Legal Document

498 U.S. 19 111 S.Ct. 317 112 L.Ed.2d 275 Mercedel W. MILES, Individually and as Administratrix of the Succession Ludwick Adam Torregano, Petitioner,v.APEX MARINE CORPORATION et al. No. 89-1158. Argued Oct. 3, 1990. Decided Nov. 6, Syllabus Petitioner Miles, mother administratrix estate a seaman killed by fellow crew member aboard vessel respondents (collectively Apex) docked in an American port, sued Apex District Court, alleging negligence under Jones Act for failure to prevent assault, breach warranty seaworthiness general maritime law hiring unfit serve. After court ruled, inter alia, that could not recover son's lost future income, jury found ship was seaworthy, but negligent. Although it awarded damages on claim Miles loss her support services pain suffering, financially dependent son therefore entitled society. The Court Appeals affirmed judgment Apex. As claim, ruled unseaworthy matter law, held nondependent parent may society wrongful death action does permit survival decedent's earnings. Held: 1. There is cause seaman. reasoning Moragne v. States Marine Lines, Inc., 398 375, 90 1772, 26 339, which created action, extends suits true seamen despite fact involved longshoreman. seamen, unlike longshoremen, are covered provision creating against seaman's employer death, Moragne, supra, at 396, n. 12, S.Ct., 1785, recognized preclusive only state remedies from unseaworthiness pre-empt action. evinces no hostility recovery since disturb seamen's claims injuries resulting unseaworthiness, preclude due its companion statute, Death High Seas (DOHSA). Rather, establishes uniform system tort law. concluded case's extension DOHSA high seas territorial waters furthers, rather than hinders, uniformity exercise admiralty jurisdiction. also little question intended create applicable beyond situation expressly overruled Harrisburg, 119 199, 7 140, 30 L.Ed. 358, did afford seaman, each "anomalies" directed—particularly theretofore available longshoreman, seaman—involved seamen. Pp. 30-33. 2. Damages recoverable do include This case controlled logic Mobil Oil Corp. Higginbotham, 436 618, 625, 98 2010, 2015, 56 581, nonpecuniary loss, such society, foreclosed because DOHSA, terms, limits "pecuniary sustained persons whose benefit suit brought" (emphasis added). Sea-Land Services, Inc. Gaudet, 414 573, 94 806, 39 9 allowed applies longshoremen. Act, deaths result negligence, allows pecuniary See Michigan Central R. Co. Vreeland, 227 59, 69-71, 33 192, 195-196, 57 417. precludes this involving would be inconsistent with Court's place constitutional scheme sanction more expansive judicially liability without fault, Congress has cases negligence. holding restores rule all actions whether or 3. A cannot Even if personal survives his income he have earned Act's losses suffered during lifetime. See, e.g., Van Beeck Sabine Towing Co., 300 342, 347, 452, 454-455, 81 685. Since limited right free, powers, exceed those founded strict liability. 326-328. 882 F.2d 976, affirmed. O'CONNOR, J., delivered opinion other Members joined, except SOUTER, who took part consideration decision case. Allain F. Hardin, New Orleans, La., petitioner; A. Remy Fransen, Jr., brief. Gerard T. Gelpi, respondents; Randall C. Coleman, III, Gordon Starling, brief; Graydon S. Staring, counsel. Justice O'CONNOR Court. 1 We decide died incurred respondents' earnings death. 2 * Torregano M/V Archon. On evening July 18, 1984, Clifford Melrose, member, stabbed repeatedly, killing him. At time, harbor Vancouver, Washington. 3 Torregano's estate, Corporation Westchester Shipping Company, vessel's operators, Archon charterer, Aeron Archon's owner Apex), United Eastern Louisiana. alleged 41 Stat. 1007, amended, 46 U.S.C.App. § 688, assault son, She sought compensation punitive damages, suffering prior income. 4 trial, granted Apex's motion strike denied Miles' directed verdict unseaworthiness. instructed they she son. 5 negligent 7% contributorily causing seaworthy. discounting contributory $7,254 $130,200 suffering. both parties' motions notwithstanding entered accordingly. 6 Fifth Circuit part, reversed remanded. 