There’s a certain thrill in being amongst the first few to enjoy a new experience, so it’s no surprise that many vacationers jump at the opportunity to be on a new cruise
Suffering from Norovirus on a Cruise Ship? Call Cruise Ship Injury Lawyer Madeleine Q. Mannello Today!
Vacationers often save up and look forward to a cruise because they see it as an opportunity to relax, get some sun, and pamper themselves. Nobody ever envisions their dream vacation ending with them confined to their bathroom due to diarrhea and vomiting.
Unfortunately, that is what happens when norovirus breaks out aboard a cruise ship. Due to the close quarters, crowded common areas, and passengers arriving from all over the world, norovirus can spread incredibly quickly throughout a vessel and cause passengers and crew members to experience severe gastrointestinal distress.
If you suffered from a norovirus outbreak on a cruise, contact cruise ship accident attorneys at the Mannello Law Group to learn more about your right to compensation. If the cruise line’s negligence caused your sickness, or if you received inadequate medical care after falling ill, you could be entitled to monetary compensation for any resulting medical expenses or emotional suffering.
What Is Norovirus?
Norovirus is a pathogen that causes inflammation in the stomach or intestines, resulting in gastrointestinal distress. Symptoms include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Stomach pain
- Fever
- Headache
- Body aches
- Dehydration
Most adults who contract norovirus experience severe symptoms for 1 to 3 days, sometimes longer. Young children and the elderly are at a higher risk of experiencing more severe symptoms.
Although the physical symptoms of norovirus tend to be relatively short-lived, people may remain contagious for up to 3 weeks. What is more, norovirus passes from person to person with incredible ease. It is also resistant to the soap and hand sanitizer that cruise ships provide, can live in the open for weeks, and thrives on hard and soft surfaces, including doorknobs, stair rails, couches, and carpets. While most viruses take thousands of particles to make someone sick, norovirus can successfully infect someone with as few as 10 viral particles.
Although it is rarely lethal, norovirus has reportedly killed people indirectly because of the dehydration it causes. According to the Center for Disease Control, the virus causes roughly 56,000 to 71,000 hospitalizations and as many as 800 deaths per year.
Even if norovirus on a cruise ship does not endanger your life, it can cause significant physical and mental suffering while you’re experiencing the symptoms, and you should not have to suffer silently if it was the cruise line’s fault you contracted the illness. Here are a few of the ways the negligence of cruise lines can lead to a norovirus outbreak:
Failure to catch an outbreak promptly. If a cruise line does not realize that some passengers on their ship have become ill, they may not take proper action to contain the virus.
Improper sanitation. Many cruise lines participate in the Centers for Disease Control’s Vessel Sanitation Program, which regulates how they clean their ships. However, if you caught norovirus on board a vessel that was not part of this program or did not follow the regulations, your illness may have been due to improper sanitation.
Food poisoning. Certain filter-feeding shellfish, like oysters, can carry norovirus without experiencing symptoms. If cruise lines serve infected shellfish or other improperly prepared food to their guests, they may cause gastrointestinal distress.
Close quarters. The more passengers cruise lines carry, the more money they make, so many cruises pile on their passengers and keep them in very close quarters. Norovirus already travels easily—staying in small cabins and sharing common spaces like dining rooms and swimming pools certainly doesn’t help.
Mishandling of an outbreak. After passengers fall ill, some cruise lines may worsen the situation by overcrowding their infirmary or forcing passengers to be isolated in their rooms rather than giving them proper medical attention.
Recent Cases of Norovirus on Cruise Ships
In the past 20 years, there have been close to 20 confirmed norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships. There have also been some notable cases reported during the last few years, including:
- An outbreak on the Norwegian Gem during which 111 passengers and three crew members became ill (November 2013).
- An outbreak on the Norwegian Star during which 130 passengers and 12 crew members became ill (January 2014).
- An outbreak on the Caribbean Princess sickened roughly 1 in 5 passengers and forced the ship to return to port early. The cruise line’s official stance is that they returned early due to fog (January 2014).
- An outbreak on the Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas infected more than 600 people and forced the ship to return to port two days early. Sick passengers reported feeling completely incapacitated and becoming distraught when they saw the hundreds of other ill people in the infirmary. The incident is reportedly one of the worst in the last 20 years (January 2014).
Contracted Norovirus? Work with a Cruise Ship Injury Lawyer
You may have contracted norovirus from another passenger, but if the conditions on a cruise ship are what led you and others to fall ill, then the cruise line should be held responsible. Cruises that mismanage a norovirus outbreak may also be liable. Suppose you suffered both physically and emotionally due to a cruise line’s mistreatment. In that case, you need to talk to an experienced cruise ship injury lawyer – someone licensed to practice maritime law and who knows the ins and outs of this particular practice area.
The lawyers at the Law Office of Andrew Winston have been practicing maritime law and handling cruise ship injury and illness cases collectively for many years. They can help you get the compensation you deserve, whether you were a passenger whose vacation was ruined or a crew member exposed to unsanitary conditions. Do not wait until your statute of limitations has passed—contact the Mannello Law Group today. You can schedule a free consultation by calling the Mannello Law Group at 954-606-6606 or toll-free at 866-306-9606 or by filling out a convenient online case review form.
The attorneys at the Law Office of Andrew Winston work on a contingency basis, meaning you won’t have to pay any attorney fees or the cost of representation unless they successfully recover monetary compensation for you.