Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Blog

Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Returns Early Due to Spread to a Gastrointestinal Illnes

February 4, 2019 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

When you purchase a vacation on a cruise ship, you expect the ship to be clean and for the food to be prepared safely. There are many health and safety regulations in place to ensure you are not exposed to dangerous bacteria and viruses. However, something must have gone wrong on the Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas in January. The ship had to return to Port Canaveral, Florida earlier than expected due to a gastrointestinal illness that spread quickly throughout the ship. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program, 561 passengers became ill and 31 crew became ill. This accounted for more than 10 percent of the total passengers and crew onboard. The Oasis of the Seas is a newer ship and holds more than 8,000 passengers and crew.

In many cases, norovirus is uncomfortable and inconvenient. However, gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships can become serious, especially for children, the elderly, and passengers with weakened immune systems. If you suffered harm on a cruise ship because you contracted a serious virus or bacterial infection, contact our Miami cruise ship lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz P.A. You can reach us through our online form or call (877) 475-2905 to schedule a free consultation.

What Is Norovirus?

Authorities Investigate Death of Almarosa Tenorio, 52, on Royal Princess Cruise Ship as Murder

November 30, 2018 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Authorities Investigate Death on Princess Cruise Ship as Murder

On Tuesday, November 13, Almarosa Tenorio, 52, died on the Princess Cruises vessel, the Royal Princess. The cruise ship was in the middle of an eight-day trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the Caribbean. Initial reports indicate that the woman struggled with a man on an upper deck. The man appeared to choke her before pushing her overboard. She fell from the upper deck, falling 14 stories onto a lifeboat. The death was reported to local authorities in Aruba, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations is involved. It is being investigated as a suspected murder.

While authorities will investigate and determine whether criminal charges may be brought, Tenorio’s surviving children may consider whether there is an appropriate civil claim. There may be evidence regarding a lack of appropriate security aboard the cruise ship. Also, if a suspect is identified, the family may have a wrongful death claim against the responsible individual.

Florida Resident Christopher McGrory Dies From Fall on Cruise Ship

October 26, 2018 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Christopher McGrory, 29, was onboard the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s Grand Classica for his bachelor party. What should have been a fun trip before his nuptials ended tragically. McGrory fell from an upper deck, landing on a lower portion of the vessel. He did not fall overboard. He was rushed to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Riviera Beach Fire-Rescue. The cause of McGrory’s fall is unknown, and the U.S. Coast Guard is investigating.

Unfortunately, McGrory’s story is not as rare as it should be. Falls on cruise ships occur frequently, though they are not always fatal. Many falls result in serious injuries.If you fell and suffered an injury on a cruise ship, or you lost a loved one in a significant fall, do not hesitate to contact a Miami cruise ship attorney from Gerson & Schwartz P.A. We are highly experienced cruise ship attorneys. If the fall was due to a defect or a dangerous condition on the vessel, we can represent you in pursuit of fair compensation. Call us at (877) 475-2905 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Cruise Ship Falls May Be Due to Crew Member Negligence

Lava Boat Tour in Hawaii Leaves 23 Passengers Injured

October 2, 2018 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

As of September, it appears the eruption of Kīlauea is slowing down. The National Park Service stated there was no significant incandescence visible overnight on Sept. 25th. No collapses within the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater had been observed for over 10 days, and the lava flows had not expanded since Aug. 9th. The sulfur dioxide emissions rates had significantly decreased in multiple areas. This is good news for residents and visitors. However, since May 3rd, when the volcano began erupting anew, numerous people have been injured.

On July 16th, Lava Ocean Tours was operating a tour boat near the volcano when the boat was struck by molten lava. The U.S. Coast Guard’s policy is to not let vessels come any closer than 300 meters (984 feet) from the volcano’s lava has run into the sea. However, Lava Ocean Tours as operating with a special permit to go as close as 50 meters (164 feet) from the lava.

If your or a loved one were injured while on a tour boat, cruise ship, or other vessel, do not hesitate to contact an experienced cruise ship lawyer in Miami. At Gerson & Schwartz P.A., we are highly experienced in handling claims related to cruise ships and other vessels. You can reach us at (877) 475-2905.

73-Year-Old Man Goes Overboard Cruise Ship, Pronounced Dead

July 16, 2018 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

A passenger on the Seven Seas Mariner was reported overboard early morning on July 10. The 73-year-old man and his wife were on a 11-day Alaska cruise, which began in Vancouver. The vessel was on its way to Victoria, British Columbia, and just north of Neah Bay and Cape Flattery in Washington when cruise ship employers were made aware of the overboard passenger. Why the elderly man went overboard is yet unknown, though the cruise ship informed the Coast Guard that there is video of the man falling or jumping from an eight-deck balcony at 4:15 a.m. The passenger’s wife reported waking up around 4:30 a.m. to a breeze coming from the open balcony door, and at the time, there was no sign of her husband.

The ship contacted the Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound Command Center around 4:30 a.m. to report the passenger missing. The coast sent out two search helicopters and three rescue boats. They located the man the afternoon of June 10^th, and he was unresponsive. He was flown to an Emergency Medical Service crew on shore and them to the Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. If your loved one recently went overboard a cruise ship, do not hesitate to speak with an attorney. Our cruise ship accident lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz P.A. offer free consultations. Call us at (877) 475-2905.

