Diehl v. CSX Transp., Inc.
Diehl v. CSX Transp., Inc.
Opinion of the Court
I. Introduction
This case arises out of a train derailment that occurred near Hyndman, Pennsylvania in August 2017. Plaintiff Denora Diehl ("Plaintiff") filed a Class Action Complaint alleging that Defendant CSX Transportation, Inc. ("Defendant") negligently operated its train, causing it to derail. Plaintiff avers that she and other proposed class members ("Proposed Class") were subsequently forced to evacuate their homes and subjected to inconvenience as Defendant repaired the derailment site.
Pending before the Court is the Motion to Dismiss filed by Defendant on July 20, 2018. (ECF No. 7.) Plaintiff filed her Memorandum in Opposition to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss on August 23, 2018. (ECF No. 22.) Therefore, the instant Motion has been fully briefed and is ripe for disposition.
For the reasons that follow, this Court will GRANT IN PART and DENY IN PART Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 7).
II. Subject Matter Jurisdiction & Venue
Pursuant to
Here, Plaintiff is a resident of Hyndman, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 1.) Plaintiff brings this proposed class action on behalf of Proposed Class, which consists of approximately *4951,000 other residents of Hyndman. (Id. ¶ 33(a).) Defendant is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Virginia with its principal place of business in Florida. (Id. ¶ 2.) Therefore, there is diversity between Defendant and Plaintiff.
Furthermore, the $5 million amount in controversy requirement is met. Although Plaintiff does not specify the amount of damages sought, Plaintiff brings claims of negligence and private nuisance for herself and on behalf of Proposed Class, alleging that she was forcibly evacuated from her property; deprived of quiet enjoyment of her property; subjected to loss of use of her property; and subjected to inconvenience, fear, anxiety, and mental anguish. (Id. ¶¶ 49, 55.) Plaintiff seeks actual and punitive damages for her and Proposed Class. (Id. at 33.) Based on the nature of Plaintiff's claims and the fact that claims for punitive damages, alone, " 'will generally satisfy the amount in controversy requirement because it cannot be stated to a legal certainty that the value of the plaintiff's claim is below the statutory minimum,' " Huber v. Taylor ,
Venue is proper pursuant to
III. Procedural History
Plaintiff initiated this action by filing a Class Action Complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, on May 22, 2018. (ECF No. 1.) Defendant filed a Notice of Removal with this Court on June 8, 2018. (Id. ) Defendant then filed the instant Motion to Dismiss and accompanying brief in support thereof on July 20, 2018.
IV. Factual Allegations Set Forth in the Complaint
For the purposes of deciding Defendant's Motion to Dismiss, the Court accepts the allegations of Plaintiff's Complaint as true. See infra Part V.
According to the Complaint, Plaintiff is a resident of and property owner in Hyndman, Pennsylvania. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 1.) Plaintiff's allegations can be divided into two parts: the derailment and the aftermath of the derailment.
*496A. The Derailment
On August 2, 2017, Defendant was operating a train that was traveling from Illinois to New York, a route that took the train through Hyndman. (Id. ¶ 6.) This train, which consisted of five locomotives and 178 railcars, was carrying mixed freight, including propane, molten sulfur, asphalt, and phosphoric acid residue. (Id. ¶¶ 5, 8.)
