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Timestamp: 2019-06-27 12:41:27
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Jones Act II. PERSONS TO RECOVER A. Seamen 1. Generally b. Tests
II. PERSONS ENTITLED TO RECOVER A. Seamen 1. General Principles b. Tests for Determining Status as Seaman - Maritime Lawyer Hawaii
Maritime Accident Lawyer Hawaii
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II. PERSONS ENTITLED TO RECOVER A. Seamen 1. General Principles b. Tests for Determining Status as Seaman
With respect to determining whether individual--who allegedly was injured while assigned to paint housing structure of tug at dockside, which assignment was obtained through union hiring hall--was seaman under 46 USCS Appx § 688(a), question is what connection individual had in actual fact to vessel operations, not what agreement between employer and union says. Harbor Tug & Barge Co. v Papai (1997, US) 137 L Ed 2d 800, 117 S Ct 1535, 97 CDOS 3507, 97 Daily Journal DAR 6021, 1997 AMC 1817, 10 FLW Fed S 433.
Person working aboard ship cannot be seaman for purposes of 46 USCS Appx § 688 if ship is not in navigation. Antus v Interocean S.S. Co. (1939, CA6 Ohio) 108 F2d 185.
To be considered "seaman" for purposes of recovery under Jones Act, 46 USCS Appx § 688, nature of claimant's duties aboard vessel is not controlling and he need not be serving vessel in strictly navigational capacity. Weiss v Central R. Co. (1956, CA2 NY) 235 F2d 309.
With respect to determination of seaman's status under 46 USCS Appx § 688, there is no absolute requirement that claimant actually cause vessel to move. Mietla v Warner Co. (1975, ED Pa) 387 F Supp 937.
Person is not aboard naturally and primarily as aid to navigation and therefore not Jones Act -46 USCS Appx § 688- seamen where person was never on barge while barge was moving, boarded barge only for purpose of operating crane, of performing maintenance work, and, on rare occasions, for purpose of handling lines or tying up barge and where further person did not sleep overnight on barge. McSweeney v M.J. Rudolph Corp. (1983, ED NY) 575 F Supp 746.
Widow's 46 USCS Appx § 688 claim against U.S. must fail, where husband was killed when overcome by fumes while cleaning and venting various tanks and cofferdams on naval vessel pursuant to his employer's contract with Navy, because these duties did not contribute to transportation function of ship and were not "aid to navigation," and husband therefore was not "seaman." Minnick v United States (1990, ED Va) 767 F Supp 115, 1991 AMC 1284.
Duration of service for and upon vessel may determine whether shipboard work which is not normally performed by ship's company makes worker crewman, but lack of long continued attachment to vessel cannot, as matter of law, serve to deny seaman's status under Jones Act, 46 USCS Appx § 688, to employee who is injured while assigned to and performing normal crew service. Mach v Pennsylvania R. Co. (1963, CA3 Pa) 317 F2d 761; Petition of Read (1963, SD Fla) 224 F Supp 241.
Evidence of sporadic contacts for brief periods of time with water-borne vessels is insufficient to support finding of seaman status under Jones Act, 46 USCS Appx § 688; it must be shown that workman performs significant part of his work aboard ship with at least some degree of regularity and continuity. Holland v Allied Structural Steel Co. (1976, CA5 Miss) 539 F2d 476, reh den (CA5 Miss) 542 F2d 1173 and cert den 429 US 1105, 51 L Ed 2d 557, 97 S Ct 1136.
Real test of coverage under Jones Act, 46 USCS Appx § 688, is not whether claimant is seaman assisting in navigation of vessel or whether vessel itself is plying seven seas; real test is whether claimant is more or less permanently employed aboard vessel in capacity which contributes to accomplishment of vessel's mission; for example cooks, drillers, and musicians employed aboard vessel on more or less permanent basis may be covered by Jones Act. Perez v Marine Transport Lines, Inc. (1958, DC La) 160 F Supp 853.
Employee may be seaman although variously assigned to several different vessels from time to time; and seamen who are injured on shore while engaged in temporary or fill-in work for their employers are covered by Jones Act, 46 USCS Appx § 688. Taylor v Packer Diving & Salvage Co. (1971, ED La) 342 F Supp 365, affd (CA5 La) 457 F2d 512, reh den (CA5 La) 471 F2d 650.