The Seven Seas Mariner

Illness Outbreaks on Cruise Ships in 2018

June 18, 2018 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Each year, many individuals, couples, and families choose to take cruises. Some sale around to Alaska, the Mediterrean, or from Miami to Mexico. They all expect to have a fun vacation, free from accidents or illness. However, plans can go awry. Cruise ships must store and prepare immense amounts of food to feed thousands of people. If sanitation practices are not adhered to, food and water can become contaminated. So too can other cruise ship facilities. This can lead to an outbreak on the ship. In 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported five cruise ships experienced illness outbreaks. One was called by E. coli, another by norovirus and Campylobacter. The cause of three other outbreaks are unknown.

If you or a loved one became seriously ill on a cruise ship and you believe it was because of contaminated food or poor sanitation practices, call an experienced Miami cruise ship attorney from Gerson & Schwartz P.A. at (877) 475-2905.

2018 Cruise Ship Outbreaks

Passenger Falls Overboard on Cruise Ship Without a Man Overboard System

June 1, 2018 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

On May 23, the U.S. Coast Guard announced it suspended the search for Brian Lamonds, 50, who went overboard a Carnival Paradise cruise ship approximately 85 miles west of Fort Myers, Florida. The cruise ship was traveling from Tampa to Key West, and was close to its destination when the Coast Guard was notified of Lamonds’ disappearance. The Coast Guard received a call at about 10 a.m. on May 22 regarding a missing passenger. Rescue crews including a Hercules aircraft, a Jayhawk helicopter, an Ocean Sentry aircraft crew, and the Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo. Their search encompassed 3,059 miles.

It is unclear when Lamonds went missing from the ship and when Carnival Cruise employees on the ship were made aware of the potentially overboard passenger. There are many questions regarding whether Carnival Cruise delayed notifying the Coast Guard and whether the ship was equipped with modern safety features, such as a man overboard (MOB) system.

If you were injured on a cruise ship or lost a loved one recently, you should speak with a Florida cruise ship attorney from Gerson & Schwartz P.A. We are a full-service injury law firm with years of experience handling cruise ship cases. Contact us at (877) 475-2905 to schedule a free consultation and learn about your legal options following a cruise ship accident.

Georgia Family Announces Lawsuit Against Carnival

December 12, 2017 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Various sources are reporting that a Georgia family has announced its plans to sue Carnival Cruise Line. The suit is based on a particularly unusual situation whereby a teen that the family alleges was drunk entered their then 10-year-old child’s room and laid in bed with him during a 2016 Bahamas cruise.

The family stated that they were on the Carnival Victory ship sailing out of Port Canaveral on June 6, 2016. They sailed with their son and his cousin, and booked a room across the hall from the parents for the two children.

On the day of the incident, the parents claimed that they closed the door to the children’s room, so that they could nap, and went back to their room across the hall. Sometime later, as the father went to check on the children, he claims that he found an intoxicated 18-year-old lying in bed next to his son. The father stated that he grabbed the teen and alerted security, who then contacted the parents of the teen.

Florida Court Upholds Forum Selection Clause in Cruise Personal Injury Case

November 22, 2017 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

A Florida court recently heard an appeal in a cruise ship personal injury case. However, rather than the more common personal injury case brought by a passenger, this case was being brought by a gentleman who was working under contract to conduct art auctions on cruise ships. A Serbian national and resident, the plaintiff brought the suit against the company he was working for, alleging that he injured his back while working. He initially filed the suit with the Miami-Dade circuit court, but the court dismissed the case pursuant to a mandatory forum selection clause.

Relevant to the case at hand, the forum selection clause stated that all legal proceedings, brought by either party, relating to the contract were to be brought in the Turks and Caicos Islands, except that the defendant company could sue in other forums if it was in pursuit of obtaining an injunction as related to the confidentiality and non-compete provisions of the contract.

On appeal, the court found the mandatory forum selection clause passed the legal test as being valid and enforceable because it did not believe that the forum was unjust and unreasonable so as to constitute no forum at all. Specifically, the court found that because the Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Territory and are thus a part of the British common law system, therefore any necessary appeals would come to the highest courts of the United Kingdom. The court stated its opinion that these courts were certainly capable of reviewing the relevant evidence and determining the applicability of relevant law. Thus, it did not find that the courts constituted “no forum at all.”

Norovirus Outbreak on Series of Australia Cruises

November 7, 2017 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

The Celebrity Solstice ship has reportedly been dealing with a series of Norovirus outbreaks, according to reports and a recent passenger’s statement. The passenger stated that he and his wife had been informed of the prior outbreak of the gastrointestinal virus after their ship left the Sydney port for Auckland. The passenger claims that it was not until the ship left Melbourne that the captain announced to passengers that an earlier cruise had an outbreak of the Norovirus, and informed guests to take extra sanitary precautions such as extensive hand washing and using hand sanitizer.

In a statement, Celebrity Cruises reportedly confirmed cases of the illness in passengers and crew, and claimed that it had sent a text message about the outbreak in informing passengers that it would need additional time to clean the ship.

Norovirus can be transmitted through infected food or water, by personal contact, or with contact with a surface that has been contaminated.