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Keywords

lawsuitdefendantjurisdictiondamagesnegligenceappealcorporationsustainedmaritime law

jurisdictionnegligenceappealcorporationcitizenshipsustainedrespondentmaritime law

Related Cases

Romero v. International Terminal Operating Co., 358 U.S. 354, 79 S.Ct. 468, 3 L.Ed.2d 368, 1959 A.M.C. 832

Facts

Francisco Romero, a Spanish subject, was a crew member on the S.S. Guadalupe, a Spanish-registered vessel owned by Compania Trasatlantica. After the ship's voyage, Romero continued to work on the vessel, which later arrived in New York. On May 12, 1954, he was injured when struck by a cable on the deck. Romero filed a lawsuit against multiple corporate defendants, including the vessel's owner and an American husbanding agent, claiming damages under the Jones Act and general maritime law.

Petitioner Francisco Romero, a Spanish subject, signed on as a member of the crew of the S. S. Guadalupe for a voyage beginning about October 10, 1953. The Guadalupe was of Spanish registry, sailed under the Spanish flag and was owned by respondent Compania Trasatlantica (also known as Spanish Line), a Spanish corporation.

Issue

The main legal issue was whether the District Court had jurisdiction over Romero's claims against the American corporations under the Jones Act and general maritime law.

The Supreme Court, Mr. Justice Frankfurter, J., held that if Spanish seaman was asserting a claim against an American corporation for injuries sustained aboard Spanish vessel while in New York, based upon negligence of American corporation, a claim independent of seaman's employment relationship or operation and control, such complaint was not subject to dismissal on ground that American corporation was not seaman's employer.

Rule

The court applied the principle that a claim under the Jones Act can be asserted by a seaman against an American corporation for injuries sustained aboard a foreign vessel, independent of the seaman's employment relationship.

The claims under the general maritime law against Compania also were dismissed since the parties were not of diverse citizenship and 28 U.S.C. s 1331 did not confer jurisdiction on the federal law courts over claims rooted in federal maritime law.

Analysis

The Supreme Court analyzed the jurisdictional issues surrounding the Jones Act and general maritime law, concluding that the District Court had the authority to hear Romero's claims. The Court emphasized that the dismissal of the claims based on the lack of employer-employee relationship was incorrect, as the claims were rooted in negligence against the American corporations.

The District Court dismissed petitioner's Jones Act claims for lack of jurisdiction. 'As frequently happens where jurisdiction depends on subject matter, the question whether jurisdiction exists has been confused with the question whether the complaint states a cause of action.'

Conclusion

The Supreme Court vacated the judgment of the Court of Appeals and remanded the case to the District Court for further proceedings, allowing Romero's claims to be heard.

Judgment of Court of Appeals vacated and cause remanded to District Court for further proceedings in accordance with opinion.

Who won?

The prevailing party was Francisco Romero, as the Supreme Court ruled in his favor, allowing his claims to proceed despite the previous dismissals.

The Supreme Court held that the dismissal of Romero's claims against the American corporations for lack of jurisdiction was erroneous.

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