Source: https://www.lattianderson.com/articles/jones-act-regulatory-basis-of-liability/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 10:00:47+00:00

Document:
Incorporates Federal Employers Liability Act, FELA, 45 U.S.C. §§ 51-60.
Seaman “must contribute to the function of the vessel or to the accomplishment of its mission.” Wilander, 498 U.S. at 355.
Seaman have “employment related connection to vessel in navigation that is substantial in terms of both its duration and its nature” Chandris, Inc., 515 U.S. at 368, 370.
Case law has interpreted that scientific personnel who serve on research vessels are not considered Jones Act seamen under Oceanographic Research Vessel Act, (ORVA) 46 U.S.C. App. § 441 et. seq.
If you are unable to separate the cause or causes of the Plaintiff’s illness and death between an illness caused or exacerbated by the defendants’ conduct and that resulting from a pre-existing condition, the defendants are liable for all such injuries that you have found the Plaintiff to have suffered., Stevens v. Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Company, 97 F.3d 594, 603 (1st Cir. 1996).
Three principals “First, the “primary duty” rule will not bar a claim of injury arising from the breach of a duty that the plaintiff did not consciously assume as a term of his employment. Second, the rule does not apply where a seaman is injured by a dangerous condition that he did not create and, in the proper exercise of his employment, could not have controller or eliminated. Third, the rule applies only to a knowingly violation of a duty consciously assumed as a term of employment. It does not apply to a momentary lapse of care by an otherwise careful seaman” Bernard v. Maersk Lines, Ltd., 22 F.3d 903, 907 (9th Cir. 1994), Moore v. The Sally J., 27 F. Supp. 2d 1255, 1262-63 (W.D. Wash. 1998).
An employer’s violation of an applicable Coast Guard safety regulation that causes injury or death is negligence per se. Kernan v. American Dredging Co., 355 U.S. 426, 78 S.Ct. 394, 2 L.Ed. 2d 382 (1958); Smith v. Trans-World Drilling, Co., 772 F.2d 157 (5th Cir. 1985).
Does not matter if the injury/death was not one which the stature was designed to prevent.
In The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that in a collision case, where one party violates a statute or regulation intended to prevent collision, the burden of proof shifts to the offending party to establish that the violation “could not have been” a cause of the collision. 86 U.S. (19 Wall) 125, 22 L.Ed. 148 (1873).
Circuits have expanded the application of the Pennsylvania Rule to cover all types of Coast Guard regulations and all types of marine casualties. Continental Grain Co. v. Puerto Rico Maritime Shipping Authority, 972 F.2d 426, 436 (1st Cir. 1992), Reyes vs. Vantage Steamship Co., Inc., 609 F.2d 140 (5th Cir. 1980)(Jones Act death case); Candies Towing Co., Inc. v. M/V B&C Eserman, 673 F.2d. 91 (5th Cir. 1982) (sinking with cargo loss); Folkstone Maritime Inc. v. CSX Corp., 64 F.3d 1037 (7th Cir. 1995)(allusion case); In Re Seaboard Shipping Corp., 449 F.2d 132 (2nd Cir. 1971)(Limitation proceeding involving drowning of seamen); Smith v. Mitlof, 130 F.Supp. 2nd 578 (S.D.N.Y. 2001)(passenger case).
-under the rule established in The Pennsylvania and expanded in Continental Grain, once a Plaintiff establishes that the Defendant violated an applicable Coast guard regulation, the burden rests upon the Plaintiff “of showing not merely that her fault might not have been one of the causes, or that it probably was not, but that it could not have been” one of the causes. 972 F.2d at 436 (emphasis added). See also, Pennzoil Producing Co. v. Offshore Exp., Inc., 943 F.2d 1465, 1471-1472 (5th cir. 1991), Waterman S.S. Corp. v. Gay Cottons, 414 F.2d 724, 736-737 (9th Cir. 1969);).
If prove that statute was designed to prevent injury that occurred, that Defendant violated statute and prove that violation of statute caused injury then there is no contributory negligence, Kernan v. American Dredging Co., 355 U.S. 426 (1958); Fuszek v. Royal King Fisheries, Inc., 98 F.3d 514, 517 (9th Cir. 1996); Pratico v. Portland Terminal Co., 783 F.2d 255 (1st Cir. 1985); Roy Crook and Sons, Inc v. Allen, 778 F.2d 1037, 1986 AMC 2731 (5th Cir. 1985); Kelly v. Keystone Shipping, Co., 281 F.Supp. 2nd 313 (D.Ma. 2003); Martin vs. Cape Fear, Inc. 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7722 (D.Ma. 2004).
Cases where FELA does not preempts Professional Rule 4.2- Weibrecht v. Southern Illinois Transfer, 241 F.3d 875 (7th Cir. 2001), Groppo v. Zappa, Inc., 2005 U.S.Dist.Lexis 5651 (D.MA 2005), In the Matter of the Complaint of PMD Enterprises Inc., 215 F.Supp.2d 519 (D. N.J. 2002), Tucker v. Norfolk & Western Railway Comp., 849 F. Supp. 1096 (E.D. VA 1994), Queensberry v. Norfolk and Western Railway Comp., 157 F.R.D. 21 (E.D. VA 1993), Woodard v. Nabors Offshore Corp., 2001 WL 13339 (E.D.La 2001), Belote v. Maritrans Operating Partners, L.P., 1998 WL 136523 (E.D.Pa 1998).
Incorporates wrongful death and survival sections of FELA, 45 U.S.C. § 51, 59.
(a) Cause of action. A seaman injured in the course of employment or, if the seaman dies from the injury, the personal representative of the seaman may elect to bring a civil action at law, with the right of trial by jury, against the employer. Laws of the United States regulating recovery for personal injury to, or death of, a railway employee apply to an action under this section.
(b) Venue. An action under this section shall be brought in the judicial district in which the employer resides or the employer’s principal office is located.
Definition. In this section, the term “continental shelf” has the meaning given that term in article I of the 1958 Convention on the Continental Shelf.
The individual suffering the injury or death was employed at the time of the incident by a person engaged in the exploration, development, or production of the offshore mineral or energy resources, including drilling, mapping, surveying, diving, pipelaying, maintaining, repairing, constructing, or transporting supplies, equipment, or personnel, but not including Transporting those resources by a vessel constructed or adapted primarily to carry oil in bulk in the cargo spaces.
§30106. Time limit on bringing maritime action for personal injury or death.

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