Opinion ID: 37881
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: 1 This action arises from the crash of a Life Flight helicopter owned and operated by Memorial-Hermann Healthcare System and Memorial-Hermann Hospital System (collectively MHHS). All three MHHS employees aboard the helicopter — Charles Atteberry, Jr., John Pittman, Jr., and Silvia Lynn Ethridge — perished in the crash. At the time of their deaths, the employees were covered by MHHS' ERISA Occupational Benefits Plan (the Occupational Benefits Plan) which essentially provided death benefits of $1,000,000 to the estate of the deceased employee or, in the absence of a will, to the employee's heirs at law. 2 This appeal involves the claims of three separate appellants, Dalinda Shelton (Shelton), MHHS, and Carol Pittman (Pittman). Each of the disputes centers on the scope and extent of MHHS' claimed subrogation rights following the payment of death benefits pursuant to MHHS' Occupational Benefits Plan. More specifically, Shelton appeals the district court's grant of summary judgment against her and its conclusion that MHHS' subrogation right gives MHHS the right to control the prosecution and settlement of the claims of the Estate of Silvia Lynn Ethridge (the Ethridge Estate). MHHS appeals the district court's denial of its motion for summary judgment with respect to Ben Ethridge and its conclusion that MHHS is not subrogated to Ben Ethridge's wrongful death claim arising from the death of his daughter Silvia Ethridge. Pittman appeals the district court's grant of partial summary judgment against her — as well as its subsequent denial of her motion for partial summary judgment against MHHS — and its conclusion that MHHS is subrogated to her claims, both as an individual and as the independent executrix of the Estate of John Linwood Pittman, Jr. (the Pittman Estate). 3 Having reviewed the record and considered the briefs and arguments on appeal, we uphold the district court's grant of summary judgment against Shelton and its denial of MHHS' motion for summary judgment with respect to Ben Ethridge. However, we reverse the district court's grant of summary judgment against Pittman in her individual capacity.