Baldwin v. Huffman Towing Co.

Mr. PRESIDING JUSTICE CARTER

delivered the opinion of the court:

The plaintiff, Jack Baldwin, was injured on April 21, 1973, while employed as a deckhand on the M/V Lady Slipper, a towboat belonging to defendant. The injury occurred while he was attempting to secure the tow and its barges to a lock wall at Lock and Dam 26 at Alton, Illinois. While attaching the line to a lock wall the boat moved suddenly, and plaintiff’s hand, which was caught in the line, became severely injured. Plaintiff brought a suit pursuant to the Jones Act (46 U.S.C. §688 et seq.) After a trial by jury on October 20,…