Free Confidential Consultation
The past six years have shown the importance of taking precautions during a viral outbreak. Since reports of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States first came out in 2020, many individuals have filed lawsuits for coronavirus medical negligence against cruise ships.
Louis A. Vucci P.A. can help you if you believe medical negligence caused your coronavirus diagnosis or a loved one’s death from the viral infection. If you or a loved one were infected with or died from the coronavirus while traveling on a cruise ship, we’re prepared to help you fight for compensation.
Our attorneys are skilled in medical negligence law, and we are ready to fight for your rights during this unprecedented pandemic. You cannot afford to wait for compensation, so contact Louis A. Vucci P.A. at (866) 404-3415 or fill out our contact form now to begin work on your case. Keep reading to learn more about cruise line accountability for cruise passenger and crew coronavirus cases.
In the early days of March 2020, the primary spread of coronavirus in the United States occurred at a Seattle nursing home. However, cruise ship travel became a serious concern for the spread of the virus, when one-third of the individuals with confirmed cases in the United States became infected on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
The cruise ship quarantined passengers after one person tested positive. The domino effect that ensued afterward led to another 45 people becoming infected and multiple individuals dying onboard. Questions arose about whether or not the cruise ship and nursing home in Seattle took proper precautions to avoid and prevent exposure of the infection to others.
Coronavirus went on to spread throughout the United States. As of the beginning of May 2020, there were over 1.2 million cases of the illness in the U.S., and already more than 70,000 people had lost their battle against the virus. Not one single state of U.S. territory has been spared the devastation of this illness. All 50 states and Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have dealt with infections.
The elderly are primarily vulnerable to succumbing to the coronavirus because of the natural decline in immune response as we age, as well as having a preponderance for preexisting conditions like heart disease. However, the World Health Organization finds that the overall mortality rate for the coronavirus is at least 3.4 percent.
As of March 14, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), had placed a no-sail order on the industry in relation to the outbreak. Early on, it was clear that this was not an illness that should be taken lightly, and yet it seems like that’s exactly what the cruise line industry did. They ended up putting the lives of thousands of passengers and staff at risk in order to continue operating and making money. As the virus continued to spread, cruise ships turned into petri dishes, the perfect breeding ground for the virus to incubate and infect more people in close proximity to one another. At the end of April, 2020, the Miami Herald found that at least 2,592 people had tested positive for COVID-19 during or immediately following a cruise.
The more testing that was completed, the more the entire picture became focused. Thousands who thought they were safe to travel because cruise companies, including the Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises, downplayed the severity of COVID-19, found out just how wrong those companies can be. Many cruise lines put the health and safety of people at risk, and unfortunately, some are paying the ultimate price for that greed. In one case, three Royal Caribbean crew members lost their lives to COVID-19 in a matter of just eight days.
The bad publicity that cruise lines have gained due to their poor handling of the coronavirus outbreak has begun to tarnish the industry’s reputation. Media outlets have pointed to the number of ways the industry has to change to continue doing business in a post-coronavirus world, however long that takes. The question is, will it be enough?
Cases like the MSC Meraviglia, a cruise ship that docked in Miami, Florida, on March 15, 2020, then allowed thousands of passengers to leave the ship despite multiple coronavirus cases, show how irresponsible the industry has been. This type of reckless behavior continues to demonstrate a serious lack of responsibility for cruise ship passengers and staff during this difficult time. Big-name cruise lines, such as Norwegian, Costa, and Princess, face mounting lawsuits over their failure to protect the health and safety of their staff and passengers.
Over the years, roughly 3,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported in association with the cruise industry. The Diamond Princess and Ruby Princess with Princess Cruise Lines were connected to more than 700 confirmed cases, each, with the Grand Princess seeing more than one hundred cases, as well. Princess Cruise Lines is a part of the Carnival Corporation, which has lost class action lawsuits for negligence in relation to COVID-19 on its cruise vessels.
The viral novel coronavirus infection first showed up in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Tens of thousands of people tested positive, and many ended up dying. Since the initial identification of the disease, coronavirus, also called COVID-19, went on to reach the United States and cause massive panic. As of March 19, 2020, the United States released a level four global health advisory, recommending that all U.S. citizens not travel, unless absolutely necessary. There were also a variety of state-based initiatives across the country to prevent the spread of the virus, resulting in schools and businesses shutting down and events getting canceled.
Coronavirus causes symptoms that range from mild to severe. In some cases, especially those involving the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, the virus ends up being fatal. For many others, long-term impacts can include fatigue, memory issues, problems with taste and smell, and permanent lung damage for some patients.
The most common symptoms develop around two to fourteen days after exposure to the virus. Those symptoms generally include:
More severe symptoms potentially requiring medical intervention include:
This particular strain is related to SARS and MERS, both of which cause respiratory problems.
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus a pandemic. A pandemic is a disease that can spread to many people across the globe in a short time.
Most serious diseases begin under the epidemic classification, meaning they rapidly impact many people. However, a disease may transform from an epidemic to a pandemic when they rapidly spreads to people across a wide geographic region.
