Cooley v. United States
On December 8, 1981, six coal miners died in a methane gas explosion at the Grundy Mining Company in Whitwell, Tennessee. Their estates, represented by their widows and administratrix, sued the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), alleging negligence by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Plaintiffs claimed MSHA employees were negligent in approving unsafe ventilation plans, failing to conduct adequate inspections, and failing to enforce safety standards, leading to the miners' deaths. The United States moved to dismiss, asserting sovereign immunity under the FTCA's discretionary function exception. The court analyzed MSHA's statutory and regulatory authority, concluding that MSHA inspectors exercised significant discretion in their duties, and their actions were grounded in governmental policy. Citing Supreme Court precedents, the court found that the discretionary function exception applied, barring the plaintiffs' claims. Consequently, the complaints were dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.