Compensation for the seafarer's injury amounted to $250 000

A seafarer, who was injured while working on board the vessel and lost his ability to work, received compensation from the German shipowner in the amount of $250 000. The Chairman of the SUR primary union organization of seafarers in Vladivostok, Petr Osichanskiy, who helped to handle this case, is absolutely sure that this became possible only because the vessel was covered by the ITF collective agreement. The representatives of the union have been contacted by the seafarer at the end of April 2020, when he asked for help in obtaining monetary indemnity. The seafarer said that in March 2019, while working on board the vessel Pia (IMO 9384318, flag of Antigua and Barbuda), he received a serious injury to the vertebrae and hip joint. In this regard, the claim about the payment of sick leave and compensation for injury was submitted. «It took a long time to collect all the necessary medical documents: a certificate of group II disability, the certificate of examination in the Bureau of medical and social expertise and the conclusion of the Commission that the person can no longer continue to work at sea, explained Petr Osichanskiy». So, on May 15, the seafarer received a medical report from the Bureau of medical and social expertise of the Primorsky territory, which determined the loss of body function by 70% as a result of injury. After that, the trade union committee managed to reach agreement with the medical and diagnostic center of the Maritime University named after admiral Nevelsky about passing the medical examination, Petr Osichansky continued.  On June 5, they confirmed the status of disability and loss of professional ability to work. Further, events developed according to the most favorable scenario. On July 11, the P&I club sent a letter confirming the need to calculate and pay for temporary disability to the seafarer until June 5, e.g. the date when permanent professional disability is established. In addition, the German shipping company recognized the right of its former employee to receive a compensation payment in the amount of $250 000, since the vessel Pia is covered by the collective agreement. «The key point in this story is that the seafarer was paid sick leave and the compensation in accordance with the current collective agreement. All this suggests that the collective agreement guarantees seafarers the employee benefits and the implementation of all the arrangements indicated in the agreement between the union and the employer, summed up Petr Osichanskiy.