Increase in Personal Injury Lawsuits Against Cruise Lines
Some major cruise lines have seen an increase in personal injury lawsuits filed against them in the last two years. According to Bloomberg Law, there were 164 federal injury suits filed against cruise lines in 2016, and 188 filed in 2017. Eighty-three cases were filed In the first three months of 2018. The three biggest cruise lines — Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian — account for most of the uptick in cases.
Keep in mind that this data only includes federal cases, which means lawsuits filed in federal court. In many cases, Injury lawsuits may also be filed against cruise lines in state courts.
Types of Injuries Experienced by Cruise Line Passengers
Sometimes a passenger might slip and fall on a slippery substance that wasn’t properly cordoned off. Other times a passenger might suffer food poisoning from an ill-prepared meal.
And sometimes, a cruise line might not do enough to protect its passengers from sexual assault or other criminal acts.
The family of a 12-year-old girl recently filed a personal injury lawsuit against Norwegian, alleging that a steward sexually assaulted the girl while she was taking a nap in her cabin.
It was the second-to-last day of their weeklong cruise (which left out of Miami) when a 30-year-old male steward entered the cabin. The girl awoke when he began inappropriately touching her. She told her parents what happened, and they reported the incident to the cruise line. A jury found the steward not guilty, which is why the family decided to pursue civil charges. They filed their lawsuit in federal district court in Miami and are seeking more than $75,000 in damages for emotional distress, bodily injury, and medical expenses.
A Louisiana man was on another Norwegian cruise to the Caribbean when he injured his foot in a paddle board accident. He had insurance that covered shipboard medical care but still had to pay $2,000 upfront. The ship doctor allegedly missed the fact that the passenger had a severed tendon and also left two pieces of coral inside his foot. His foot later became infected and, once back in Louisiana, he needed emergency surgery to avoid amputation. The passenger also says he has had trouble getting information from Norwegian about the shipboard doctor’s and nurse’s qualifications. This passenger certainly has a credible personal injury claim, if he chooses to bring one.
Remember that you only have a limited time for filing a personal injury lawsuit, so contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Also keep in mind that the deadline depends on where you file your lawsuit. If Florida law applies to your case, you have four years from the date of the accident to file your claim. Your attorney can determine where to file your lawsuit.
Contact Us Today
Contact a Miami personal injury attorney at The Pendas Law Firm today for a free consultation if you are injured because of a cruise line’s negligence. We will help recover the compensation that you deserve, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Daytona Beach and Bradenton areas.
Resources:
bna.com/carnival-cruise-lines-n57982091079/
leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0095/Sections/0095.11.html
miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article194257089.html