The World Health Organization estimates that as of the beginning of May 2020, there are now over 3.7 million cases of coronavirus worldwide and nearly 260,000 confirmed deaths.
It’s tough to distinguish medical negligence from an innocent mistake. Many law firms won’t take on coronavirus cases because there’s insufficient evidence. Others have a hard time establishing where the party failed to maintain the health of others.
Most victims who died had a compromised or weakened immune system. Older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions seemed to suffer the worst because their bodies couldn’t fight off the infection. Transmission often occurs from person-to-person contact.
Now that there’s a reliable protocol in place, cruise ships could be responsible if they don’t follow that protocol, and it results in someone contracting coronavirus. Ignoring requirements about containment or failing to test those exhibiting symptoms is entirely negligent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established guidelines for healthcare professionals, patients, and visitors that could help prevent the coronavirus spread.
There are a few key ways that substandard medical attention and medical malpractice can lead to serious health implications in relation to COVID-19:
You must take multiple steps to protect yourself and others if you become infected with the coronavirus.
1. Self-Isolate – Try to come in contact with others as little as possible. Get rest and care for yourself like you would if you had the flu.
2. Disinfect Your Space – Wipe down doorknobs, countertops, and additional objects you frequently touch.
3. Keep Your Distance From Family Members – If you live with anyone, try to avoid them, and don’t touch anything in common areas unless you wash your hands first.
4. Hire a Lawyer – If you believe your diagnosis was the result of medical negligence, you should seek legal representation. Collect all documentation available and present it to a lawyer for review.
Keep in mind that there are strict limitations on personal injury claims for cruise line negligence. Cruise tickets often place restrictions on filing conditions, including the timeline, forum selection, and liability, with most cruise cases subject to a one-year time limit. That’s why it’s so important to act fast and seek help from a capable lawyer to preserve evidence and investigate your outbreak timeline to prove negligence.
Much like influenza, a doctor uses a nasal swab to test for coronavirus. Unfortunately, some instances of people testing positive for both the flu and coronavirus simultaneously occurred.
Medical professionals say it’s common to misdiagnose the coronavirus strain because some tests show false-negatives for certain upper respiratory specimens or multiple infections occurring simultaneously. Anyone exhibiting symptoms should request that their doctor test them for the coronavirus, even if their flu test is positive.
The settlement amount you’re entitled to in a coronavirus medical negligence case depends on certain factors. The severity of your coronavirus diagnosis and resulting medical expenses could determine the financial compensation you deserve. In one case against Carnival Cruises, a woman was awarded roughly $4,400 as part of a class action involving more than 1,000 claimants.
In any claim or lawsuit, the insurance adjuster or jury reviews the following losses to decide an appropriate financial award to cover your costs and suffering:
Louis A. Vucci P.A. knows how to determine the fair amount of compensation to ask for in a medical negligence case. We aim to ensure you receive the maximum settlement available to cover your past costs and any future expenses.
It’s tough dealing with the legal ramifications of coronavirus medical negligence. You won’t know where to start if you’re unfamiliar with the process. You’ll likely miss a strict deadline, submit incorrect documentation, or accept a lowball offer because you’re desperate for financial assistance.
A cruise ship medical negligence attorney can help you navigate the international maritime laws that dictate liability for cruise line injuries and coronavirus infections onboard cruise vessels. We can help you investigate your case and gather essential evidence, like health screenings and expert testimony, to prove cruise line negligence.
The attorneys from Louis A. Vucci P.A. won’t allow anyone to take advantage of you. We fight aggressively for all our clients to reach a favorable outcome. We believe in maintaining our client’s rights and protecting their interests.
We understand the overwhelming feeling of developing a potentially fatal infection. It’s unfair knowing another person’s reckless actions and lack of regard for your health ended up causing your diagnosis. It’s our job to hold those people responsible and seek the justice you deserve.
At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we take steps to avoid adding to our clients’ financial burden. We know you’re already facing a mountain of medical bills and worried about how to pay for them. If you suffered from your symptoms for weeks or months and missed work, as a result, you probably didn’t get paid.
We work on contingency for victims of coronavirus medical negligence. We don’t charge upfront costs or fees at the beginning of any case or while it’s ongoing. We don’t get paid unless you get paid.
We also offer an initial consultation to all prospective clients free of charge. There’s no risk in discussing your unfortunate situation with us and receiving the legal advice you need. We’re happy to answer all your questions and let you know your best option to pursue compensation.
Holding cruise lines accountable for COVID-19 personal injury cases can be incredibly complex, with things like underlying health conditions, risk factors, and a lack of reasonable care often making cases even more difficult to navigate. If you need to seek compensation through a coronavirus medical negligence claim or wrongful death lawsuit, our maritime law attorney is ready to help you take legal action.
Call (866) 404-3415 or fill out our contact form to schedule your free initial consultation. We represent coronavirus medical negligence victims throughout New York, Florida, and Boston, and from cruise ports in Seattle, New Orleans, Texas, and Alaska. We work on a contingency fee basis, making your legal options more accessible.
There are many things for which a passenger may make a claim, some of which include:
