Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships seems to be occurring with more frequency, the most recent outbreak occurring aboard Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas as over 100 passenger and crew became ill with a severe stomach virus.
Read more here at ABC News about the incident.
Stomach bugs and other contagious viruses like Norovirus are a potential concern for passengers as they embark on their vacations. Hundreds and often thousands of passengers inhabit relatively small areas on cruise ships. High traffic areas – restaurants, theaters and bathrooms, can accelerate a virus as passengers are in close contact. This can help the virus move from one person to another very quickly.
Passengers returning from a cruise who believe they became ill from Norovirus or another virus may have a claim against the cruise line, especially if conditions aboard the vessel could have contributed.
- Were bathrooms cleaned regularly?
- Were passengers notified of a breakout?
- Was proper medical care and/or medication given out to sick passenger?
Questions like these are common ones asked by attorneys when passengers contact them regarding their illness. Passengers have questions that need to be answered accurately. Also, an experienced cruise ship injury attorney can help formulate more questions and provide a pathways to finding out answers.
Depending on the specific situation of a cruise ship passenger, they may (or may not) have reason for filing a claim against a cruise line. Quite often, the cruise lines do respond efficiently and correctly to outbreaks of stomach bugs and other illnesses. Circumstances need to be evaluated by someone used to working on behalf of sick passengers – an experienced attorney can help.
If you have Norovirus questions for an attorney, please contact Waks and Barnett for a free consultation. Waks and Barnett attorneys have helped hundreds of injured or sick cruise ship passengers evaluate their potential claims against the cruise lines.
Contact our firm at 800-905-2891 for more information.