Cruise Ship Lawsuit Center

Costa Concordia Class Action Lawsuit to be Filed

2012-01-23T17:23:00.000-08:00

January 23, 2012 - According to reports a class action lawsuit is planned to be filed in Miami against Carnival Corp. the parent company of the Italian ship owner.

The luxury liner Costa Concordia that was 950 feet with 1,500 cabins struck a sand bar, putting an approximate 160 foot gash in the hull, causing the ship to sink on January 13th off the coast of Giglio, Italy.

According to Italian officials the number of deaths that have been confirmed has risen to 15. Officials said that two women were found on Bridge 4 in the vicinity of the internet café.

Authority Franco Gabrielli the head official in charge of the operation, stated there are still approximately 17 people from the cruise ship still unaccounted for. He said that the two women that were found Sunday were both wearing life jackets. Gabrielli said that the recovery operation is complicated and takes approximately 45 minutes for divers to search each of the cabins.

This was a public service message from the Costa Concordia cruise ship accident attorney at Ehline Law Firm PC. 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071. 213.596.9642.

Experts Analyzing Black Box From Sinking Italian Cruise Ship

2012-01-20T14:48:00.000-08:00

January 20, 2012 - According to reports experts are analyzing the black box from the sinking Italian cruise ship.

According to reports experts are still analyzing the ships black box that has shown there was a one hour time between when the ship ran aground and the coast guard was alerted. The ship struck the rocks on the coastline at approximately 9:45 p.m. Friday and the call to alert the coast guard occurred at approximately 10:43.

Investigators have stated that they believe the captain of the ship Francesco Schettino maneuvered the ship after hitting the rocks and prior to alerting the coast guard, according to Ansa, Italian news outlet.

Schettino is reported to have left the ship, with passengers and crew members still on the ship that was tilting sharply at approximately 12:30 a.m. Some passengers were not able to leave the ship until approximately 6:00 a.m., with six people confirmed dead and sixteen still missing.

Passengers heard a loud bang that was followed by a blackout and were reassured by an announcement that it was an electrical problem. Passengers that have been rescued stated that many of the passengers ignored the announcement and went to the deck of the tilting ship. They have stated that the crew did not want to lower lifeboats and crew members have said they were forced to lower some, against orders, but not everyone got on them.

Van Bumped Off Ferry After Collision—Children Rescued From Sinking Minivan

2012-01-15T14:12:00.000-08:00

January 13, 2012 - According to reports a minivan was bumped off of a ferry after an accident.

According to Newport Beach Fire Department spokeswoman Jennifer Schulz, witnesses at the scene stated that the minivan of a family visiting from Taiwan was knocked off the Balboa Island Ferry when a black Mercedes stuck the minivan pushing it through the metal safety arm and into the water.

The Mercedes was teetering on the front of the ferry after hitting the minivan. The driver told investigators that the accelerator stuck, according to Schulz.
The family of four escaped minutes before the van nosed down and sake, after floating for a few minutes, according to witnesses.

One of the ferry workers jumped into the water and two boaters pulled alongside of the minivan before it sunk to aid the family. The father asked for help in getting his little girl out, according to small dinghy boater Skip Staats. Staats was able to reach in the rear window of the van and unbuckle seatbelt of the girls car seat.
The other child a young boy climbed over the seat and climbed in the dinghy, Staats said.

Boater James Donoghue assisted the mother in getting out of the minivan approximately 20 seconds before it sank. He said he asked the mother if she was alright and after saying yes, she said “but the minivan was a rental.”

Staats said the father asked if he did something wrong and that it was their first time in Newport Beach. According to police no one was injured in the accident and the van was found in approximately 15 feet of water, upside down. Divers and a floating crane to extract the minivan, while investigators were on the scene.
According to police the family were vacationing in Orange County and then San Diego and were on their way to take their children ages 4 and 6 whale watching.

This was a free public service message from the Newport Beach Boat accident attorneys at Ehline Law Firm PC.

5000 Birch Street #3000
Newport Beach, CA 92660
USA +949.891.0278 ‎

Sinking Cruise Ship Kills Six—More Confirmed Deaths Possible

2012-01-14T16:12:00.000-08:00

January 14, 2012 - According to reports six people have been killed in an Italian cruise ship accident and more confirmed deaths are possible. According to authorities the 948 foot Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground hitting a reef and began taking on water on the island of Giglio, Italy. Six people have been confirmed dead and more are feared dead in the accident.

Authorities stated that over 4,000 people have been evacuated and at least 69 people are still missing. There have been 4,179 people aboard the ship accounted for, with 14 people suffering injuries. The Mediterranean cruise had a total of 4,229 registered passengers and crew members on the ship.

Among the dead is a 70 year old man that had a heart attack after jumping into the icy waters. The manufacturer of the Costa Concordia has stated the ship was built to hold 3,780 passengers and 1,100 crew members. According to firefighting services chief of Grossetto city Ennio Aquilino stated that the hull of the ship breached on both sides.
People rescued from the ship said that it was like being on the Titanic without the iceberg. They were ordered to put on life vests and 50 people were rescued by helicopters that were trapped on the ship.

The Italian ship company Costa Crociere has stated they do not know what caused the accident yet. The 13 deck cruise ship left port at approximately 7:00 p.m. for a seven day Mediterranean cruises and within two hours ran aground with a major electrical fault. The ship began to list to the starboard side at approximately a 20 degree angle shortly after the accident.

Some reports are stating the ship began taking on water after hitting the rocks that caused a 160 foot gash in the hull of the ship. According to officials there are 129 Americans believed to be aboard the ship and they are not aware of any British injuries or fatalities.

The ship is now lying flat on its side off the cost with the starboard side submerged in the water. This has been a public service message from the cruise ship accident lawyer at Ehline Law Firm PC 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071-2005.

Woman Found Dead After 75 Foot Fall From Queen Mary

2011-12-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

December 6, 2011 - According to reports a woman was found dead after a 75 foot fall from the Queen Mary in Long Beach. According to Long Beach Police they received a call at approximately 8:35 p.m. of a woman falling from the Queen Mary in Long Beach.

The woman has been identified as a 26 year old fell from a walkway on the Queen Mary that was been converted into a hotel and museum. The 26 year old woman fell an estimated 75 feet into the frigid waters of the harbor, according to Long Beach Fire Department spokesman Steve Yamamoto.

Yamamoto said that a 40 year old man believed to be the woman’s boyfriend jumped approximately 15 feet from the ship into the water to rescue the woman. Two Long Beach police officers also jumped into the harbor in search of the woman.

The woman was found floating face up in the water and transported to a local hospital in critical condition, Yamamoto said and died sometime later. Yamamoto stated that the 40 year old man and two Long Beach police officers were transported to an area hospital for treatment of hypothermia. The officers were not injured.

According to witnesses, they heard the woman arguing with her boyfriend and even believe she might have threatened to jump overboard. The woman’s identity has not been released, pending notification of her next of kin, or the cause of death.

According to the Long Beach Police Department the incident is being investigated as an accident not a crime. This has been a message of public import from Ehline Law Firm PC 201 Wilshire Blvd., #2, Santa Monica, CA 90401. 310.376.8488.

Eight Injured in Huntington Beach Boat Explosion

2011-11-26T16:28:00.000-08:00

November 26, 2011 - According to reports eight people were injured in a Huntington Beach boat explosion on Saturday.

According to the Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol eight people were injured in a boat explosion that occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. Saturday, in Huntington Harbor.

According to Deputy William Nelson there were nine people aboard a 26 foot power boat at the time of the incident. Eight of the people were injured in the explosion and Deputy Nelson stated that explosions are normally due to a gas leak and a spark that can occur when starting the engine.

Residents as far away as Seal Beach reported hearing the explosion that caused windows to rattle.

Trinidad Island resident Yvonne Wachter stated that the family had to close their windows, due to the odor of burning plastic, after the boat explosion occurred. The eight people that were injured were transported to area hospitals, according to Deputy Nelson. Their conditions have not been reported.

FBI Assistant Director Testifies About the Dangers on Cruise Ships for Passengers

2011-10-09T05:51:00.000-07:00

The FBI Assistant Director testified in front of Congress about the dangers that cruise ship passengers face. The percentages he provided of sexual assaults and physical assaults were shocking. This prompted Congress to eventually determine new legislation to protect passengers that suffer a sexual or physical attack onboard a cruise ship.

The cruise ship passenger sees the brochures and believes that they will have a fun and exciting time on a cruise, but they never even consider that they will not be safe. Instead they believe that this unlike the streets of Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego crime is left far behind on this luxury liner. The truth is that over the past five years, according to this testimony the leading crimes that have been investigated on cruise ships have been 55 percent sexual assaults and 22 percent physical assaults.

In these cases 37 percent were identified as employees of the cruise ship that perpetrated the crime, with 65 percent of the employees not being citizens of the United States. This testimony was given in 2007 and cruise ship travel has only become more dangerous for passengers, instead of becoming better. The cruise lines have a responsibility to keep their passengers safe, though it does not seem to be the case with the sexual and physical assaults that occur. Cruise ship passengers feel that they are safe onboard this floating luxury liner, when they should be keeping their guard up like they would on the streets of their own city, including keeping their guard up with cruise ship employees.

