John Merriam was an unlicensed seaman in the U. S. merchant marine for 12 years before becoming a lawyer, working his way through college and law school. He served aboard 17 freighters and tankers in 12 different job classifications for the deck, engine and steward departments. Other employment included 19 full-time jobs in eight states ranging from carpenter to cab driver, from roustabout in the oil fields to factory hand on the line. John paid law school tuition with a scholarship from the Seafarers International Union. Passing the bar in 1982, John practiced with a small firm through 1995 --- first as associate, then as partner. Cases handled ran the gamut of general practice with an emphasis on maritime personal injury. In 1993-94 John was the Chairman of the Maritime Section for the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association. Starting his own firm in 1996, John now restricts his practice to representing seamen on wage and injury claims. The Seaman's Rights to Benefits Seamen (including fishermen) who get hurt or fall ill while working are entitled to the following benefits. Maintenance: Seamen who can't work are entitled to a daily living stipend that substitutes for the free room and meals they would have received on board had they not been injured or taken ill. It includes only basic living expenses such as rent, utilities and food. Ill and injured seamen are not necessarily limited to the rates of maintenance in their contracts of employment. The entitlement to maintenance continues until the seaman achieves "maximum cure", or as good as one is going to get. Cure: "Cure" means that the vessel owner is responsible for paying medical bills. "Cure" is used in the Latin sense of "cura", as in healing, rather than an absolute cure. The vessel owner must pay medical bills for as long as medical attention will result in improvement of the seaman's condition. Seamen are not required to see the company doctor. Unearned Wages: Unearned wages are part of the maintenance and cure entitlement, and consist of wages the seaman would have earned during the contemplated period of employment had he or she not been injured or taken ill. To get money for pain and suffering and for future lost wages (after the period for which unearned wages are due), the seaman must show that his or her illness or injury resulted from an unsafe condition aboard ship.