Opinion ID: 532562
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 5 While working on a stationary platform in the Gulf of Mexico, Dwayne Myers suffered fatal injuries. Pennzoil Company, the rig owner, engaged Loffland Brothers Co., Myers' employer, to drill a well. The equipment employed to perform the drilling function was owned by Loffland. As is usual with mineral exploration and discovery, sections of drilling pipe are screwed together to provide the lengthy shaft from the drilling rig to the hole deep in the earth's crust. To screw the pipe sections together, the employees of Loffland used a Kelly Spinner. This piece of equipment would spin a section of pipe into the end of another stationary piece of pipe. 6 In November of 1985 Myers was working as a floorhand on the Pennzoil rig in the area of the Kelly Spinner. A fellow worker playing the control panel which operates the Kelly Spinner started an electric motor which moves an hydraulic pump so that the Kelly Spinner would be energized to connect two pieces of pipe. The operator is not in eye contact with the Kelly Spinner. The employee maneuvered in this fashion believing his action to be safe in that a valve, known as a Wabco valve, which he could and did see, was in the neutral position. By analogy, the employee's action was similar to one starting his automobile with the gearshift in the neutral position. 7 Unfortunately, and unexpectedly, the Kelly Spinner activated, wrapping and squeezing Dwayne Myers in steel cables. Although Myers was extricated and immediately hospitalized, he did not survive the gruesome event. 8 Myers' surviving spouse filed on behalf of herself and her minor child against a number of entities including the extant defendant Commercial Shearing, Inc., the manufacturer of the alleged errant valve. All other defendants and the intervenor settled with the plaintiff prior to trial and were dismissed. 9 The jury found for the plaintiff and against Commercial Shearing, Inc. concluding that Commercial Shearing was 85% at fault under principles of strict liability for manufacturing a defective product which caused the accident and under principles of negligence. Parties previously involved and subsequently released through settlement were also addressed in the jury interrogatories. The jury found C.H. Foster, the manufacturer and vendor of the equipment system in which the Commercial Shearing valve had been incorporated, 15% at fault. The jury also found Loffland Brothers, Wabco, Inc., Pennzoil, Inc. and the decedent all without fault. 10 The gross sums awarded by the jury included $50,000 for the decedent's pain and suffering and $725,000 for the damages suffered by the wife and the child. The judgment also awarded plaintiff prejudgment interest. Defendant's motions for a directed verdict, judgment n.o.v. and new trial were denied as well as certain motions during trial. All denials form the basis of this appeal. The appellant and appellee agree, however, that the judgment provision awarding prejudgment interest is in error. 11