Opinion
NO. 2014 CW 1451
01-12-2015
TRUMAN STANLEY, III v. AIRGAS-SOUTHWEST, INC., PRAXAIR, INC., GULF COAST HYDROSTATIC TESTERS, LLC, ENGINEERED CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL, LLC, AND T.H. COCHRANE LABORATORIES, LTD
In Re: Airgas, Inc., applying for supervisory writs, 23rd Judicial District Court, Parish of Ascension, No. 104043.
BEFORE: GUIDRY, THERIOT AND DRAKE, JJ.
WRIT DENIED. We deny the writ, finding no error in the judgment dated September 3, 2014, which denied the declinatory exception of lack of personal jurisdiction filed by the relator. Relator, Airgas, Inc., purposefully directed actions at residents in Louisiana by creating and implementing the safety policy structure in the Geismar facility, which included, holding regular training for employees in Louisiana, inspecting the Geismar facility, as well as creating and implementing safety policies and procedures that were used in Louisiana, and conducting its own investigation of the accident in Louisiana. The injury relates to those actions; thus the relator has purposefully availed itself of this state's forum. Relator failed to demonstrate that the exercise of jurisdiction would be unreasonable in light of traditional notions of fair play and substantial justice. Ruckstuhl v. Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp., 98-1126 (La. 4/13/99), 731 So.2d 881, cert. denied, 528 U.S. 1019, 120 S.Ct. 526, 145 L.Ed.2d 407 (1999).
EGD
JMG
MRT
COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT /s/_________
DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT
FOR THE COURT