Manuel Martin v. United Fruit Company

Manuel Martin appeals from a jury verdict against him and in favor of the defendant, United Fruit Company, in an action arising out of injuries suffered by the plaintiff on December 11, 1956 while ship’s carpenter on defendant’s vessel, the S.S. Fra Berlanga, then docked at Golfito, Costa Rica. The complaint set forth two grounds for relief, one based upon the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C.A. § 688, and the other upon the unseaworthiness of the ship.

The evidence at trial showed that one of plaintiff’s duties when the Fra Ber-langa was docked was the opening of a porthole or “air port” so that a water…