Employee does not meet continuous attachment requirement for status as seaman under Jones Act, 46 USCS Appx § 688, where during his employment he spent less than 15 percent of his total time onboard vessel. Davis v Hill Engineering, Inc. (1977, CA5 Tex) 549 F2d 314, reh den (CA5 Tex) 554 F2d 1065 and (ovrld on other grounds Culver v Slater Boat Co. (CA5 La) 688 F2d 280, op withdrawn, in part (CA5 La) 722 F2d 114, cert den 467 US 1252, 82 L Ed 2d 842, 104 S Ct 3537 and cert den (US) 83 L Ed 2d 37, 105 S Ct 90).
Roustabout injured while unloading pipe from barge was not seaman within meaning of Jones Act (46 USCS Appx § 688) where his time of employment was only 28 workdays of which only one was at sea and where employee had never journeyed with any vessel to its destination to unload cargo and had never eaten or slept on board any vessel. Stokes v B. T. Oilfield Services, Inc. (1980, CA5 La) 617 F2d 1205.
Sanitation worker who was injured at sanitation barge unloading facility may maintain action against city under 46 Appx USCS § 688, where worker served as member of digger gang whose duties included attaching and detaching boatlines of, fighting fires on, and cleaning up loaded and unloaded barges, because whether worker was seaman under § 688 is question of fact since case law does not unequivocally require that seaman be substantially connected to vessel or group of vessels as opposed to being connected to vessel or group of vessels on steady basis. Buccellato v New York (1992, ED NY) 808 F Supp 967.
Whether person is "seaman" within meaning of 46 USCS Appx § 688 depends largely on facts of particular case and activity in which he was engaged at time of injury. Desper v Starved Rock Ferry Co. (1952) 342 US 187, 96 L Ed 205, 72 S Ct 216, reh den 342 US 934, 96 L Ed 695, 72 S Ct 374.
Work done by employee is crucial in determining whether his status is such as to permit recovery for personal injuries in action under 46 USCS Appx § 688. Braen v Pfeifer Oil Transp. Co. (1959) 361 US 129, 4 L Ed 2d 191, 80 S Ct 247.
Employee's prior work history with particular employer may not affect inquiry whether employee is seaman under 46 USCS Appx § 688(a), if employee was injured on new assignment with same employer which involved different essential duties from previous assignments; inquiry into nature of duties for seaman-status purposes may concentrate on narrower, not broader, period than entire course of employment with current employer. Harbor Tug & Barge Co. v Papai (1997, US) 137 L Ed 2d 800, 117 S Ct 1535, 97 CDOS 3507, 97 Daily Journal DAR 6021, 1997 AMC 1817, 10 FLW Fed S 433.
Recovery under 46 USCS Appx § 688 requires affiliation with "vessel", either as crew member or as one injured aboard doing seaman's work. Powers v Bethlehem Steel Corp. (1973, CA1 Mass) 477 F2d 643, reh den (CA1 Mass) 483 F2d 963 and cert den 414 US 856, 38 L Ed 2d 106, 94 S Ct 160.
To qualify as seaman under 46 USCS Appx § 688, claimant must be permanently assigned to or perform substantial part of his work on vessel, and capacity of his employment must contribute to function of vessel, its mission, operation, or its welfare. Wallace v Oceaneering International (1984, CA5 La) 727 F2d 427.
Worker claiming seaman status under 46 USCS Appx § 688 must establish that he is assigned permanently to vessel in navigation or performs substantial part of his work on vessel or fleet of vessels, and that his work contributes to function of vessel or to accomplishment of its mission. Lormand v Superior Oil Co. (1987, CA5 La) 845 F2d 536, 1988 AMC 2362, cert den (US) 98 L Ed 2d 774, 108 S Ct 739, 1988 AMC 2400.
Claimant may not recover under Jones Act (46 USCS Appx § 688), where, in 2-year period prior to accident, he had been out on yawl not more than half-dozen times, and was only one of number of persons that owner called on to crew vessel, even though owner may have promised to include him in trans-Pacific voyage in future, because claimant is not seaman since his connection to yawl was not substantial in terms of its duration or nature. Xanadu Maritime Trust v Meyer (1998, ND Cal) 21 F Supp 2d 1104, 99 Daily Journal DAR 2933.
Self-employed compass adjuster was not seaman under 46 USCS Appx § 688 because his connection with vessel was temporary. Lotzman v Oxyness Shipping Co. (1978) 93 Misc 2d 461, 402 NYS2d 964.