Part of the problem is that many passengers assume that cruise ship employees have had their backgrounds checked by the cruise line, when that might not be the case at all. These statistics that were testified too, showed that these employees are involved in sexual and physical assaults.

The victim of a cruise ship sexual or physical assault has the legal right to hold the cruise ship accountable for an attack that occurred on their ship and they will need the protection of a Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego cruise ship sexual and physical assault attorney. This is a legal claim that can be complex and the cruise line that does not want to be held responsible or for other potential passengers to fear taking a cruise line will have attorneys representing their interests.

Texas Man Allegedly Jumped from Carnival Cruise Ship

2011-09-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

September 26, 2011 - According to Carnival Cruise Lines a Texas man jumped from one of their ships.

According to Carnival officials a 39 year old man identified as Clint Wayne Markham from Forney Texas jumped from the Conquest cruise ship on Friday night.

Mexican authorities are searching for Markham, who is said to have jumped off of the Conquest near Cozumel. The cruise ship reportedly returned to the location that Markham was last seen to search for him.

According to Carnival Cruise Lines, they are in contact with the man’s family to provide support. They also stated that Mexican officials searched the Conquest and allowed it to continue on its schedule. The ship is expected to return to its home port in Galveston, Texas on Sunday from the seven day cruise. If you were injured and need a personal injury lawyer, contact 213.596.9642.

Deadly Fire on Norwegian Cruise Ship—Forces Passengers to Evacuate

2011-09-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

September 15, 2011 - According to reports a fire turned deadly aboard a Norwegian cruise ship carrying two hundred passengers.

According to the Sunnmore Police District, the Norwegian cruise ship MS Nordyls had a fire that caused the evacuation of passengers and is responsible for the deaths of two crew members in the ships engine room.

The MS Nordlys, one of Norways Hurtigruten ships was in the vicinity of Alesund in western Norway approximately 230 miles from Oslo, Norway’s capital. According to authorities the fire broke out and evacuation of 106 passengers onto lifeboats began at approximately 9:00 a.m. Thursday. There were 55 crew members and the remaining passengers out of the 207 the ship was carrying that exited the ship after it docked in Aaesund. There were some crew members that remained on the ship to fight the fire.

According to police nine people from the cruise ship were admitted to the Aalesund Hospital, with two having serious burns and smoke injuries. The injured, according to the police were all crew members of the cruise ship. According to Sunnmoere acting Police Chief Yngve Skovly, police suspect that there was a cruise ship explosion in the machine room on the cruise ship. Skovly stated that the police do not suspect sabotage and said the evacuation was orderly on the ship that had left from the city of Bergen and was traveling north.

According to Thorsen the two units of firefighters specialize in offshore fires that battled the cruise ship blaze. The MS Nordlys normal route is off the western coast and is a 1,500 mile cruise between Bergen and the northern town of Kirkenes, which is above the Arctic Circle and near the Russian border.

Aalesund’s fire brigade chief Geir Thorsen stated the fire was large and powerful, but firefighters got the blaze under control, after six hours. The ship began taking on water and was listing at approximately 10 degrees, which he says will now be a challenge to stabilize the ship.

International Cruise Victims (ICV) UPDATE

2011-07-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

SAMMAMISH, WASHINGTON – Just one year ago, the United States Congress passed and the President signed into law the Cruise Vessel Security and Safefy Act. This historic legislation was sponsored by ICV. In less than five years from the time we started, thanks to the efforts of our volunteer members, we were able to accomplish this historic step to improve safety for passengers on cruise ships. What has happened in just one year since that time?

In the past two months, two world wide organizations have joined ICV to promote our legislation in other countries around the world. These two major groups are the World Society of Victimology and the Victims Support Europe. Because of the significance of the passage of legislation in the United States, we are extremely pleased to see legislation being presented, based upon the U.S. laws, in several countries around the world. Recent developments include the following:

Philippines

As of last week, a bill has been introduced in the Philippines based upon our legislation. This was introduced by Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. More information on this significant development can be found on our website at the following link:

http://bansangpilipinas.com/2011/07/bill-protecting-sea-cruise-passengers-and-crew-from-sea-crimes-filed

Red the full story here at>>>> ICV!

American Cruise Ship Passenger Dies as a Result of an Assault

2011-07-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

July 19, 2011 - According to reports an American cruise ship passenger was assaulted and later died from his injuries. The cruise ship passenger identified as 66 year old Antonio Mendoza and his wife exited a cruise ship on May 18th in the southern Italian city of Naples.

Mandoza and his wife were approached by two men on a scooter that attempted to steal a Rolex that Mandoza was wearing, according to reports. The men on the scooter grabbed Mendoza’s arm in an attempt to steal the Rolex and the cruise ship passenger struggled with one of the men and was thrown to the ground striking his head.

Mendoza was transported to the hospital, where he was operated on, but did not regain consciousness. Naples police are still searching for the men that assaulted Antonio Mendoza, resulting in his death. This was a public service message from the cruise ship lawyer at Ehline Law Firm PC. 213.596.9642.

Tourist Ship Sinks Off Of Mexican Coast with 44 Passengers on Board

2011-07-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

July 4, 2011-According to reports a tourist ship has sunk after a Sunday electrical storm.

According to the Mexican Navy they were able to extract many of the passengers and crew from the water and report there are still six people missing. It has been reported that the capsized boat off of the Baja California peninsula was carrying 27 American’s on the tour ship.

According to reports there were five Mexican nationals and sixteen American’s rescued by boats and a Navy helicopter in the waters approximately 87 miles south of San Felipe. According to authorities at least one American passenger was killed in the capsizing of the ship.

Senior Chief Benny Minton of the U.S. Coast Guard, stated that most of the 44 people were rescued, with some that managed to swim to shore. There was a fishing boat that reportedly rescued three of the people from the 105 foot tour ship. It is reported that seven tourists and one crew member are still missing from the capsized tour ship.

This was a public service message from the boating accident attorney at Ehline Law Firm PC at 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071. 213.596.9642.

Fun in the Sun is What Cruise Ship Passengers Expect—Not Injuries

2011-05-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

Fun in the sun is what cruise ship passengers expect—not injuries, but this happens more often than most people realize. There are more cruise ship injuries that occur annually than most people deciding to go on one of these vessels for a vacation. The fun they expect to have changes rapidly when there is a incident in which they are injured. Cruise ship passengers that are injured can suffer severe injuries from slip and falls that happen in wet stairwells and passageways or areas where there is debris that cause a fall.

When this type of injury occurs it is due to the negligence of the cruise ship crewmembers, because they are responsible for keeping these areas safe, as well as the rest of the ship where passengers can go. The cruise line is also responsible for providing a safe environment for the passengers that buy passage on their ships. The passenger that is injured can suffer head trauma, back and neck injuries, broken bones, internal injuries, along with cuts and bruises. These will take time to heal, in some cases there might be permanent disabilities caused by the cruise ship accident and it can also mean ongoing medical care.

Fun in the sun is what cruise ship passengers expect—not injuries and when injuries is what does happen on a cruise the passenger has the legal right to hold the cruise line accountable. They are responsible to provide a safe and secure vessel for passengers. With many of these cruise ships leaving from Southern California, the San Diego passenger that is injured has the right to have the representation of a cruise ship injury attorney. The cruise ship injury attorney understands all the laws that protect the San Diego cruise ship passenger on the water, because these are different than the laws that apply on land.

This accident attorney will also know that most cruise ships are not registered in the United States, which makes the case more complex and the cruise line will have attorneys representing them, since they do not want to be held accountable. Being held accountable will mean paying out compensation to the cruise ship passenger that was injured on their vessel while taking a cruise, when they should have been safe. Not any personal injury attorney has the experience in this area of the law to represent the cruise ship injury victim effectively.

Being a Cruise Ship Passenger Can Be Like Playing Russian Roulette

2011-05-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

Being a cruise ship passenger can be like playing Russian roulette, because not all passengers have the fun and exciting trip on the vessel that is shown in the pictures on the brochures. Everyone in these pictures are having fun, joining in activities and have no appearance of being injured.

The truth is that every year there are many people injured on cruise ships and the type of injuries varies. There is slip and fall accidents that happen due to lack of proper maintenance in passageways and in stairways. There are other types of accidents that can happen on the deck, in the restaurants, and then there are passengers that become victims of sexual assaults. The cruise ship lines do not advertise these facts, they do not let passengers know the amount of people that are victims of one type of injury or another. They certainly do not let people know the amount of sexual assaults that take place on their cruise ships.

There are many cruise ships that leave the ports of Los Angeles and that means that many of the passengers that are going on cruises are from surrounding areas like Long Beach, Newport Beach, Riverside and San Diego. Being a cruise ship passenger can be like playing Russian roulette and after being a cruise ship injury victim in order to hold the cruise line responsible for their negligence in either proper maintenance or personal safety it will mean having your rights protected.

