Court Opinion

ID: 9447268
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 22:30:08.506079+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:57.850177
License: Public Domain

BIGGS, Chief Judge
(dissenting).
I think this court is in error in concluding that the award of $10,000 made to Garlinger, the appellee seaman, by the court below must fall. By her present complaint Garlinger seeks damages because of alleged aggravation and prolongation of her disabilities arising out of a breach of duty by the defendant-appellant shipowner to furnish her continuing maintenance and cure. It must be pointed out that the court below, in a prior proceeding brought by Garlinger for maintenance and cure, granted her maintenance and cure up to December 4, 1951, and on December 5, 1951 found also that she had not reached that point in her recovery where further treatment would not benefit her.
The record demonstrates that Gar-linger was in need of psychotherapy after December 4,1951, and that it would have been possible to rehabilitate her through psychiatric treatment. The jury found this to be so and the court below and this court agree with that conclusion. So long as psychotherapy was required and psychotherapy was available the shipowner was required to furnish it. The duty to furnish maintenance and cure is an absolute one. This duty cannot and should not be limited by traditional tort or contract concepts.
The case at bar is ruled by Cortes v. Baltimore Insular Line, 1932, 287 U.S. 367, 371, 53 S.Ct. 173, 174, 77 L.Ed. 368. Mr. Justice Cardozo stated in the cited case: “If the failure to give maintenance or cure has caused or aggravated an illness, the seaman has his right of action for the injury thus done to him; the recovery in such circumstances including not only necessary expenses, but also compensation for the hurt.” Cf. Graham v. Alcoa S.S. Co., 3 Cir., 1953, 201 F.2d 423.
For these reasons I respectfully dissent from the order denying rehearing.