Decedents whose duties consisted of spreading and leveling gravel in barges, where it was deposited by conveyer belt from dredge, and who lived on dredge boat along with rest of men employed, not being required to live aboard, but not being charged anything for their quarters or board, were members of crew and entitled to recovery under 46 USCS Appx § 688. Wilkes v Mississippi River Sand & Gravel Co. (1953, CA6 Tenn) 202 F2d 383, cert den 346 US 817, 98 L Ed 344, 74 S Ct 29.
Activity of plaintiff at time of injury is only one factor in analysis of whether or not that individual, seeking damages under Jones Act (46 USCS Appx § 688), is engaged in occupation covered by Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (33 USCS § 905) and thus ineligible for Jones Act benefits; general issue of material fact exists as to plaintiff's status as seaman, where, at time of accident, plaintiff was either on shore constructing new crew quarters for barge or on shore loading barge with sand for subsequent pipelaying job offshore, and plaintiff also maintains that he spent approximately 90 percent of his employment time with employer offshore onboard barge as member of crew of that barge, and employer does not dispute that plaintiff's job title for purposes of receiving compensation was crane operator onboard barge. Thibodeaux v Torch, Inc. (1988, CA5 La) 858 F2d 1048, reh den, en banc (CA5 La) 862 F2d 874.
Employee was Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (33 USCS § § 901 et seq.) longshoreman rather than Jones Act (46 USCS Appx § 688) seaman when injured because he was promoting loading and unloading of cargo when injured and for 2 months preceding injury spent only 2 days engaged in seaman's work and remaining days on shore conducting vessel repairs. Chauvin v Sanford Offshore Salvage, Inc. (1989, CA5 La) 868 F2d 735, 1989 AMC 1380.
In personal injury action brought by power plant operator against employer under Jones Act (46 USCS Appx § 688) and general maritime law arising out of injury to plaintiff while temporarily assigned to one of defendant's fixed drilling platforms, plaintiff is seaman within meaning of Jones Act (46 USCS Appx § 688) where plaintiff's normal job assignment is on submersible drilling platform designed to be towed from drilling position to drilling position, where plaintiff is temporarily assigned to fixed drilling platform, and where plaintiff is to be transferred to movable drilling platform as soon as feasible; movable drilling platforms are vessels for purposes of Act whereas permanently fixed platforms are not, and once it is established that worker is seaman, Act permits worker to recover for injuries received while off vessel, and temporary assignment of plaintiff to fixed platform does not divest him of status as seaman. Wilkerson v Teledyne Movible Offshore, Inc. (1980, ED Tex) 496 F Supp 1279.
Injured worker does not state claim under 46 USCS Appx § 688, where worker performed tests on pipe and oil field casings, spent less than 10 percent of his time on vessels, and was never permanently assigned to any vessel or identifiable fleet of vessels, because worker is not "seaman," notwithstanding that he was injured while on ship near offshore drilling platform. Bailey v Global Marine, Inc. (1989, SD Tex) 714 F Supp 235.
Injured diver is "seaman" entitled to bring claim under Jones Act (46 USCS Appx § 688), where diver logged total of 69 hours over course of 3-week period as member of dive team on tugboat used to transport workers and as station for underwater work of replacing submarine hose at oil refinery just prior to suffering "bends" while on dive for project, because nature of his work and its dependence on vessel satisfy "permanent connection with vessel" prong of seaman test. Kjar v American Divers (1991, DC Hawaii) 851 F Supp 388, 1994 AMC 522.
Offshore worker was not "seaman" under 46 USCS Appx § 688, where worker performed duties as gauger and operator on wells and platforms, but worker often was transported by crew boat to wells or platforms to perform his job, and fact that worker sometimes piloted crew boats and performed some routine maintenance on them did not establish that he did substantial amount of his work on vessel. Borne v Vintage Petroleum (1996, SD Tex) 949 F Supp 492.
To qualify for 46 USCS Appx § 688 benefits, injured worker must be on more or less permanent assignment to vessel or performing substantial part of his work aboard vessel. Tipton v Socony Mobil Oil Co. (1963, CA5 Tex) 315 F2d 660, vacated on other grounds 375 US 34, 11 L Ed 2d 4, 84 S Ct 1, reh den 375 US 936, 11 L Ed 2d 268, 84 S Ct 328; Stafford v Perini Corp. (1973, CA1 Mass) 475 F2d 507; Dugas v Pelican Constr. Co. (1973, CA5 La) 481 F2d 773, cert den 414 US 1093, 38 L Ed 2d 550, 94 S Ct 724.