The experienced cruise ship attorney is the only one that can guarantee that your rights are protected, because a different set of laws apply to cruise ship injuries than those on land. Not every personal injury lawyer is experienced in this area of the law that can be extremely complex, which is why an experienced cruise ship injury attorney is needed after being a victim on a cruise ship. The reasons start with the fact that the passenger was injured or sexually assaulted on the open water, rather than on land. Then there is the fact that cruise ships are not registered in the United States, which means they carry a flag of another country and they follow that countries laws. These laws are usually not as protective at the laws the Long Beach, Newport Beach, Riverside or San Diego cruise ship passenger is used to being protected by.

Woman Reported Missing from Celebrity Cruise Ship—Coast Guard Searching

2011-05-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

May 4, 2011 - According to reports early Tuesday a 65 year old woman was reported missing at sea, after not being present for a customs check.

The cruise that originated in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, then stopping at Cabo San Lucus, with its first U.S. port of call at San Diego, that the woman was on was the Celebrity Millennium.

The women, whose name has not been released was reported missing when she did not appear for a customs check in San Diego. According to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Henry Dumphy the woman was reported missing at approximately 1:00 p.m. Tuesday.
Petty Officer Dumphy stated the woman was reported to be back on the cruise ship after the stop in Cabo San Lucas.

The Coast Guard sent out an HC-130 Hercules helicopter from San Diego to search for the woman until after sunset. The search resumed early Wednesday morning with aircrafts and ships, searching the 175 miles of the cruise ship route. Petty Officer Dunphy stated that it is possible the woman fell overboard.

According to FBI spokesman Darrell Foxworth the FBI has become involved in the investigation in the missing 65 year old woman.

Celebrity Cruises, based in Miami has made no statements into the woman’s disappearance on their ship Millennium.

Woman 73 Plunged into Arctic During Transfer to Lifeboat After Becoming Ill

2011-04-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

April 21, 2011-According to reports by the the personal injury lawyer at Ehline Law Firm PC. a 73 year old woman plunged into the icy waters off of Norway. The woman identified as Janet Richardson began feeling ill and dizzy on the Ocean Countess cruise along the coast of Norway. After being examined by the ship’s doctor the captain decided the woman should be transferred to the shore for treatment.

Richardson was being moved by paramedics on a stretcher from the cruise ship to a lifeboat that according to witnesses were traveling at about ten knots. The ships were not latched together when moving the stretcher with the 73 year old woman on it, with six men holding the stretcher when the ship and lifeboat moved apart by several feet, causing the stretcher to drop into the sea. Richardson fell into the sea from the stretcher in waters that were -3 degrees Celsius or 26.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

George Richardson age 78 watched the events involving his wife unfold and it took approximately 8 minutes for the woman to be rescued from the icy waters. Richardson was in intensive care for a week in Norway before she could be moved to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, England where she remains.

George Richardson said that he thought he lost his wife when she plunged into the sea. The 78 year old described the incident as traumatic and said Janet had always wanted to take a cruise to the Norwegian Fjords to see the Northern Lights. George and Janet Richardson have 8 grandchildren and left the British port of Hull on March 20th and the incident occurred on March 29th.

Cruise and Maritime Voyages the trip organizer stated that Richardson had suffered from internal bleeding when the cruise was heading home. The Norwegian police have an investigation into the incident to determine what caused the woman to fall into the icy waters off the coast, according to police department spokesman Per Thomassen.
Norwegian Sea Rescue spokesman Larsen stated they have begun their own investigation, Larsen said that it is not unusual for ships to be used in rescue operations and people are transferred safely daily, rather than helicopters.

No One Tells Cruise Ship Passengers They can be Assaulted

2011-04-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

No one tells cruise ship passengers they can be assaulted, not the cruise line, not the travel agent and not the cruise ship crew members. These assaults occur more frequently than passengers realize and this is kept quiet, quite purposely, to keep passengers in the dark about how dangerous it can be going on a cruise.

The real truth about it is on cruise line between the years of 1993 and 1998 there were 108 assaults that occurred, this is nearly two assaults a month on just one cruise lines ship. Out of this number there were 22 rapes and they involved crew and passengers, the other 86 assaults involved improper advances, touching and kissing. Lawmakers recognized this as a growing problem and voted to enact legislation to protect the rights of the assault victim.

These problems of assault occur on all cruise ships, not just one cruise line and that means it involves cruise ships that leave out of the Los Angeles ports. All passengers on cruises think they are there to have fun and it will be an exciting voyage. This is what the cruise lines promote, rather than tell the passengers their record on assaults, because to them the bottom line is the amount of money they can make.

Telling passengers they need to be as cautious as they would at home, might reduce the amount of cruise passengers, since they think it is all fun and they are safe from any danger. The cruise ship assault when it occurs is not as easy to handle legally, because the ship is registered in another country and it is also something that has occurred on the water. The country that the cruise ship is registered in will not follow the same laws that protect the rights of the victim, which means that a passenger that has been assaulted on a cruise ship needs their rights protected by a cruise ship assault attorney.

Not just any personal injury attorney will do, because there are different laws that apply to this type of case and only the attorney that specializes in cruise ship assaults will be able to protect the rights of the injured victim. The Los Angeles cruise ship assault attorney knows that no one tells cruise ship passengers they can be assaulted, so when the passenger does become a victim this attorneys knowledge of cruise ship law and experience can help hold the criminal accountable for their actions.

ICV Announces Major New Legislation Being Introduced in California

2011-04-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

It is not often that I get to do things I really love. But helping Kendall Carver at ICV pro bono, has been a great experience for me. Not many people know his story. But after he lost a family member at sea, he has been fighting like a crusader for cruise passenger rights. And his passion and loss really fire my Marine Corps. furnace.

In any event, I was able to help assist him in a rough draft of some legislation that has now been improved and authored by a California assemblyman. Although my contribution was nothing, compared to sacrifice made by Kendall, I am proud to present the below release to all my blog followers and tweeters, as a major first step in holding the cruise lines accountable.

"SAMMAMISH, WASHINGTON - In conjunction with efforts by the International Cruise Victims Association (ICV), major legislation to improve safety on cruise ships has just been announced in California by Assembly Member Roger Hernández (D - West Covina). He has introduced legislation that would ensure the rights of cruise ship patrons when a crime is committed against them while they are at sea. Assembly Bill 1060 would allow California law to apply to crimes committed at sea, and would require every cruise line to provide notification to passenger victims that they can pursue additional avenues of recourse when reporting a crime." Read the full story at ICV.

Man with MS Kicked Off Nudist Cruise

2011-04-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

April 16, 2011 - According to reports a man with multiple sclerosis was kicked off of a cruise setup for nudists. The man Jim Keskeny has multiple sclerosis and is wheelchair bound, paid $4,000 for a ten day nudist cruise aboard a Celebrity Cruise vessel going to the Caribbean.

Keskeny fell and had an accident in the bathroom, and was later ordered off of the ship after only four days. The man was ordered off of the ship after Celebrity Cruise determined he needed 24 hour care and would need to leave the ship.

He was escorted off of the boat in Guadalupe, Mexico. Keskeny then had to spend the added expense of an air flight back to Detroit, which is the closest airport to his home. Keskeny age 66 stated he is a nudist at heart and did not even get to go nude on the cruise that had 1,800 people onboard. The cruise was chartered by the Bare Necessities Tour and Travel Company.

Keskeny said that the toilet was too low and is what caused him to fall, which is why the cruise line said he had to leave the ship, but he believes it was an excuse to get rid of him. He has not filed a lawsuit to recover the costs of the trip, for both the cruise line ticket and the $1500 that it cost for his airfare.

Keskeny is being represented by attorney Richard Bernstein, Bernstein stated a letter from Celebrity Cruise lines sent a letter that was insulting and was threatening. Attorney Bernstein said this lawsuit is about the fact that the cruise ship was not up to the standards of Americans with Disabilities Act. He said that they had been compliant with the ADA there would have been no issue that arose.

Mr. Keskeny was a U.S. representative for the International Persons with Disabilities Committee for 8 years and has traveled extensively and has been on a cruise before. Celebrity Cruises spokesperson Cynthia Martinez stated that Mr. Keskeny needed special assistance above what is provided for passengers with disabilities. He was in a suite that was a disabilities accessible room and required nursing care, involving feeding and personal hygiene. This is out of the area of services provided by the butler service.

Martinez stated that Mr. Keskeny booked the cruise with the charter company and Celebrity Cruises was not aware he had additional needs. He was not able to care for himself and declined hiring a private duty nurse as an option, therefore for his safety and others he was disembarked. There are many situations such as this that can occur on a cruise flying a foreign flag, and not subject to U.S. laws. To learn more about your legal rights, a car accident attorney is not the answer, you need to look for a maritime law attorney, such as a cruise ship injury lawyer at Ehline Law Firm PC at 201 Wilshire Blvd., Second Floor, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 376-8488.

Cruises Seem Magical Until The Passenger is Sexually Assaulted

2011-04-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

Cruises seem magical until the passenger is sexually assaulted, because cruises are portrayed to be fun, exciting and the vacation that is a dream. This is what the San Diego person deciding to take a cruise is thinking, they are not thinking about being violated in any manner. Most people think that cruises are completely safe, there is no danger and everyone else including the crewmembers are thrilled to be on a luxury ship going to ports that offer fun and excitement.