As the train approached Hyndman, Defendant's crew stopped the train because it was experiencing air brake problems. (Id. ¶ 9.) The crew applied 58 hand brakes during this stop, as the train was on a descending grade. (Id. ) Upon inspection, the crew discovered a leak in the brake system, which an employee of Defendant attempted to repair. (Id. ) However, according to the Complaint, this repair was unsuccessful. (Id. )
During the course of the inspection and attempted repair of the brake system, a new crew took over for the original crew. (Id. ) Defendant ordered this new crew to finish the route, and the new crew complied, although the crew knew that the problem with the air brake system persisted. (Id. ¶ 10.) Because the crew members knew that the brake problems continued, they first attempted to operate the train with the 58 hand brakes still applied. (Id. ¶ 11.) When they were unable to move the train with the hand brakes applied, the conductor released the first 25 hand brakes, leaving 33 hand brakes applied. (Id. ) The crew was then able to move the train, although the Complaint alleges that the crew knew or should have known that operating the train in such a manner was unsafe. (Id. )
As the train proceeded to Hyndman, the 35th railcar partially derailed. (Id. ¶ 13.) However, Defendant's crew continued to operate the train, in spite of the fact that the crew knew or should have known about the derailment and that the continued operation of the train was unsafe. (Id. ) The crew thus dragged the derailed railcar for two miles before reaching a railroad crossing. (Id. ¶ 14.) Upon reaching the crossing, the derailed railcar moved further off the rail, causing the derailment of the 33rd to the 65th railcars near Hyndman.
B. The Aftermath of the Derailment
On August 2, 2017 at 5:00 a.m., Plaintiff evacuated her home due to the derailment. (Id. ¶ 20.) Other residents of Hyndman were also evacuated. (Id. ¶ 21.) Evacuated residents were not permitted to return to their homes for periods of two days to multiple weeks. (Id. ¶ 20.) During this period, Plaintiff was forced to leave two dogs unattended in her home for 48 hours. ( *497Id. ¶ 22.) After she was reunited with her dogs, she was required to professionally board one of them for approximately two weeks. (Id. ) Furthermore, by the time Plaintiff returned home, the food in her refrigerator had expired and had to be thrown away. (Id. ¶ 23.) Finally, because of the derailment, Plaintiff was not able to can any vegetables from her garden in 2017.
Following Plaintiff's return home, Defendant worked at the derailment site 24 hours a day for three months. (Id. ¶ 24.) Defendant used bright lights to illuminate the site while it was dark; operated heavy machinery, which caused extreme noise; and used machinery to cut, weld, and burn railcars, creating noxious fumes and odors that Plaintiff could smell inside her home. (Id. ¶¶ 24-26.) Plaintiff alleges that Defendant's actions caused Plaintiff aggravation, fear, and anxiety; "rendered the property's ordinary use of physical occupation uncomfortable, unsafe and/or impossible"; and "endangered [Plaintiff's] life and health, gave offense to the senses, and prohibited the reasonable and comfortable use of [the] property." (Id. ¶¶ 24-28, 54.)
V. Standard of Review
A complaint may be dismissed under Federal Rule of Civil Rule 12(b)(6) for "failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted." Connelly v. Lane Constr. Corp. ,
Under the pleading regime established by Twombly and Iqbal , a court reviewing the sufficiency of a complaint must take three steps.
VI. Discussion
Defendant argues for dismissal based on (1) the economic loss doctrine, (2) failure to state a nuisance claim, (3) failure to allege behavior that supports a request for punitive damages, and (4) federal preemption. (ECF No. 7 at 1.) The Court first addresses preemption, as this issue affects the outcome of Defendant's other contentions. The Court then analyzes the rest of Defendant's arguments in turn.
A. Federal Preemption
Defendant argues that Plaintiff's claims are preempted by federal law, including by the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act, the Federal Railroad Safety Act, and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act. (Id. )
1. Federal Preemption Generally
Under the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, "the Laws of the United States ... shall be the supreme Law of the Land." U.S. Const. art. VI, cl. 2. Therefore, when state and federal laws conflict, federal law preempts state law. Altria Grp., Inc. v. Good ,
In order to determine whether federal law preempts state law, the court begins by considering Congress's purpose in enacting the federal law at issue. See Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr ,
These general principles apply to the preemption questions discussed below, in addition to the specific preemption rules associated with each federal statute at issue.
2. Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act of 1995
In 1995, Congress enacted the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act ("ICCTA" or "Act"),
(1) transportation by rail carriers, and the remedies provided in this part with respect to rates, classifications, rules (including car service, interchange, and other operating rules), practices, routes, services, and facilities of such carriers; and
(2) the construction, acquisition, operation, abandonment, or discontinuance of spur, industrial, team, switching, or side tracks, or facilities, even if the tracks are located, or intended to be located, entirely in one State.
