The Sarnia

Citations

• 137 F. 952
• 1905 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 233

Syllabus

<p>t. Seamen—Injury in Service—Negligent Failure or Ship to Furnish Proper Treatment.</p> <p>Shortly before a steamship left New York for a voyage to the West Indies and return, libelant, a seaman, injured his hand on a loose wire from a cable he was handling. A few days after it became very much swollen and painful, and libelant requested to be left in a hospital at Kingston, which was the first port made. He was not left, but was treated by a physician there, who performed an operation and gave directions for further treatment on board. He was further treated by a physician at another port, but was kept on board until the return of the vessel to New York, when his hand was in such condition that he was compelled to remain in the hospital for two months, and barely escaped amputation; the result being that his hand was rendered permanently useless. It appeared that the directions of the Kingston physician wéré not followed, and that the hand was negligently treated by the officers of the ship, which contributed to its serious condition at the end of the voyage. Held, that the failure to leave libelant at Kingston and his subsequent improper treatment were acts of negligence which rendered the ship liable in damages.</p> <p>2. Same—Damages.</p> <p>An award of $1,500 made to a seaman 43 years old for the permanent crippling of- his right hand through the neglect of the ship to furnish him with proper treatment after an injury to the hand in the service.</p>