- Petitioner
- Grace Marine Shipping Corporation And/Or Capt. Jimmy Boado
- Respondent
- Aron S. Alarcon
- Citation
- G.R. No. 201536
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- Second Division
- Ponente
- Del Castillo, J.
- Decided
- September 9, 2015
Summary
This labor case involves seafarer Aron Alarcon who developed work-related skin conditions (nummular eczema and psoriasis) while serving as messman aboard M/V Sunny Napier II, where he was exposed to strong chemical cleaning agents. After repatriation and 154 days of treatment, company-designated physicians declared him fit to work despite residual lesions, while independent physician found him unfit requiring lifetime treatment. The Supreme Court affirmed his entitlement to permanent total disability benefits, finding causal connection between his messman duties involving chemical exposure and his skin condition. The Court applied the 120-day rule and precedents establishing work-relatedness of skin conditions for seafarers exposed to harsh chemicals, awarding US$60,000 disability compensation plus attorney's fees, recognizing that his chronic, recurrent condition renders him unemployable as a seafarer despite not being completely incapacitated.
Intellegal Wiki · Key Holding
A seafarer's illness is compensable where work involving chemical or detergent exposure has a reasonable connection to the condition; a permanent total disability warrants full disability benefits.
An editorially maintained summary of the rule this Supreme Court decision is cited for — not legal advice.