The truth is there are more sexual assaults than anyone realizes that takes cruises for the fun and relaxation. There have been so many passengers sexually assaulted that Congress has passed legislation to protect the rights of these violated victims that thought they were safe taking a cruise.

The cruise line is not going to put that in their brochures and they are not going to provide extra measures to protect passengers, which mean the passenger is still in danger, even with the new laws that protect their rights. This will mean nothing to the person that is going to sexually attack a passenger and since passengers are not aware of the dangers that lurk on cruise ships do not protect themselves against this type of attack. There are a few cruise ship rape attorneys who understand that most passengers as a rule, are on the ship to have fun and do not even think about the danger of a sexual attack the same as they would in their home city and that puts them at risk without even knowing this is a cruise ship danger.

When a cruise ship sexual assault takes place the violated victim is trapped on the same ship as their attacker and it is important for them to see the ships physician and to report the incident, so the attacker can be held until authorities can board the ship. When the ship docks it is important for the victim to seek the legal representation of an experienced sexual assault injury attorney, which can hold the cruise line responsible for the attack on their ship. It is important to be represented by a personal injury attorney that specializes in this area of the law, especially since there are new laws to protect sexual assault victims on cruise ships.

Cruises seem magical until the passenger is sexually assaulted and the San Diego victim will find comfort when they are protected by a cruise ship sexual assault attorney.

This was a free message from Ehline Law Firm PC 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071. 213.596.9642.

Cruise Ship Attorneys Are More Important Than Ever

2011-04-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

Cruise ship attorneys are more important than ever today, since many people choose to vacation on cruise ships. Taking cruises has become extremely popular and is an industry that continues to grow rapidly. It is the fastest growing part of the travel industry, especially in the United States.

Cruise ships today are built to carry as many as 5,000 people and are one of the safest ways to travel. Safety of the passengers and crew members is the utmost importance in building these ships.

When planning a cruise the traveler usually does not expect to be a victim of an injury or assault as a passenger aboard the ship. These types of incidences do occur often enough that the traveler should know their rights.

Your Rights as a Passenger:

As a passenger if you have been injured on a cruise ship, it is important to speak with an experienced cruise ship attorney immediately. The cruise ship attorney with experience will be able to advise you and protect your legal rights, while determining the legal course to pursue. Due to the attorneys experience they could assist in recovering compensation for the cruise ship injury.

As a Crew Member:

There are cruise ship crew members that are injured or killed, which is caused by cruise ship negligence, lack of maintenance, and failing to inspect the vessels frequently. These things can contribute to death and injury.

A crew member that is injured deserves to collect a claim after an accident, when they can prove that reasonable care was taken to prevent the injury by the cruise line in providing a seaworthy cruise ship.

Taking a cruise should be fun; it is like a large resort with entertainment, activities, sun shopping, dining and sightseeing. It can also be devastating when dangerous conditions onboard or during excursions at ports that cause an injury or death.

After an accident it is important to hire an experienced cruise ship attorney as soon as possible, because there are time limitations on filing a lawsuit. The time limit to file a lawsuit is usually one year from the date of the cruise ship injury and it will take time for the cruise ship attorney to investigate the facts of the accident.

The cruise lines will often attempt to negotiate with the injured passenger to delay the filing of a lawsuit beyond the legal time limit or try to entice the injured victim by offering a much smaller settlement than they deserve.

It is also unwise to attempt to handle your own personal injury claim, because the cruise line and their attorneys will win and there will be no compensation for the injuries or death that occurred aboard their ship. The insurance company involved will also attempt to offer a fast settlement for an amount much lower than what the injury victim or family deserves. The insurance company realizes that the injured victim does not have an intricate knowledge of the laws that pertain to their accident or the resources to fight for a proper settlement. This is why the offer a low settlement and expected to be taken by the victim.

Litigation for cruise ship lawsuit involving an injury or death can be complex and this is why not any personal injury attorney should be hired, the experienced cruise ship attorney is prepared for this type of litigation and can aggressively fight to protect their client’s rights to compensation.

Cruise ship lawsuits are complex because they fall under several different types of laws including maritime, contractual, state law and common law. Most cruise ship lawsuits are filed in Los Angeles, California, Seattle, Washington and Miami, Florida, since this is where the ports are that cruise ships leave from most often.

This was a public service message from the cruise injury attorney at Ehline Law Firm PC 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071. 213.596.9642.

Smoke On Harbor Tour Boat Causes 19 to Be Evacuated

2011-04-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

April 1, 2011 - According to reports 19 people were evacuated from a harbor tour boat after smoke was spotted. According to Newport Beach Fire Department spokeswoman Jennifer Shulz, at approximately 12:30 p.m. several passengers began yelling smoke, according to witnesses. Passengers and staff saw what they believed to be fire on the boat.

When the incident occurred the boat was in the vicinity of the Lido Isle Bridge, witnesses, lifeguards and firefighters helped the 19 passengers off of the tour boat after it began having trouble.

All nineteen of the passengers were evacuated from the boat in this boating accident aboard the watercraft named the Showboat, but several staff members remained on the boat.

Shulz stated that firefighters found no fire on the boat after going aboard to investigate. There were no injuries reported. She also stated the tour company had a second boat take the 19 tourists for the rest of their trip on another boat. We hope you have enjoyed this public service message from the personal injury lawyer at the Ehline Law Firm PC. 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071. 213.596.9642.

Royal Bahamas Police Say No Foul Play In Missing Disney Cruise Employee

2011-03-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

March 30, 2011-According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force they have ruled out foul play in the disappearance of Rebecca Coriam the 24 year old Disney Cruise employee from Chester, England.

Coriam was a youth employee on the 83,000 ton vessel the Disney Wonder in charge of organizing activities, sports and games for children aboard the ship. She failed to report for her shift on March 22nd and was last seen on the 21st shortly after the ship sailed from its Los Angeles port.

The cruise ship injury lawyer at Ehline Law Firm PC has discovered that the ship is registered in the Bahamas and Coriam’s disappearance was investigated by the Bahamas Police Force, who has stated they have concluded their onboard inquires and believe foul play was not involved in the woman’s disappearance.

Coriam’s parents Michael and Ann Coriam met with Disney officials and maritime investigators in Los Angeles. They stated afterwards their world has crumbled upon returning to Guilden Sutton in the UK.

Last Carnival Cruise Ships Leaving San Diego Ports

2011-01-25T14:34:00.000-08:00

January 23, 2011-According to reports the last of the Carnival Cruise Lines cruise ships pulled out of the San Diego port.

Carnival Cruise Lines and other cruise operators have decided to depart Southern California after economic losses and passengers no longer wanting to travel to Mexico. The chief destination of the ships leaving Southern California is to Mexico and with the constant drug related violence has caused a decline in interested tourists to Mexico.

According to the San Diego Union Tribune there is an estimated 60,000 passengers a year going to the Mexican Riviera and will decrease local economy by approximately $54 million a year.

Carnivals Spirit a 2,500 cruise ship is relocating to Australia by April of 2012 according to the cruise line’s website, where they expect a large potential for growth.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas a 3,100 passenger cruise ship is on its last voyage from the Port of Los Angeles, before relocating to its new port in Galveston, Texas. The Norwegian Star a 2,348 passenger cruise ship is scheduled to leave Los Angeles for its new port located in Tampa Florida in May.

These two ships according to reports in 2009 carried half of the business in the Port of Los Angeles. During the first six months of 2010 there were 187 cruises that docked at Mexican ports compared to 2008 when 290 cruise ships docked at Mexico’s ports.

The travel industry and port officials have tried deflating the dangers to tourists in Mexico, stating that the violence in Mexico has taken place far from cruise destinations. This has done little to boost tourism with the news carrying stories of beheaded bodies.

Carnival vice president Terry Thornton stated that fortunately the violence in Mexico has not focused on tourists, but has impacted tourism to Mexico. No word yet on whether Princess will run to Australia, but we'll see. I am sure the cruise ship attorneys in Australia are happier today!

ICV Celebrates 5th Anniversary

2011-01-13T17:41:00.000-08:00

Below is reprinted by Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, Michael Ehline, with the permission of ICV. I want to give a shout out to Kendall and all the other maritime warriors fighting so hard to get sensible regulations, that would basically make cruise lines held to the same legal standards, as any other legitimate company doing business in Florida, or California, for example, should be. Semper Fidelis. Mike.

ICV Update

January10, 2011

ICV Celebrates 5th Anniversary

Dear Friends and Members

Just five short years ago, four families came together to form a group which was named International Cruise Victims Association (ICV). At that time I am sure that no one took this group seriously on the issue of crimes on cruise ships, let alone the Cruise Line Industry.

Step by step, this small group grew to the point that five years later it now has members and friends in over 20 countries around the world. In addition, ICV is known throughout the world and it is having a significant impact upon the very industry that did not take us seriously.

