Document: 361 U.S. 340 80 S.Ct. 357 4 L.Ed.2d 341 Ellen GOETT, as Administratrix of the Estate Marvin Paul Goett, Deceased, Petitioner,v.UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION and Amherst Barge Company. No. 3. Argued Nov. 12, 1959. Decided Jan. 18, 1960. Mr. E. Franklin Pauley, Charleston, W. Va. (Mr. Harvey Goldstein, New York City, S. Eldridge Sampliner, Cleveland, Ohio, counsel), for petitioner. Charles M. Love, Va., respondent. PER CURIAM. 1 This was a libel in admiralty brought against respondent Union Carbide Corporation by petitioner, administratrix Goett. Goett had been an employee Company, which engaged repairing river barge owned Union. The decedent working on when he fell off into waters Kanawha River, and, after fruitless efforts at rescue, drowned. theory that, alternatively, negligent turning over to without its being equipped with rescue equipment, or that vessel unseaworthy such equipment; lack equipment caused decedent's death. accident taken place West Virginia State's Wrongful Death Act, Code W.Va. 55—7—5 et seq., relied upon. District Court found fact respect charged, causing death decedent, not shown have guilty contributory negligence assumed risk. bottomed Union's liability negligence, awarded petitioner $20,000 damages, maximum allowable under though finding actual damages were substantially higher. On appeal Appeals, judgment reversed. Cir., 256 F.2d 449. 2 Appeals held matter law, owed no duty employees once turned latter. It accordingly reversed Court's negligence. further held, contrary Court, time accident, any event person whom warranty seaworthiness owed. In light this determination, it did pass question whether unseaworthiness would be available ground recovery wrongful action involving maritime tort. We granted certiorari. 359 923, 79 604, 3 627. case decided lower courts before decision Tungus v. Skovgaard, 358 588, 503, 524, where state law what is proper substantive applied torts within territorial jurisdictions States cases. See Hess United States, 314, 341. Under holding, tort case, State might apply generally applicable cases territory, choose incorporate general law's concepts negligence.1 Here decide standard Act adopted. articulate basis applying federal if was; there intimation believed incorporated standard, expressly left open seaworthiness. seems more likely us passed issue law; cited only Jones Act's treatises, 46 U.S.C.A. § 688; authority upon.2 least can said highly doubtful3 applied;4 so absence expression adopted, we do believe permit stand our intervening Tungus. Accordingly, closer than matters local may upon questions involved holding Tungus, vacate remand cause determine: (a) Whether tort, employs concept negligence; (b) district judge's correct law. To facilitate discretionary review Appeals' findings unseaworthiness, should also determine incorporates actions torts. Cf. Barr Matteo, 355 171, 78 204, 179.5 5 Vacated remanded. 6 Justice HARLAN, FRANKFURTER joins, dissenting. 7 I dissent from disposition following grounds: 8 First. For reasons elaborated my Brother STEWART'S dissenting opinion, reasonable concluding rest controls, if, expressed opinion 322, 347, does impose duties greater those created 9 event, suggestion standards differ way obtaining me needless therefore wasteful procedure. 10 Second. As action, one suggests has doctrine own. deliberately (256 F.2d, page 454) need reach difficult Statute embraced based concepts, because unseaworthy, provide seaworthy ship owing. 11 resting these grounds exercised traditional discretion court appeals narrower clearer preference broader controverted one. suggest limits exceeded instance. 179. view cannot properly require intentially sensibly unless first reverse issues decide. do. Hence, justification remanding score. 12 WHITTAKER, 13 am persuaded made sufficiently clear thought diversity, admiralty, governed remedially supplemented statute, basis. 14 says 'decided jurisdiction (and that) (u) nder negligence.' understand hold, intended author Justices who joined it, say so. 15 legal rights liabilities are true sense but rather, full exclusive measured Kermarec Compagnie Generale Transatlantique, 625, 628, 406, 408, 550, statute. supra, 592, 506. 