Document: 369 U.S. 527 82 S.Ct. 997 8 L.Ed.2d 88 No. 92-6075. Clifford VAUGHAN, Petitioner,v.N. J. ATKINSON, etc., et al. 323. Argued March 22, 1962. Decided May 14, Rehearing Denied June 25, See 370 965, 1578. Case below, 90 Md.App. 79, 607 A.2d 921. Jacob L. Morewitz, Newport News, Va., Burt M. on the brief, for petitioner. Walter B. Martin, Jr., Norfolk, respondents. Opinion of Court by Mr. Justice DOUGLAS, announced BRENNAN. 1 This is a suit in admiralty brought seaman to recover (a) maintenance and cure (b) damages failure pay cure.1 The District Court, while disallowing claim damages, granted maintenance, less any sums earned libellant during period question. 200 F.Supp. 802. Appeals affirmed, Chief Judge Sobeloff dissenting. 291 F.2d 813. case here writ certiorari. 368 888, 143, 7 87. 2 Libellant served respondents'2 vessel from November 26, 1956, 2, 1957, when he was discharged termination voyage. On 7, reported United States Public Health Service Hospital examination admitted 18, as an inpatient, treated suspected tuberculosis. 6, outpatient status remained that over two years. August 1959, notified fit duty 19, 1959. 3 hospital records show strong probability active Master furnished certificate enter his discharge, 1957. Though forwarded owner's agent abstract clinical record at only investigation conducted them interrogation Engineer, who stated had never complained illness four months' service. owner made no effort make further libellant's cure, according findings did not bother even admit or deny validity claim. Nearly years passed which own. Ultimately required hire attorney sue courts agreeing lawyer 50% contingent fee. Even so, held furnish been shown. In its view such are payable attorney's fees incurred but caused agravated other physical mental suffering. 4 first allowed rate $8 day February Since worked taxi driver, ordered earnings be deducted amount owed Subject credit, order also provided per continued until time reached maximum state recovery. addition 6% interest each week's unpaid. Subsequently extended cover 17, through these later awards being without interest. 5 denied counsel relying conventional rule suits breach contract promisee item computing promisor. And Appeals, following Wilson v. States, 229 277, Perez Suwanee S.S. Co., 239 180, Second Circuit, has mitigate since 'the purpose whole,' 'he will get something more than entitled to' unless deducted. F.2d, 814, 815. 6 We disagree with lower both points. I. Equity stranger admiralty; are, indeed, authorized grant equitable relief. Swift & Co. Packers Compania Colombiana Del Caribe, 339 684, 691—692, 70 861, 866, 94 L.Ed. 1206, where we said, 'We find restriction upon chancery so unrelenting bar relief subsidiary issues wholly within jurisdiction.' Counsel have awarded equity actions, Negroes were bring against labor union prevent discrimination. Rolax Atlantic Coast Line R. Cir., 186 473, 481. As Sprague Ticonic Nat. Bank, 307 161, 164, 59 777, 779, 83 1184, allowance expenses entailed litigation, included ordinary taxable costs regulated statute, 'part historic jurisdiction federal courts.' do case. Nor usual problem what constitutes 'costs' sense. Cf. Baltimore, Wall. 377, 19 463. Our question concerns damages. Apollon, 9 Wheat. 362, 379, 111, one party put expense recovering demurrage wrongfully seized. While give may rise suffering handicap follows (The Iroquois, 194 240, 24 640, 48 955), recovery include 'necessary expenses.' Cortes Baltimore Insular Line, 287 367, 371, 53 173, 174, 77 368. instant respondents callous their attitude, making silence neither admitting nor denying it. result recalcitrance, forced go court plainly him under laws centuries old. default willful persistent. It difficult imagine clearer suffered this one.3 II. 10 Maintenance designed provide food lodging becomes sick injured ship's service; it extends incapacitated seaman's work continues reaches medical policy underlying summarized Calmar Corp. Taylor, 303 525, 528, 58 651, 653, 993: 11 'The reasons rule, reference must defining it, those enumerated classic passage Story Harden Gordon, C.C., Fed.Cas.No. 6047: protection seamen, who, class, poor, friendless improvident, hazards abandonment ill foreign ports; inducement masters owners protect safety health seamen merchant marine commercial service maritime defense nation inducing men accept employment arduous perilous service.' 12 Admiralty liberal interpreting 'for benefit wards.' Id., 529, 654. noted Aguilar Standard Oil 318 724, 730, 63 930, 933, 934, 87 1107, shipowner's liability among most pervasive' all defeated restrictive distinctions 'narrowly confined.' 735, 936. When there ambiguities doubts, they resolved favor seaman. Warren 340 523, 71 432, 95 503. 13 differs rights normally classified contractual. Cardozo said supra, 371 U.S., 174 S.Ct., cure4 'is imposed law itself annexed employment. * Contractual sense source relation contractual origin, given relation, agreement competent abrogate incident.' 14 Johnson 333 46, 68 391, 92 468, living parents' ranch cost himself payments. There others. Here own nearly survive. would sorry if shipowners, knowing could disregard force disabled work, then evade part legal obligation having reduced man's earnings. dreadful weapon hands unconscionable employers plain inducement, below (291 820), use withholding means forcing should resting, themselves whole amounts owing cure. war attitude heretofore obtained admiralty's tender regard seamen. think Third Circuit (see Yates Dann, 223 64, 67) preferable expressed Fourth 15 Reversed. 16 FRANKFURTER took decision 17 WHITE consideration 18 STEWART, whom HARLAN joins, I agree whether received prior credited issue mechanical application rules relating mitigation But cannot petitioner's set off him. can Court's conclusion petitioner matter expended 20 real contractual, hardly equated, therefore, action contract. inseparable incident heed expression contracting parties.' 