Hyde v. Chevron U.S.A., Inc.

WISDOM, Circuit Judge:

This diversity action is controlled by Louisiana law. The core of this appeal is the district court’s imposition of strict liability on Chevron U.S.A., Inc. (Chevron), owner of an offshore drilling platform, for injuries sustained by Gerald Hyde, an oil worker employed by the drilling contractor, Pool Offshore Company (Pool). Hyde was injured in an accident on the platform. The district court held that the accident was caused by the “failure” of the last step of a staircase on the platform “in combination with another cause (plaintiff’s initial slip)”. The trial court,…