16 Although statutes ones survivorship spoken creating new death, rather like most others, creates providing remedy resulting act other laws—whether common, statutory laws—which redressed wrong 'if ensued.' W.Va.Code, 1955, 5474(5). And when, encompassed terms 'adopts' afford which, ensued,' it. 17 statute 'it must enforce (it) integrated whole, whatever conditions limitations attached.' But statutes, apart prescribing prosecute brought, measure limit recovery, attached condition 'act, neglect default (be) * entitled party injured maintain recover thereof (if ensued).' Surely means act, default, would, laws statutory, laws—have 18 Adoption remedial permitted to, not, expand essential purposes characteristic features interfere nation-wide harmony uniformity, Southern Pacific Co. Jensen, 244 205, 37 61 L.Ed. 1086; Western Fuel Garcia, 257 233, 242, 42 89, 90, 66 210. By adoption, takes afforded statute—albeit whole thereof. thereby abandon nonconflicting gave rise right enforced real suit still by, and—to extent conflicting adopted statute—is 19 understood mean re-examination confirms conclusion. submit word contrary. conclusion buttressed separate BRENNAN case. many times uniformly circumstances these, said, effect, merely look see enacted had, 'adopt' put aside fashion own U.S., pages 608—609, 514—515, think, create arising State, cum onere. 20 makes reasonably regarded applied, correctly concluded applicable, contributing petitioner's because, found, both withdrawn navigation extensive repairs completely out respondent's control—points thoroughly explored day. 118, 189. affirm. 21 STEWART, I. 22 incumbent Virginia. today finds 'highly doubtful' entertain doubt reasons: (1) 'intervening decision'1 announced principle, simply restated well established Court. (2) Long specifically recognized Fourth Circuit. (3) express language present function 23 Our reaffirmed principle articulated decisions compendiously stated, enforces 'the obligatio' 'as originating foreign jurisdiction.' Levinson Deupree, 345 648, 652, 73 914, 916, 97 1319. Harrisburg, 119 199, 140, 30 L.Ed 358; Hamilton, 207 398, 28 133, 52 264; La Bourgogne, 210 95, 664, 973; 210.2 weight authority, could presumed Circuit recognize, courts, whenever specific arisen, occurring navigable determined reference law.3 24 indulge presumption, Circuit, several years decided, manifested thorough understanding controlling exactly accord principles confirmed last Term Continental Casualty Benny Skou, 1952, 200 246, board Virginia, barred one-year limitation contained Act. court's reasoning unambiguous: 'The appellant sought solely 'Virginia bestowed grant previously possessed admiralty. endowment onere.' his obliged accept entirety construed resort.' 250. 25 Even controlled think standing alone, unambiguously shows recognition What quite clear: allow accordance whose 453. above confined monetary entirely unconvincing, never reached damages. II. 26 able agree uncertain join judgment. even mistakenly purpose served somehow favorable showing—nor suggestion—that plaintiffs law.4 Contrast 27 A equally pointless whether, vessel. judge went hold 'this applicability fault.' refrained deciding imported concept, delivered sole custody control dry dock company major repairs. Only month unanimously scope correct. There point requiring make irrelevant inquiry elusive examples 550; Pope & Talbot, Inc. Hawn, 346 409, 74 202, 98 143; Max Morris, 137 1, 14—15, 29, 32—33, 34 586. here cites precedents effort sustain determination. views opinions confirm doubts. Some dissents take affirmed undoubtedly while another lie between two. While declared adopted,' 453, discussion probably context Certainly identification statement justified. adopt CHIEF JUSTICE, BLACK, DOUGLAS compulsion ruling 524. They long represented prevails even-handedly, despite some originally joining helps defendant, militates However, they note their continued disagreement reserve position overruled, particularly controversy application engendered among original subscribers. various supra. entered May 27, 1958. February 24, took different turn workmen's compensation laws. 1086. Such legislation differentiated burden imposed shipowners 'heavy penalties onerous conditions' 'novel remedies incapable enforcement court.' Knickerbocker Ice Stewart, 253 149, 166, 40 438, 442, 64 834. More ago pointed '(T)he Jensen already severely limited, vitality beyond continue laws.' Standard Dredging Murphy, 319 306, 309, 63 1067, 1068, 87 1416. Davis Department Labor Industries Washington, 317 249, 225, 246; Hahn Ross Island Sand Gravel Co., 272, 266, 292. See, e.g., Turner Wilson Line Massachusetts, Inc., 242 414; Halecki Pilots Ass'n, 251 708, vacated remanded, 613, 517, 541; Curtis A. Garcia y Cia, Ltda., 241 30; Graham Lusi, Ltd., 206 223; Lee Pure Oil 218 711. Indeed submitted assumption. argument pitched contention overrule 358, urging affirmance.

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