Moreno v. Carnival Corporation et al, No. 1:2019cv22900 - Document 22 (S.D. Fla. 2020)
Court Description: ORDER Granting In Part Carnival's 12 Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim. Signed by Senior Judge James Lawrence King on 1/10/2020. See attached document for full details. (jw)
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Moreno v. Carnival Corporation et al Doc. 22 UN ITED STA TE S D ISTR ICT C O U R T SO U TH ER N DISTR ICT O F FLO R IDA M IA M ID IV ISIO N CAjE NO.1:19-cv-22900-JLK DESIREE M O REN O , Plaintiff, CA RN IV AL CORPOR ATION , aPanam anian Corporation d/b/a CARN IV A L CRU ISE LIN E,and VA CATION AN D TOU R CON SULTAN TS, d/b/a U N TOU RS, Defendants. O RD ER G M N TING IN PA RT CA R NIV AL 'S M O TIO N TO DISM ISS ' THIS MATTER isbefore the Courton Defendan/dal'nivalCorporation'sMotion to Dismiss(the (iMotion'')(DE 12),filed September 1à,7019.Pursuantto Rule12(. b)(6)ofthr FederalRulesofCivilProcedtlre,CarnivalseeksdismissalofPlaintiffDebifeeM oreno'sAm ended Complaint.(DE 10).PlainttfffiledaresponseiffoppositiontotheMbtiononSeptember27,.2019.. (DE 13).Carnivalfîled a reply in supportofthe Motiov on October 7,2019 (DE 17)and subsequently filed aN otice of Supplem entalA uthority in suppottofthe M otion on N ovem ber 18, 2019.(DE 20).Accordingly,thismatterisnow ripefordisposition. 1. BACKGROUND Asbackground,thiscase arisesfrom a slip-and-fallon a watertaxiduring an excursion . from aCarnivalcruise.j(SeegenerallyM ot.at1).AccordingtotheAmendedComplaint,Plaintiff jThefactualallegqtionsoftheAmendedComplaint(DE 10) 'afeconstruedinthelightmost favorable to the plaintiffandareacceptedastrue.SeeBrooksv.BlueCross& BlueShieldof Fla.,lnc.,116F.3d 1364,1369(11thCir.1997). . Dockets.Justia.com î) wasapassengerontheCarnivalHorizon,which calledon St.Kitts,W estIndieson oraboutM arch 27,2019.(Am.Compl.!!6,34).Plaintiffdepartedtheshipandparticipatedinanexcurssoncalled theStBeachDay,''(id.!35),wllichwasoperatedbyDefendantKantoursandmarketedbyCarnival. (1d !24).Aftertheexcursion;KantoursEsrushedtheexcurjionjar)tiçipantsontoawatertaxi,which . '' . had stepsto getonto.''(f#.! 36).Thestepswerewetand slippery,caùsin: Plaintiffto falland ' r . lustain injuries.tftf ! 37-38).Plrintiffthen filed this actibn on July 12,2019,claiming:(1) negligence againstCalmival'(CountI);(2) negligentseiection and retention againstCnrnival tcotmt11)9(3)negligenceagainstKantours(Count111);(4l'apparentagendyoragencybyestoppel againstCcnival(CountIV);(5)jointventurebetweenCarnivalandKantours(CountV);and (6) breach of athird-party beneficiary contractbetween Carnivaland Kantours (CountVl).(See generally Am.Cùmpl.). Carnivalnow movestodismisstheAm ended Complaintin itsentirdty asanGlimpennissible * . shotgun pleading.''(Mot.at1).Additionally,Carnivalmoves,to dismissCounts1,I1,lV,V,and Vl,.which (ifgranted)would effectively removeCarnivalfrom thecase and leave Count111e . negligepce >gainstKantours- astheonly remaiping dotmt.(Seegenetally . id.).Asto Count1, CarnivalarguesthatPlaintifffailsto allege factssupporting thatCarnivalknew or should have l cnown thatthewatertaxi'sstepswereunreasonably wetorsiippery.'(f#.at2).Asto CountlI, ' CarnivalarguesthatPlaintifffailsto allege factssupporting thatKantours wasincompetentasa ' y touroperatororthatCarnikalotherwise knew orshould have known uböutKantours'particular incompetencq.(f#.).AstoCùuntIV,CarnivalarguesthatEsapparentagency''isnotanindependent . ' causeofaction.V oreover,accordingto Carnival,GsthematerialsthatEplainyifflreferencesin the A m ended Com plaifit ' and fnakes central to her claim establish that independent contractors operated a11toursandthus'contfadictherallegations.''(f#.).Asto CountV,Carnivallikewise r. ' argursthatthe claim forjointventure failsbecause ('the very TourOperatorAgreementthat Plaintiffreferencesin theAmended Complaintandmakegsqcçntralto herclaim contradictsher .' .. allegations.''