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.

Six-year-old Qwentyn Hunter drowned on Sunday, October 13 in one of the pools on a cruise ship he was riding on with his family.

According to officials from Carnival Cruise Lines, the boy had been on a four-day Caribbean cruise with his family and their company’s “CareTeam is [currently] providing assistance and support.”

The ship reached Miami shores on Monday, October 14. The pool was already closed, and police had already sealed its perimeters with crime scene tape while officials took photographs of the area.

An investigation from the Miami-Dade police showed that Hunter was swimming in the pool with his 10-year-old brother when he drowned at around 4:45 p.m. while the ship was out at sea.

The boy was immediately given cardiopulmonary resuscitation after being pulled from the water but was already dead.

The family of a nine year-old boy who suffered a serious brain injury on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship has filed a lawsuit against the company.

The injury occurred after the family took their son, Leo, to the ship’s entertainment area, where he participated in a recreational activity organized by the ship’s staff. During the game, Leo collided with another child and fell to the floor, where his head struck a hard surface. The accident resulted in serious injuries that required emergency brain surgery.

Unfortunately, test results from the hospital indicated that there may be permanent dysfunction in one area of Leo’s brain as a result of the injury. As a result, the family is pursuing financial compensation for the costs of Leo’s medical treatment and future potential costs.

At the Louis A. Vucci P.A., our attorneys understand how serious cruise ship injuries can be, and we work to provide injured passengers with the representation they need to get the compensation they deserve. If you have been injured on a cruise ship, contact us at (786) 375-0344.