Hudson Waterways Corporation v. William J. Schneider
Opinion
Opinion
Pope, J.
This is an appeal from a judgment in favor of the libelant in a seaman’s action in admiralty for damages for personal injuries under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C. § 688 , and under the general maritime law.
The libelant, William J. Schneider, who is the appellee in this action, is a licensed marine engineer. At the time of the accident he was employed by the appellant as Third Assistant Engineer on board the SS. TRANSORLEANS, owned and operated by the appellant. The ship was then in navigable waters en route from San Francisco to Panama.
About noon on January 27, 1964, Schneider was ordered by the First Assistant Engineer to find out what was wrong with the stand-by air compressor, which had stopped running, and to get it going again. Schneider was qualified to undertake the repair of an air compressor of this type. In obedience to these orders, Mr. Schneider first checked the master panel on the operating platform and confirmed that the electric power was on leading to the standby air compressor unit; he then proceeded to the air compressor, threw the knife switch to the “on” position and engaged the starting button for automatic operation, but the unit did not start. Libelant next…