What's New...
What's New
August 2025 This development is about case involves a federal appeal filed in United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The plaintiff is a fisherman employed aboard a commercial fishing vessel, and thus a Jones Act seaman under federal maritime law. against the owners of a fishing vessel on which he was a seaman. Under the Jones Act, an injured seaman has the right to maintenance and cure, payments by the insurance carrier or P & I Club (protection & indemnity).
The fishermen claims that the owners of the vessel did not pay his adequately for cure (medical costs) following an injury aboard the vessel. This Jones Act seaman included in his request compensatory damages for emotional distress, punitive damages, and attorney's fees. At bench trial, the federal district court ruled in favor of the defendant vessel interests.
The Circuit Court in Massachusetts vacated the judgment of the lower court and granted cure, together with compensatory and punitive damages, including attorney's - to reflect delay on the part of defendant in providing cure (expenss for medical care).
The underlying facts were that shortly into the voyage, while at sea, the seaman became ill. His condition worsened, causing the commercial fishing vessel to change course to return to New Bedford, Massachusetts. After being brought to a hospital on shore, the commercial fisherman was diagnosed with a streptococcus infection. This resulted in six months of care at a nubmer of inpatient facilities, before being admitted to the hospital because of complications. Read more Case No. 24-1003 (1st Cir. 2025) Appeals from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
The fishermen claims that the owners of the vessel did not pay his adequately for cure (medical costs) following an injury aboard the vessel. This Jones Act seaman included in his request compensatory damages for emotional distress, punitive damages, and attorney's fees. At bench trial, the federal district court ruled in favor of the defendant vessel interests.
The Circuit Court in Massachusetts vacated the judgment of the lower court and granted cure, together with compensatory and punitive damages, including attorney's - to reflect delay on the part of defendant in providing cure (expenss for medical care).
The underlying facts were that shortly into the voyage, while at sea, the seaman became ill. His condition worsened, causing the commercial fishing vessel to change course to return to New Bedford, Massachusetts. After being brought to a hospital on shore, the commercial fisherman was diagnosed with a streptococcus infection. This resulted in six months of care at a nubmer of inpatient facilities, before being admitted to the hospital because of complications. Read more Case No. 24-1003 (1st Cir. 2025) Appeals from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
