Opinion ID: 1833747
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: third party actions against executive officers and fellow employees

Text: La.R.S. 23:1101 gives an injured party the right to obtain damages from or proceed at law against such [a negligent] third [party] to recover damages for the injury. Our jurisprudence has interpreted third parties within the contemplation of this statute to include fellow employees and executive officers. Canter v. Koehring Co., 283 So.2d 716 (La.1973). [7] Grigg v. Martin, 269 So.2d 331 (La.App.2d Cir. 1972); Jolly v. Travelers Ins. Co., 161 So.2d 354 (La.App. 4th Cir. 1964). Defendants argue that in this respect the Louisiana Workmen's Compensation Act is in direct conflict with the LHCA which provides: The right to compensation or benefits under this chapter shall be the exclusive remedy to an employee when he is injured, or to his eligible survivors or legal representatives if he is killed, by the negligence or wrong of any other person or persons in the same employ: Provided, That this provision shall not affect the liability of a person other than an officer or employee of the employer. That the provisions of the state and federal compensation laws with respect to third party negligence actions are different cannot be disputed. We are of the opinion, however, that once the initial determination was made that the LHCA and state compensations statutes could operate concurrently, the appeal court was in error to reexamine the question of state-federal conflict with respect to particular provisions of the acts. It is obvious that unless the state statute provides benefits or rights beyond those accorded by federal law, there would be no reason to elect to pursue the state remedy. To hold, as did the appellate court, that a plaintiff may elect state law but only insofar as the rights accorded thereunder do not exceed those provided in the federal scheme is to render meaningless the right to make the initial election. We find it particularly significant that workers who chose to pursue state remedies during the pre-1972 era were allowed to take advantage of the state law in its entirety. The courts did not compare particular provisions of the laws with a view to harmonizing differences. In sum, it is our opinion that the 1972 amendments to the LHCA were intended to provide additional benefits for land-based maritime workers rather than to deprive them of rights and remedies which they already had. Louisiana has a legitimate interest in assuring the applicability of its compensation laws to injuries sustained within its jurisdiction. Accordingly, there should be no compelling reason to prohibit the legislature of this state from making available what, to some plaintiffs, may be a more attractive compensation scheme, so long as double recovery is not permitted. Until this court is confronted with authority to the contrary, we decline to hold that the compensation law of this state is preempted from operating in an area of traditionally local concern. Accordingly, we reverse the decision of the appeal court insofar as it held that state law regarding suits against executive officers and fellow servants cannot be availed of by a plaintiff who has elected to proceed under the Louisiana Workmen's Compensation statute. However, we note a distinction in the cases before us for review which the appeal court failed to discern. The widow and children of Curtis Poche, Sr. elected to sue under the state law and declined to accept LHCA benefits when they were offered by Avondale Shipyards. Conversely, it was stipulated at trial that plaintiff Aldrich Adams was receiving compensation payments under the LHCA. We are of the opinion that Adams, having availed himself of the benefits under the LHCA, has elected to pursue his remedies under the federal compensation statute. No argument to the contrary has been made. Since the LHCA prohibits suits against officers and fellow employees, the decision of the appeal court affirming the ruling of the trial judge and dismissing the suit instituted by Adams is correct. Furthermore, we are unable to say that the court of appeal erred in affirming the trial court's ruling which sustained Avondale Shipyard's exception to the Poche suit; nor has any error in the court of appeal judgment in this regard been urged before us.