for accidental-death benefits recoverable under an Employment Retirement Income

Security Act ("ERISA") plan administered by Continental. We affirm.

I. Background

On April 29, 2000, Michael Adams2

 died while sports parachuting (skydiving).

The death certificate indicated that Michael died as a result of suffocation due to a

crushing injury to his larynx and trachea caused by a high-speed parachute landing

on a hard-dirt surface. Michael also sustained a fracture to his left femur at the knee.

The medics who found Michael performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation while

transporting him to the hospital. Michael was pronounced dead upon arrival. The

coroner's report indicated that the probable cause of Michael's death was suffocation

and cardiac arrest.

On May 15, 2000, Brandee submitted a claim for the $300,000 in benefits

available under the accidental-death policy. Continental denied the initial claim based

on an exclusion in the policy. Brandee appealed the denial of the claim, and on July

18, 2000, Continental's Appeals Committee affirmed the denial based on the

exclusion. After filing this action, Brandee asked Continental to reconsider its

decision in light of additional materials she submitted. Continental reconsidered its

denial, but on November 8, 2001, concluded that the claim fell within the exclusion.

At this point, all administrative remedies were exhausted.

The parties filed opposing motions for summary judgment. After determining

that the policy did not confer discretionary authority to Continental, the district court

Appellate Case: 03-2213 Page: 2 Date Filed: 04/20/2004 Entry ID: 1758635 
3

 Brandee also argues that the district court erred in determining that Eighth

Circuit case law does not permit the court to apply the contra proferentem doctrine

of contract interpretation when an ambiguous term is at issue in an ERISA insurance

contract. She asserts that application of the doctrine here would require us to reverse

the district court's summary judgment. However, because we find that the applicable

policy provisions are unambiguous, we decline the invitation to address the issue in

this appeal.

-3-

denied Brandee's motion for summary judgment and granted Continental's motion.

The district court first determined that the doctrine of contra proferentem did not

apply in ERISA cases in the Eighth Circuit. On the merits, the district court

determined that parachuting fell within the exclusion to the policy because Michael

was "riding in a vehicle or device for aerial navigation." Brandee appealed.

II. Analysis

Brandee argues that Michael's parachuting did not fall within the plan's

exclusion for certain activities related to air travel and, thus, she and Jordan are

entitled to benefits under the accidental-death policy.3

 We review de novo a district

court's grant of summary judgment. Eide v. Grey Fox Technical Services Corp., 329

F.3d 600, 604 (8th Cir. 2003). The question before us is whether the record, when

viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, shows that there is no

genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment

as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317,

322–323 (1986); Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249–250 (1986); Get

Away Club, Inc. v. Coleman, 969 F.2d 664, 666 (8th Cir. 1992); St. Paul Fire &

Marine Ins. Co. v. FDIC, 968 F.2d 695, 699 (8th Cir. 1992). Where the unresolved

issues are primarily legal rather than factual, summary judgment is particularly

appropriate. Crain v. Bd. of Police Comm'rs, 920 F.2d 1402, 1405–1406 (8th Cir.

1990).

Appellate Case: 03-2213 Page: 3 Date Filed: 04/20/2004 Entry ID: 1758635 
-4-

The district court determined that the policy did not confer discretionary

authority on Continental to interpret the terms of the policy and, as such, the court

applied a de novo standard of review to interpret the policy. See Firestone Tire and

Rubber Co. v. Bruch, 489 U.S. 101, 115 (1989) (de novo standard applied when

ERISA-governed policy does not confer discretionary authority on administrator of

plan). When reviewing an ERISA plan de novo, we interpret the terms of the plan by

"giving the language its common and ordinary meaning as a reasonable person in the

position of the [plan] participant, not the actual participant, would have understood

the words to mean." Hughes v. 3M Retiree Med. Plan, 281 F.3d 786, 789–790 (8th

Cir. 2002) (citing Chiles v. Ceridian Corp., 95 F.3d 1505, 1511 (10th Cir. 1996)).

Continental's policy provides "Air Travel Coverage" under the following terms:

Air travel coverage under this policy is provided while riding as a

passenger, and not as a pilot or crew member, in any aircraft being used

for the transportation of passengers.

However, Continental denied coverage under the following exclusion:

This policy does not cover any loss caused by or resulting from:

1. Riding in any vehicle or device for aerial navigation, except as

provided under "Air Travel Coverage"; . . . .

The policy does not define the various terms in either provision. Brandee argues that

a parachute is not a "vehicle or device for aerial navigation," or, at best, the terms are

ambiguous. She asserts that parachuting does not involve "navigation" as that term

Appellate Case: 03-2213 Page: 4 Date Filed: 04/20/2004 Entry ID: 1758635 
4

 WEBSTER'S THIRD NEW INTERNATIONAL DICTIONARY 33 (3d ed. 1993)

defines "aerial" as "of or belonging to the air or atmosphere," "of or relating to

aircraft," "designed for use in, taken from, or operating from or against aircraft," or

"by means of aircraft." It defines "navigation" in relevant part as "the act or practice

of navigating" or "the science or art of conducting ships or aircraft from one place to

another." Id. at 1509. Finally, it defines a "parachute" as a "device . . . for retarding

the speed of a body attached to it by offering resistance to the air and used esp. for

making a safe descent from an airplane . . . ." Id. at 1635.

-5-

is normally understood because parachuting does not involve steering, and a

parachute is merely a conveyance used to slow the fall to Earth.

