Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Seafarer Disability Claims: When the Company Doctor's Fit-to-Work Assessment Prevails
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer disability claims: the company-designated physician's fit-to-work certification controls absent a third-doctor review.
Seafarers Disability Defining Permanent Disability Beyond the Company Doctor's Assessment
Supreme Court ruling on seafarer disability claims: the company doctor's assessment is not conclusive, and inability to work for over 120 days may mean permanent disability.
Work-Related Illness: Reassessing Disability Compensation for Congenital Heart Disease
The Supreme Court ruled that congenital heart disease can be compensable under PD 626 when work strain triggers symptoms, reshaping disability claims.
When a Seafarer's Quitclaim and Delay Bar Disability Claims: The Famanila Case
The Supreme Court explains when a seafarer's quitclaim is valid and how prescription periods bar late disability claims.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Fit for Duty Assessments and Quitclaims in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer disability claims, fit for duty assessments by company-designated physicians, and validity of quitclaims.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Heart Condition and Fitness for Sea Duty After Bypass Surgery
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer permanent total disability benefits after heart bypass surgery under the 1996 POEA Standard Employment Contract.
Seafarer Disability Claims: When Repatriation Doesn't End Your Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that seafarers repatriated due to vessel sale may still claim disability benefits under POEA contract.
From Partial TO Total When CAN A Disability Claim BE Reclassified
Work-Related Injury? Basketball on Board a Vessel and Seafarer Disability Claims
The Supreme Court held that a seafarer injured during a basketball game on board a vessel may claim disability benefits under the Bunkhouse Rule.
Relaxing Procedural Rules in Labor Disputes: Substantial Justice Prevails
The Supreme Court reminds litigants that procedural rules yield to substantial justice in labor cases, as shown in this disability claim dispute.
Seafarers Disability Claims: Substantial Compliance and Employer Duty to Assess Fitness
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarers' disability benefits, substantial compliance with POEA contract, and employer responsibility in fitness assessment.
Seafarers' Rights: Who Is the Company-Designated Physician in Disability Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that a company-designated physician need not be POEA-accredited for seafarer disability claims.
Company-Designated Physician and Seafarer Disability Claims: Key Lessons from German Marine Agencies v. NLRC
Supreme Court ruling clarifies that a company-designated physician need not be POEA-accredited for a seafarer's disability claim to prosper.
Permanent Total Disability Claims: Protecting Retirees' Right to Full Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on permanent total disability benefits for retired government employees, explained in plain language.