In spite of its express preemption provision, courts and the STB have recognized that the ICCTA does not preempt all state laws that affect transportation by rail carriers. N.Y. Susquehanna & W. Ry. Corp. v. Jackson ,
Against this backdrop, Defendant contends that Plaintiff's claims are preempted by the ICCTA to the extent they are premised on the following factual allegations: (1) Plaintiff's allegation that the train was not organized in a way that safely distributed the weight of the railcars (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 16); and (2) Plaintiff's allegation that Defendant created excessive noise and noxious fumes and operated bright lights while working at the derailment site (id. ¶¶ 24-26, 36(t)-(v) ). (ECF No. 8 at 18.)
Applying the test adopted by the Third Circuit, Plaintiff's negligence and nuisance claims are based on generally-applicable tort law that does not specifically target rail carriers for regulation. Therefore, the first prong of the ICCTA preemption test is satisfied and preemption is not triggered. See MD Mall Assocs. ,
However, the second prong of the Third Circuit's test poses more difficulty to Plaintiff at this stage of the litigation. Plaintiff's allegations that Defendant's train was not organized in a safe manner and that Defendant created excessive noise *500and noxious fumes at the derailment site clearly involve the operation and construction of rail carrier tracks and facilities, such that they fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the STB. If Defendant were unable to undergo specific construction projects related to its rail operations because a court held such operations to be negligent or a nuisance, or if its ability to undergo such projects was delayed or regulated based on a state tort action, its ability to operate as a rail carrier would be impeded. See Cities of Auburn and Kent , S.T.B. Finance Docket No. 33200,
This Court's analysis of this issue is informed by decisions of other courts that have found claims related to the noise and fumes produced by railroad facilities to be preempted. See Suchon v. Wis. Cent. Ltd. , No. 04-C-0379-C,
The Court finds that Plaintiff's negligence and nuisance claims are preempted by the ICCTA to the extent they are based on allegations regarding the order of Defendant's rail cars and the noise and fumes created by Defendant's cleanup of the derailment site.
3. Federal Railroad Safety Act
The Federal Railroad Safety Act ("FRSA" or "Act") was enacted by Congress in order to "promote safety in every area of railroad operations and reduce railroad-related accidents and incidents."
(A) has failed to comply with the Federal standard of care established by a regulation or order issued by the Secretary *501of Transportation (with respect to railroad safety matters), or the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to railroad security matters), covering the subject matter as provided in subsection (a) of this section;
(B) has failed to comply with its own plan, rule, or standard that it created pursuant to a regulation or order issued by either of the Secretaries; or
(C) has failed to comply with a State law, regulation, or order that is not compatible with subsection (a)(2).
The Third Circuit has developed a two-step approach to analyzing claims of preemption under the FRSA. First, the court must ask "whether the defendant allegedly violated either a federal standard of care or an internal rule that was created pursuant to a federal regulation. If so, the plaintiff's claim avoids preemption." Zimmerman v. Norfolk S. Corp. ,
If no federal standard of care or internal rule was allegedly violated, the court moves to the second step and analyzes "whether any federal regulation covers the plaintiff's claim."
