McMahon v. United States

Summary

The Court held that the two-year limitation period for a seaman’s suit against the United States under the Suits in Admiralty Act begins on the date of injury, not when the administrative claim is disallowed, and affirmed the Third Circuit’s judgment. The Court declined to decide whether the limitation period is tolled for up to sixty days while an administrative claim is pending because the record was unclear and petitioner had not raised the issue. Justices Black and Douglas dissented together, adopting Thurston’s reasoning that the period begins upon administrative disallowance and would have reversed. Justice Minton did not participate.