976 (1989). Apex, there insufficient evidence finding. Id., 983-985. full measure $7,800 services, $140,000 Melrose's extraordinarily violent disposition demonstrated 983. Because ruling revived considered two questions concerning scope reaffirmed Sistrunk Circle Bar Drilling 770 455 (CA5 1985), F.2d, 989. It 987. petition certiorari these issues, 494 1003, 110 1295, 108 472 (1990), now affirm Appeals. II 8 rely primarily 339 (1970). Edward longshoreman had been Florida waters. His widow brought shipowner, seeking ship. dismissed portion complaint neither federal nor statutes sounding where occurred General help; 358 (1886), Harrisburg. questioning Harrisburg proper statement even 1886, set aside issue "development major significance ha[d] intervened." U.S., 388, 1781. Specifically, legislatures rejected wholesale Every State Union enacted statute. In 1920, pieces legislation most deaths. amended through incorporation Federal Employers' Liability (FELA), 35 65, 45 U.S.C. §§ 51-59, favor representative course employment. (DOHSA), 537, 761 seq., 762, similar anyone seas. 10 These established unambiguous policy abrogation principles underlay Such "to given appropriate weight matters statutory construction decisional law." 391, 1782. Admiralty vacuum; always served important source common principles. 392, 1782, 1783, citing Landis, Statutes Sources Law, Harvard Legal Essays 213, 214, 226-227 (R. Pound ed. 1934). unanimous legislative behind many strong presumption 11 But sends signals must attend. "The legislature not, course, merely enact policies. By terms indicates conception sphere within effect." 1783. Congress, free say "this much more." An go limits. recovery. central proscribed 393, 1783-1784. 12 proscription. unfortunate Moragne's change seascape anticipated. time passed courts uniformly applied occurring Except rare were apply seas, however, outside 10, 1784, 10. filled void, extend believed sufficient areas. 397-398, 1786. 13 And so when passed. All virtually sounded Unseaworthiness "an obscure relatively used remedy," largely shipowner's duty use diligence provide seaworthy G. Gilmore & Black, Law 383, 375 (2d ed.1975). Thus, although permitted worked essentially statutes. near 14 revolution began Mahnich Southern S.S. [321 96, 64 455, 88 561 (1944) ]," transformed into obligation. 384, 386. shipowner became liable supply safe irrespective fault intervening members. 321 100, 458, ("[T]he relieve obligation furnish adequate appliances. . If furnishing appliance, negligent, fortiori unaffected officers contributed unseaworthiness"). years later Sieracki, 328 85, 94-95, 66 872, 877-878, 1099 (1946) ("[Unseaworthiness] species fault"). consequence radical change, "[became] principal vehicle injury death." 399, 1787. discrepancy between [DOHSA] happen fall wrongful-death statute encompassing foreseen Congress." Ibid. 15 emergence widely theory made manifest certain anomalies previously caused great hardship. First, waters, remedy injury, Second, allow Finally, what called "strangest" anomaly, 395-396, 1785. pre-empts Gillespie Steel Corp., 379 148, 154-156, 85 308, 312-313, 199 (1964). 16 States, amicus curiae, urged eliminate inconsistencies render limitations placed bar solution. itself manifestation congressional intent achieve 'uniformity jurisdiction.' " 401, 1788, quoting Gillespie, 155, 312. Nothing read exercising power nonuniformities anticipated 399-400, consistent 1920 Acts favoring recovery, effectuated "the constitutionally based principle should 'a coextensive with, operating in, whole country.' 402, Lottawanna, 21 Wall. 558, 575, 22 654 (1875). III 17 described length exemplifies fundamental guide our longer live era their loved ones look substantive legal protection death; legislated extensively era, enactments guidance. supplement doing vindication policies mandate, we keep strictly imposed Congress. retains superior authority matters, vigilant overstep well-considered boundaries legislation. direct delimit actions. 18 contends holding, whereas correct facts, decline limit facts. Historically, ran ship's employ. 90, 875. extended stevedores working employed independent contractor. 95, 877. situation, able bring narrow sense, upon longshoremen like so-called Sieracki Were Indeed, any applicability all. 1972, Longshore Harbor Workers' Compensation (LHWCA), 86 1251, 901-950, shipowners worker seaworthiness. 905(b); Export Alvez, 446 274, 282, 9, 100 1673, 1678, 284 (1980). today, 20 asks us limitation warranted, say, Act. provides 688. first addressed effect Lindgren 281 38, 50 207, 74 686 (1930). Petitioner, beneficiary attempted pre-empted statute: "[The Jones] one application about jurisdiction required Constitution, necessarily supersedes several States." 44, 210. vessel. 47-48, 211-212. (1964), 312-313. Neither existed decided. explicitly. explained 12. 