First, we must determine the meaning of the words by "giving the language its

common and ordinary meaning as a reasonable person in the position of the [plan]

participant, not the actual participant, would have understood the words to mean."

Hughes, 281 F.3d at 789–790. Webster's Dictionary provides little guidance on

whether parachuting qualifies as "air travel" or "aerial navigation" or whether

participating in the sport results in one "riding in any vehicle or device for aerial

navigation."4

 Therefore, we may look to extrinsic evidence to define the terms. 

We have not addressed this particular question in our case law. Other

jurisdictions appear to be evenly split as to whether parachuting or similar activities

are considered an activity involving "aerial navigation" or some other "aeronautical"

Appellate Case: 03-2213 Page: 5 Date Filed: 04/20/2004 Entry ID: 1758635 
5

 Cases holding that parachuting does not constitute "aerial navigation," and

is not excluded from coverage, include Triano v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 565

So.2d 748 (Fla. App. Dist. 1990), and Childress v. Cont'l Cas. Co., 461 F. Supp. 704

(E.D. La. 1978), aff'd 587 F.2d 809 (5th Cir. 1979) (per curiam). In addition, some

courts have found coverage after determining that a parachute does not constitute an

"aircraft" as defined or applied in the policy. Clark v. Lonestar Life Ins. Co., 347

S.W.2d 290 (Tex. Civ. App. 1961); Hanover Ins. Co. v. Showalter, 561 N.E.2d 1230

(Ill. App. 1990); Engel v. Credit Life Ins. Co., 377 N.W.2d 342 (Mich. App. 1985).

Cases holding that parachuting is an excluded activity under the policy because

it constitutes "aerial navigation" or "participating in aeronautics" include Edison v.

Reliable Life Ins. Co., 664 F.2d 1130 (9th Cir. 1981), Cabell v. World Serv. Life Ins.

Co., 599 S.W.2d 652 (Tex. Civ. App. 1980), Smith v. Mut. Benefit Health and

Accident Assoc., 258 P.2d 993 (Kan. 1953), and Stajnrajh v. Cont'l Cas. Co., 41 Pa.

D. & C. 2d 411 (Ct. Comm. Pl. Penn. 1966). In addition, some courts have

determined that other non-motorized conveyances, such as hang-gliders, are the type

of devices used for "aerial navigation" sufficient to deny coverage. See Fireman's

Fund American Life Ins. Co. v. Long, 251 S.E.2d 133 (Ga. App. 1978) (hang glider);

Deschler v. Fireman's Fund American Life Ins. Co., 663 P.2d 97 (Utah 1983)

(waterski kite). 

-6-

action.5

 In Cabell, for example, the court described the mechanics of parachute flight

stating:

It did not merely float or drift uncontrollably through the air, but was

maneuverable to the extent that its direction, speed and rate of descent

could be controlled with a considerable degree of accuracy. The fact that

it had no power, except for the air, or that it could not travel upward or

horizontally for great distances, is not significant. It could be

maneuvered or directed through the air, and we think that the insurance

policy and the insured must have contemplated that any device capable

of doing that was a device for aerial navigation. 

Appellate Case: 03-2213 Page: 6 Date Filed: 04/20/2004 Entry ID: 1758635 
-7-

Cabell, 599 S.W.2d at 654. The court in Stajnrajh also reasoned that the parachutist

was the only person in charge and control of the parachute while making the jump.

These descriptions and reasoning comport with information Brandee included about

parachuting to support her argument that it is not a navigational activity. However,

the terminology used in the information implies that the parachuter, both before and

after deploying the parachute, has some control over his or her direction such that if

he or she wanted to set out in a particular direction, he or she could manipulate his

or her hands, body, or the chute's ropes and wings to achieve a change in direction.

This implies that parachuting involves "navigation." In addition, Brandee's

information includes such terms as "Piloting Techniques," which imply that the

parachuter has some navigational control.

We interpret the policy exclusion to apply to Michael's parachuting. Michael

piloted or navigated the parachute, and the parachute itself is reasonably defined as

a "vehicle or device for aerial navigation." As such, we agree with the district court

that the exclusion encompassed Michael's activities and precluded coverage under the

ERISA policy. 

Finally, Brandee asserts two additional points. First, she argues that Michael

was not "riding in" a vehicle or device for aerial navigation because he was

suspended from–rather than being "in"–the parachute. We disagree. The construction

of a sports parachute includes more than the parachute wings themselves–instead, it

includes the ropes, harness, and other essential gear for securing the operator.

Certainly, Michael was "in" the harness as he jumped from the plane and descended

to the ground. 

Appellate Case: 03-2213 Page: 7 Date Filed: 04/20/2004 Entry ID: 1758635 
-8-

Second, Brandee argues that Michael's death was not necessarily the result of

parachuting as he could have tripped in the field, fallen on his altimeter, and caused

the injuries resulting in his death. However, the parties stipulated that Michael

suffocated from a crushing injury to his larynx and trachea and that the injury was

"due to a high-speed parachute landing." The plan exclusion provides, "[t]his policy

does not cover any loss caused by or resulting from" prohibited aerial navigation.

(Emphasis added.) Because we find that a parachute is a "vehicle or device for aerial

navigation" within the meaning of the exclusion, Michael's death "resulted from"

riding in the device. Smith, 258 P.2d at 997 (court rejected argument that impact, as

opposed to aerial descent, was proximate cause of injuries).

For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the district court's summary judgment in

favor of Continental. 

______________________________

Appellate Case: 03-2213 Page: 8 Date Filed: 04/20/2004 Entry ID: 1758635