A cruise is supposed to be a relaxing experience without hassle. Unfortunately, several recent news headlines have reported cruise ship problems that caused passengers to suffer unnecessary harm.
In this post, we’ll detail the potential problems that you must watch out for when you cruise. If you are injured on a cruise ship due to someone else’s negligence, you should fight back with a skilled maritime lawyer.
Brawls
In February 2018, several brawls developed aboard the Carnival Legend when it was sailing off the coast of Australia. Reports indicate that a 23-member family group instigated many of the brawls, which the crew did not sufficiently control. A video even suggested that crew members kicked a passenger while on the ground.
In separate recent incident, another Carnival cruise ship had to sail back to port when a fight broke out among passengers who were having a stag party.
Overall, the crime rate is low on most cruise ships. However, the number of reported incidents is increasing as the number of people sailing on cruise ships steadily increases. With thousands of passengers on board most ships, it’s like having a small town with no police to keep the peace. Worse, even when reports are filed, different countries have different rules for criminal investigations.
If you are injured due to a brawl that the cruise ship’s crew did not control, you need the assistance of an experienced maritime attorney. Your case will be treated with the respect it deserves.
Unsanitary Conditions
Cruise lines are failing basic health inspections at higher rates than ever. Last year, 15 ships had failing scores. Five of the failing ships were in the Carnival cruise line, which has promised to increase training and modify procedures to remedy the problem.
Inspections track the occurrence of norovirus and other gastrointestinal infections. Some crews have been shown to intentionally hide hazardous food to avoid failing inspection. Other crews have been found working while experiencing symptoms of gastrointestinal infections, which can spread easily to passengers.
Researchers speculate that the cruise industry is growing so rapidly that workers are not being properly trained in sanitation measures. Passengers may suffer significant health threats like dehydration if infected with acute gastroenteritis.
If you have suffered due to norovirus or another illness spread due to unsanitary conditions while aboard a cruise ship, you may have legal protections. A skilled maritime attorney will be able to help you.
Improper Medical Care
One Louisiana couple sailed on the Norwegian Pearl while they celebrated their honeymoon in November. The husband suffered injuries after his foot was cut in a coral reef, and the ship doctor stitched up his foot, prescribed him an antibiotic and ibuprofen, and told him his injury wasn’t serious.
However, the man spent the rest of the cruise lying in bed due to intense pain.
After the couple returned home, the man’s infection became so serious that he had emergency surgery to spare his foot from amputation. New tests showed that coral was still inside his foot and his tendon had been severed. The couple is now speaking with Norwegian about their lack of proper medical care.
These are only some of the ways that someone can experience injury on a cruise. If you got hurt on a cruise vacation due to negligence, call us for a free case review. We’ll help you fight for compensation for your injuries, and to hold the cruise line accountable.
About the Author:
Andrew Winston is a partner at the personal injury law firm of Winston Law. For over 20 years, he has successfully represented cruise victims who have suffered all kinds of injuries and illnesses due to negligence. He has been recognized for excellence in the representation of injured clients by admission to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, is AV Preeminent Rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, enjoys a 10.0 rating by AVVO as a Top Personal Injury Attorney, has been selected as a Florida “SuperLawyer” from 2011-2017 – an honor reserved for the top 5% of lawyers in the state – and was voted to Florida Trend’s ”Legal Elite” and as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Florida and one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the Miami area for 2015, 2016, and 2017.
