What is Cure and How Does It Differ From Land Based Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
If a seaman gets hurt they are not covered by workers’ compensation insurance. However, under American maritime jurisprudence and Admiralty Law, they are entitled to cure. The definition of cure is that it requires a ship owner to provide medical care, free of charge, to a seaman injured in the service of the ship, until the seaman has reached “maximum medical cure.” The concept of “maximum medical cure” is more extensive than the concept “maximum medical improvement.” The obligation to “cure” a seaman includes the obligation to provide him with medications and medical devices which improve his ability to function, even if they don’t “improve” his actual condition. They may include long term treatments that permit him to continue to function well. Common examples include prostheses, wheelchairs, and pain medications. The duty of the maritime employer to pay cure is regardless of fault. In other words, if the seaman is 100% at fault for his injuries, he is still owed cure. Well…..that s