Defendant argues that Plaintiff's claims are preempted by the FRSA, at least to the extent Plaintiff seeks to impose duties beyond those set by federal law. Defendant takes issue with Plaintiff's allegations regarding (1) Defendant's failure to appropriately train employees (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 36(d)-(f), (i)-(l) ); (2) the crew's continued operation of the train when it knew the air brake problems had not been repaired (id. ¶¶ 10-11, 15); (3) Defendant's failure to properly inspect the railcars prior to derailment (id. ¶¶ 36(o), 38, 41); (4) train speed (id. ¶ 11); and (5) Defendant's failure to keep an adequate lookout (id. ¶¶ 36(m), 39). (ECF No. 8 at 21.) The briefing on these arguments is less than thorough, but Defendant seems to contend that the second step of the above-described analysis causes preemption problems. Specifically, Defendant points to Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations ("C.F.R."), Parts 213, 215, 232, and 240, and claims that these Parts "cover" the aforementioned claims. (Id. )
In response, and also without significant discussion, Plaintiff identifies
a. Failure to adequately train employees
In Plaintiff's discussion of Defendant's alleged failure to adequately train its employees, Plaintiff does not identify any particular section of the C.F.R. pursuant to which Plaintiff's claims are brought. (See ECF No. 1 ¶ 36(d)-(f), (i)-(l ).) Furthermore, in her briefing on this issue, Plaintiff does not mention a federal standard of care. (See
Under the second part of the test, the Court finds that federal regulations do not "cover" Plaintiff's failure to train employees claims. The only relevant regulation identified by Defendant,
b. Negligent operation with faulty brakes
Defendant also takes issue with Plaintiff's claim that Defendant continued operating the train with faulty brakes. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶¶ 10, 11, 15, 42.) Plaintiff alleges that Defendant violated
Section 215.9 of Title 49 applies only to "railroad freight car[s] which ha[ve] any component described as defective in this part."
However, Plaintiff also cites to § 232.103 of Title 49 (ECF No. 22 at 18), which lists the "[g]eneral requirements for *503all train brake systems."
(e) A train shall not move if less than 85 percent of the cars in that train have operative and effective brakes.
(f) Each car in a train shall have its air brakes in effective operating condition unless the car is being moved for repairs.... The air brakes on a car are not in effective operating condition if its brakes are cut-out or otherwise inoperative....
c. Failure to inspect
Third, Defendant argues that Plaintiff's negligence claim is preempted by the FRSA to the extent it is based on Defendant's failure to inspect the railcars prior to derailment. (ECF No. 8 at 21.) To this end, Plaintiff alleges that Defendant was negligent in "failing to properly inspect the railcars that derailed and breached before the operation of the Train that resulted in the derailment and fire." (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 36(o ).) Plaintiff specifies that "Defendant CSX breached its duty of care to Plaintiff and the Proposed Class by failing to adequately inspect the 35th railcar that initially derailed on August 2, 2017, prior to the operation of the Train." (Id. ¶ 41.) Finally, Plaintiff alleges that Defendant "owes a duty of care to Plaintiff and the Proposed Class to adequately inspect rail cars by a qualified inspector before operating a train, including a duty to comply with
Plaintiff primarily relies on
At this stage, the Court declines to find Plaintiff's negligent inspection allegations preempted because Plaintiff alleges that Defendant failed to comply with these regulations. See Smith v. CSX Transp., Inc. , No. 3:13 CV 2649,
d. Inappropriate train speed
Defendant next takes issue with Plaintiff's claims to the extent they are based on inappropriate train speed. (ECF No. 8 at 21; ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 11.) It is not clear to the Court whether Plaintiff is claiming that Defendant had a duty to conform to a particular standard of care with regard to train speed-all Plaintiff says is that Defendant's crew pulled the train down a grade while 33 hand brakes were applied, "reaching speeds of 20 to 30 mph, when they knew or should have known that it was not safe to do so." (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 11.) To the extent Plaintiff alleges a violation of a federal standard of care, see
e. Failure to keep adequate lookout
Plaintiff's Complaint alleges that Defendant had a duty to Plaintiff "to keep a lookout during operation of a train so that it can determine if a rail car has derailed and immediately stop a train if a derailment has occurred." (ECF No. 1-1 ¶¶ 39, 42.) Plaintiff has not identified any regulations in her Complaint or Memorandum in Opposition to Defendant's Motion to Dismiss that create a federal standard of care on this issue, and Defendant similarly has cited no authority to support its assertion that this alleged duty is preempted by the FRSA. (ECF No. 8 at 21.) The Court therefore declines to dismiss these allegations.
4. Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
The Hazardous Materials Transportation Act ("HMTA" or "Act") was enacted "to protect against the risks to life, property, and the environment that are inherent in the transportation of hazardous material in intrastate, interstate, and foreign commerce."