It all started with a Congressional Hearing in December 2005, which was chaired by Rep. Christopher Shays who started the process of looking into the issue. As a result of this hearing and additional hearings, many media outlets started to look at this subject, which resulted in the writing of major articles and various TV and radio shows to carry this message.

In March of 2006 several ICV members testified for the first time at a second Congressional hearing. That hearing was a turning point because instead of just discussing their own tragic story ICV took a positive approach and introduced, to the surprise of everyone, a 10 point program to improve safety on cruise lines. This list has grown to 13 points but served as the basis for future legislation.

At the very first hearing, ICV went to officials of the Cruise Line Industry and said, Why dont we work together. We obviously received no positive response to that offer. I am sure that this powerful group which spent $11 million on lobbyists in 2008-2009, did not take us seriously but chose instead to try to continue their previous approach which was to avoid federal regulations concerning crimes on cruise ships.

In 2007, two additional Congressional hearings took place with Rep. Doris Matsui leading this effort in the House. In June of 2008, under the leadership of Senator John Kerry, a hearing was then held in the U. S. Senate. This resulted in the introduction of the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act which finally passed in July of 2010.

This was not an easy road. ICV members were all volunteers with very limited funds but with a passion to carry the message to Congress. From around the world, unique talents came to ICV. In addition, the press, as they looked into this issue, put out story after story that supported our efforts and made the public aware of this major concern about crimes on cruise ships and the need for legislative action to be taken. When the final votes were taken on our legislation, the Senate voted unanimously to support this legislation and 416 members in the House voted their approval with only 4 members voting against these needed changes.

ICV is now a very well established organization with unique talents in various areas including victim support, lobbying, and technical issues. Our work is not finished and again we call for the cruise line industry to work with ICV. It is obviously their decision but we are moving forward regardless.

Major efforts this coming year will include changing the current 1920 law referred to as the Death on the High Seas Act to hold cruise lines responsible for individuals that die on cruise ships where the cruise lines are at fault. We now know that the recent fire on the Carnival cruise ship off the coast of Mexico could have been a real disaster, since the Coast Guard has issued a major report (see attached) indicating that the Fire Prevention System was not working properly on that ship thus putting at risk the lives of over 4000 individuals.

In addition, ICV is now taking our legislation worldwide. Australia is already starting to move forward. We are very optimistic that our efforts to protect all passengers worldwide will be successful.

As indicated earlier, the media has made the difference for ICV. This past Sunday, Sandy Dhuyvetter of Business Talk Radio did an interview that covers the history of ICV. In this extensive interview Ken Carver reviews the past, the present and future of ICV. The link is as follows:

http://www.traveltalkradio.com/TTR_760kfmb.html#004

ICV thanks all those who have supported our efforts in the past five years. We look forward to the future as we continue with our twofold mission: supporting victims of crime on cruise ships, and advocating for legislative reform around the world. As always, our goal is to provide passengers the safety and protection they need and deserve while making sure that those who commit crimes onboard are held accountable.

Kendall Carver, Chairman

Jamie Barnett, President

-- Edited by News Editor on Tuesday 11th of January 2011 07:43:57 AM

-- Edited by News Editor on Tuesday 11th of January 2011 07:45:19 AM

__________________
News Editor

Baltimore Cruise Ship Bust Nets Heroin and Cocaine

2011-01-13T17:31:00.000-08:00

January 13, 2011-According to reports a cruise ship bust nets close to $100,000 worth of drugs. According to authorities a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was a part of a federal investigation involving an employee smuggling ring.

Saturday authorities searched the cruise ship docked in Baltimore using drug sniffing dogs and found 1 ½ pounds of heroin and close to 1 pound of cocaine. The cruise docked in Baltimore after a 12 day cruise to the Caribbean and according to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol the drugs were found in a compartment that is only accessible to employees.

There were three Royal Caribbean employees from the same ship that were charged with conspiracy to import drugs last month. The arrests occurred after a cruise to the Caribbean according to court documents when one of the employees was caught onshore with similar amounts of cocaine.

The court documents state he allegedly intended to sell the cocaine for $4,000 at a Baltimore Walmart near the cruise ship terminal. The Royal Caribbean cruise employee arrested was Gavin Excell age 35. Two other employees from the ships kitchen were charged with picking up the drugs from a Jamaican man in the Dominican Republic. They have been identified as John Swart Garth and Kishurn Neptune both age 27.

The men charged with conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine from the Royal Caribbean employees at the Baltimore Wal-Mart are Loxly Johnson age 48 and the authorities have not commented if the drugs found Saturday are linked to the arrests that were made, but no further arrests have been made.

A spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of immigrations and Customs Enforcement state the agency is following lead related to the seizure. ICE was also alerted that the employees might be involved in smuggling.

Royal Caribbean spokesperson Cynthia Martinez stated to the Associated Press the seizure was related to the earlier arrests. Martinez later stated she might have had incorrect information.

Martinez stated that Royal Caribbean is fully cooperating with the authorities during their investigation of their Enchantment of the Seas employees that are suspected of drug smuggling. The cruise line will continue to provide any assistance to authorities to prosecute the employees.

Attorney Christopher Purpura, who is representing Excell stated that his client did not alert authorities to the latest drugs found aboard the cruise ship. But did cooperate with authorities after his arrest leading to the arrest of the other two cruise ship employees.

Protestors Accused Cruise Line of Being Irresponsible for Suspected Predator Priest On Cruise

2011-01-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

January 5, 2011-According to reports there are protests by advocates for sexual abuse victims about a suspected predator priest on a three month South American cruise.
The South Florida based cruise line Voyages of Discovery President Stece Novello stated that they cannot discriminate against someone that has been accused and never convicted of sexual molestation.

This statement by Novello came after advocates for sexual abuse victims called the cruise line irresponsible for the sale of a three month South American cruise on the M/V Discovery to Los Angeles defrocked priest George Neville Rucker.

The priest was charged with sexually molesting as many as 12 girls in 2002, after being caught by Alaska state troopers, when he was aboard a cruise ship in route to Russia. In total the Los Angeles former priest was accused of sexually molesting 33 girls.

Novello stated the former priest paid $12,000 for his South American cruise ticket and said he is sure that other cruise lines have passengers onboard that have been convicted of other things.

There is currently no laws that ban sexual predators from booking cruises, even though they could be doing so with the express purpose of molesting a child.

Two weeks earlier a judge in Illinois filed an order that prohibited an alleged child sexual predator from going on a cruise with his wife. The court had released the man on bond after he was allegedly caught arranging a sexual rendezvous with a 13 year old girl. The alleged predator asked for permission to go on a previously booked cruise on a Norwegian Cruise line ship. This was a public service message abuse from Ehline Law Firm, Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.

Cruise Ship with Dinner Passengers Runs Aground Off Maui

2011-01-01T10:06:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2011-According to reports a dinner cruise ship ran aground off Maui with 60 passengers aboard.

According to Coast Guard Petty Officer Anthony Soto the dinner cruise ship the Spirit of Lahaina was leaving the Maui Lahaina Harbor when it ran aground. The incident involving the 65 foot cruise ship occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m.

There were sixty passengers aboard the ship at the time of the incident and a privately operated boat came to its aid.

The Coast Guard sent a boat to the scene of the incident to monitor the Good Samaritan boat rescuing the sixty passengers. They are investigating what caused the dinner cruise ship, the Spirit of Lahaina to run aground.

Petty Office Soto stated that none of the passengers was injured during the incident. Michael Ehline is a cruise ship attorney and he write legal news and articles related to cruise ship crime, rapes and other incidents causing injury at sea.

Ehline Law Firm
201 Wilshire Blvd., Second Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.376.8488

The ICV Story

2010-12-21T17:42:00.000-08:00

There are few causes that mean more to me than the cruise victims movement that was started in large part due to the efforts of a man I consider to be a friend and ally in the war against injustice, Kendall Carver. Below is a reprinted article that is being republished with permission of the ICV, below, by Ehline Law Firm, cruise ship attorney for use by the public.

The ICV

Story

Five years a group formed of victims of crimes on cruise ships. That group was called, “International Cruise Victims Association,(ICV)” That small group has changed the cruise lines industry by passing in July the Cruise Line and Safety Act of 1010. This group has made major efforts to support victims of crimes plus move forward to enact laws to hold cruise lines accountable for crimes that occur on their ship. A summary of the historic legislation that was passed can be seen at the following:

http://www.internationalcruisevictims.org/files/Summary_of_the_Cruise_Line_Safety_Act.pdf

New Updates from ICV in just in the last two weeks include the following:

1. Just four months after the passage of the Cruise Vessle Security and Safety Act here in the United States, a major hearing in Australia resulted in the recommendation that similar legislation should be put in place for their citizens as well. This required major efforts by ICV members. Part of that presentation can be seen on our website at www.internationalcruisevictims.org/files/DOC121110.pdf

2. An official endorsement by the International Organization for Victim Assistance. Their Board is going to work with ICV in our International efforts. Their website is www.iovahelp.org. Another major worldwide group dealing with the issues of victims throughtout the world has also indicated that they too will be joining our efforts.

