§ 1121 Vessel Assistance Liability

If a pilot tries to help a ship that's in trouble and his own boat gets hurt, the ship that needed help and its owner have to pay for the damage.

Key Takeaways

•The pilot is trying to help a vessel in distress.
•If the pilot’s own boat is damaged while helping, the distressed vessel’s owner/operator must pay.
•Both the owner and the operator are each responsible for the full cost.

Example

A pilot sees a fishing boat taking on water and steers his own boat alongside to pull it to safety, but his boat's hull gets cracked in the process.

Because the pilot was helping the fishing boat, the fishing boat’s owner and the company that runs it must pay for the damage to the pilot’s boat.

If any pilot, in endeavoring to assist or relieve any vessel in distress, suffers loss or damage to the pilot’s vessel, the owner and operator of the distressed vessel are jointly and severally liable for the loss or damage. (Amended by Stats. 1984, Ch. 1653, Sec. 12.)

If a pilot tries to help a ship that's in trouble and his own boat gets hurt, the ship that needed help and its owner have to pay for the damage.

Key Takeaways

•The pilot is trying to help a vessel in distress.
•If the pilot’s own boat is damaged while helping, the distressed vessel’s owner/operator must pay.
•Both the owner and the operator are each responsible for the full cost.

Example

A pilot sees a fishing boat taking on water and steers his own boat alongside to pull it to safety, but his boat's hull gets cracked in the process.

Because the pilot was helping the fishing boat, the fishing boat’s owner and the company that runs it must pay for the damage to the pilot’s boat.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

§ 1121 Vessel Assistance Liability

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References