The HMTA contains extensive preemption provisions that provide, in part, that a state requirement is preempted if (1) complying with both the state requirement and a requirement of the HMTA or any regulations enacted pursuant to the HMTA would not be possible and (2) the state requirement, as applied or enforced, "is an obstacle to accomplishing and carrying out" the HMTA or a regulation enacted pursuant to the HMTA.
Our threshold concern, then, is to identify the contours of the non-federal law, regulation, order, or requirement at issue in the case. Once we have done so, we must ascertain (1) whether § 5125(b)(1) applies to the non-federal law, regulation, order, or requirement we have identified, and (2) whether the non-federal requirement is 'substantively the same as' the conditions imposed by federal hazardous materials law.
Roth v. Norfalco LLC ,
Defendant argues generally
B. Economic Loss Doctrine
In the instant Motion and accompanying Brief, Defendant contends that Plaintiff's negligence and private nuisance claims should be dismissed because they are barred by Pennsylvania's economic loss doctrine. Defendant argues that Plaintiff cannot recover in tort because she does not allege personal injury or specific property damage that she suffered due to the train derailment and subsequent evacuation of her home. (ECF No. 7 at 1; ECF No. 8 at 1, 4.) The Court disagrees.
In Pennsylvania,
To allow a cause of action for negligent cause of purely economic loss would be to open the door to every person in the economic chain of the negligent person or business to bring a cause of action. Such an outstanding burden is clearly inappropriate and a danger to our economic system.
Aikens ,
The scope of the economic loss doctrine is not restricted to negligence actions; instead this doctrine extends to tort liability more generally, Gen. Pub. Utils. v. Glass Kitchens of Lancaster, Inc. ,
*507The issue here is therefore whether Plaintiff has plausibly pleaded non-economic losses. While Defendant argues that Plaintiff only makes conclusory allegations of "property damage," Plaintiff alleges injuries, including the cost of boarding her dog, the expiration of food, and the inability to can vegetables (ECF No. 1-1 ¶¶ 22-23, 27), that are not "economic losses" in the traditional sense-they are not damages for the costs of repair of a defective product or for lost wages as a result of tortious behavior, for example. See, e.g., David Pflumm Paving & Excavating, Inc. v. Found. Servs. Co. ,
Moreover, Plaintiff also alleges that she experienced aggravation, fear, anxiety, and an inability to use and enjoy her property as a result of Defendant's actions. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 49(e).) Defendant argues that courts have rejected the proposition that allegations of "emotional injury" are enough to circumvent the economic loss doctrine. (ECF No. 8 at 6.) However, the case Defendant cites in this regard, Flannery v. Mid Penn Bank , Civil No. 1:CV-08-0685,
In sum, Plaintiff's alleged injuries do not clearly fall within the definition of "economic loss" discussed supra , and the Court therefore declines to dismiss Plaintiff's claims based on the economic loss doctrine at this stage of the case, namely, the motion to dismiss stage. The Court may revisit this issue at the time of the filing of motion(s) for summary judgment.
C. Private Nuisance
Defendant's next contention in its Motion to Dismiss is that Plaintiff's nuisance claim should be dismissed for failure to allege sufficient facts to state a plausible claim. The Court disagrees.
Pennsylvania
One is subject to liability for a private nuisance if, but only if, his conduct is a legal cause of an invasion of another's *508interest in the private use and enjoyment of land, and the invasion is either
(a) intentional and unreasonable, or
(b) unintentional and otherwise actionable under the rules controlling liability for negligent or reckless conduct, or for abnormally dangerous conditions or activities.
Restatement (Second) of Torts § 822 (Am. Law. Inst. 1979). When analyzing a private nuisance claim under the Restatement, "the key question is whether one person has impaired another person's private right of use or enjoyment of their land." Diess v. Pa. Dep't of Transp. ,
Here, Plaintiff alleges that her private right of use and enjoyment of her land was invaded. Specifically, Plaintiff alleges that Defendant's actions caused her to have to evacuate her property. The evacuation clearly impaired Plaintiff's ability to use her land.