3. Because of the excellent presentations at several national victims’ rights conventions and their telling of the ICV story, the Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates at Central Michigan University have invited them to be the Keynote speakers at the Take Back the Night event at the University on April 14th, 2011

So many of their members have donated their time and paid their own expenses to carry on the work of ICV. However, they need financial assistance to help continue in their efforts to support victims, share their story with others and move legislation forward to protect all victims of crimes on cruise ships.

ICV is a 501c3 so contributions are tax deductive. You can support their efforts by donating on your credit card http://www.internationalcruisevictims.org/Donations.html

Or send your tax deductible contribution to the following:

INTERNATIONAL CRUISE VICTIMS

704 228th Avenue NE - PMB

525 Sammamish WA 98074 USA

If their voice is to be heard around the world and ensure the safety of passengers everywhere is to be met, they need your help. Also, check out their website at www.internationalcruisevictims.org.

Cruise Ship Safety Tips

2010-12-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

There are some cruise ship safety tips that can help to make a vacation on a cruise ship more enjoyable, and when it is not there are experienced San Francisco cruise ship attorneys that understand how complex a cruise ship legal claim can become. The cruise ship safety tips that the passenger should remember when embarking on a water vacation are:

• Have fun, but also keep your guard up, just like when at home in daily life not everyone is a good person. There are more than one hundred cruise ship rapes reported every year. It is important to use cruise ship safety tips.
• Always keep your cabin door locked, just like you would lock your door at home, while this is a vacation it does not mean abandon protection measures. Before opening the cabin door to someone check to see who it is and what their reason is for being there.
• Be careful in poorly lit areas, this can be a place where a cruise ship assault can take place or where an accident can occur causing injuries.
• If you have been assaulted call the cruise ship security personnel and report the attack, make sure that it is well documented. Make sure that the ship personnel alerted the authorities on land. Seek medical treatment and ensure that this is also documented.
• When injured on a cruise ship, seek medical attention and if the injuries are not too severe, ensure they are well documented. When back in port see the family physician and then contact a cruise ship personal injury attorney.

The person taking a cruise leaves home to embark on an exotic vacation, never thinking they will be the victim of an attack or be injured while on vacation. After all this is a cruise and they are advertised everywhere as being fun, relaxing and exciting. When the cruise has hidden dangers and they injury the passenger then it is time to have the protection of a San Francisco cruise ship attorney.

This is because the cruise ship incident is a legal process that can be complex and involve different laws than the ones that protect the passenger when they are at home and in their daily life. This is an attorney that understands these laws and that can hold the cruise line responsible for the injury or attack that occurred on their ship, where the cruise ship passenger should have been safe.

If you want more safety tips from a cruise ship attorney, call Ehline Law Firm at 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071. 213.596.9642.

Clelia II Cruise Ship Slammed By Wave

2010-12-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

December 9, 2010-According to reports the Clelia II was hit by a wave on the Antarctic cruise.

According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators in a statement said a wave struck the Clelia II on Tuesday in heavy seas and 55 mile per hour winds. The ship was in the South Shetland Islands approximately 500 miles from Ushuaia, according to the Argentine Navy when it was struck by the wave.

The wave caused breaking of a bridge window and causing electrical malfunctions that temporarily knocked out communications. The wave also affected engine performance of the ship.

There was one crewmember that sustained minor injuries, though the statement said no passengers were injured when the wave struck the ship.

There were 88 American passengers aboard the ship and 77 crewmembers. It was stated that there were no passengers injured.

The ship was aided by the National Geographic Explorer that accompanied it for most of the day Wednesday and helped to restore its communications.

According to the ship’s operator it was heading safely to its scheduled port call Wednesday at the port of Ushuaia in the extreme south of Argentina at normal speed.
The ship departed from Ushuaia on November 30th and was scheduled to return on Wednesday.

Danger Lurks Everywhere—Cruise Ships are Not the Exception

2010-10-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

Danger lurks everywhere—cruise ships are not the exception, there are unseen dangers on cruise ships. They might not have the danger of driving on a vacation, where a car accident can occur, but they do have dangers the cruise ship passenger should be aware of. Dangers like physical and sexual assaults, slip and fall injuries and other types of injuries that occur more often than people realize.

The cruise ship can be a dangerous place for the passenger if they do not use the same common sense as they would anyplace else. Yes, other passengers are friendly, yes there are all types of activities and yes it is a vacation. There is also the but—it is a place with passengers you do not know, it is a place where there can be wet floors and where you are trapped if something does occur.

The cruise ship for most people is not a place where they keep their guard up; this means it is easier for the person that wants to sexually attack a passenger. There are some passengers that are not just on the ship to have fun, they are people that are dangerous. This is dangerous for the unsuspecting passenger that does not expect to find someone on the ship that could violate them.

Danger lurks everywhere—cruise ships are no exception, injuries can happen because of wet floors, because of the lax of maintenance and for other reasons. The fact is these injuries can be severe, they can mean broken bones, bruising, cuts, scrapes, gashes, and even spinal cord injuries. This is not the type of vacation the passenger signed up for and the medical care might not be to the medical training that is needed. This means the passenger can remain in pain with their severe injuries until the cruise ship returns to the home port.

When danger strikes on a cruise ship there are certain laws that can apply to hold the cruise line responsible and it takes the experience of the cruise ship attorney to hold them responsible. This is an injury or sexual assault that has taken place in waters where different laws apply, where the cruise ship its self is usually registered in a different country and follow their laws and where the accident or assault might not be documented properly. The cruise ship injury attorney is prepared for these things and can hold the cruise line responsible.

Ehline Law Firm Personal Injury Attorney
633 W 5th St, 28th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213.596.9642

Carnival Cruise Spa Manager Arrested for Alleged Sexual Assault of 15 Year Old

2010-08-12T19:59:00.000-07:00

August 12, 2010-According to reports by a cruise ship rape lawyer, a Carnival spa manager has been arrested for alleged sexual assault of a 15 year old.

The spa manager on the Carnival cruise ship Splendor Kaloyan Kaoyanov age 36, has been arrested after being held for six days in the brig for the alleged sexual assault of a 15 year old gymnastics student.

According to Carnival cruise line spokesman, Carnival security guards held the Bulgarian native for six days before handing him over to law enforcement officials in Long Beach. Kaloyanov was taken into custody while on a Carnival cruise to the Mexican Rivera.

Kaloyanov a former international gymnastics competitor and shipboard concessionaire was on the California Most Wanted list since 2002 and has worked on Steiner Transocean since 2004. He has also worked on other cruise ships including Disney Cruise Line.

The former gymnastics competitor admitted to Fremont police to having sexual relations before fleeing the country in 2002, leaving a wife and child. The sexual relations Kaloyanov admitted to had occurred two years earlier with a girl he coached at local gymnastics school.

According to Freemont Police Detective Michael Gebhardt, Kayanov was found on Facebook after the departments sexual crimes unit began reviewing cold cases two weeks ago. Pictures in front of cruise ships on Kaloyanov’s Facebook page showed him posing and led police to find him on the Carnival cruise ship Splendor.

According to the Carnival spokesman Kaloyanov worked for the cruise line a short time in 2006 and then returned to work for Carnival in July of 2009. The spokesman stated that they did a background check on Kaloyanov and has a clean record on him.

This has been another public service message from the Los Angeles accident attorney at:

Ehline Law
633 West 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 596-9642

201 Wilshire Blvd., Second Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 376-8488
Bus: Wilshire / 4th

Cruise Ship Gangplank in San Diego Collapses—Two Taken to Hospital

2010-08-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

August 1, 2010 ( by Horatio Algren) According to reports the gangplank for a cruise ship collapsed and two people were transported to the hospital.

According to Battalion Chief Steve Ricci the gangplank for the Bahia Belle collapsed Saturday night, when approximately 100 people were waiting to board the ship. People were frightened when the gangplank collapsed, until they realized that the water was approximately three feet deep.

According to Ricci the entire gangplank buckled and then collapsed and firefighters searched the water in boats. Two people were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Ricci stated there were thirteen people that refused medical treatment.
There were reports by witnesses that a baby in a stroller fell into the water, but the baby was not injured.

The Mississippi style cruise ship Bahia Belle transports hotel guests from the Bahia Resort around Mission Bay.

This has been a free public service message from:
Ehline Law | Cruise Ship Injury Attorney Los Angeles.
633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor
Los Angeles, CA‎ - (213) 596-9642‎
Category: Attorney

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Turkish Tour Boat Sinks After Catching Fire—One Person Missing

2010-07-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

July 30, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports one person is missing after a Turkish tour boat caught fire in the Mediterranean.

According to Turkish officials the tour boat Kayhan-9 was on its way from the Turkish resort of Marmaris to Fethiye on Wednesday night.

The boat caught fire forcing eighteen tourists and five crew members to jump into the water before it was engulfed.

Rescue boats evacuated the tourists and crew members that jumped into the water from the ship, while the Turkish Coast Guard searched for the missing person identified as being Spanish.

Mehmet Ali Karatekli the governor of Fethiye stated that two Portuguese and one Spanish citizens were injured. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Ship Volunteer Dies After Falling Overboard

2010-07-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

July 19, 2010-According to reports a man that fell overboard the Star of India died after landing in the water.

