cruise ship accident lawyer

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

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

Lifeguards: A Noticeably Absent Safety Measure on Cruise Ships

October 18, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Lifeguards: A Noticeably Absent Safety Measure on Cruise Ships

Earlier this month, a toddler nearly drowned on the Carnival Splendor. The incident occurred while the ship was in port in Miami, and the toddler was hospitalized. What was supposed to be a fun, memorable vacation for this family quickly became a nightmare. Unfortunately, many children have nearly drowned or drowned while on-board cruise ships. Florida cruise ship attorneys are taking on the cruise lines to demand that they improve safety on board. A simple solution to prevent these tragic accidents would be hiring lifeguards to keep an eye on minor guests as they swim.

Carnival, along with other major cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines, employs hundreds of crew members and staff to take care of their guests during their voyages. Many of the ships in the fleets of these cruise lines have special attractions for kids in their pools, such as water slides and other activities. Most cruise lines state that parents should closely supervise their children while they are using cruise ship pools. However, cruise lines cannot simply hide behind this request and avoid liability for dangerous conditions on board. In fact, due to the disturbing number of incidents that occur onboard cruise ships, Disney Cruise Line has started posting lifeguards at its pools.

Murder Abroad

June 10, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

While a cruise ship voyage can be a dream vacation, accidents and crime may occur. Just recently, Gary Stevenson, 27 years of age, admitted he stabbed a cruise ship worker, Katy Bourke, three times because she refused to have sex with him. Mr. Stevenson, a hard drinker, essentially snapped and fatally attacked her. Before the stabbings, Stevenson punched her repeatedly in the face and put his hands around her throat. After killing her, Stevenson then cut his wrists in a fake suicide attempt. Officers discovered Bourke’s naked body next to her bed near a large kitchen-knife. The officers were notified by Katy’s friends when she failed to show up for work.

If you or a loved one is a victim of a crime at sea, it is important that an experienced maritime lawyer is retained for your case. Cruise ship companies have their own lawyers who work for them following an incident and so should you. The Miami cruise ship lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz, PA provide high quality legal representation. For more information call us toll free at 1-877-475-2905 or contact us online.

The Basics of Murder

Gastrointestinal Outbreak on Ocean Princess Cruise Ship

May 20, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Cases of gastrointestinal illness (“GI”) have grown to become a serious problem for various cruise lines. The cases are growing in number. Today, there are several cruise lines that are specifically required to report the total number of GI illness cases. These cruise lines are participating in the Vessel Sanitation Program (“VSP”).

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) there was a severe gastrointestinal outbreak on the Ocean Princess cruise ship of the Princess Cruises cruise line. From this apparent outbreak, 63 out of 603 passengers (or 10.45%) became ill while on the cruise. Seven crewmembers also became ill. This notable outbreak occurred during the cruise ship’s February 13th through March 7th, 2016 voyage. Among all those sickened, the predominant symptoms were vomiting and diarrhea. In response to this outbreak, the cruise ship’s crewmembers, those not sick, increased their cleaning and disinfection procedures, collected stool samples from the sickened passengers and crewmembers for testing and made daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases. The CDS Vessel Sanitation Program (“VSP”) is currently monitoring the outbreak and the ship’s response procedures.

Have you or a loved one suffered from an illness while on a cruise ship? If it is found that the cruise ship was at fault for your illness, you may be entitled to compensation. To best protect your interests, it is imperative that you retain an experienced attorney. The Miami maritime lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz PA are here to help. At Gerson & Schwartz, PA we provide high quality legal representation. For more information call us toll free at 1-877-475-2905 or contact us online.

Safety Tips for Cruise Ship Trips

April 29, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Cruise ship vacations provide for the perfect getaway. However, risks of injury and/or crime are relatively high for those embarking on a cruise. Recently, yet another cruise ship passenger fell off a balcony. This happens all too often. A Texas man fell off the balcony of a ship off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. He is currently being sought by search-and-rescue crews. This tragic event occurred about 36 nautical miles south of the Carysfort Reef Light. At around 11:00 p.m. on a Saturday night, David Mossman, age 46, fell 100 feet from the 10th deck of the cruise ship and into the dark water. This event was witnessed by another passenger and it was caught on security camera footage.

Cruise ship incidents, though not always fatal, can happen to any passenger, or crew member, at anytime. For this reason, it is critical that you take several safety precautions while you enjoy your cruise ship vacation. If you are injured, you may be entitled to compensation. It is imperative that you hire an attorney for your case. The Miami maritime lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz PA have the experience and skill needed to take on your case. Our attorneys are experienced in filing claims against all major cruise lines. We know how to aggressively handle maritime lawsuits. We will fight hard to enforce your legal rights and we will not hesitate to bring your case to trial if a fair settlement offer is not made.

How to Stay Safe on Your Cruise

Jurisdiction Issues in Cruise Ship Lawsuits

April 22, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

While swarms of people embark on cruise ships annually, crimes committed upon them seem to run rampant. What is sad is that many individuals who commit crimes aboard cruise ships actually get away with their crimes. It is a mess. What makes it even messier is the existence of the jurisdiction issue. A congressional hearing in 2007 revealed that in the past three years, 28 people have disappeared while on cruise ships. Of these, only three have been found! There have been 200 reported cases of assault or sexual misconduct aboard cruise ships. There have been four cases reported of grand theft. True, this may not appear to be a huge number of incidents. Yet, it is a large number when you take into consideration the several nuances of enforcing the law at sea. Most of these cases have not been sufficiently investigated and few have even been solved.

If you are a victim of crime or injury at sea, to best safeguard your interests, it is imperative that you hire an attorney for your case. The experienced Miami maritime lawyers at Gerson & Schwartz PA are here for you. We have the experience and skill needed to take on your case. Our attorneys are experienced in filing claims against all major cruise lines. We know how to aggressively handle maritime lawsuits. We will fight hard to enforce your legal rights and we will not hesitate to bring your case to trial if a fair settlement offer is not made.

Jurisdiction at Sea