With regard to the intentional type of private nuisance, although Plaintiff repeatedly uses the word "willful" to describe Defendant's actions in relation to the derailment and evacuation (see, e.g. , ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 53), Plaintiff does not allege any facts that make it plausible that Defendant intentionally invaded Plaintiff's interest in the use and enjoyment of her property. Indeed, in Plaintiff's Memorandum in Opposition to the Motion to Dismiss, Plaintiff does not argue that Defendant intentionally interfered with Plaintiff's ability to use her property. (ECF No. 9 at 9.)
However, Plaintiff does sufficiently allege an unintentional private nuisance based on negligence, and aside from Defendant's argument that Plaintiff's negligence claim is not "otherwise actionable" because it is barred by the economic loss doctrine, Defendant does not contend that Plaintiff failed to plausibly plead Defendant's liability for negligence. (See ECF No. 8 at 11, 14 ("Plaintiff's claims amount at most to theories of negligence by CSXT and CSXT's employees.").)
Therefore, this Court declines to dismiss Plaintiff's private nuisance claim, as Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged that Defendant negligently interfered with her use and enjoyment of her property.
D. Punitive Damages
Defendant's next argument is that Plaintiff's request for punitive damages should be dismissed, as Plaintiff's Complaint does not allege the outrageous conduct required *509to assert a claim for punitive damages. (ECF No. 7 at 1.) The Court disagrees.
Under Pennsylvania law,
"[W]hen assessing the propriety of the imposition of punitive damages, '[t]he state of mind of the actor is vital.' " Hutchison ,
"[T]he question of punitive damages is usually determined by the trier of fact, and the [c]ourt is to decide the issue only when no reasonable inference from the facts alleged supports a punitive award." Wilson v. Smith , No. 3:16-CV-34,
Construing Plaintiff's Complaint liberally, Plaintiff has alleged facts that could support a reasonable inference that punitive damages are appropriate. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant's crew knew there was a problem with the train's braking system, but that Defendant ordered the crew to operate the train in spite of this problem. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶¶ 9-10.) The crew then operated the train using 33 hand brakes, knowing it was unsafe to do so. (Id. ¶ 11.) The unsafe operation of the train caused a railcar to partially derail, and, in spite of the fact that the crew knew or should have known about the partial derailment, the crew continued operating the train, dragging the derailed railcar for two miles before a larger derailment occurred near Hyndman. (Id. ¶¶ 13-14.) This derailment caused Plaintiff to have to evacuate from her home, as well as the other alleged injuries discussed supra. (Id. ¶¶ 20, 22-23.) Accordingly, Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged that Defendant knew the continued operation of the train was unsafe and knowingly disregarded the risk such unsafe operation posed to the inhabitants of Hyndman. Therefore, the Court will deny Defendant's Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's punitive damages claim. However, the Court may revisit this issue at the time of *510the filing of motion(s) for summary judgment.
VII. Conclusion
In sum, the Court concludes that to the extent Plaintiff's negligence and nuisance claims are based on Plaintiff's allegations regarding the unsafe order of Defendant's rail cars or the noise and fumes created by Defendant's cleanup of the derailment site, Plaintiff's claims are preempted by the ICCTA. Regarding the FRSA, the Court declines to dismiss Plaintiff's claims under the FRSA to the extent those claims are based on alleged violations of duties contained in federal regulations and internal rules created pursuant to those regulations. Finally, the Court will not dismiss Plaintiff's claims based on HMTA preemption.
With regard to Defendant's state law arguments in favor of dismissal, the Court declines at this stage of the proceedings to dismiss Plaintiff's claims based on the economic loss doctrine. The Court also finds that Plaintiff has stated a claim for nuisance under Pennsylvania law, and therefore will not dismiss Plaintiff's nuisance claim. Finally, because Plaintiff has plausibly alleged knowing and outrageous conduct on the part of Defendant that caused the derailment and subsequent evacuation, the Court will not dismiss Plaintiff's punitive damages request at this juncture.
