Grade 10 disability, final settlement to be paid, claims rotator cuffs syndrome, supraspinatus

anonymous
This person has chosen to hide his/her identity.

Ako po ay seafarer. Last embark ko po ay Oct 14, 2013 na may kontrata anim na buwan. Umuwi po ako last March 25 2014, dahil sa request ko ng pananakit ng balikat, bale ang naging early sign off po ang nangyari sa akin. Pag uwi ko po ay nagreport agad ako sa agency para humingi ng post medical, dahil nga sa dinadaing ko na pananakit ng balikat. Pina check-up naman po ako, at ang naging findings ay rotator cuff syndrome, at partial tear in supraspinitus. Nag physical therapy ako, sa loob halos ng 130 days,natapos ako ng unang linggo ng Agosto at kinausap po ako ng doctor na iassess na nila ako, at itigil na ang gamutan, pumayag po ako, at hinintay ang tawag ng naghahandle ng P&I club. After a week para malaman ko kung anong gradings ng disability ko base sa POEA contract. Lumipas po ang 1,2,3 linggo, hanggang umabot ng halos sobra sa isang buwan, saka sila tumawag, at nagkaroon nga ng pag uusap tungkol sa grade ng disability ko, at nagkasundo nga kami sa grade 10 disability na binigay ng doctor.


Pumirma ako, sa agreement na ganun, at sabi sakin, hintayin ko na lang daw po ang tawag nila para sa final settlement ng bayaran. Ang siste po after a few days sumakay po ako barko sa ibang company, kasi nga hindi ko naman sigurado kung kailan maibibigay ang pera para sa disability ko.

Kaya nagpasya ako, sumakay sa ibang kumpanya, at binigyan ako isang buwan kontrata. Grinab ko na po, kasi wala naman ako pinagkakakitaan, at nag aaral pa mga anak ko, wala mapagkunan ng pera pantustus sa pang araw araw namin. Kasi nga hindi ko sigurado, kung kailan pa ibibigay ang claims ko sa grade 10 disability. Umalis ako last week ng Sept 2014, at umuwi po ako Nov 9 2014. Nang tawagan ko ang naghahandle ng claims ko, sabi daw po parang ayaw daw magbayad ng principal company, kasi nalaman daw na umalis ako. Ang tanong ko po ay ganito, may pag asa po kya na makuha ko pa ang claims ko? Hanggang ngayon kasi pag tumatawag ako sa naghahandle ng claims ko, ganun lagi sinasabi, wala pa daw desisyon ang principal. May laban po kya ako, kung ikakaso ko pa ito sa korte. hanggat maari sana, ayaw ko na dumating pa sa ganun bagay, gusto ko sana ma settle ito na kami lang ang nag uusap. Wala po kasi ako alam sa batas at karapatan namin mga seaman. Please i need your advice. thanks.



Topic: I am a seafarer. I embarked last October 14, 2013 with a contract of 6 months. I came back home last March 25, 2014, because of my request due to soreness/pain on the shoulders. That's why I had to sign off early from my contract. When I came back, I reported immediately to the employment agency to have a post medical exam, because of the pain on my shoulders. I underwent physical exam/check up and the findings was rotator cuff syndrome and a partial tear in supraspinatus. I underwent physical therapy in a span of 130 days. On the first week of August, the doctor told me that they would assess me, and the therapy/treatment would be discontinued/stopped. I agreed and waited for their call, the P&I club, after a week, in order to determine the gradings of disability based on the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) contract. Three weeks passed until it reached a month before they called. I was told that I had a grade 10 disability by the doctor. I signed an agreement for this, and they told me to wait for their call for the final settlement to be paid.

So I decided to embark on another ship with another company, which gave me a contract. I took and grabbed this opportunity because I had no other source of income and my children are still studying, so I had no money/income to support our daily needs. And I also was not sure when the claims for my grade 10 disability would be given. I left last week of September 2014 and came back home November 9, 2014. When I called the person handling my claims, I was told that the principal company seemed not wiling to pay for the it anymore, since they found out that I had embarked with another company. Do I still have the chance to get my claims? Until now, I have been calling the person/department handling my claims, and I am always told that there is stil no decision from the principal company. Do I have the right or advantage if I bring this to court? As much as posible, I would not want to go to this extent, and want a peaceful resolution/amicable settlement. But I don't know much about the law and my rights as a seaman. So I would like to ask for advice.


 

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Adelaimar C Arias-Jose
is a Legal expert in the Philippines
Sa ilalim ng Labor Code, ang isang taong na-disable during the course of employment ay may karapatan na mabigyan ng disability benefit kung ito ay provided sa ilalim ng kanyang employment contract.

Dahil sa ikaw ay pina-baba na ng barko bago pa matapos ang iyong contract, at ikaw ay sinuri naman ng kanilang mga doctor at natagpuan namang tunay na ikaw ay may injury na related sa iyong trabaho, at ikaw pa nga ay ipina-gamot ng iyong company, alam nilang ikaw ay may injury. Kaya nga Grade 10 lang ang iyong disability, ibig sabihin ay hindi ito masyadong grabe na ikaw ay hindi na puede pang magtrabaho -- hindi ka na nga lang makakapag-trabaho ng tulad dati. Kaya nga ang huli mong sampa sa barko ay para sa isang buwan lang, kasi nga hindi puedeng masyadong mapagod ang iyong katawan dahil nga sa may injury ka na.

So, just because ikaw ay nasumpungang may disability ng isang kumpanya, hindi ibig sabihin ay hindi ka na puedeng mag-trabaho kahit saan -- hindi ka na nga lang nila ulit puedeng kunin, kasi, na-separated ka na mula sa company dahil sa injury and disability. So, hindi puedeng gawin nilang dahilan na nag-sasakit-sakitan ka lang dahil sa sila ang nagpa-gamot sa iyo.

Ang dapat niyan, kumuha ka ng abogado na ang specialization ay labor law. Kailangang sumulat ang iyong abogado sa principal at sa agency mo dito. He has to demand payment of your disability claim. At pag hindi kayo binayaran, kailangang mag-habla ka ng money claims sa NLRC. Iyon ang pinaka-maiging gawin mo. Kasi, baka naman ayaw ng gulo ng agency mo dito, ay bayaran na lamang ang claim. O kaya, sa NLRC, baka naman sa mandatory conference ay magkipag-settle na sila sa iyo.

AT any rate, that is what you can do.
1 person likes this
anonymous
This person has chosen to hide his/her identity.
maraming salamat sa inyo atty.bimbi sa inyong pagtugon. malaking tulong po ang payo nyo sa akin. ngayon po ay alam ko na ang gagawin. maraming salamat po muli at mabuhay po kayo.

About the author

Adelaimar C Arias-Jose

I am a graduate of the UP College of Law. Member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines since 1995. I am currently involved in private practice in criminal, civil and labor law.
Profession: Lawyer
Adelaimar C. Arias-Jose
Office Address: #34 St. Michael Street
Philippines , Manila , Makati
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