Opinion ID: 1805350
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Prescription under La. R.S. 9:5624

Text: La. R.S. 9:5624 [29] provides as follows: When private property is damaged for public purposes any and all actions for such damages are prescribed by the prescription of two years, which shall begin to run after the completion and acceptance of the public works. The purpose of La. R.S. 9:5624 is to limit the exposure of the State and its political subdivisions to liability in connection with a public work to a reasonable period of time. Lyman v. Town of Sunset, 500 So.2d 390 (La.1987). [30] This Court has specified that not every lawsuit for damages caused by a public entity or involving a public works project falls within the purview of R.S. 9:5624. Estate of Patout v. City of New Iberia, 98-0961 (La.7/7/99), 738 So.2d 544, 549. In order to fall under the statute, damage must be incurred for public purposes. Id. Damage is incurred for public purposes when the damaging is intentional or occurs as a necessary consequence of the public undertaking. Id. at 553. [E]ven unintentional damage can be inflicted `for public purposes' if it is a `necessary consequence' of the public project. Id. As explained by Judge Tobias in his dissent, plaintiffs' claims fall under La. R.S. 9:5624 because it is undisputed that the damages sustained by the plaintiffs to their leasehold interest, in addition to the loss of their oyster crops and loss of anticipated income from those oysters, were a necessary consequence of the public work [Caernarvon] and incurred for a public purpose. 858 So.2d at 742 (Tobias, dissenting). The construction and operation of the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion Structure were mandated by the U.S. Congress and the State of Louisiana for the dual purposes of restoring the State's coast for hurricane and flood protection and enhancing oyster production on the State's public seed grounds. Id. Caernarvon was completed and accepted in 1991. The record reflects that the official dedication ceremony of Caernarvon was held on April 12, 1991, it went online in September of 1991, the operational flow began at least by November 6, 1991, and the class representatives claimed their damages began to occur when Caernarvon began diverting freshwater in 1991. [31] Thus, all of the key dates for prescription purposes occurred in 1991. [32] Pursuant to La. R.S. 9:5624, the plaintiffs would have had to file their claim for damages no later than November 1993, at the latest, which was two years from the date the project began to divert freshwater. Because the plaintiffs' suit was not filed until March 29, 1994, any claims these oyster fishermen had for damages under La. R.S. 9:5624 are prescribed. [33]