(fJ).And asto CountVI,Carnivalarguesthatthe third-party benesciary claim should bedism issedbecausetheabove-referenced touroperatoragreementindicatesthatPlaintiff wasnotantlintendedbeneficiary''ofthecontractbetweenCarnivalandKantours.(1d4. Il. LE G AL STA ND A RD Ci'l-o survive a moiion to dism iss,a complaint must contain sufficient factualm atter, accepted astrue,to çstateaclaim toreliefthatisplausiblepnitsface.'''Ashcroftv.Iqbal,556 U.S.662,678(2009)(quotingBellAtl.Corp.v.Twombly,550U.S.544,5. 70 (2007)). Tomeet thisiiplausibility''standard,aplaintiffmujtpleadGtfactualcontentthatallowsthecourttodraw the reasonable inference that the deferidant is liable for the m isconduct alleged.''fJ. at 678. A complaintmust contain ttmore than labels a/d conclusions,ànd a formulaic recitation of the . elementsofacauseofactionwillnotdo.''Twombly,550U.S.at555.W àiletheCourt'sreview is ) . , generally confined to the four corners of the complaint,when Ctthe plaintiff refers to certain . $ ' doctlm entsinthecomplaintand thosedocum entsarecentralto theplaintiff sclaim ,thentheCourt mayconsiderthedocumehts...forpup osesQfRule 12(b)(6)dismissal.'' Brooks,116F.3d at 1369. II. DISCUSSION A. TheAm ended Com plaintisan Im perm issibleShotgun Pleading TheEleventhCircuittshasbeeproundly,repeatedly,andconsistentlycondemninggshotgun pleadinaslforyears.''ViceM icro,Inc.v.Shabanets,878F.3d1291,1294(11thCir.2018)(internal quotationmarksomitted).$dA shotgun-stylecomplaint(isqonethatincorporatesa11ofthegeneral factual allegations by reference into each subsequent claim for relief.'' Great Fla. Bank v. CountrywideHomeLoans,Inc.,No.10-22124-CIV,2011W L 382588,at*2 (S.D.Fla.Feb.3, 2011)(internalquotationmarksomitted). Shotgunpleadings aredisfavoredbecausetheyma e itPvirtuallyimpossibletoknow whiqh allegationsoffactareintendedtosupportwhich claimts) . . . .- Nj '. . F . ' c j . ' ' . . forrelief. Andersonv.Dist.#tfofTrusteesofcent:Fla.C/n#.Coll.,77F.3(j364,366. ,(11thCir. 1996).M oreover,theyçswastesclcejudicialresources,inexorablybroadenthesçopeofdiscovery, . ' . . wreak havocon appellatecöurtdockets,and undenninethepublic'srespectforthe courtst''Vibe ' . Micro,878F.3dat1295(internalquotation.marksomitted). Here,theAmendedComplaintbeginseachcountbyincorjbratingthefpfty-sixparqgraphs q ' ofgeneralfactualallegations ilgo each subsequentclaim foirelief,maldng no effortto parshal ' . those allegations for the particular claim bçing asserted.For exam ple, one of the ttGeneral Allegations''intheAmendedComplaintisthatt'Carnivalgqexercikesorekercisedcontroloverthe svbjectexcursioninitsrequirementsforitsoperation,insuranbe,andsafety.''(Am.Compl.!43). ltisnotclearwhetherPlainyiffihtendsthis. allègation to supportthe claim agaipstCarnivalfor negligence(Countl),apparentagçnty (CountIV),jointventure(CountV),orsomecombination thereof. AdLitionally,the 'Amended Complaintisttreplete with conclusory,vague,and imm ateriql : . factsnot obviously colm ected to àny particular cause of action.''Weiland v.Palm Beach Cfy. , . '- . Sherff's Ol cc,792 F.3d 1313,1322 (11th Cir.2015)(describing complaintswith vague and conclusoryallegationsasanothertypeofshotgunpleading).Forexample,theAmendbbUomplaint allegesthatCarnivalh&d ç$consiructiveltnöwledgeoftheunreasonaàly dangerousan 'd/orrisk. creating conditions gbecausej gpqrevious incidentts) such as Plaintiffs occurred, and or complaintts)were made,so a; to impute notice upon Carnival.''(Am .Compl.! 51(B)(b)). 7 M oreover,regardingthenegligenceclainiagainsttheexcursion operator,theAm ended complaint allegesthatKantoursl%knew orshouldhaveknownoftheforegoingconditionscàusingthesubject incidentand did notcorrectthem ,and/orthe condition existed fora sufficientlength oftim e st) : thatthe excursion providers,in the exercise ofreasonable care under the circum stances,should h t ave lealmed ofthem.''