Precup and ASP Ship Management Pty Ltd (Compensation)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal considered a dispute between Mr. Precup, the applicant, and ASP Ship Management Pty Ltd, the respondent, concerning compensation for a seafarer. The core of the dispute revolved around the reasonableness of costs incurred by Mr. Precup for medical treatment and associated travel.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether the costs of travel by taxi to obtain medical treatment were reasonable, and whether the medical treatment itself was reasonable. A key question was whether it was reasonable for the applicant to use public transport to attend medical treatment, particularly given his accepted medical condition which allegedly inhibited his ability to do so.

The Tribunal found that the applicant's accepted condition was indeed inhibitory to him using public transport. Consequently, the Tribunal set aside the first reviewable decision. While specific orders regarding the second reviewable decision were adjourned for further consideration, the Tribunal ordered the respondent to pay the applicant's costs of the application.