Cruise Ship Liability After Coronavirus | Galveston Attorneys

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated every aspect of American life, sickening more than one million Americans and killing upwards of 80,000. The most tragic part of this pandemic is that sadly, many of these deaths were preventable. Many companies acted negligently in the initial weeks and months of the pandemic, ignoring CDC guidelines and putting profits above customer safety. This is especially true of the cruise ship industry, which has been responsible for numerous COVID-19 cases. If you or a loved one contracted COVID-19 after taking a cruise, you may have legal grounds to file a coronavirus cruise ship claim. But what determines cruise ship liability after coronavirus? And how can you find the right attorney? If you’re looking for answers, our Carabin Shaw experts serving Galveston, Texas are here to help. Read on to learn more from our Galveston injury lawyers.

The novel coronavirus spreads most easily in enclosed spaces and in places where people are housed in close quarters—so it’s no surprise that the disease spread like wildfire on cruise ships.

Some cruise lines, such as Grand Princess, reportedly allowed new passengers to board after previous passengers were showing symptoms of COVID-19 on their ships in February—and neglected to inform the new passengers of the outbreak from their previous voyage. Other cruise lines continued to operate their vessels in spite of outbreaks, without providing passengers with proper protective equipment. These reckless decisions allowed the pandemic to sicken thousands of passengers—many of whom have since died. However, holding these negligent cruise lines accountable is no simple task.

Unfortunately, nearly all experts agree that it will be extremely difficult for passengers to hold cruise ship companies accountable for their negligence during the pandemic due to a combination of archaic maritime laws and the uncertainty surrounding what constitutes “reasonable” safety precautions in the face of the new coronavirus. However, choosing the right lawyer can greatly increase your chances of building a successful lawsuit against a negligent cruise ship company.

Holding these companies accountable is difficult for several reasons. Cruise lines are not U.S. companies and are therefore not subject to OSHA regulations or other safety guidelines. However, it is still possible for an attorney to make the case to a judge that these companies ignored crucial information about the pandemic and were negligent when they failed to inform passengers of the health risks of boarding. And while maritime laws limit these companies' liability while at sea, your attorney may be able to build a case that the company acted negligently while still onshore by failing to screen passengers before boarding them.

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with COVID-19 after a recent cruise, you may be eligible to file a coronavirus cruise ship claim—and our professional Galveston injury lawyers are here to help. Our attorneys at Carabin Shaw have more than 200 years of combined legal experience, and our award-winning firm has been winning lawsuits against large corporations for more than two decades. Because it is challenging to win claims against cruise ships, it’s crucial to choose the best lawyer in your state to increase your odds of a favorable outcome—and that’s where we come in.

We want to help you understand the full range of your legal options, and we will fight diligently for you if you decide to pursue a claim. We firmly believe that negligent corporations must be held accountable for their actions, and we’re passionate about helping victims secure the justice and compensation they deserve.

For more information about cruise ship liability after coronavirus, call us today at 800-862-1260 and speak for free with a qualified Galveston lawyer.