23 thereby Osceola, 189 158, 483, 47 760 (1903), Pacific Peterson, 278 130, 139, 49 75, 78, 73 220 (1928), DOHSA. Kernan Dredging 355 426, 430, 4, 78 394, 397, 382 (1958). parallel employees interstate railway carriers FELA. furthers hinders 24 For thing, explicitly 409, 1792. 200, 141. addition, three anomaly—that seaman—could remedied strange indeed addressing problem large motivated result. doubt matter, today make explicit adopting carefully crafted Moragne. IV 25 forth (1974). Respondent husband, plaintiff support, funeral expenses, well 591, 818. Gaudet waters.1 Consequently, need consider 581 (1978). That and, presented recognizing broadly written, precise presented. 622-623, 2013-2014. us. brought." 762 forecloses non-pecuniary 27 Respondents argued traditionally undertaken answer Higginbotham fully here derived Moragne: spoken directly "when speak question, 'supplement' Congress' thoroughly becomes meaningless." 2015. gap filling area left open statute; supplementation entirely appropriate. "area prescribe different limitations, class beneficiaries." 28 controls here. now. 29 Unlike particular form. Enacted makes provisions older FELA recites employers shall "damages" protected 51. 417 (1913), language identical Lord Campbell's Vict. ch. 93 (1846), recovered, followed consistently interpreted providing loss. 195-196. construed When Vreeland gloss FELA, hoary tradition it, established. Incorporating unaltered incorporate well. assume aware existing passes Cannon University Chicago, 441 677, 696-697, 99 1946, 1957, 60 560 (1979). 31 conclude 32 Our anomaly Higginbotham. warned elimination unwarranted inconsistency value uniformity, concern consistency override 624, 2014. Today restore V next whether, surviving can Under traditional survival; survive Cortes Baltimore Insular Line, 287 367, 371, 53 173, 174, 77 368 (1932); Romero International Terminal Operating 354, 373, 79 468, 480, (1959); 157, 313-314. 34 changed instances. representative. 59; 313. Most generally, see Speiser, Recovery Wrongful 2d 3.2 (1975 Supp.1989), id., 14.1, 14.3, App. A, instances preserve sea. Just Chambers, 312 61 687, 693, 903 (1941). Ameri- 4; Kossick Fruit 365 731, 739, 886, 892, (1961); 313-314; Comment, Application Survival Maritime Causes, Colum.L.Rev. 534, 535, (1960); Nagy, Action: What Elements Recoverable Damages?, U.Haw.L.Rev. 5, (1987). Where apply,2 absent rule. Several Courts relied hold survival. Spiller Thomas M. Lowe, Assocs., 466 903, 909 (CA8 1972); Barbe Drummond, 507 794, 799-800 (CA1 1974); Sea 523 793, 795 1975); Evich Connelly, 759 1432, 1434 (CA9 1985). noted, judgment, deferred. 388-393, 1781-1784. Following reasoning, lower looked dictate Spiller, 909; Barbe, 799-800, 6. 36 argues follow recognize right. urges reaffirm overrule decisions. address issue, resolution unnecessary presented: decedent recoverable. not. 37 will, instances, duplicative dependents action; lose come Perhaps reason, few received death.3 level, contains provision. incorporates FELA's provision, but, 685 (1937); St. Louis, I.M. S.R. Craft, 237 648, 658, 704, 706, 59 1160 (1915). 38 hardly constitutes kind "wholesale" "unanimous" prompted new 389, 1781, To contrary, majority distinctly minority view. alone deter us, arguments allowing Posner, Economic Analysis 176-181 (3d ed.1986) (recovery efficient incentives take care ensuring tortfeasor will bear total cost victim's death). Moreover, reminds shown special solicitude welfare families. "[C]ertainly better humane liberal character proceedings give withhold remedy." 387, Chief Chase Gull, F.Cas. 909, 910 (No. 12,578) (CC Md.1865). 583, 814. 40 unmindful principles, sail occupied dominated expand simply might work them. exceed. involves Act/FELA 59. incorporating Beeck, 454-455. actions, create, disfavored clear goes ordered VI 42 Cognizant relationship act accordance plan Accordingly, 43 Affirmed. 44 SOUTER 1972 amendments LHWCA rendered inapplicable 28; 905(b). Suit filed before 1972. 463 1331, 1332 1972). Offshore Logistics, Tallentire, 477 215, 1, 106 2485, 2490, 91 174 (1986), declined approve disapprove practice some applying Mich.Comp.Laws 600.2921, 600.2922 (1986); Olivier Houghton County 134 Mich. 368-370, 96 N.W. 434, 435 (1903); Pa.Cons.Stat. 8302 (1988); Incollingo Ewing, 444 Pa. 263, 307-308, 282 A.2d 206, 229 (1971); Wash.Rev.Code 4.20.060 (1989); Balmer Dilley, Wash.2d 370, 502 P.2d 456, 458 (1972). generally Death, 14.7, Supp.1989). Speiser explains survival, among do,

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