Scindia Steam Navigation Co. v. De Los Santos

451 U.S. 156, 101 S. Ct. 1614, 68 L. Ed. 2d 1 (1981)

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Scindia Steam Navigation Co. v. De Los Santos

United States Supreme Court
451 U.S. 156, 101 S. Ct. 1614, 68 L. Ed. 2d 1 (1981)

Facts

Scindia Steam Navigation Company, Ltd. (Scindia) (defendant) hired Seattle Stevedoring Company (Seattle) to load cargo aboard Scindia’s ship, the M/S Jalaratna. Scindia and Seattle were aware that one of the winches used to load the ship was defective. The winch would continue dropping a pallet for a brief period after its operator attempted to stop it. Seattle chose to use the winch anyway, and Scindia chose not to intervene to repair it. Lauro De Los Santos (plaintiff) was a stevedore employed by Seattle to help load the Jalaratna. A pallet being lowered by the defective winch struck a jack, causing several sacks to fall from the pallet to the area in which De Los Santos was working. While De Los Santos worked to clear the sacks, more fell on top of him from the pallet, and he suffered injuries. De Los Santos sued Scindia under the Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. Scindia filed for summary judgment, which the district court granted, arguing that all liability rested with Seattle. The court of appeals reversed, and the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (White, J.)

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