A worker was killed on a platform located in Louisiana state waters when a pressurized valve blew, striking him in the head. The platform was a “collecting point” for pipelines running from Outer Continental Shelf platforms to shore. The platform owner filed a Motion for Summary Judgment to dismiss claims against it on the basis the OCSLA could not apply and that the decedent was covered by the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Act. As a state worker, the decedent would be a statutory employee and the platform owner therefore protected from suit due to the exclusivity provision of the state act.

The District Court granted the Motion for Summary Judgment, but on a Motion for Reconsideration, denied the MSJ and allowed the suit against the platform owner to proceed. Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Pacific Operators Offshore, LLP v. Valladolid, 132 S.Ct. 680 (2012), the court found that OCSLA has only two requirements: that extractive operations take place on the OCS, and that the injury in question must result from those operations. The “resulting from” standard requires a “substantial nexus” exist between the OCS operations and the injury.

Plaintiffs argued that the valve that blew causing the decedent’s death was pressurized to facilitate the movement of crude oil from the OCS through the transfer point on the platform. The court found this was a genuine issue of material fact sufficient to deny the Motion for Summary Judgment, as those facts could establish the necessary substantial nexus between OCS operations and the injury.

Mays v. Chevron Pipeline Co., No. 14-3098 U.S. D.C. W.D.LA. (2017)