The Seafarers' Union of Russia assisted a severely injured seafarer in getting $160,000 in compensation

Thanks to the support and assistance of the Kaliningrad Regional Organization of the Seafarers' Union of Russia and the SUR Technical Labor Inspection, the severely injured seafarer received an insurance payment of $160,000. The accident occurred in the engine room, but none of the crew members witnessed the moment of their colleague's injury. Due to the severity of his injuries—the seafarer suffered an open traumatic brain injury and a basal skull fracture—he himself still can't remember the circumstances of the incident.

Back in November 2024, the wife of the Chief Engineer applied the SUR KRO in a state of complete confusion: she simply didn't know what to do. 

"We contacted the crewing agency and learned that the vessel where the accident occurred operates under a collective bargaining agreement with the Norwegian Maritime Union, meaning the seafarer's health and life were insured," Lyudmila Izmalkova, the SUR KRO Chair noted.

She explained that, according to standard procedure, the Chief Engineer should be provided medical treatment in Norway, where the incident occurred, further repatriation to Russia, paid sick leave, and all medical expenses. Besides, he should be assigned an insurance payment. This process went smoothly at first: the company covered the cost of the Kaliningrad resident's medication and 130 days sick leave in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. Complications emerged when it became apparent that the seafarer would not be able to resume working at sea.

"Following a medical and social assessment, he was classified as a Group II disabled person, and the shipowner and insurer used this fact as a pretext to avoid full payment. They insisted that technically the seafarer was still capable to work and could work, for example, as a watchman or a gatekeeper," the SUR KRO Chair said.

According to SUR Labor Inspector Kirill Pavlov, who became involved in addressing this issue, the main problem was in the different systems of fitness for work assessment. Citing this, the shipowner refused to pay the full compensation amount, deliberately delaying negotiations.

"In Russia, medical and social assessments assign degrees of disability—first, second, or third. Foreign companies don't understand this gradation, as they rely on contract terms, where compensation payments are specified based on the percentage of disability," Pavlov explained. "Referring to the contract, the shipowner proposed setting a percentage of disability."

Therefore, the seafarer was sent to undergo a PEME, which declared him unfit for work at sea. Based on the PEME's conclusion, an assigned doctor confirmed, through the means of telemedicine, 100% loss of occupational capacity. The two  conclusions  available were decisive in awarding compensation. As a result, the nearly year-long battle was successful—the Russian seafarer got an insurance payment of $160,000.