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Florida Cruise ship inury Lawyers
Cruise ship coronavirus lawsuits
The attorneys at Waks and Barnett, P.A., are continually tracking the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the cruise ship industry. We know that many hundreds of cruise ship passengers as well as crew members have been infected and many more have either been quarantined or had their vacations cancelled. If you have concerns about Coronavirus, our attorneys are here to answer your legal questions.
The World Health Organization describes Coronavirus disease as “an infectious disease caused by a new virus that had not been previously identified in humans. The virus causes respiratory illness (like the flu) with symptoms such as a cough, fever and in more severe cases, pneumonia” and it’s dramatically impacting cruise ship passengers worldwide.
35 years of cruise law experience
Can coronavirus victims sue the cruise lines?
With the flurry of news reports and shared information about the cruise industry and Coronavirus, it may be difficult for cruise ship passengers affected by Coronavirus to find accurate legal information. Our attorneys are here to help passengers and crew determine if they can sue the cruise lines for Coronavirus. We want to hear your story.
Passengers and family that we’ve spoken with have the same questions. Did the cruise lines fail in their responsibility to keep passengers safe? Did they take appropriate measures to limit passenger’s exposure to the virus. Did they manage quarantines correctly? What happens if you were infected with Coronavirus while on a cruise ship? Is the cruise line responsible for your medical problems if you got sick on the cruise?
Has Coronavirus Impacted Your Cruise Vacation?
Understanding whether the cruise lines may be liable for a Coronavirus injury claim – and if the passengers can receive compensation for their injuries – will depend on the unique details of each passenger. At attorney would need to establish that the cruise line or its employees did not take reasonable care to protect the safety of its passengers. They would need to show that the passenger did suffer a real personal injury. And, importantly, that those injuries – infection, illness, medical complications or death – were directly caused by the actions of the cruise line.
Were the appropriate preventative measures taken? Once someone was infected, was proper care given? An attorney with experience representing passengers – and fighting the cruise lines – will be able to provide the information that concerned passengers need.
How Is Coronavirus Affecting Cruise Ship Passengers?
News and updates within the cruise industry are changing day by day. Read the latest news about the Coronavirus below.
Coronavirus Cruise Ship Injury Lawyers in Miami, FL
The Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak has led to cancellations and itinerary changes among the worlds cruise lines – especially as Princess Cruises whose ships, Diamond Princess and Grand Princess, have become the center of attention over the last few weeks. Passengers in Florida, across the U.S. and around the world have been impacted. *Princess Cruises has now suspended operations for cruises between March 12 and May 10, 2020.
However, the first lawsuits have been filed against a cruise line because of Coronavirus – and it’s a matter of time before the flood gates open. Concerned passengers and their families want to know what their legal rights are and whether the cruise line provided ‘reasonable care’ after the severity of the virus was brought to light.
Law.com reported, “Chalik’s firm, Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers in Plantation, Florida, filed the lawsuits in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Both target California-based Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. over its handling of the Grand Princess, which docked Monday in Oakland following a weeklong quarantine. In the first case, filed Saturday, the plaintiffs are the Florida parents of Chalik’s wife and law firm partner, Debi Chalik, who allege $1 million in damages for emotional distress and trauma since being stuck on the cruise ship. The second suit, filed Tuesday, also seeks $1 million on behalf of a family of four from California.”
Norwegian Cruise Line may face similar lawsuits as the Miami New Times has reported that Norwegian pressured their sales teams to mislead customers about the impact Coronavirus would have on their ships. A March 11, report, Leaked Emails: Norwegian Pressures Sales Team to Mislead Potential Customers About Coronavirus reveals upper management was essentially asking its sales team to provide misinformation in order to not lose bookings. Norwegian stock prices have dipped considerably in the last two weeks.
Lawyers for Coronavirus Claims Against Cruise Lines
Meet Our Attorneys
Our lawyers have considerable professional experience in all areas of maritime law and personal injury. We’re here to help you with the legal advice and representation you deserve as it relates to Coronavirus claims against the cruise lines.
Help When You Need It
We Take Care of Our Clients
Your case gets our full attention. We understand the pain, frustration and uncertainty a personal injury can inflict. We’ve worked with injured clients for more than 35 years and their personal stories have become our stories. That is why we work so hard to protect the legal rights of everyone we work with.
Decades of Experience
Complete Representation
Proven Success for Clients
Over 70 Years
Combined Experience
Combined Experience
Proven Success
For Our Clients
For Our Clients
Complete Understanding
of Maritime Law
of Maritime Law
Achieved
Landmark Victories
Landmark Victories
Fighting for
Injured Passengers
Injured Passengers
Your Case Is
Not Our First Case
Not Our First Case
Don’t Leave Your Case to a Local Attorney — Make Sure to Find a Miami Cruise Ship Injury Law Firm to Manage Coronavirus Claims
It’s not uncommon for injured passengers to reach out to a local attorney first. However, most lawyers are not admiralty or maritime lawyers and are not experienced with cruise ship injury law. The cruise lines dictate within their ticket contract (which is the contract you signed before boarding the cruise ship) where injury claims must be filed. This clause is called the forum selection and for cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean and many other larger lines, the location is in Miami. Princess Cruises lawsuits must be filed in California courts.
Your hometown attorney may not know enough to file the claim within the correct court, within the correct city and within the time frame that is also dictated by the cruise lines. Attorneys like those at Waks and Barnett are experienced and knowledgeable regarding the correct procedures involved in bringing a lawsuit against the various cruise lines. Not only are we just 20 miles from PortMiami and the cruise ship terminals, we’re also just 20 miles from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami.
That experience comes from working with thousands of clients for more than 35 years. Being located in Miami allows our firm to provide the support and resources our clients need. It’s why you’ll find so many personal injury law firms in Florida who are focused on representing cruise ship victims.
Am I Required to Find a Miami Cruise Lawyer to Help Me?
No. You are not required to use the services of a Miami or Florida based lawyer to help with your Coronavirus injury claim or lawsuit. However, most injured passengers will eventually work with an attorney in Miami. Either they’ve found them online through a Google search for ‘Coronavirus Cruise Ship Lawyer’ or their local attorney has referred them. A lawyer or law firm who has the experience and intimate understanding of maritime law will give their client more opportunity for success against the cruise lines and their attorneys.
Years of Experience, Thousands of Cases
Your Case Is Not Our First Case
That’s an important point to make. Our highly experienced attorneys understand how to create effective strategies for successful representation of your injury. Cruise injury law is a specialized area of the law and one that your local, hometown attorney most likely won’t be able to handle. In fact, most attorneys end up referring their cases to cruise injury law firms like ours because of our specific experience dealing with these types of claims and lawsuits.
EXPERIENCE YOU NEED. RESULTS YOU WANT.
Thank You for Considering Waks and Barnett, P.A.
Working with a cruise line to file an injury claim can be a complicated and frustrating process, especially when you try to do it alone. The best results generally come when an injured passenger hires a lawyer to help with their case. We help passengers by representing them, by using our knowledge of the laws and regulations surrounding cruise injury claims and by utilizing our specific experience dealing with cruise ship accidents
Many passengers don’t even realize they can sue a cruise line until the talk with a lawyer. We are available for consultation regarding personal injury claims and will speak with you even if you are unsure about whether you have a valid claim or not. Thank you for considering Waks and Barnett, P.A. We’re here to help when you need.
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