Cruise Line Businesses Face Personal Injury Claims Stemming from the Coronavirus Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has taken the world by storm. This virus started in southern China where it quickly spread to the rest of the world including Europe and the United States. The coronavirus is incredibly contagious, being transmitted through the air when people cough on each other. This makes enclosed spaces, such as cruise ships, particularly vulnerable to the spread of this virus. This is exactly what happened on one of the Grand Princess ocean liners, one of the leading cruise lines in the world. Now, this cruise line faces personal injury claims from passengers.
In a lawsuit, cruise passengers are claiming that the cruise ship did not have proper safety and screening protocols in place. As a result, the passengers are claiming that the negligence of the cruise ship led to the development of emotional trauma stemming from the spread of the coronavirus through the ship. The passengers are claiming that the cruise ship placed their own profits above the safety of their passengers, leading to severe emotional distress in response to the fear of contracting the coronavirus.
When this cruise ship docked on California, 21 people on the ship tested positive for the coronavirus. Most of these people were members of the crew. The ship had 2,400 passengers who disembarked. Then, they were placed in protective quarantine for an extended period of time. People who are coming from infected areas of the world, including cruise ships, are often placed in quarantine. This is because the virus might be present in someone’s body for two weeks without showing any symptoms. During this time, the virus can still be passed from person to person. This means that someone can transmit the virus to someone else even if they don’t know they’re infected. For this reason, many people are placed in quarantine for an extended period of time.
The lawsuit claims that the cruise line should have had measures in place to screen people on the ship for the coronavirus before unnecessarily exposing the passengers to this risk. The lawsuit states that if these screening measures were in place, passengers would have been better protected from this pandemic. It remains to be seen what sort of response the cruise line is going to have to this lawsuit. According to Ankin Law Office, personal injury lawsuits stem from “negligent or intentional acts that result in personal injuries” which includes exposures to possible illnesses.
This lawsuit only serves to demonstrate that employers need to take the proper precautions in light of this pandemic. The coronavirus is particularly deadly for elderly people and those who have chronic medical conditions that may lead to a weakened immune system. As the world struggles to get control of the situation, it is important for everyone to do their part to keep others safe.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help
For anyone who has been recently on a cruise ship and contracted the virus, a personal injury lawyer can be sought to push actions against the cruise line company for negligence in handling coronavirus cases. A personal injury attorney can help a victim seek the rightful compensation for the damages coronavirus caused while on a cruise, such as the following:
- Hospitalization: As stated by the law, from the hospital stay to home quarantine medical expenses, the cruise line company should provide financial assistance to cover all expenses.
- Evidence Gathering: A personal injury attorney knows the legal aspects governing the duties and responsibilities of a cruise line company, involving protecting passengers through setting forth policies and protocols accepted by international standards. All pieces of evidence will be gathered, including cruise line stop-over lists, medical records, and even social media and news reports.
- Client Advocate: A personal injury attorney serves as a legal counsel, providing support in all stages of a personal injury claim, from filing a complaint and submitting a claim to the insurance company up to court trial as deemed necessary. All parties will be carefully oriented about their rights when it comes to health and safety against COVID-19 on the premises of the cruise ship.
- Negotiate: An experienced personal injury lawyer is a great negotiator, seeking the maximum compensation one deserves, most especially this trying time when the world is faced with a new novel coronavirus, threatening the lives of everyone.
Conclusion
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has made cruising a terrible experience because of stories of passengers contracting the virus rapidly. Of course, every cruise ship company has duties and responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of all their passengers. If a person perceives negligence on the part of the cruise line company, one can hire a personal injury lawyer to know the legal rights and seek compensation for damages.
