Pacific Steamship Co. v. Peterson

Peterson, a seaman, brought an action at law in a Superior Court of Washington against his employér, the Pacific Steamship Co., the owner of a domestic merchant vessel on which he was serving, to recover damages for personal injuries suffered at sea on a voyage between the ports of Puget Sound and California.

The complaint charged that the injury resulted from the negligence of the mate of the vessel — there being no charge that the vessel was unseaworthy — and based .the right of action expressly on § 20 of the Seamen’s Act of 1915, 1 as amended by § 33 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. 2…