Opinion ID: 1833794
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Joseph's comparative fault as an employee

Text: Broussard contends that the lower courts erred in reversing the jury's allocation of 14% fault to Joseph. It argues that Joseph should have noticed the problem if it was obvious that the lot of rice shipped from Broussard was improperly crosstied. It further maintains that Joseph turned his back to these stacks of rice even though it presented an obvious danger and failed to notify the Stevedores that the rice sacks were falling. This Court has clearly stated that the absolute defenses of assumption of the risk and contributory negligence are no longer viable as they have been subsumed by comparative fault principles. Murray v. Ramada Inns, Inc., 521 So.2d 1123 (La.1988); see also Pitre v. Louisiana Tech Univ., 95-1466, 95-1487 (La.5/10/96), 673 So.2d 585, cert. denied, 519 U.S. 1007, 117 S.Ct. 509, 136 L.Ed.2d 399 (1996). Rather, where an employee takes actions pursuant to the discharge of his employment duties in the face of a known risk, which actions are reasonable in relation to those duties, then the employee is not comparatively negligent. Feurtado v. Zapata Gulf Marine Corp., 99-1510 (La.App. 4 Cir. 1/12/00), 751 So.2d 379, 383; see also Bergeron v. Blake Drilling & Workover, 599 So.2d 827, 843-44 (La.App. 1 Cir.), writ denied, 605 So.2d 1117, 1119 (La.1992). Factors considered in the determination of what is reasonable include the availability and practicability of other options. Richard v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins., 94-2112 (La.App. 1 Cir. 6/23/95), 657 So.2d 1087, 1091. Utilizing this jurisprudence in the present case, it was incumbent upon Broussard to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that Joseph was comparatively at fault. See Terro v. Casualty Reciprocal Exch., 93-593 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2/2/94), 631 So.2d 651, 654, writ denied, 94-522 (La.4/22/94), 637 So.2d 157; Smith v. Jack Dyer & Associates, 633 So.2d 694 (La.App. 1 Cir. 1993). It is clear that Joseph was injured while he was performing the task that his employer assigned, namely picking up fallen rice sacks at the direction of Stevedores. In order to accomplish this task, the evidence was unrefuted that Joseph had to position himself between the stacked rice pallets and the fallen sacks. The record is equally clear that although Joseph may have known that his job duties were dangerous, his only option was to refuse to perform the task he was assigned. On the other hand, Broussard presented no evidence that shows that Joseph was performing his work assignment incorrectly or with no regard for his personal safety. Joseph's actions in discharging his employment duties under the circumstances presented were clearly reasonable. In light of the record evidence before us, we find reasonable minds could not arrive at a conclusion that Joseph was comparatively at fault. The jury apparently was persuaded by Broussard's defense which essentially was Joseph's assumption of the risk and contributory negligence. [7] This was error. We have firmly established that defenses of assumption of the risk and contributory negligence have been subsumed by comparative fault principles. Joseph was merely performing his job duties which were inherently dangerous. Broussard offered no evidence of Joseph's fault, but rather evidence of the inherent danger of his job duties. Under these circumstances, we find the trial court properly granted plaintiffs motion for JNOV, reversing the jury's allocation of fault to Joseph.