Can you sue a cruise line if you get sick on the ship? It’s been hard to scroll through Facebook or watch the news lately without reading something about the Coronavirus. And, one of the first places we see these kinds of viruses spreading are on cruise ships. With so many people cramped into a small location, this isn’t surprising. All it takes is one or two people to expose other cruisers to the virus. The next thing you know, the entire ship is quarantined. People aren’t allowed to leave their room or take part in activities for fear of getting sick.
One of the last things cruise lines want to hear is that a ship has to be quarantined. They know it’s bad for business. When people hear that dozens of people became sick while on a cruise ship, they get scared. If they haven’t already cancelled their trip, they’ll seriously consider it. And, despite the fact that cruise lines have absolutely no control over this, it doesn’t matter. People still tend to blame the cruise lines. They figure they should have seen the illness coming or do something to contain it.
The bottom line is that, despite what you may think, cruise lines have no way to prevent this kind of thing. They don’t know that a virus is pending any more than the CDC does. Yes, if they find out someone on board is ill, they need to take the necessary steps to contain the illness. But, unless the passenger reports their illness or symptoms, there’s not much for the cruise line to do. So, if you’ve become ill while traveling on a cruise ship, you may or may not have a viable claim for damages. It depends on the circumstances of your case. It also depends on whether or not you have an experienced personal injury lawyer in Georgia.
It’s Hard to Prove Negligence in This Sort of Case
As upset as you may be that your vacation was ruined, there is a chance that the cruise line won’t be held responsible. For example, if they did everything they could possibly do to prevent the spread of the virus, it’s hard to fault them. The same can be said if they properly treated any affected passengers. We can only hold the cruise line to a certain standard. We cannot expect them be psychic. Nor can we expect miracles.
There are situations, however, in which a cruise line could be held negligent. If your attorney can prove this, you may be able to collect damages. Some examples of when a cruise line may be held negligent in cases like the Coronavirus are:
- They allowed affected passengers to roam the boat freely
- They do nothing to contain the illness
- They fail to properly treat passengers who become ill
- They do not follow standard procedures when it comes to quarantining the ship
- They do not follow the recommendations of the CDC and other health organizations
- They allow staff members who are affected with the virus to continue to engage with passengers and other employees
If your case involves any of these sorts of things, you might have a stronger claim.
If You Need to Sue a Cruise Line, Call a Georgia Personal Injury Attorney
If you find out that you or your loved one have gotten ill while on a cruise ship, you’ll be scared. You’re going to worry that you won’t have access to proper medical care. You may also worry that you’ll bring the illness home to your family. This is especially true when you’re traveling the world and aren’t quite sure exactly what disease you’ve contracted.
This is why you should contact an experienced personal injury law firm that practices in Georgia. They can sit down and find out what really happened to you. They’ll look to see how many other passengers were affected on the boat. Finally, they’ll check to see if the cruise line was negligent in any way. Like it or not, if they weren’t negligent, you won’t be able to sue a cruise line. While nobody likes to get sick, there’s only so much you blame on the cruise line. However, if your lawyer thinks you have a strong case, they’ll let you know.
Call today and schedule your initial consultation. It’s absolutely free and it allows you to sit down with an experienced personal injury attorney. Chances are, your lawyer has handled these types of cases before. They know what to look for. And, since the consultation is free, you have nothing to lose.
