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.
Seafarer Disability Claims: When Payment Becomes Final Despite a Reversed Award
A Supreme Court ruling on seafarer disability benefits, the 120-day rule, and when conditional payment becomes final satisfaction of judgment.
Timely Disability Claims: Seafarers' Rights and Employer Obligations Under POEA-SEC
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified seafarers' disability claims, the 120/240-day rule, and why timely filing matters under POEA-SEC.
Seafarers Disability Claims: Strict Adherence to POEA Contract Procedures Required
SC ruling in Calimlim v. Wallem Maritime: seafarers must follow POEA-SEC procedures, including third-doctor referral, or company physician's assessment stands.
Work-Related Illness and Causation in Seafarer Disability Claims: Key Lessons
Learn how Philippine courts decide seafarer disability claims, focusing on work-related illness, causation, and the POEA standard of proof.
Seafarer's Basketball Injury Held Work-Related: Bunkhouse Rule and Disability Claims
Philippine Supreme Court rules seafarer's basketball injury on board is work-related under the Bunkhouse Rule and Personal Comfort Doctrine.
Perfecting an Appeal: Why Timely Payment of Fees Is Critical in Philippine Courts
Learn why timely payment of appellate docket fees is mandatory in Philippine courts and how failure to perfect an appeal can be fatal to a case.
Causal Connection Is Key in Seafarer Disability Claims for Work-Related Illnesses
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that seafarers must prove a causal connection between their illness and work to receive disability benefits.
Upholding Workers Rights Interpreting Employment Contracts IN Favor OF Labor
The Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer's disability becomes total and permanent, and how CBA conflict-resolution clauses bind the parties.
When Fit-to-Work Assessments Prevail: Seafarer Disability Claims Under POEA-SEC
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a company-designated physician's fit-to-work declaration prevails over a seafarer's chosen doctor in disability claims.
Seafarers' Rights: Defining Total and Permanent Disability in Maritime Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer's partial disability becomes total and permanent under the POEA-SEC and Labor Code.
Seafarers Disability Benefits: Employer Must Pay Full Benefits Despite Initial Assessment
Philippine Supreme Court rules seafarers entitled to full disability benefits when treatment exceeds 240 days, even with a lower disability rating.
Seafarers Disability Claims: Why Following POEA-SEC and CBA Procedures Matters
SC ruling explains why seafarers must follow POEA-SEC and CBA procedures, including third-doctor referral, before filing disability claims.
Prevailing Medical Opinion Resolving Seafarer Disability Claims Under Poea SEC
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the 120-day vs 240-day rule in seafarer disability claims under the POEA-SEC.
When a Seafarer's Disability Claim Fails: The Weight of Medical Evidence in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer's disability claim fails, emphasizing the company-designated physician's findings and proper procedure.
Seafarers Heart Disease Proving THE Link Between Work AND Illness FOR Disability Benefits
A seafarer's stroke was ruled work-related and compensable. Learn how the Supreme Court proved the link between work and illness.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Why the Company Doctor's Assessment Prevails Under POEA-SEC
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the mandatory third-doctor referral rule in seafarer disability claims and why the company-designated physician's assessment prevails.
The Duty of Disclosure: Honesty in Seafarer Employment Contracts
A Supreme Court ruling on how concealing a pre-existing illness in a seafarer's PEME can bar disability claims, even when the 3-day reporting rule is excused.
Psoriasis Seafarers and the Burden of Proof in Work-Related Illness Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on proving work-related illness for disability benefits, with lessons for seafarers.
Burden of Proof in Seafarer Injury Claims: Proving Self-Inflicted Harm
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when an employer can defeat a seafarer's disability claim by proving the injury was self-inflicted.
Seafarers' Rights: Timely Medical Exams and Disability Claims Under the POEA-SEC
A seafarer's disability claim survives if the employer fails to provide timely post-employment medical examination, as ruled in Career Philippines v. Serna.
Work-Related Illness and Seafarers’ Disability Claims: Proving the Causal Link
Seafarers claiming disability benefits must prove work-relatedness, not just illness during employment. The Supreme Court clarifies the burden.
When Onboard Recreation Becomes Work-Related: Seafarer Disability Claims Under the POEA-SEC
The Supreme Court clarifies when injuries from onboard recreational activities are compensable under the POEA-SEC and the Bunkhouse Rule.
Proving Work-Related Illness in Seafarer Disability Claims: The Francisco Case
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer's illness is compensable, emphasizing proof of work-relatedness beyond mere occurrence during employment.
GSIS Held in Contempt for Delaying Payment of Permanent Total Disability Benefits Under RA 8291
Supreme Court cites GSIS for indirect contempt for delaying payment of a member's permanent total disability benefits under RA 8291.