Opinion ID: 541766
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Summary Judgment for Evergreen

Text: 34 Hartford essentially contends that even if Evergreen, the owner of the chassis involved in the collision, transferred its chassis to NOMC, Evergreen continues to be chargeable for structural defects in the chassis existing prior to transfer. See Ross v. La Coste de Monterville, 502 So.2d 1026 (La.1987). The district court concluded, however, that no genuine issue of material fact existed upon which to base a claim of recovery for Hartford: 35 [N]one of the Evergreen personnel were in any way involved with the chassis in question from November 12, 1986, when the chassis was placed in the NOMC facility until after the accident on November 26, 1986. Ms. Hearn testified that at no time subsequent to November 12, 1986, did any Evergreen employee enter NOMC's yard to inventory, inspect, use, move, conduct maintenance or repair the chassis nor were Evergreen employees in involved [sic] in the selection, placement [or] storage of the chassis in question nor any other company instructed or authorized to do so. This testimony is undisputed. 36 On the day of the accident, the chassis was in the NOMC facility. It was not being used to service an Evergreen vessel, which was the chassis' only authorized use. NOMC cannot identify who placed the chassis on berth 5. Evergreen's October 1, 1985, contract with NOMC required NOMC to receive, inspect, move and store Evergreen's containers and chassis. There is no basis in the allegation that Evergreen maintained care and custody of the chassis in question.... What is essential is that Evergreen had no control or custody of the chassis at the time of the accident or [of] the facility involved. 37 Since Evergreen did not authorize the use of its chassis for other vessels, the parking of its chassis arose out of conduct by NOMC beyond the terms of the contract by which Evergreen transferred possession of the chassis to NOMC. Moreover, Evergreen played no role in the activities at the France Road Terminal, and it did not move or inspect the chassis involved in the accident after its initial delivery to the terminal. In light of these undisputed facts, we conclude that the district court properly granted summary judgment to Evergreen. 38