Vucci Law Group Medical Crew Negligence Archives

Attorney Louis Vucci of Louis A. Vucci P.A., recently represented Teresa Di Trapani, a former Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. crew member, after Trapani claimed that the company failed to provide prompt and adequate medical care in relation to her kidney failure.

Specifically, Trapani alleged that the company failed to perform proper diagnostic testing after she sought treatment for hypertension and proteinuria, which can be early indicators of kidney failure. When her conditioned worsened, she sought treatment while the cruise ship was docked in Portugal, though she was not accompanied by a dock agent, and, when neither she nor the on-board physicians could read the Portuguese notes on her medical charts, she was sent to her room to rest. Two days later, she had to be taken to the hospital in Spain where she was diagnosed with blood clots in her right kidney.

Even when she was able to return home to Canada several months later, Trapani had to undergo a partial nephrectomy to remove a tumor in her kidney.

Though the procedure was successful, Trapani suffered additional complications that were directly related to this procedure. On top of the considerable costs associated with her care, Trapani also lost a considerable amount of income from the cruise liner as she could not to return to work.

At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we are pleased to announce that a jury in Miami has ruled in favor of Trapani and awarded her a $1.9 million verdict.

The United States’ Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit’s made a decision that could be the turning point regarding personal injury accident victims at sea and their ability to sue cruise lines, Travel Weekly reported on November 23.

The case in discussion is about a man who sought medical aid for his injury while ashore in Bermuda during a cruise trip with Royal Caribbean International’s MS Explorer of the Seas back in 2011. The man succumbed to his injuries, and the man’s daughter, Patricia Franza, filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in a bid to hold the ship’s doctor and nurses responsible for the man’s death.

Although initially rejected, Circuit Judge Stanley Marcus acted on behalf of a three-judge panel and sent the case back to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida to be re-evaluated.

For a period of more than 25 years, a precedent set in a 1988 case was the main basis for why courts usually rule that cruise lines cannot be held liable for the fault of their doctors or nurses, who were regarded as independent agents and not employees.

If you have a case involving medical negligence on a cruise ship our attorneys at The Louis A. Vucci P.A., may provide aggressive representation to hold the responsible parties accountable. Call our offices today at (786) 375-0344 to learn more about the legal services we offer.

In a 2-1 decision issued Wednesday, December 4, the Florida Third District Court of Appeals reversed an earlier trial court ruling, stating that cruise ship doctor Dr. Chris Taylor, who was being sued, was not covered by the trial court’s jurisdiction.

The case was originally filed by a passenger on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, Ms. Gutierrez and her husband. The claimants alleged that Gutierrez was subjected to medical malpractice by Taylor, causing her to suffer from sepsis, multiple organ failure, and a cerebral hemorrhage, resulting in brain injury.

According to the lawsuit, Ms. Gutierrez and her husband rode the cruise ship in May 2010 and left from Port Everglades, Florida. As the ship neared Labadee, Haiti, Gutierrez felt intense abdominal cramps and was treated by Dr. Chris Taylor, the ship’s medical practitioner, for gastritis when she was actually suffering from a more severe medical condition.

Unfortunately, as this case demonstrates, passengers on cruise ships can be injured, causing them to need justice and compensation from the cruise ship. If you have been harmed on a cruise ship, whether due to medical crew malpractice or other negligence on the behalf of the crew, our lawyers at the Louis A. Vucci P.A., may be able to help you fight for compensation. Discuss your options by calling (786) 375-0344 today.