A corresponding order follows.
ORDER
NOW , this 1st day of October, 2018, upon consideration of Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 7), and for the reasons set forth in the accompanying Memorandum Opinion, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Defendant's Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 7) is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART .
By Order of June 19, 2018, the Court extended Defendant's response deadline until July 20, 2018. (See ECF No. 6.)
By Order of August 9, 2018, the Court extended Plaintiff's response deadline until August 23, 2018. (See ECF No. 12.)
Plaintiff generally alleges that the actions taken by Defendant leading up to the derailment, which are discussed more fully in this Section, were done in violation of Defendant's operating rules. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 36(b).) Furthermore, Plaintiff claims that these improper actions were taken due to Defendant's failure to properly train its employees. (Id. ¶ 36(d)-(l ).)
Plaintiff also alleges that two other factors contributed to the derailment. First, the crew's operation of the train with the 33 hand brakes applied caused several wheels to become flat in certain spots, preventing them from rotating properly. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 15.) Second, the railcars' weight was not properly distributed, as the front 35 railcars weighed 1,631 tons, while the remaining 143 railcars weighed 16,621 tons. (Id. ¶ 16.)
In addition to the aforementioned specific injuries, Plaintiff generally alleges that the following damage was caused by the derailment: (1) forced evacuation from her property; (2) deprivation of the use and enjoyment of her property; and (3) invasion of her property rights. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶ 49.)
Although the Supreme Court described the process as a "two-pronged approach," Ashcroft v. Iqbal ,
Plaintiff also repeatedly mentions that Defendant had a duty to comply with its operating rules, but never discusses the content of those operating rules. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶¶ 38-39, 41-43.) Therefore, the Court cannot consider whether Plaintiff alleges that Defendant violated an internal rule created pursuant to federal regulation. Zimmerman ,
Defendant makes no specific preemption arguments based on the language of the HMTA or the language of regulations enacted pursuant to the HMTA. Instead, Defendant's entire HMTA preemption analysis is based on the following sentence: "Her negligence and nuisance claim, insofar as they are premised on CSXT's transport of chemicals, are preempted by the HMTA." (ECF No. 8 at 23.)
Pennsylvania substantive law governs Plaintiff's claims for negligence and private nuisance, as well as the applicability or inapplicability of the economic loss doctrine. See Erie R.R. Co. v. Tompkins ,
Although Plaintiff argues that the economic loss doctrine simply means that a plaintiff cannot recover in tort on a claim that should be asserted in contract (ECF No. 22 at 6), Pennsylvania courts have not always followed Plaintiff's limited interpretation of the economic loss doctrine, and have instead applied this doctrine to bar tort claims in cases in which a potential recovery in contract is not at issue. See, e.g., Gen. Pub. Utils. ,
Pennsylvania substantive law governs Plaintiff's nuisance claim. See supra note 9.
Plaintiff also alleges that Defendant's work at the derailment site created a significant amount of bright light, noise, and fumes and odors that affected Plaintiff's ability to occupy and use her property. (ECF No. 1-1 ¶¶ 24-27, 54); see Restatement (Second) of Torts § 821D, cmt. b (explaining that "interest in use and enjoyment" of property "comprehends the pleasure, comfort, and enjoyment that a person normally derives from the occupancy of land"). However, as was explained supra , claims based on Defendant's cleanup of the derailment site are preempted by the ICCTA. Therefore, the Court cannot rely on these allegations to find an invasion of Plaintiff's private right of use and enjoyment of her land.
"In a diversity action [ ] the propriety of an award of punitive damages for the conduct in question, and the factors the jury may consider in determining their amount, are questions of state law." Browning-Ferris Indus. of Vt., Inc. v. Kelco Disposal, Inc. ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Denora DIEHL, on Behalf of Herself and All Others Similarly Situated v. CSX TRANSPORTATION, INC.
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published