Liability of Employer to Seaman's Death

The death of a seaman during the term of employment makes the employer liable to his heirs for death compensation benefits. Once it is established that the seaman died during the effectivity of his employment contract, the employer is liable. This rule, however, is not absolute. The employer may be exempt from liability if he can successfully prove that the seaman's death was caused by an injury directly attributable to his deliberate or willful act (Maritime Factors Inc. Vs. Bienvenido R. Hindang, G.R. No. 151993. October 19, 2011).