Opinion ID: 212425
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Elams' simple negligence claim

Text: Having established federal jurisdiction, we now turn to whether the ICCTA preempts the Elam's simple negligence claim. We conclude it does not, at least on the current record. A typical negligence claim seeking damages for a typical crossing accident (such as the Elams' simple negligence claim) does not directly attempt to manage or govern a railroad's decisions in the economic realm. Like state property laws and rules of civil procedure that generally have nothing to do with railroad crossings, the effects of state negligence law on rail operations are merely incidental. Franks, 593 F.3d at 411. Accordingly, we conclude the ICCTA does not expressly or completely preempt the Elams' simple negligence claim. Because the ICCTA does not completely preempt the Elams' simple negligence claim, our inquiry is whether Mississippi's negligence law, as applied to the facts of this case, would have the effect of unreasonably burdening or interfering with KCSR's operations. Id. at 414. Our inquiry is fact-based, and KCSR must come forward with evidence of the specific burdens imposed. Id. at 415. General evidence that rail crossings affect rail transportation is insufficient. Id. Moreover, we begin with the assumption that Congress did not intend to supersede the historic police powers of the states to protect the health and safety of their citizens. Medtronic, 518 U.S. at 475, 116 S.Ct. 2240; Demahy v. Actavis, Inc., 593 F.3d 428, 435 (5th Cir.2010). As this Court recognized in Barrois, the care of grade crossings is peculiarly within the police power of the states. 533 F.3d at 333 (citing Lehigh Valley R.R. Co. v. Bd. of Publ. Util. Comm'rs 278 U.S. 24, 35, 49 S.Ct. 69, 73 L.Ed. 161 (1928)); H.R.Rep. No. 104-311, at 96, 1995 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 808 (stating States retain the police powers reserved by the Constitution. . . .). The Elams assert several theories of negligence. In essence, the theories all allege that KCSR failed to provide adequate warnings of the train's presence at the Pine Crest Road crossing. [13] The issue is whether KCSR has demonstrated that providing such warnings would unreasonably burden or interfere with its switching operations. KCSR has produced an affidavit asserting: [l]imiting the amount of time KCS[R] can block a crossing, including the crossing in question, or otherwise regulating how KCS[R] uses the tracks in switching, will directly impact KCS[R]'[s] operation, and will necessitate changes in switching, train length, and crew operations. Such would, in turn, adversely impact KCS[R] economically since such would affect how and when KCS[R] trains arrive and depart, and the number of separate trains KCS[R] must operate. This affidavit does not defeat the Elams' simple negligence claim for two reasons. First, although the affidavit addresses the burdens of Mississippi's antiblocking statute, it does not address the burdens of providing adequate warnings of the train's presence at the Pine Crest Road crossing. We see no apparent reason why providing such warnings would require changes in KCSR's switching, train length, and crew operations. Second, in any event, the affidavit does not demonstrate that providing adequate warnings at the Pine Crest Road crossing would unreasonably burden or interfere with KCSR's operations. In the absence of such evidence, we presume Congress did not intend to preempt this typical dispute[] concerning the safety of a typical crossing[]. Franks, 593 F.3d at 415. KCSR has not met its burden of showing that the Elams' simple negligence claim is preempted. Because preemption was the sole basis for the district court's sua sponte dismissal of this claim, we reverse and remand to the district court for further proceedings. The district court will need to determine whether the Elams' simple negligence claim in turn should be remanded to Mississippi state court. See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1367(c), 1441(c); Barrois, 533 F.3d at 333 (recognizing that routine crossing cases are typically resolved in state courts). As a final matter, KCSR asserts we should uphold the dismissal of the Elams' simple negligence claim on the merits. We do not reach the merits because they were not adequately briefed to either the district court or this Court. Indeed, because the district court sua sponte dismissed the Elams' claims on a motion to remand, KCSR has not yet even filed a motion to dismiss. See, e.g., Bogy v. Ford Motor Co., 538 F.3d 352, 355 (5th Cir.2008) (Although we have the authority to consider grounds presented to but not ruled upon by the district court, we decline to do so because the plaintiffs did not address the various other grounds in their briefing, and we think the better course is for the district court to address those issues in the first instance.); Betzel v. State Farm Lloyds, 480 F.3d 704, 709 (5th Cir.2007) (declining to consider in first instance question of state law that was not fully briefed by parties).