Court Opinion

ID: 9839038
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-11 15:06:05.909552+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:05:36.220313
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

              COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

DANIEL    BENNETT                                                                         NO.     2023 CW          0581

VERSUS

DEMCO ENERGY          SERVICES,            LLC,                                  SEPTEMBER 11,                 2023
FEDERATED RURAL            ELECTRIC
INSURANCE      EXCHANGE,             COX
COMMUNICATIONS,            INC.,       COX
COMMUNICATIONS            LOUISIANA,
LLC,    AND   CABLE MAN,             INC.

In Re:         Cable          Man,    Inc. ,         applying         for     supervisory               writs,       19th
                Judicial            District          Court,         Parish        of      East        Baton       Rouge,
               No.       724647.

BEFORE:        THERIOT,          PENZATO,            AND     GREENE,        JJ.

       WRIT        GRANTED.           The       trial        court's        June          12,     2023    judgment,
which    denied          the    Exception            of      Prematurity,                 which    was     by       cross
claim     defendant,            Cable        Man,         Inc.,        is    reversed.                 Cross        claim
plaintiff,          Cox       Communications               Louisiana,             LLC ("         Cox"),     filed          a
Cross    Claim against               Cable Man,            asserting          it owed indemnity and a
defense       to    Cox       pursuant          to     the    terms         of    a   Master           Construction
Agreement.               However,          it     is    well-established                        that    claims        for
indemnity,          as     well       as        claims          for       defense          arising        under           an
indemnity agreement,                  are premature prior to                          a    determination that
damages       are    actually          owed          and     the      indemnitee               sustains        a    loss.
See    Willis       v.    Frozen       Water,          Inc.,       2015-0900 (             La.    App.     1st       Cir.
12/23/15),          2015       WL     9466625, *             3-4 (     unpublished),               writ        denied,
2016-0146 (         La.        3/14/16),             189        So.3d       1069 (             citing     Suire           v.
Lafayette          City-Parish              Consolidated               Government,               2004-1459 (          La.
4/12/05),       907      So.2d 37,          51).        At      this      time,       the       lawsuit    is       still
pending       against         both    Cox       and     Cable        Man,     and         no    determination             of
liability          had     been       made;          thus,         there         is       no     obligation           for
indemnity and defense                  costs.           See Willis,               2015 WL         9466625          at * 4.
Stated        differently,                 indemnity (               or     reimbursement)                  is        not
available          at     this        time        because             Cox     has          not     discharged              a
liability          which       Cable        Man        should          have       assumed          or     otherwise
suffered any loss               or damages.                See Id.          Accordingly,                Cox's       cause
of     action           for      indemnity              and        defense            is         not      ripe        for
adjudication.              See      Id.      Therefore,               the   Exception             of    Prematurity
filed    by    Cable       Man       Inc.       is    granted,            dismissing            the     Cross       Claim
of Cox    Communications               Louisiana,             LLC      against            Cable Man,       Inc.       for
defense and indemnity,                     without prejudice.

                                                           MRT
                                                           AHP
                                                           HG

COURT    OF APPEAL,            FIRST CIRCUIT

          Ol.s""" O
       DEPUTY CLE~ COURT
              FOR THE      COURT