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Delorice Bragg v. United States, 4th Cir. (2012)
Delorice Bragg v. United States, 4th Cir. (2012)
No. 11-1342
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern
District of West Virginia, at Charleston.
John T. Copenhaver,
Jr., District Judge. (2:10cv00683)
Argued:
Decided:
ARGUED:
Bruce
E.
Stanley,
REED
SMITH,
LLP,
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, for Appellants.
Benjamin Seth Kingsley, UNITED
STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C., for Appellee.
ON BRIEF: Colin E. Wrabley, Alicia M. Schmitt, Lucas Liben, REED
SMITH, LLP, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for Appellants.
Tony
West, Assistant Attorney General, Mark B. Stern, UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington, D.C.; R. Booth Goodwin II,
United States Attorney, Charleston, West Virginia, for Appellee.
PER CURIAM:
As
representatives
of
the
estates
of
two
deceased
coal
appeal,
interpretation
controlling
of
Appellants
West
appellate
challenge
Virginias
decision,
the
tort
district
courts
law.
Finding
no
constitutional
provision
or
This
Court
acknowledges
that
the
West
Virginia
we
and
Supreme
identify
the
unrepresented
names
parties
and
as
addresses
of
counsel
of
follows:
(1)
Counsel
of
Colin
E.
Wrabley,
Reed
Smith,
LLP,
Suite
1200,
225
5th
Division,
Appellate
Staff,
Room
7261,
950
Pennsylvania
I.
Pursuant
to
W.
Va.
Code
51-1A-4,
this
certification
district
courts
dismissal
was
for
want
of
subject
matter
Although attempts
were made to extinguish the fire and contain the smoke, these
attempts were stymied by inadequate safety measures including,
for example: a fire hose rendered useless because the threads
on the fire hose coupling did not match the threads on the
outlet; a lack of water because the main water valve had been
closed at the source, cutting off water to the area where the
fire
had
started;
inadequate
ventilation
controls
and
the
absence
malfunctioning
of
functioning
communications
CO
detectors,
equipment,
that
Israel
Bragg
(Bragg)
and
well
delayed
as
as
warning
J.A. 9.
Ellery
Hatfield
the
underground
blaze
and
smoke.
Due
to
the
faulty
ventilation system, smoke from the fire flooded the escape route
and reduced visibility.
finding
personnel
workers
attempted
to
door
that
utilize
was
unmarked.
breathing
4
devices
Although
called
the
Self-
miners
managed
to
escape
from
the
Ultimately, ten
Mine,
but
Bragg
and
investigation
of
the
Mine
fire
revealed
numerous
were
in
existence,
neither
did
they
require
J.A. 13.
personnel
Agency
failed
to
follow
explicit
the
mine
Likewise, MSHA
policy
regarding
undertake
reasonable
efforts
to
detect
mine
hazards,
lack
of
initiative
to
appropriately
conduct
J.A. 14.
that
contributed
to
the
fire.
In
relation
to
[a]n
monitoring
J.A. 14.
adequate
inspection
system
(AMS)]
by
MSHA
would
[of
have
the
atmospheric
identified
the
deficiencies with the AMS, including the fact that no alarm unit
had been installed.
J.A. 14.
investigation
stoppings.
other
J.A. 15.
contributing
inadequate
ineffective
of
would
have
factors
of
MSHAs
to
the
the
conveyor
enforcement
internal
identified
the
missing
inspection
use
report
fire
including
belts
authority
and
in
its
its
issuing
J.A. 16.
speculated
that
conflicts
of
light
of
its
extensive
findings
of
inadequacy
and
J.A. 19-20.
II.
Appellants, the widows of Bragg and Hatfield, instituted
this action on April 28, 2010, invoking the federal district
courts jurisdiction pursuant to the FTCA.
circumstances
where
the
United
States,
if
private
28 U.S.C.
Kerns v. United States, 585 F.3d 187, 194 (4th Cir. 2009) (An
action under the FTCA may only be maintained if the Government
would be liable as an individual under the law of the state
where the negligent act occurred.); see also United States v.
Olson, 546 U.S. 43, 46 (2005) (explaining that the words like
circumstances do not restrict a courts inquiry to the same
circumstances, but require it to look further afield (quotation
omitted)); Carter v. United States, 982 F.2d 1141, 1144 (7th
Cir.
1992)
(The
national
government
is
never
situated
J.A.
239.
On appeal, Appellants contend that the district court erred
in its analysis of both West Virginias general principles of
negligence and its special relationship theory. *
III.
Several factors justify certification.
We find no clear
At
has
Supreme
not
Court
importance
been
of
of
squarely
addressed
by
the
In
addition,
we
West
Virginia
Appeals.
allowing
the
West
Virginia
recognize
Supreme
Court
the
of
mine
operator
importance
whether
conclude
for
the
that
appears
West
West
Virginia.
Virginia
claims
to
by
be
In
Supreme
miners
matter
of
exceptional
short,
we
are
Court
of
Appeals
against
private
uncertain
would
parties
for
constitutional
provision,
or
statute
appears
to
IV.
Accordingly, pursuant to the privilege made available by W.
Va. Code 51-1A-3, we respectfully hereby ORDER: (1) that the
question stated above be certified to the West Virginia Supreme
Court of Appeals for answer; (2) that the Clerk of this Court
forward to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, under the
official
seal
Certification,
of
this
together
Court,
with
the
copy
original
of
or
this
Order
copies
of
of
the
11