The man that died was a Coronado volunteer that has been identified as 68 year old Gregory Vance Gushaw. He died after falling from the mast of the Star of India and hitting his head on the ship before falling in the water, according to officials.

The accident occurred on Sunday morning when Gushaw feel between 40 and 50 feet from the sailing ships mast.

Another volunteer jumped into the water to rescue Gushaw and according to reports the man was unconscious.

Witnesses that saw Gushaw fall helped the worker out of the bay and called 911.

Cruise Ship Safety Rules Pass House

2010-07-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

July 16, 2010-According to reports Congress cleared legislation for new safety standards for cruise ships. The cruise ship safety legislation, bill HR 3360 passed a voice vote on June 30th and was sent to the president by the House. This new legislation will require cruise ships to maintain a minimum level of safety and it will also require a full report and investigation of crimes.

The bill will involve cruise ships that carry at least 250 passengers that board or disembark in the United States. There will be standards these ships must adhere to according to the legislation, including operators to log crimes that occur aboard ship and immediately report serious crimes to the FBI.

Medical and legal aid must be offered to victims of sexual assaults, peepholes or other means of identification for staterooms. The legislation includes specific standards for deck rails and technology to detect if a passenger falls overboard on the cruise ship.

Currently only cruise ships that are under United States jurisdiction are required to report crimes to U.S. officials. Cruise Lines International Association, a cruise industry group is supporting the bill that is now in front of the president.

Man Suing Cruise Line After Accident Causes Amputation

2010-07-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

July 5, 2010-According to reports a man is suing the cruise line after being injured on one of their ships. The man identified as Ronnie Dunbar has brought a suit for compensation after having one leg amputated.

Dunbar was injured aboard one of Holiday Cruise Lines ships when the accident occurred on the Ocean Villager, leading to the amputation of one leg below the knee.
The injuries that Dunbar suffered occurred while the cruise ship was off the coast of Belize, when he and his wife were sun bathing on the deck. Dunbar decided to get off his lounge chair for a drink, not aware that part of the deck was metal plate.

The metal had gotten so hot from the sun that stepping on it Dunbar stated he could hear his feet sizzle and he quickly lifted his feet off the metal. The heat from the metal caused a layer of skin rip from his feet and to stick to the deck.

Dunbar was treated at the cruise ships medical center, but arriving home was treated at Royal Victoria Infirmary in the burn unit. This is where he learned the wounds on his feet had become infected, which resulted in him needing to have one leg amputated below the knee.

Dunbar who now requires the use of a wheelchair and his attorneys are stating that the Ocean Village did not have warning signs about the metal plates.

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Injured Musician Wins Suit for £1.1m from Cruise Line

2010-07-02T05:35:00.000-07:00

According to reports a musician who suffered a slip and fall on a cruise ship has won his lawsuit for £1.1m.

Cruise ship trumpeter Steven Pavone age 40, won his lawsuit almost a decade after slipping on stage on board a Southampton operator Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. A court in Miami-Dade Florida awarded the £1.1m for the August 2001 incident that Pavone claims caused injuries to his shoulder that ended his trumpet career.

The musician stated he is only able to hold his computer up for approximately an hour at a time. According to Pavone’s attorney, Royal Caribbean operates both Independence of the Sea and Celebrity Eclipse out of Southampton. He requested jurors award the musician under £86,000 for the injuries to his shoulder.

Royal Caribbean said in a statement that the amount rewarded is not supported by the evidence and are presently weighing their appellate options. It is expected Pavone’s attorney will retain approximately forty percent of the amount awarded, which will equal about £440,000.

This has been a public service message from:
Ehline Law | Cruise Ship Attorney
633 West Fifth Street, 28th Fl.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213-596-9642
http://www.ehlinelaw.com/

FBI Agents Testify Man Took Cruise for Sexual Encounter with Under Age Boy

2010-06-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports an FBI agent testified in court that a 71 year old Beaver County, Pennsylvania man took a cruise to have a sexual encounter with an underage boy.

In Federal Court on Wednesday an FBI agent testified that Sherwood Stevenson age 71 of Beaver County, Pennsylvania went on a cruise in order to have a sexual encounter with a young boy.

The testimony was for the Federal Court Judge to determine if Stevenson should be jailed until his next court date or have an electronic device and remain in his Beaver County home.

According to reports the testimony by the FBI agent stated that Stevenson booked a trip December of 2009 on a Royal Caribbean cruise to have a sexual encounter with a young boy. Security guards detained Stevenson and Miami police interviewed him about two separate incidences in the ships Jacuzzi.

It has been reported that according to testimony Stevenson stated to investigators that he fondled a six year old boy and forced him to touch him for one minute.
One of these incidences according to the FBI occurred in Florida and one near Cuba. They also stated there were as many as four other incidences in Western Pennsylvania, with one occurring last month.

Stevenson has been convicted of disorderly conduct and never been charged with sexual assault, but has been investigated for incidences that involved rape of young boys on a cruise, for example.

The FBI is asking anyone that has been victimized by Stevenson to come forward and contact them, the state police or the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office.

Record Cruise Ship Season Predicted for Northeast Ports

2010-06-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

According to reports the ports of New England are preparing for a busy cruise ship season this year. During the past few years the Northeast ports have seen an increase in cruise ships in their ports according to Maine’s Bar Harbor, harbor master Charlie Phippen. Eleven years ago when Phippen took over the position of harbor master Bar Harbor there were 39 cruise ships that docked at the port compared to the expected 119 cruise ships that will visit this year. And with increases in passengers at sea, so too are drunken passengers, rapes and injuries expected, according to California cruise ship lawyer, Michael Ehline.

The ports in Maine are expected 335 cruise ship calls this year, up from 281 last year. The ports in Canada Maritimes and Newfoundland are expecting 84 more cruise ships than last year making the total number projected this year 467. Boston is preparing for a record number of an estimated 300,000 cruise ship passengers in its ports. The expected numbers of cruise ships and passengers could make this the busiest years these ports have seen due to the growing popularity of the beauty, culture and history of New England and eastern Canada.

According to Cruise Lines International Association Inc., the cruise ship industry has been growing worldwide for decades and went from under 4 million passengers in 1990 to over 13 million passengers in 2008. The most popular designations are the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Europe and Alaska, with the estimated numbers measured in the amount of days passengers are aboard a ship. In recent years western Mexico and Hawaii have also become popular designations.

The number of days passengers are aboard ships for cruises in the New England Maritimes region has increased from 1.7 million in 2005 to 1.87 million in 2009. This according to the cruise line industry is a small part of the industry with approximately 31 million passenger days on cruise ships in 2009. This is divided into 17 million in the Mediterranean and about 7 million in Alaska.

The New England ports are seeing some of the largest cruise ships in the world of approximately 1,000 feet long and carrying over 3,000 passengers. These include ships from cruise line companies like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Many of the cruises begin in New York or Boston and stop at ports in Maine, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Some of the cruises also travel the St. Lawrence Seaway and to Quebec and Montreal.

According to Amy Powers of CruiseMaineUSA the cruise line companies have been increasing their fleets and this has allowed more cruise ships to visit New England. Powers also stated that the ship terminals in New York and Boston have also expanded.

Both New York and Boston have spent millions on cruise ship terminal upgrades, with New York investing $250 million to upgrade the Manhattan terminal and build a new cruise ship terminal in Brooklyn.

According to Bob Sharak executive vice president of marketing for Cruise Lines International Association, this area is a giant market that is just beginning to be explored, without the travel cost or air travel of other destinations. The anticipated cruise ship calls expected in Manhattan is 195 this year, up from 135 last year according to Thomas Spina city director of cruise operations. Spina also stated they expect the number to rise next year to over 225, with New England and Canada the largest part of the growth.

According to city spokesperson Nicole Clegg an economic impact study that was done shows cruise passengers spend between $80 and $110 per passenger when cruise ships stop in Portland. There are an expected 75,000 passengers this year, which is expected to give the economy an increase between $6 million and $9 million.

The Holland America Line’s want to send a cruise ship in April to the New England area, making this the earliest cruise ship to the region, with the peak months for cruises between September and October. The ship is the 720 foot Maasdam Holland America wants to send to Bar Harbor. Ships according to Spina are showing up in the region earlier in July and August.

We hope you have enjoyed this free public service message from:
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Cruise ship accident attorneys are waiting for your call when you suffer a death on the high seas, or other serious personal injury on a cruise vessel.

Jones Act Blamed for Hampering Oil Spill Cleanup

2010-06-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

According to reports the 1920’s law known as the Jones Act that was enacted as a protection law requires that all vessels working in U.S. waters be built in the United States and crewed by American workers. This law could now be holding up the oil cleanup as some of the foreign companies possess some of the most advanced oil skimming ships in the world and are being kept from helping the cleanup efforts.

Heritage Foundation Joesph Carafano questions if we are accepting all the help possible, including international assistance in cleaning up the disaster due to the Jones Act.

The Administration and Coast Guard have pointed out that foreign technology is being used in the BP oil spill cleanup. Canada has offered 3,000 meters of containment boom and Mexico has offered two skimmers and approximately 4200 meters of boom.

