Cruise Ship

Cruise ships are intended to be fun, to provide passengers with an exciting and relaxing time while allowing them to see sights that would otherwise be impossible. And, while this is surely the case for many cruise ship passengers, a surprisingly large number sustain serious injury during routine cruises. One of the leading causes of…

Slip and fall accidents are the most common type of accident aboard cruise ships – and while some of these result in little more than bruised pride, many result in serious or even catastrophic injury. Slip and fall is the leading cause of traumatic brain injury in the United States, accounting for nearly half of…

A boy was airlifted to a local hospital after he suffered a severe injury while diving in the Florida Keys. KrocNews.com reports that the 11-year-old victim is from Rochester, Minnesota. He and his family were diving aboard a commercial boat in about 20 feet of water at Looe Key Reef when he suddenly began to…

When the world shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic a year ago, perhaps no industry was affected quite like the travel industry. Hotels, airlines, and cruise companies around the world stopped operating. And though courts initially closed as well, the shutdown did not give personal injury victims any additional time to file. In particular,…

Today we blog about the tragic case of Richard Burgess, who suffered severe and permanent brain injuries due to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s medical negligence. Burgess suffered a medical emergency while sailing aboard the Harmony of the Seas, and his injuries were exacerbated by the negligence of the RCCL medical staff aboard the ship. Below…

Baby Phoebe went on her first vacation in February. Before the end of the trip, she would be gravely ill with a meningitis infection that would result in triple amputation. NBC Miami reports that after Phoebe and her family set sail on the Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, Phoebe fell severely ill. The family…

The coronavirus pandemic has caused the shutdown of virtually every aspect of society. While many sectors are beginning to open up, Florida’s court system is operating at reduced capacity. WFLX.com reports that Florida’s courts are facing a logjam, with a massive number of pending cases expected to grow into next summer.  The WFLX.com article details…

Earlier this week we blogged about a complaint that we filed on behalf of a Norwegian Cruise Lines passengers who was injured on the Norwegian Getaway cruise ship due to faulty stairwell design. But the Getaway is not the only Norwegian ship that suffers from hazardous stairwells. Below, we present an excerpt of a lawsuit we filed on…

Anyone who has been in a cruise ship stateroom is likely familiar with the way stateroom bunk beds are arranged. The top bed may be parallel to the bottom bed or perpendicular to it, but the top bunk is always accessed by a ladder of some type. When not properly maintained these ladders can be…

Today we take a look at another case that was caused by a cruise company’s negligence. This case resulted from hazardous heavy doors that Carnival Cruise Line uses on its ships. In high winds these doors may move or suddenly close, injuring passengers in a number of ways including causing people to fall over and become injured from…

A Kansas court has sentenced a Topeka man to 12 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend aboard a Carnival cruise ship. FoxNews.com reports that in December 2019, 55-year-old Eric Duane Newman pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree. He had been accused of killing his girlfriend Tamara Tucker…

For the second time within the past week, a man is making headlines for being convicted of killing his romantic partner aboard a cruise ship. NBCLosAngeles.com reports that 62-year-old Lonnie Loren Kocontes was convicted of killing his 52-year-old ex-wife Micki Kanesaki while on a Mediterranean cruise in 2006. Kanesaki’s body was recovered by the crew…

Williams v. Carnival Corporation, 2020 WL 837177 (S.D. Fla. Feb. 20, 2020): Carnival allowed a large puddle of water to accumulate on the open deck.  Carnival’s puddle caused the Plaintiff to slip and fall and sustain severe and permanent injuries.  Carnival filed a motion for summary judgment.  The Court denied Carnival’s motion for summary judgment. …

Cruise lines often seek to defeat passenger negligence claims by filing motions for summary judgment. These motions ask the court to rule in favor of the Defendant without a trial and throw the Plaintiff’s case out.  A recent order by United States District Court Judge, Cecilia Altonaga, explains how a cruise line Defendant’s motion for…

The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued its opinion in Carroll v. Carnival Corporation d/b/a Carnival Cruise Line, No. 17-13602, U.S. App. LEXIS 11860 (11th Cir. Apr. 15, 2020). Carroll v. Carnival Corporation is a trip and fall case. Elaine Carroll tripped over the leg of a lounge chair while she was walking through…

COVID-19 and Legionnaires’ Disease share several aspects in common. Both conditions have symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Both illnesses are particularly dangerous for individuals over the age of 50, or those with chronic lung diseases, weakened immune systems or smoking habits. However, the two illnesses differ in the way they spread and…

The Celebrity Infinity cruise ship is in a holding pattern off the coast of Florida, filled with crew members who have not been able to leave the ship during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. After the successful docking of the Holland America ships Zandaam and Rotterdam yesterday, it is still unclear what will happen to the ships’ crew…