121 F. 901 | W.D.N.Y. | 1902
This is a libel against the steamship Troy to recover damages for injuries sustained by libelant, an ordinary seaman, while in the employ of the libeled vessel on July 13, 1900. The vessel was then at Duluth, Minn. This was not the first trip of libel-ant on the steamer Troy as deck hand. He shipped in that capacity for one trip during the season of 1898. He was well acquainted with the manner of handling lines on board of lake propellers. He handled the bowlines of the Troy several times on the day preceding the injury, and was well acquainted with the surroundings in that part of the ship where the bowline was used. At the time of the accident he was in the performance of his duties, under the immediate orders of the mate. He was engaged in paying out a coil of rope to moor the vessel to the dock. While performing that duty he suffered a most unfortunate accident: he lost his leg in a most shocking manner. Libelant and another seaman, named Moxie, who was not produced as a witness by either party, had charge of the bowline in the forecastle. Suddenly libelant was caught in a bight or kink of the hawser handled by him, and by force of the line moving through the chock was violently drawn to the bitts. He cried out in alarm. The captain rapidly directed the use of an ax, but before assistance availed the swiftly moving line had crushed and torn off his leg above the knee. It is claimed for libelant that he is entitled to damages for the following reasons: First, in
That the libelant, by his acceptance of employment, assumed the ordinary risks attendant on the employment, does not need a citation of authorities. No claim is here made that the owner of the ship failed to use reasonable care toward the selection and retention of competent men to navigate the Troy. The ship, therefore, must be held free from fault if the injury occurred because of the negligence of a fellow servant. It is presumed that the owners of the vessel used due diligence in the employment of its officers and crew. The burden of proof of incompetency of officers or crew, therefore, is upon libelant to satisfy the court that the owners of the vessel failed in that regard. Soderman v. Kemp, 145 N. Y. 427, 40 N. E. 212; Railroad Co. v. Daniels, 152 U. S. 684, 14 Sup. Ct. 756, 38 L. Ed. 597; The Lydia M. Deering (D. C.) 97 Fed. 971. The proofs as a whole satisfy me that the vessel was properly equipped, and, as already stated, sufficiently manned. The crew was ample to insure that the work necessary to be done by libelant could be safely performed. The case is a sad one, and any existing equities should be resolved in favor of the libelant. It does not appear that the accident could have been prevented except by a more careful performance on his part of the duties imposed on the deck hand assigned to assist libelant. It is not entirely clear that the accident occurred through any act of a fellow servant. Doubtless the omission of Moxie to handle the line contributed to it.
It is contended that the failure of the mate to direct the line to be untwisted and coiled 'before using it, or that the failure of the watchman to properly perform his duties, may have produced it. If the accident may be ascribed to the negligence of either one of these men, it nevertheless was the negligence of a fellow servant. Under such circumstances there was no negligence which could be charged against the vessel, and render her owners liable or responsible for any injuries suffered. Cregan v. Marston, 126 N. Y. 568, 27 N. E. 952, 22 Am. St. Rep. 854; The Ida B. Cothell, 10 C. C. A. 634, 62 Fed. 765; The Egyptian Monarch (D. C.) 36 Fed. 773; The City of Alexandria (D. C.) 17 Fed. 390; The E. B. Ward, Jr. (C. C.) 20 Fed. 702; Carlson v. Association (D. C.) 93 Fed. 468; The Luckenbach (D. C.) 53 Fed. 662; Red River Line v. Smith, 39 C. C. A. 620, 99 Fed. 520; Same v. Cheatham, 9 C. C. A. 124, 60 Fed. 517.
The place provided by the vessel in which to perform the work was not unsafe or improper for the performance of work of this character. The proofs show that it rained on the morning of the day of the accident. At noon it cleared, and by the ship’s log it appears that at about the time when libelant was injured the sun was shining bright. This would seem not to require an electric light in the forecastle. Steam from the winch was not escaping in such quantities as to obscure libelant’s sight. I conclude that it is not seriously pretended that the escape of steam from the windlass in the forecastle contributed to the accident.
“The term ‘cure’ was probably employed originally in the sense of taking charge or care of the disabled seamen, and not in that of positive healing. * * * To cure would involve impossibilities. * * * Thus broken limbs or bodily debility, resulting from services in the ship, are very often the sailor’s heritage for the residue of his life.”
In Brown v. Overton, Fed. Cas. No. 2,024, Justice Sprague says:
“A seaman disabled in the service of the ship is to be cured at the' expense of the ship. To this his right is as perfect as to food or wages. It is incumbent upon the master to furnish means of cure, and use all reasonable exertions for that purpose.”
In that case the ship was found blameworthy for failing to put in at St. Helena for the care and relief of a seaman who fell from aloft and broke both his legs. The ship was on her way from Calcutta to Boston. When the ship arrived at Boston no one paid any attention to the disabled seaman except to send him-food from on shore. A few days thereafter it was proposed by the master to send him to the Marine Hospital, but at his request he was carried to the Massachusetts Hospital. The court held that failure to afford him medical attendance was an act of negligence on the part of the captain. A competent surgeon should have been called immediately, and suitable nursing and lodging should have been provided at the expense of the ship, either at the Massachusetts Hospital or elsewhere. It is true that the facts in the cases just cited are not strictly parallel to those presented by the case .at bar. It is apparent, however, upon their examination, that the principle involved, which enjoins strict care upon the vessel to provide care for the seaman until a cure is effected, is clearly enunciated, and that that principle may be aptly applied to the present case.
No evidence is given on behalf of libelant from which the court may infer how soon his wound was healed after his return to Buffalo, nor whether he still required medicine and medical attendance; neither has any proof been offered tending to show the amount incurred for living expenses during the process of healing. Nevertheless I think that in view of the circumstances the libelant should be allowed, beside $75, expenses incurred for medical attendance at Duluth, the sum of $600 to cover his living expenses during the reasonable period in which he might recover, as well as to receive some compensation for the suffering which he undoubtedly has endured by reason of his not having such care and attention as the circumstances and nature of his injury required. The Eva B. Hall (D. C.) 114 Fed. 755.
Eet a decree be entered awarding libelant the sum of $675, with costs.