primary duty doctrineglossary / PRIMARY-DUTY DOCTRINE primary-duty doctrine. Maritime law. The principle that a seaman cannot recover damages if the injury arose from an unseaworthy condition created by the seaman’s breach of duty. 词条贡献者 法律翻译Vivian,毕业于美国顶尖的翻译学院,专注翻译各类与水利资源有关的法律文件。