Pacific Ship Repair & Fabrication Inc. v. Director, Office of Worker Compensation Programs

OPINION

McKEOWN, Circuit Judge:

The meaning of “permanent” appears, at first blush, to be clear. But just as a museum’s permanent collection does not mean the works will stay in the collection for posterity and a permanent hair wave does not last a lifetime, neither does the term permanent necessarily mean forever. The word permanent takes on meaning in context and, in this case, within a statutory framework.

In the context of maritime employment, we consider an issue of first impression in this circuit: whether a partial “permanent” disability may be re-characterized as “temporary” during a…