Opinion ID: 541766
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Summary Judgment for Costa

Text: 30 Hartford contends that a genuine issue of material fact exists as to whether Costa supplied sufficient properly illuminated chassis for offloading and inspection of containers from the M/V Olandia. The district court rejected Hartford's claim and granted summary judgment to Costa, reasoning: 31 Maher was injured when the truck he was driving collided with a parked truck chassis at the facility of [NOMC]. Costa Lines did not employ Mr. Maher. Costa neither owned the truck chassis nor the truck Mr. Maher was driving. NOMC had exclusive control of the facility where the accident occurred. ... The question of whether Costa Lines provided a sufficient number of safe, illuminated chassis is irrelevant to the present suit. What is essential is that Costa Lines did not own or control the chassis, the truck, or the facility involved in the accident. The accident has no nexus with Costa Lines or their vessel. Therefore, there is no possible theory upon which liability could be imposed. 32 We affirm a grant of summary judgment where we are convinced, after an independent review of the record, that 'there is no genuine issue as to any material fact' and that the movant is 'entitled to judgment as a matter of law.'  Brooks, Tarlton, Gilbert, Douglas & Kressler v. United States Fire Ins. Co., 832 F.2d 1358, 1364 (5th Cir.1987); Barrett Computer Serv. Inc. v. PDA, Inc., 884 F.2d 214, 215-16 (5th Cir.1989). 33 Summary judgment was properly granted to Costa. Costa owned neither the chassis nor the truck involved in the accident and played no part in the operations of the France Road Terminal. Rather, NOMC possessed full control of the operations at the terminal--including, discharge, moving and parking of containers from vessels. Costa did not supervise NOMC's operations and had no reason to believe NOMC was performing its unloading in an unsafe manner. Costa's failure, if any, to supply sufficient illuminated chassis is completely removed from Maher's collision with an Evergreen chassis parked by NOMC. Thus, we conclude that the district court did not err in granting summary judgment to Costa.