Princess Cruise Lines Accused of Gross Negligence for Exposing Passengers to Novel Coronavirus
A Florida couple who has been stuck on the Grand Princess cruise liner for days off the coast of San Francisco along with 3,500 other passengers and crew members because 21 people tested positive for the Coronavirus is suing the cruise line. One of the 21 patients died after contracting the virus. The couple is accusing the ship’s operator of gross negligence in allowing them to be exposed to Coronavirus. The couple is seeking more than $1 million in damages, according to a report by CNN.
In the lawsuit, filed by Ronald and Eva Weissberger of Broward County, Florida, it states that a decision was made to allow the cruise liner to sail “knowing that the ship was infected from two previous passengers who came down with symptoms of COVID-19.” This decision exposed 3,500 passengers to the COVID-19 virus and according to the lawsuit, none of them were informed about the possible exposure on the cruise liner. The couple believes that the cruise line should have taken more precautions and notes that they would not have boarded the ship if they had been aware of the exposure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State Department have issued a warning to Americans, advising them not to travel by cruise ship due to the high number of Coronavirus cases associated with cruises.
What is gross negligence?
Gross negligence is the careless disregard for the safety of others. Gross negligence lawsuits are often brought against defendants who acted in a way that was likely to cause harm to another person or their property. An example of gross negligence is someone intentionally speeding through a crowded parking lot.
How does a personal injury attorney prove gross negligence?
A case involving gross negligence must prove the following four elements:
Duty
When a doctor/patient relationship is established through the assignment of a procedure or a client signs up for a service under an operator, the physician or operator has a duty to perform their job in a reasonable and careful manner, as any other physician or operator would under similar circumstances.
Breach
When a physician or operator fails to perform their duty, a breach has occurred. For example, when a surgeon reads a chart hastily without evaluating a situation for himself and makes a huge error in treatment or when a service provider fails to fix a broken railing from a high deck.
Injury
The breach must result in an egregious injury such as an accidentally amputated limb that leads to tissue damage or a serious fall.
Damages
The plaintiff must be able to show that he or she has suffered compensable damages. Damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of current and future income fall into this category.
Seek the help of a personal injury attorney
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
