Discovery Channel’s hit reality TV series, Deadliest Catch, continues with season 19 in 2023 — and there are new legal issues that are just coming to light. Nick Mavar Jr., a former cast member and boat owner, sued current cast member Sig Hansen for alleged negligent medical care during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Here’s what happened with the Deadliest Catch lawsuit and why Hansen then sued the production company in response.
‘Deadliest Catch’ star Nick Mavar Jr. sued Sig Hansen over medical care in lawsuit
Deadliest Catch cast member Nick Mavar Jr. has a bone to pick with F/V Northwestern owner Sig Hansen. Mavar reportedly sued Northwestern’s owners — Hansen and his wife, June — in December 2022 for “failure to have an adequate plan in place” regarding attaining medical care during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the personal injury lawsuit, he experienced a “delay in competent and adequate examination, testing, and diagnosis,” which led to a “ruptured appendix while in the service of the vessel.” Doctors also found a cancerous tumor. Mavar reportedly worked on the Northwestern from December 2020 to January 2021.
The complaint noted that the lack of a medical plan led to “failure to assure plaintiff was promptly taken to the Dutch Harbor medical clinic for an examination and assessment of plaintiff’s medical condition.” It also states that the Hansens failed to “assure Plaintiff received the appropriate examination and testing necessary for a competent diagnosis of Plaintiff’s condition.”
Mavar alleged that the delays in “examination” then led to “horrendous and chronic infections, surgeries, and cancer treatments that would not have occurred” if the appendix was removed before rupturing.
Sig Hansen argued that the production company is liable
While Nick Mavar Jr. originally went for current Deadliest Catch cast member Sig Hansen in his lawsuit, Hansen says he’s not liable for Mavar’s lack of adequate medical care. Hansen says the production company is to blame.
Original Productions Inc., based in Burbank, California, reportedly created the coronavirus protocol. Therefore, Hansen argues they should take responsibility for Mavar’s subpar medical care. A new lawsuit also says a subcontractor brought on board to assist with medical services didn’t give the appropriate care.
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The owners of F/V Northwestern reportedly seek damages as a result of what occurred. They want Original Productions or Trifecta Solutions to pay Mavar “all damages” caused by their negligence, which include “all maintenance and cure benefits paid by Northwestern to Nikola Mavar.”
‘Deadliest Catch’ Season 19 continues on despite lawsuits
Deadliest Catch Season 19 fans shouldn’t expect to see Nick Mavar Jr. make any appearances in the new season. But, despite the drama, Sig Hansen continues on with his daughter, Mandy Hansen. The two star in the new season aboard the Northwestern.
Hansen discussed serious injuries with The Fishing Website. According to him, he expects an injury or a fatality annually, typically due to the weather.
“I don’t know the numbers off the top of my head, but it seems like there is always a fatality,” he shared. “Every year there is something that goes wrong — it is fishing, and they are extreme conditions. A lot of it is due to the weather. A problem with Alaska is that you have this shallow shelf that drops off to a couple of thousand fathoms. This forms very tall, close-together waves on the shelf, and these are the problem – they do so much damage because they are so close together. A lot of the times the boats are loaded with crab pots, so they are already top-heavy.”
This story was first reported by Anchorage Daily News.
Deadliest Catch Season 19 airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel.
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