to move his limbs. 179 The captain of the fishing boat did not help him and after three days, at the insistence of the other divers, he was taken to Roatán and placed in the hyperbaric chamber for two days. He was then transferred to the hospital of La Ceiba. Mr. Valeriano suffered decompression syndrome, 180 which left him with the following sequelae: osteotendinous hyperreflexia, paresthesia of the right lower leg and slight difficulty walking. 181 He had to take medication due to the after-effects of the accident, but due to lack of money he could not afford to buy it. In 2001, Mr. Valeriano filed a labor lawsuit before the Sectional Labor Court against the owner of the boat, who indicated in his response that he has no employer-worker relationship with the plaintiff and that he is not the owner of the vessel. In 2012, Mr. Valeriano stated that he suffers from kidney ailments, urination problems and headaches, and has difficulty walking and needs to use a cane. 182 Rolando Mónico Thomas 8. Mr. Rolando Mónico Thomas suffered an accident on September 5, 1999, while working as diver. After diving to a great depth, he felt numbness in half of his body and unsuccessfully asked the owner of the fishing boat to take him to the city where the decompression chamber 183was located. Three days after the accident he was taken to the hyperbaric chamber where he remained for ten days. 184 In 2000, he appeared before the Labor Inspector to describe the work accident he suffered. He stated that the company only paid him 3,500.00 lempiras and that he accepted it because he was in “enormous need of medicines and treatment” due to the accident, but that this amount was not enough to cover his treatment or the damage suffered. That same year a payment agreement was signed between Mr. Thomas and the representative of the boat for 114,222.60 lempiras. 185 Mr. Thomas stated in 2012 that the process did not move forward and that he never received the compensation. He added that he walks with difficulty, that he frequently feels dizzy and that he has to pay for his own medical consultations and medication. 186 Ralph Valderramos Álvarez 9. Mr. Ralph Valderramos Álvarez had an accident on February 1, 1996, while working as a diver on the boat owned by Sharon Delan Elwin. After diving to a depth of 140 feet, he began to feel very ill, with lumbago, severe pain in his lower limbs and immediately lost consciousness. He was subsequently taken to the Bay Islands where he was treated in a hyperbaric chamber. 187 That same year he filed a labor lawsuit before the Sectional Labor Court of La Ceiba for the payment of compensation against the boat owner. The court ordered 179 Cf. Certification of Record of appearance of December 13, 2000, of the Office of Occupational Health and Safety (merits file, folio 36). 180 Cf. Interview with Amistero Bans, January 17, 2008 (merits file, folio 36). 181 Cf. Medical report for Amistero Bans, dated March 6, 2002, of the Occupational Health Service (merits file, folio 36). 182 Cf. Interview with Amistero Bans Valeriano of August 6, 2012 (merits file, folio 36). Cf. Record of appearance of Rolando Mónico Thomas of April 12, 2001, before the Labor Inspector II (merits file, folio 37). 183 184 Cf. Interview with Rolando Mónico Thomas of August 6, 2012 (merits file, folio 37). Cf. Calculation of temporary disability and compensation for Rolando Mónico Thomas of June 22, 2000, issued by the Labor Inspector II (merits file, folio 37). 185 186 Cf. Interview with Rolando Mónico Thomas of August 6, 2012 (merits file, 38). Cf. Ordinary labor lawsuit filed by Ralph Valderamos Álvarez against Sharon Delan Elwin on July 18, 2003, before the Departmental Labor Court (merits file, folio 38). 187 66