cruise ship injury lawyers

Search Suspended for Woman Who Went Overboard During Recent Cruise

February 25, 2022 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

On February 18, 2022, the US Coast Guard announced that it had reluctantly suspended the search for a woman who went overboard a Carnival cruise during an altercation with security. The Miami Herald covered the incident in a recent article, stating that the passenger had been involved in a heated exchange with another guest in the hot tub area on the ship’s 10th deck. Security guards were in the process of separating the pair and removing the woman from the area, when the victim broke free and went over the rail. Crew members immediately launched a response by throwing a life ring and conducting a search, which the Coast Guard eventually took over. After a meticulous search-and-rescue over 2,500 nautical miles, officials suspended their efforts.

There is no global authority on tracking these incidents, but some estimates indicate that more than 300 passengers have gone overboard since the early 2000s. This tragedy is a reminder about safety onboard, but it also raises multiple legal issues related to Miami cruise ship accidents. Some background information puts the incident into context.

Concerns and Questions About Passenger Overboard Incidents

Florida Cruise Ship Attorneys Give Victims OF Crime On A Cruise Ship A Voice

December 6, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Crime on cruise ships is not a new phenomenon, regrettably. Many voyages were ruined by unexplained deaths, overboard passengers, sexual assault, battery, and theft suffered by passengers on the world’s most popular cruise lines. Committing a crime while on vacation seems utterly irrational, but it happens. Cruise lines owe passengers a duty of care to protect their passengers from harm. Therefore, cruise lines may be held accountable to you if you are the victim of a crime while onboard. Florida cruise ship attorneys will provide you with zealous representation if you are the victim of a crime while on a cruise ship.

Until very recently, crime statistics for crimes that occur on a cruise ship were inconsistently reported. While the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains crime statistics, cruise lines compiled their own statistics. These compilations rarely, if ever, agreed with one another. Often, the FBI would report individual numbers while the cruise lines would report something wildly different. The public did not have access to the crime statistics, which compounded matters. Obviously, cruise lines have a vested interest in under reporting the numbers of crimes allegedly happening during their voyages.

Now, with the assistance from the United States Department of Transportation, the public has ready access to crime statistics for a crime allegedly committed on board a cruising vessel. Critically, recently enacted legislation not only compels cruise line to cooperate with reporting of offenses, but FBI agents are also assigned to investigate crimes the reportedly happen during a voyage. The FBI will establish a communication system that enables victims to contact the FBI for assistance while onboard the vessel.

Cruise Lines and Terror Attacks: Can Cruise Ships Be Liable?

November 1, 2016 | by Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.

Cruise Lines and Terror Attacks: Can Cruise Ships Be Liable?

In early October, the Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa was the first cruise ship to sail into Tunis, Tunisia since terror attacks ravaged the area in 2015. Last year, 59 tourists were brutally killed by terrorists as they visited the area. Twenty-one tourists who were traveling with MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises were attacked at the Bardos museum in March. After the passengers got off of the buses used by the excursion companies that were contracted by the cruise lines, terrorists opened fire. Many survivors and family members of those killed alleged that the cruise lines did not provide adequate security for their passengers and in fact offered no information about terrorist activity in the area. Florida cruise ship accident attorneys can hold cruise lines liable when their failure to provide reasonable security measures causes passengers harm.

How could a cruise line be responsible for terrorist activity? The answer goes back to a cruise line’s responsibility to act with reasonable care in order to keep passengers safe. After the attacks in Tunisia, government officials alleged that they were foreseeable. In fact, Tunisia fired its head security experts and several high-ranking police officers. If notice of a dangerous condition is imputed on the cruise line, then the cruise line has a legal duty to take reasonable action to avoid the harm. This can be in the form of warning passengers or possibly avoiding areas where the risk of harm to passengers is likely to ocurr.