The federal court issued Monday an order that keeps confidential the details of a lawsuit that a merchant seaman filed against the U.S. government over the injuries he suffered aboard a ship at a dock in Japan.<\/p>\n
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona agreed that a protective order is appropriate as the parties in this case expect to exchange confidential personal and medical records.<\/p>\n
They also want potential records protected since to the incidents complained of involve a U.S. naval vessel and personnel.<\/p>\n
Merchant seaman Kenneth Lockhart, an American who is a resident of Saipan, alleged in his lawsuit that he suffered when a loaded palate tilted and pinned him against the railings aboard a ship at a dock in Japan in 2016. <\/p>\n
Lockhart said the U.S. owned the vessel, USNS Montford Point, which was operated and managed by Ocean Shipholdings Inc.<\/p>\n
Lockhart, through counsel William M. Fitzgerald, is suing the U.S. for negligence under the Jones Act, for unseaworthiness, and failure to maintain and cure the vessel.<\/p>\n
Lockhart asked the court to hold the U.S. government liable to pay him damages, medical expenses, loss of earnings, and court costs. He wants a jury trial.<\/p>\n
Manglona ordered that any party or non-party may designate as \u201cconfidential\u201d (by stamping the relevant page) any document or response to discovery which that party or non-party considers in good faith to contain information involving trade secrets, of confidential business or financial information, subject to protection under the law.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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