(1d.! 67).Because ofthis,asin Serra-cruz,Stgtqhe Courtagreeswith . ' . ' , CnnnivalthatPlaintiffhasinsufficientlyplednoticebecauseshehasfaitecttoarticulatewhatfacts gave gDefendantsjactualorconstructive notice aboutany danger6uscondition.''Ser . ra-cruz v. ' . . ' . ;, CarnivalCorp.,CaseNo.:1:18-cv-23033-UU,2019U.S.Disj.LEXIS 23591,. at*23 (S.D.Fla. Feb.12,2019).Simplyput,'1thereisnoexplanationastohowthese:incidqntspu' tSv ettndantsqon , d notice.''Id.at123-24(emphasisinoriginal);veealsoèolanto.v.CtirnivalCorp.,CaseNo.:1021716-C1V-JORDAN,2010U.S.Dist.LEXIj 1;5.0'857,at*7 (S.D.Fla.Aug.1192010)(stThere ' ' . ' ... ' ''''' - '' . '' . . are also no details about the sim ilar past incidents that Carnivalallegedly failed to investigate. .: . W hatweretheincidents,apdhow werethey sim ilar?W hen didthey occur?W howa&theexcursion ' . . . '. ' operator?W howerèthedrlversofihe motùrVehiclesintheotherincldents?How did Carnival .. ' 3 J learn pftheincidents?Thecomplaintisbereftofinform ation ön thesem aterialissues.Ittherefore . failstostateaclaim fornegligende,andisdijmissedwithoùtprejudice.''). B. TheThird-partyBeneficiaryClaim (CoulitVl) CountV Iasserts a claim forbreach ofcontractprèpised orfPlaintiffbeing a third-party . :.' . ' ' . . beneficiarytotheexcursioncontractbetween CarnivalandKaùtours.(SeegenerallyAm.Compl. ! 94).AccordingtotheAmended Complaint,(ûlajn implied term ofthe.subjectcontrpçtbetwezrf' Carnivaland Kantotlrs is thatKantourswillprovide a safq and secure excursion for Cainival 7 . pgssepgers.''(fJ ! 96).Therefore,accordingto the Amended Complaint,Esgtjheintended thifdparty benefciariesofthiscontrad between thepartieswere'' allofthe Carnivalcruise passçngers whoparticipatedinthisexcursion,includingthePlaintiffhrrein.''(f#.!98). , . . t ' . , TheAmendedComplaintdoesnotstatefactstosustainthistheory.Indeed,ligajpartyisan intended beneficiary only if the parties to the contract clearly express, or the contract itself expresses,an intentto prim arily and directly benefitthe third party ora class ofpersons to w hich thatpartyclaimstobelong.''CarettqTrucking,Inc.v.CheoyLeeShèyards,Ltd.,647So.2d1028, 1031(F1a.Dist.Ct.App.1994).ThecontractbetweenCarnivalandKantoursekpresslydisclaims anintenttobenefitanythirdparties.SeeDE 8-7! 12 (isEachpartyrepresentsandwarrantstothe otherparty that...its execution and perform ance underthisA greem entwillnotresulti .n a breach ofany pbligation to any third party orinfringeorotherwise violate any third party'srights.'l.z Therefore,Plaintiffcarmotstatçaclaim toreliefasathird-partybenefciary,underany setoffacts, because the parties did notSûclearly express''àn intentto ttprimarily and directly''benefither. AccordAronson v.Celebrity Cruises,Inc.,30F.Supp.3d 1379,1398(S.D.Fla.2014)(GtTothe extent thatPlaintiff alleges that (the partiesq contracted to ensure the safety of Ethe cruise) passengers,thisisfartoo generalizedto supportathird-party benefciary c1aim.'').CountVIis thereforedismissedwithpiejudice. IV . C O N CLU SIO N ' . , : Accordingly,it'is ORDERED,ADJUDGED,AND DECREED thatCarnival's M otion to Dismiss(DE 12)be,and the same hereby is,GRANTED IN PART.PlaintiffsAmended Complaint(DE 10)ishereby DISM ISSED W ITHOUT PREJUDICE asto cotlnts all' eging negligence.CountVIisDISVISSED W ITH PREJUW CX forthe reasons setforth above. 2On amotion to dism issforfailureto state aclaim ,the Courtisgenerally confined to thefour cornersofthe complaintunlesstttheplaintiffrefersto certaih docum entsin the complaintand thosedoctlm entsare centraltotheplaintiff'sclaim .''Brooks,116 F.3d at1369.TheCollrt considerstheexcursion contractbetween Carnivaland Kantourstobecentralto Plaintiff'sclaim forbreach ofa third-party beneficiary contract.H ow ever,thç Courtdoes notconjiderthis ' contracttobecentraltoPlaintiffsclaimsforjointventureandapparentagencybecausethose claimsaregrotmded in tol'tliabilityratherthan contractliability. PlaintiffmayfileaSecondAmendedComplaintwithinthirty(30)daysfrom thedateofthisOrder ifcounselso elects. DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at the Jam es Lawrence King Federal Justice Buildingand United StatesCourthouse,M iam i,Florida is 10th day o January,2020. v < J ES LAW N CE K IN G ITE: STATESDISTRICT JU SOU TH ERN D ISTR ICT O F FLO CC: A Ilcounselof record A
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