“ The obligation of a shipowner, irrespective of fault, to provide maintenance and cure to a seaman injured or taken ill while in the ship's service has lost much of its original significance in this era of relaxed unseaworthiness and negligence concepts. ”

“ The need for prompt payment and the desirability of avoiding any rule which might force a seaman back to work to the detriment of his recovery might well require that no compulsion to seek employment be placed on a convalescing seaman, and that a setoff be allowed only with respect to actual, as opposed to potential, earnings. ”

“ I agree with the Court that whether earnings received by a disabled seaman prior to his maximum medical recovery are to be credited against the shipowner's obligation for maintenance is an issue which should not be resolved by a mechanical application of the rules of contract law relating to mitigation of damages. ”

“ So far as the record before us indicates, the petitioner's return to work was completely voluntary, and not the result of the shipowner's failure to pay maintenance. Holding the seaman accountable for his earnings in such circumstances carries out the basic purpose of making the seaman whole, and creates neither an undue incentive for withholding payments, nor pressure compelling a premature return to work. ”

“ Suwanee S.S.C.o., 239 F.2d 180, from the Second Circuit, held that a seaman has the duty to mitigate damages and that since 'the purpose of maintenance and cure is to make the seaman whole,' 'he will get something more than he is entitled to' unless his earnings during the period are deducted. 291 F.2d, at 814, 815.
We disagree with the lower courts on both points.
Equity is no stranger in admiralty; admiralty courts are, indeed, authorized to grant equitable relief. ”

“ Similarly, it may well be that a seaman should not be held to account for actual earnings to a shipowner whose dereliction in making payments compels the seaman, as a matter of economic necessity, to obtain gainful employment. ”

“ The law of the sea sought to alleviate these hardships, partly for humanitarian reasons, and partly because of the strong national interest in maintaining the morale and physical effectiveness of the merchant marine. ”

“ This is a suit in admiralty brought by a seaman to recover (a) maintenance and cure and (b) damages for failure to pay maintenance and cure. [1] The District Court, while disallowing the claim for damages, granted maintenance, less any sums earned by the libellant during the period in question. ”