Archive for the ‘Cruise Injuries’ Category

Last week the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act was passed by the Senate.  The bill passed the House in 2009 and will become law with the President’s signature.

The bill requires cruise ships to increase security and take additional steps when a crime is reported. Specifically, cruise ships will be required to:

• Have peepholes on cabin doors;
• Set the minimum rail height at 42 inches;
• Have information packets on how to report a crime;
• Have rape kits on board, as well as medication to prevent STDs;
• Train medical staff to deal with assaults;
• Provide free 24 hour access to sexual assault hot lines for alleged victims;
• Immediately report incidents to the FBI or Coast Guard; and
• Take other precautions to prevent cruise ship injuries and assaults.

If you’ve been hurt on a cruise ship then you may be entitled to damages for your injuries.  Contact an experienced maritime injury lawyer for more information about your rights.

Late last week, an important cruise safety bill was passed by the United States Senate. 

The law, known as the Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act will require cruise ships to take specific actions when a crime is reported on a cruise ship.  Specifically, cruise lines will have to:

• Report all crimes;
• “upgrade, modernize and retrofit the safety and security infrastructure on their vessels”; and
• train crew members concerning the “appropriate methods for prevention, detection, evidence preservation and reporting of criminal activities”.

This bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives and is expected to be signed into law soon by President Barack Obama.

On April 30, 2010 a Maryland woman died while snorkeling in the warm water of the Bahamas during an excursion from her Carnival Cruise.  Ms. Carol Olson and many other passengers of the Carnival Pride were snorkeling in what was marketed as a program that was good for beginners.  However, when they reached the snorkeling destination there was a strong current.  Survivors of the excursion report that they were swallowing water and struggling to stay near the boat. They describe panic in the water. 

The current was too strong for Ms. Olson who was pulled back aboard the boat and administered CPR for approximately an hour before being pronounced dead.  According to the other snorkelers, the staff never attempted CPR on Ms. Olson but rather it was her fellow passengers who tried to save her life. The snorkeling ship had no shore communications and it took 90 minutes from the time Ms. Olson was in trouble until the time the boat could get back to land.

Ms. Olson leaves behind a husband and other family members.  While the family has received the condolences of the cruise line, they may be entitled to more for their loss.  Their loss is governed by the Death on the High Seas Act, although since Ms. Olson was retired and the accident happened outside of U.S. waters, the family’s recovery may be limited to actual monetary losses.

Our cruise law attorneys extend their sincere condolences to the Olson family and encourage all victims of cruise line injuries to consult with a maritime lawyer about their rights to recovery and about holding cruise ships accountable for their actions.