If you follow our blog, you know that Florida has a large tourism industry, offering many visitors the chance to go on cruises.
With this in mind, it should be noted that a ruling last year by a United States Appellate Court has made it far easier for injured passengers to file lawsuits against cruise lines for medical malpractice.
The ruling came in the case of a man who sought medical attention in a ship’s hospital, after falling while a vessel was docked in Bermuda. The Huffington Post reported that the care the man received was so poor that he fell into a coma and died shortly after. The man’s family then filed a lawsuit against Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, located in Miami.
Initially, the judge overseeing the case dismissed it, saying that longstanding maritime law provided immunity to the cruise line in terms of medical care negligence. However, in the opinion of an appellate court, a judge found that maritime law supports holding cruise lines liable for the medical negligence of its nurses and doctors.
Can I Contact an Attorney About a Cruise Line Accident?
Common cruise line incidents that can lead to catastrophic injuries include slip and fall accidents, accidental drowning and assaults. You need to make sure you have any injury suffered on a cruise line investigated by an experienced attorney.
If you received medical treatment that was substandard, with this ruling, you may now be able to hold a cruise line liable for malpractice in the same way you could with any other healthcare provider. Contact our office today for more information.
Did You Know? Plumbing issues on cruise ships can lead to overflowing toilets and water borne illnesses.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/spencer-aronfeld/post_8635_b_6211668.html
