Opinion ID: 776014
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Indemnity Issues.

Text: 12 The equipment rental agreement between Spider Staging and Schaefer Roofing included an indemnity provision in which Schaefer Roofing agreed to indemnify Spider Staging, even for Spider Staging's own negligence. 13 [Schaefer Roofing] agrees to indemnify [Spider Staging] and to hold [Spider Staging] harmless from any and all claims, actions, suits, proceedings, costs, expenses, damages and liabilities, including costs of suits and attorney's fees, asserted by any person . . . arising out of, or connected with the use, erection, maintenance and possession of equipment by [Schaefer Roofing], including, without limitation, improper use or lack of use of proper safety equipment, and also including any acts of negligence by [Spider Staging] in connection with the equipment, and for any defects in said equipment for which [Spider Staging] might otherwise be liable which may be claimed to have caused, contributed to, or be a concurrent cause of any claimed injury or damage. This indemnification includes the claims of any employees of [Schaefer Roofing] . . . . 14 (Emphasis added.) In Mark Schaefer's lawsuit, Judge Webber granted summary judgment in favor of Spider Staging on its indemnity claim against Schaefer Roofing, applying the proper standards for the grant of summary judgment and concluding that (i) the indemnity provision is enforceable because the agreement to indemnify Spider Staging for its own negligence was clear and unequivocal, as Missouri law requires, see Kansas City Power & Light Co. v. Federal Construction Corp., 351 S.W.2d 741, 745 (Mo. 1961); (ii) the provision clearly applies to Schaefer's claim; and (iii) the rental equipment agreement was not signed by Mark Schaefer on behalf of Schaefer Roofing under duress or undue influence. Schaefer Roofing appeals those rulings. After careful review of the record, we reject Schaefer Roofing's contentions for the reasons stated in Judge Webber's thorough Memorandum and Order dated October 7, 1999. See 8th Cir. Rule 47B; United States Fid. & Guar. Co. v. Housing Auth. of the City of Poplar Bluff, 114 F.3d 693, 695-98 (8th Cir. 1997) (affirming summary judgment enforcing an indemnity agreement). 15 In Wayne Rothgeb's lawsuit, Schaefer Roofing appeals Judge Jackson's grant of summary judgment in favor of Spider Staging on its indemnity claim, based upon Judge Webber's earlier decision. In the two cases, Spider Staging seeks indemnity under the same equipment rental agreement for two personal injury claims arising out of the same accident. We have now affirmed Judge Webber's grant of summary judgment on Spider Staging's indemnity claim in the Mark Schaefer case. Judge Jackson's parallel ruling is likewise affirmed. 16