Schwalb v. Hendy International Co.

Plaintiff brought this action to recover damages for loss of consortium from the owner of a vessel on which plaintiffs husband was a seaman and on which he was injured while the vessel was in Oregon territorial waters. Plaintiff alleged, in separate counts, that her husband’s injury resulted from the vessel’s unseaworthiness and from the negligence of defendant. The trial court sustained defendant’s demurrer to the complaint and entered judgment for defendant. Plaintiff appeals.

The only question is whether general maritime law provides the wife of a seaman injured within navigable territorial…