Plaintiff who was shore-based worker hired by independent contractor to do special job in hold of vessel and not employed by owner of vessel is not any sense permanently attached to that vessel and lacks status necessary to sue vessel owner under Jones Act, 46 USCS Appx § 688. Thomas v Peterson Marine Service, Inc. (1969, CA5 La) 411 F2d 592, cert den 396 US 1006, 24 L Ed 2d 499, 90 S Ct 562.
Land-based maritime workers do not become seaman because they happen to be working on board vessel when they are injured, and seamen do not lose protection under 46 USCS Appx § 688(a) when course of their service to vessel takes them ashore. Schultz v Louisiana Dock Co. (2000, ED La) 94 F Supp 2d 746.
In deciding whether there is identifiable group of vessels of relevance for purposes of determining whether employee is seaman under 46 USCS Appx § 688(a)--in that one requirement for seaman status is that employee have connection to vessel in navigation, or to identifiable group of such vessels, that is substantial in terms of both duration and nature--question is whether vessels are subject to common ownership or control. Harbor Tug & Barge Co. v Papai (1997, US) 137 L Ed 2d 800, 117 S Ct 1535, 97 CDOS 3507, 97 Daily Journal DAR 6021, 1997 AMC 1817, 10 FLW Fed S 433.
Employer who hires men to work on water on vessels engaged in navigation and permits them to have permanent connection with vessel as to expose them to same hazards of marine service as those shared by all aboard should not be permitted to exculpate himself from responsibility for negligence under Jones Act, 46 USCS Appx § 688, on thesis that employees' duties were not confined to single ship but involved many ships. Mach v Pennsylvania R. Co. (1962, WD Pa) 207 F Supp 233, affd (CA3 Pa) 317 F2d 761.
Where plaintiff's connections with defendant's vessels was clearly sporadic and he failed to identify barge or group of barges to which he was regularly assigned or to which he had any degree of continuing responsibility, plaintiff is not "seaman" within meaning of 46 USCS Appx § 688. Baker v Pacific Far East Lines, Inc. (1978, ND Cal) 451 F Supp 84.
Fact that plaintiff was injured on pier was of no relevance with respect to his seaman's status under 46 USCS Appx § 688, and his seaman's status was not denied as matter of law because he lived, ate, and slept ashore. Mietla v Warner Co. (1975, ED Pa) 387 F Supp 937.
46 USCS Appx § 688 has provided right of recovery for seamen against their employers for negligence resulting in injury or death, right which follows from seaman's employment status and not limited to injury or death occurring on high seas. Moragne v States Marine Lines, Inc. (1970) 398 US 375, 26 L Ed 2d 339, 90 S Ct 1772, on remand (CA5 Fla) 446 F2d 906.
Seamen can recover under 46 USCS Appx § 688 for injury suffered in course of ship's services, whether on land or sea. Re Dearborn Marine Service, Inc. (1974, CA5 Tex) 499 F2d 263, 30 ALR Fed 499, reh den (CA5 Tex) 512 F2d 1061, and cert dismd 423 US 886, 46 L Ed 2d 118, 96 S Ct 163.
46 USCS Appx § 688 has no application where plaintiff was working on land at time he was injured. Seifort v Keansburg Steamboat Co. (1937, DC NY) 20 F Supp 542, 1937 AMC 821.
Seaman is not entitled to recover under 46 USCS Appx § 688 for injury occurring on land, even though it occurred while unloading coal from barge to tipple, injured seaman being crane operator working about ninety feet from water's edge on railroad track. Nixon v Raymond City Coal & Transp. Co. (1939) 280 Ky 743, 134 SW2d 633.
Seaman injured on wharf on Puerto Rico while painting side of American vessel could not sue under 46 USCS Appx § 688, but was limited to workmen's compensation act of Puerto Rico, since such injuries occurring on land are under law of land. Esteves v Lykes Bros. S.S. Co. (1934, CA5 Tex) 74 F2d 364, cert den 295 US 751, 79 L Ed 1695, 55 S Ct 830.
Fact that plaintiff was injured on pier was of no relevance with respect to his seaman's status under 46 USCS Appx § 688. Mietla v Warner Co. (1975, ED Pa) 387 F Supp 937.
Plaintiff was not seaman within meaning of 46 USCS Appx § 688 where at time of injury he was shoreside worker, performing maintenance on docked vessels, and had been so employed for 3 to 4 months even though prior to this time he was employed as seaman aboard vessel. White v Louisiana Menhaden Co. (1980, ED La) 498 F Supp 126.
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