Filed: Jul. 24, 2003
Latest Update: Feb. 21, 2020
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D REVISED JULY 24, 2003 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS July 21, 2003 Charles R. Fulbruge III FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Clerk No. 01-31420 SETH A. BECKER, Plaintiff - Intervenor Defendant - Appellee, v. TIDEWATER, INC., ET AL., Defendants, TIDEWATER INCORPORATED, TWENTY GRAND OFFSHORE INCORPORATED, TIDEWATER MARINE, L.L.C., Defendants - Third Party Plaintiffs - Intervenor Defendants - Appellees - Appellants, R & B FALCON DRILLING USA, INC., PENTAL
Summary: United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit F I L E D REVISED JULY 24, 2003 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS July 21, 2003 Charles R. Fulbruge III FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Clerk No. 01-31420 SETH A. BECKER, Plaintiff - Intervenor Defendant - Appellee, v. TIDEWATER, INC., ET AL., Defendants, TIDEWATER INCORPORATED, TWENTY GRAND OFFSHORE INCORPORATED, TIDEWATER MARINE, L.L.C., Defendants - Third Party Plaintiffs - Intervenor Defendants - Appellees - Appellants, R & B FALCON DRILLING USA, INC., PENTAL I..
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United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
F I L E D
REVISED JULY 24, 2003
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS July 21, 2003
Charles R. Fulbruge III
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT Clerk
No. 01-31420
SETH A. BECKER,
Plaintiff - Intervenor Defendant - Appellee,
v.
TIDEWATER, INC., ET AL.,
Defendants,
TIDEWATER INCORPORATED, TWENTY
GRAND OFFSHORE INCORPORATED,
TIDEWATER MARINE, L.L.C.,
Defendants - Third Party Plaintiffs -
Intervenor Defendants - Appellees -
Appellants,
R & B FALCON DRILLING USA, INC.,
PENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY, LTD.,
CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYD’S
INSURANCE CO.,
Defendants - Appellants,
HYDRA RIG, a division of Tuboscope Vetco
International, L.P.,
Defendant - Third Party Defendant -
Third Party Plaintiff - Appellee,
HYDRADYNE HYDRAULICS, INC.,
Defendant - Third Party Defendant -
Appellee,
v.
COFLEXIP STENA OFFSHORE, INC.,
Defendant - Third Party Defendant
Appellee,
v.
BAKER HUGHES, INC., BAKER HUGHES
OILFIELD OPERATIONS, INC.,
Defendants - Intervenor Defendants -
Appellants,
and
BAKER OIL TOOLS, INC., a division of
Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, Inc.,
Defendant - Third Party Defendant -
Intervenor Plaintiff - Third Party Plaintiff -
Appellant,
BAKER OIL TOOLS, a division of Baker
Hughes Oilfield Operations, Inc.,
Third Party Defendant - Appellant.
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Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette
------------------------------------------------------
ON PETITIONS FOR REHEARING AND REHEARING EN BANC
(Opinion 6/19/03, 5th Cir., , F.3d )
Before BENAVIDES, STEWART, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
The Petitions for Rehearing are DENIED and no member of this
panel nor judge in regular active service on the Court having
requested that the Court be polled on Rehearing en Banc,
(Fed.R.App. P. and 5th Cir. R.35) the Petitions for Rehearing En
Banc are also DENIED.
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Footnote 11 in the panel opinion dated 6/19/03 is withdrawn
and in its place the following language is substituted as footnote
11:
The other three issues on appeal need not be addressed
for the following reasons. First, the issue whether the
jury had sufficient evidence to conclude that Falcon was
negligent under general maritime law and therefore 5
percent accountable for plaintiff’s injuries is now moot
because the determination that plaintiff is a seaman was
erroneous. Accordingly, Falcon, the owner of Cliffs Rig
153, may have to be pursued under the terms of Section
905(b) of the LHWCA for vessel negligence, not under
general maritime law. Second, now that it is established
that the LHWCA governs, the question whether Baker must
indemnify Tidewater must be considered anew, consistent
with the statutory scheme articulated in 33 U.S.C. §
905(b)-(c), given that we have vacated the defendants’
liability and it has yet to be determined which
defendant, or defendants, may be liable to this plaintiff
under the terms of the LHWCA. Also yet to be determined
is whether the evidence will show proof of gross
negligence by any of the defendants. Finally, the
question of whether damages should be remitted is
rendered moot as the liability of Baker, Tidewater, and
Falcon has been vacated.
* Judge Dennis is recused in this matter on the basis of his
interest in Transocean Sedco Forex, Inc., parent corporation of R&B
Falcon Drilling, and therefore did not participate in the
consideration of the petition for rehearing en banc.
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