Opinion ID: 316470
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: New Trial as to Delta's Cross-Claim Against TWA.

Text: 146 This lawsuit had its beginning as a personal injury action by the Rosenthals against Delta and TWA. 7 The procedures which followed and the question presented is set out in Delta's address to us. 147 'Delta asserted a cross-claim against TWA seeking either complete indemnity or contribution, pursuant to the law of Kentucky, for any amounts which Delta might be required to pay to the plaintiffs. 148 'During trial counsel for Delta submitted a requested instruction to the jury on the law governing the jury's consideration of that cross-claim. The District Court decided that the cross-claim of Delta against TWA would not be submitted to the jury initially but, if the jury should return verdicts in favor of the plaintiff and against both TWA and Delta, the court would then immediately instruct the jury with respect to Delta's cross-claim against TWA and send the jury back to deliberate and return a verdict on the cross-claim. 149 'In view of the fact that the jury returned its verdicts in favor of each plaintiff and against Delta alone, there was no occasion to submit to the jury Delta's cross-claim against TWA and the District Court entered judgment on that cross-claim in favor of TWA. If the verdicts and judgment in this case are permitted to stand, they would be adjudicative of the issues raised on Delta's cross-claim against TWA and there would be no basis for a new trial on the cross-claim. 150 'In the strictest sense, there was not any trial at all on Delta's cross-claim against TWA because that claim was never submitted to the jury. We have, however, asked for a new trial on that cross-claim because, in the event that final judgment should be entered in favor of Delta or a new trial should be granted, Delta should be entitled to take its case to a jury on its cross-claim against TWA. 151 'If, after a new trial, the jury should find that TWA alone was negligent, Delta would be entitled to be indemnified by TWA for such amounts as it has paid to the Rosenthals in satisfaction of their judgments. Should the jury find that both Delta and TWA were negligent and that their negligence directly and proximately contributed to the injury to Mr. Rosenthal and the death of Mrs. Rosenthal, then under the law of Kentucky each should be required to pay half of the amounts paid to the Rosenthals.' 152 TWA's brief does not discuss the question thus stated. On the basis of our holdings on proximate cause and contributory negligence, Delta is entitled to a trial on its cross-claim against TWA. We cannot, however, make final disposition of the matter by an order now to be entered. Delta's cross-claim was never submitted to a jury; neither was a motion for a directed verdict upon such cross-claim presented to the District Judge. We accordingly remand this phase of the matter for disposition by the District Court. 153 We remand the cause to the District Court for entry of judgment for Delta in the action brought against it by TWA-Federal and for further consideration by the District Court of the procedure to be followed regarding Delta's cross-claim against TWA for contribution and indemnity.