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Plaintiff Vernon Lewis, an employee of Completion Services, Inc. (CSI), sustained injuries on a drilling rig and sued Marine Drilling Company, Unocal Exploration Corporation, and Union Oil Company of California for negligence. Union Oil sought contractual indemnity from CSI based on a blanket services contract. CSI moved for summary judgment on this third-party claim, arguing the indemnity clause was void under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). The Court determined that Unocal Exploration, which merged into Union Oil, was the vessel's charterer and therefore a 'vessel' under the LHWCA. The Court ruled that the indemnity agreement, as applied, allowed indirect indemnification of the vessel by an LHWCA employer, thus rendering it void under 33 U.S.C. § 905(b). Consequently, CSI's motion for summary judgment was granted, dismissing Union Oil's indemnity claim.
Lewis v. Keyes 303, Inc. is a workers' compensation case decided in District Court, S.D. Texas. This case addresses legal issues related to compensation claims, benefits, and court rulings.
It is commonly referenced in legal research involving workers' compensation laws in District Court, S.D. Texas.
Full Decision Text1 Pages
Plaintiff Vernon Lewis, an employee of Completion Services, Inc. (CSI), sustained injuries on a drilling rig and sued Marine Drilling Company, Unocal Exploration Corporation, and Union Oil Company of California for negligence. Union Oil sought contractual indemnity from CSI based on a blanket services contract. CSI moved for summary judgment on this third-party claim, arguing the indemnity clause was void under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). The Court determined that Unocal Exploration, which merged into Union Oil, was the vessel's charterer and therefore a 'vessel' under the LHWCA. The Court ruled that the indemnity agreement, as applied, allowed indirect indemnification of the vessel by an LHWCA employer, thus rendering it void under 33 U.S.C. § 905(b). Consequently, CSI's motion for summary judgment was granted, dismissing Union Oil's indemnity claim.
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