372, Moreover, accountability determined solely damage principles law, become crucial, arise.1 assignment dispositive role perform create unwarranted incentive refusing 21 decided, rather, scope imposes. shipowner, irrespective fault, taken lost much original significance era relaxed unseaworthiness negligence concepts. ancient origin,2 recognized our Fed.Cas. 480, 6,047, Reed Canfield, 426, 11,641.3 historically alleviate financial hardships otherwise beset ashore, perhaps port, support, hope obtaining care. 483 (Story, J.). sea sought hardships, partly humanitarian reasons, because national maintaining morale effectiveness marine. 993. 22 '(t)he does extend beyond need.' 531, ends absolutely point reached. 530, 654; Farrell 336 511, 69 707, 93 850. expense, shipowner payment.4 Thus hospitalized period. convalesces home parents incurring support. 50, 393, 394, 468. 23 limited whole, logically follow periods seaman, though yet either fact obtain equivalently gainful able so.5 keeps workers idle deemed desirable one.6 countervailing policies involved resolving issue. adequate want requires assurance receive payments some indefinite future. Payments promptly made, contemporaneous injury. reason remedy kept simple, uncluttered fine breed attendant delays expenses. 516, 709, 710, A therefore encouraged withhold economic necessity back thereby reduce liability. meet ultimate goal avoidance pressures hinders recovery.7 need prompt payment desirability avoiding might detriment well require compulsion seek placed convalescing setoff respect actual, opposed potential, presented before us. Similarly, account actual whose dereliction compels necessity, present either, showing return necessity. So far us indicates, completely voluntary, maintenance. Holding accountable circumstances carries out basic creates undue payments, pressure compelling premature work. right holding gainfully employed taxicab driver.8 25 second bringing '(i)f aggravated illness, injury thus done him; including necessary expenses, compensation hurt.' decision, find, furnishes basis fees. dealt compensatory injury, opinion contains nothing indicate departure well-established recovered McCormick, Damages, § 61. 26 However, refusal stemmed wanton intentional latter exemplary accord traditional concepts 79. discretion finder, necessarily measured fees, indirect expenditures made. Day Woodworth, How. 363, 181. accordingly remand motivated respondents' fully canvassed. Claims wages, disallowed here. American Waterways Corp., National Shipping Trading agent, Respondent Atkinson Master. Whether award reasonable express opinion, considered Appeals. derives Article VI Laws Oleron, 30 1171, 1174: 'If mariners hired master vessel, ship leave, drunk, happens contempt master, debates, fighting quarrelling themselves, whereby happen wounded: shall obligated cured, thing them, turn accomplices ship; words bound besides: master's orders commands company ship, wounded hurt, cured charges ship.' Story, charge concerning history: same principle recognised Wisbuy (Laws Wisbuy, art. 19), peculiar England, measure incorporated into her jurisprudence. Consolato del Mare speak particularly point; provisions venerable collection usages cases allied, every infer, similar prevailed Mediterranean. Mare, cc. 124, 125; Boucher, Consulat de la Mer, 127, 128. Molloy evidently adopts general doctrine (Molloy, b. c. 3, 5, p. 243); elementary writers distinguished reputation quoted old ordinances slightest intimation, perfectly consonant usage England. Abb. Shipp. 4, 14; Brown, Adm. 182—184. subject greater extent uniformity authority, probably found support successfully engrafted jurisprudence last century.' 483. §§ 158—160; Restatement, Contracts, 336(1); Corbin, 1041. earliest codifications treatment wages falling These early codes part, reprinted 1171—1216. Arts. VII 1174—1175; XVIII, XIX, XXXIII 1191, 1192; XXXIX XLV Hanse Towns, 1200; Title Fourth, XI XII, Marine Ordinances Louis XIV, 1209. Norris, Law Seamen, 537. Other rather Trani, Art. X, Black Book (Twiss' ed. 1876) 531; Tables Amalphi, 13. Gilmore Black, Admiralty, 253. Stankiewicz Fruit 580; Williams 228 129; Dodd M/V Peggy G., D.C., 149 823; Nunes Lines, Inc., 129 147, affirmed point, 227 619; Ballard Alcoa 122 10; 266; 568. generally available, seeks hospitalization elsewhere. Loyola, 161 126; Johnson, 160 789; Marshall International Mercantile 39 551; Zackey Export 152 772; Benton Towing 120 638. Kossick 365 731, 737, 81 886, 891, 56; 654, exceptional circumstances, however, available hospital, elsewhere chargeable shipowner. 133 319, aff'd 129. Actual offset many cases, usually discussion. Rodgers Lines 189 226; Inter Ocean Behrendsen, 128 506; Loverich Warner 118 690; Colon Trinidad 188 97; Scott Lykes Bros. 104; 638, aff'd, Cir, 224 558; Steinberg 362; Burch Smith, 6; Eastern Dawn, 322. held, after discussion, permitted potential earnings, failed establish secured period, days actually employed. subsequently ruled recuperating 180. three denied. 124 125, district judge 'in need' throughout 'penalized' returned reversed grounds, sustaining ruling statement circumstance appellee regular legally recovery.' 67. Hanson Reiss Steamship 184 545, 550 ('Liability cease person obtains occupation compelled induced necessity.'); Meirino Gulf 170 515, 517 ('The care attention deprive cure.'). condition course above due. availability detract importance harmful effects would, recomputation award. day-by-day concept, my Instead, computed total due, Compare 277. full discussion aspect Note, 37 N.Y.U.L.Rev. 316, 320—321.

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