LAMBERT V VJ GLOVER LTD AND ANOTHER (THE "REJOICE")

[2019] EWHC 776 (Admlty), Queen's Bench Division, Admiralty Court, Admiralty Registrar Jervis Kay QC, 27 March 2019

Admiralty - Personal injury - Vicarious liability

The claimant, L, sought damages in the sum of £582,348.76 plus interest following a personal injury suffered while working onboard the motor fishing vessel Rejoice. The first defendants were the owners of the vessel, V J Glover Ltd and the second defendant was S, the skipper of the vessel at the material time. L had suffered a serious, unpleasant and lasting injury to his dominant left hand when it was caught between the vessel and the quayside while he was disposing of some rubbish over the side of the vessel. There was a dispute as to the instructions given by the skipper as to this action, and also as to precisely how the vessel had been moored to the quay. On the claimant's case, his injuries arose in circumstances where he was acting under the instructions of S in circumstances where the vessel was inadequately secured in the prevailing weather conditions.