The Dutch have provided three sets of COSEQ sweeping arms and Norway has offered 8 skimming systems. This technology has been transferred to US vessels and some of the most excellent ships for this type of cleanup owned by the Belgian, Dutch and Norwegian firms are not being used.

According to Coast Guard Lt. Commander Chris O’Neil has stated the reason the firms skimmers are not in use is because they do not meet the operational requirements of the Unified Area Command. This means that one of the requirements is the operational requirements is the vessel has to comply with the Jones Act. O’Neil stated the Jones Act does apply to this situation and he has heard nothing about waivers.

The waiver O’Neil mentioned has been done during a prior emergency, during Katrina when George W. Bush’s administration granted waivers. The Obama Administration is considering granting waivers, but there has been no firm decision and if there is a need for waivers they would be granted according to White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson is not certain about having all the possible resources, he has stated he is hearing from his state they want every skimmer ship they can get. In a letter to Admiral Thad Allen he stated he believes the oil that is now in Florida’s water is enough evidence that the state needs to take advantage of every appropriate global resource available. Nelson asked that Admiral Allen advise him if they are taking advantage of assistance from other countries.

We hope you have enjoyed this public service message from Ehline Law | Los Angeles Maritime Law Attorney. 213-596-9642.

Second Big Drug Bust on English Cruise Ship in a Year

2010-06-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

June 8, 2010-According to reports a cocaine bust on aboard an English cruise ship was the second largest in a year.

According to British news outlets there was a large drug bust on the Italian ship MSC Opera that was docked at the Port of Dover, England. The ship at the time authorities made the cocaine bust was in route from Brazil to Amsterdam.

Reports state there were eight passengers on the cruise ship arrested that were Latvian and Lithuanian passengers. There was over $2 million in cocaine seized in the drug bust on the MSC Opera at the time of the arrest, equaling to approximately 35 kilos. The drugs were found in passengers cabins and the drug case is still under investigation.

The cocaine bust comes a week after the sentencing of two Spanish passengers that were arrested during the first drug bust in March on the Black Watch cruise ship. This bust occurred in Southampton, U.K. on a ship owned by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

The two Spanish passengers that were arrested on drug smuggling charges were sentenced by a British judge to 12 years in prison. The two Spanish passengers on the Black Watch ship when busted in March were alleged to have tried hiding $10 million worth of cocaine in their pants.

Woman Medevaced From Cruise Ship After Falling

2010-06-02T09:44:00.000-07:00

Back on May 17, 2009, a woman was medically-evacuated from a cruise ship after falling by the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard was alerted at 9:15 p.m. by a crew member on the cruise ship Veendam that an 88 year old woman had fallen down a stairwell of the cruise ship while it was at sea and had suffered a head injury.

The cruise ship was approximately 50 miles east of Barnegat Light when the woman was injured.The Coast Guard dispatched a rescue helicopter from the Coast Guard Air Station in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The woman was taken by helicopter to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.

The cruise ship Veendam is 570 foot and its homeport is in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The woman’s condition has not been released. The cruise ship attorney at Ehline Law wishes her the best.

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Carnival Ecstasy Makes Sharp Turn—Injures 60

2010-04-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

April 22, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports by a cruise ship lawyer, there were at least 60 passengers aboard the Carnival Ecstasy cruise ship injured Wednesday according to the Miami Carnival Cruise Lines.

The Carnival Cruise Lines stated Thursday that dozens of passengers were injured aboard the Carnival Ecstasy when the ship was forced to make a sharp turn. The cruise ship made a sharp turn off the coast of Mexico in order to avoid colliding with a buoy.

According to Carnival Cruise Lines spokeswoman Jennifer De La Cruz there were 60 passengers that were slightly injured and one crew member, along with some unsecured objects aboard the ship that were damaged.

De La Cruz stated at the time of the incident the ship was carrying 2,340 passengers and 900 crew members. The accident occurred when the ship was returning to its Galveston port and was traveling off the Yucatan coast of Mexico, when there were partially submerged buoys spotted in the water.

The ship was forced to make a sharp turn to avoid the buoys and crew members did not have time to warn passengers.

Passenger Patrice Edwards has stated that the cruise ship rocked and then tilted to one side for several minutes. Edwards and her husband were sleeping and rolled out of their bed hitting the floor, the boat was leaning to the side. She also stated that you could hear people in cabins falling and crashing to the floor.

Edwards said that upon opening their door they could see everyone running back to their rooms to get their life rafts and the crew was running with people on stretchers.

The cruise ship Ecstasy returned to Galveston port in the morning and Carnival Cruise Lines issued a statement Thursday apologizing to the passengers aboard the ship.

The apology stated Carnival sincerely apologizes for the distress and discomfort the incident caused the guests aboard the ship, safety and comfort of passengers and crew members is their top priority.

The Ecstasy offers 4 and 5 night cruises from Galveston and prior to sailing from Galveston was based at the Port of Miami. While based there it caught on fire when leaving the port in July of 1998, and after extensive repairs was put back into service in Galveston.

Carnival Cruise Passenger Arrested After Bomb Hoax

2010-03-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

March 29, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports a cruise ship passenger was arrested after a bomb hoax onboard the Carnival Sensation.

The incident that held up the Carnival Sensation when it arrived at Port Canaveral was due to the authorities responding to a bomb threat that some consider a bomb hoax. Virginia resident Ibrahim Khalil Zarou age 31 of Leesburg was allegedly overheard by another passenger making a bomb threat on the three day Bahamas cruise. According to reports the passenger heard Zarou state “We are jihad, come to the top deck and watch the bomb that is going to blow.”

According to reports the FBI, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Brevard County Sheriffs deputy’s boarded the docked cruise ship at approximately 9:30 am, which was between 5 and 6 hours after the incident occurred.

According to an FBI agent there was no criminal conduct and they believe the incident was a mis-communication between passengers.

Other passengers on the ship stated that Zarou was extremely intoxicated and that this is not unusual for a passenger in the early morning hours to be intoxicated on what is termed the Carnival fun ship. It was not released if the other passengers were also intoxicated at the time the incident took place.

Ferry Filled With Passengers Trapped In Baltic Ice

2010-03-05T18:47:00.000-08:00

March 5, 2010-According to reports a filled passenger ferry along with dozens of other ships are trapped in heavy ice in the Baltic Sea.

The ferry named the Amorella has 1,000 people onboard and is stuck off Sweden’s east coast, according to officials, along with other ships trapped in heavy pack ice.
The Amorella and two cargo ships trapped in the ice northeast of Stockholm with military hovercraft standing by to evacuate passengers if necessary since gale force winds are holding up an effort to free the ships.

According to sea rescue spokesman Peter Linquist there has been no one injured and there are no immediate plans to remove anyone from the ships.

According to the Maritime Administration the Amorella has 753 passengers onboard the 10 deck ship and 190 crew members. The Amorella ferry is owned by Viking Line, and its normal route of operations is between Sweden and Finland on Baltic Sea cruises.
The other ships that are trapped in the are include the Sea Wind ferry and have 32 people onboard the roll-on-roll-off ferry. The Regal Star is a cargo ship with 56 on board the ship. There were also three ships that were taken out of the ice that were broken free early Thursday.

There was a collision between the Amorella and the Finnfellow due to the ice, however there was no damage done to the ships from the collision, according to Lindquist the ice just pressed the two ships together and some of the paint was scratched.

In total there were approximately 50 ships trapped in the ice off Sweden’s east coast according to the maritime administration’s ice breaker service Johny Lindvall. He stated that the ice in the Baltic Sea is not uncommon further north, but rarely gets thick enough to trap ships in the Stockholm archipelago like the Amorella a powerful passenger ferry.

Linval said the passengers are not in any danger as long as there is food and beverages onboard the ship and Mats Nystrom a passenger onboard the ferry no one on the Amorella is panicking.

Nystrpom spoke with Swedish broadcaster SVT where he is a sports presenter and stated there is no panic on the ship and the passengers are in no danger. The most excitement they have had during the ordeal was when the Finnfellow pressed together with the Amorella due to the ice pushing the ships.

The maritime administration stated that the ships had ignored warnings about the dangers of the ice. According to Viking Line CEO Jan Karstrom the ships are able to handle this type of condition, however the wind made the difference since it was blowing toward the land and packing the ice more toward the land.

Along with Sweden’s ice breakers trying to free the ship, Finland dispatched an icebreaker to the scene to assist according to Benny Paulsson of the maritime rescue center located on Finland’s southwest coast.

Buoys Record Massive Waves That Hit Cruise Ship—Not Rough Waves

2010-03-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

March 4, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports the waves that were reported by the Louis Cruise Lines hitting their ship Louis Majesty were abnormal and had been referred to as rogue waves. The waves that struck the cruise ship injured 14 and killed two passengers on the Louis Majesty.

The waves that were felt by cruise ship passengers were recorded by buoys in the area as having heights of twenty feet occurring during a storm. The waves hitting the Louis Majesty in the open waters were twenty-six feet high and the storm contained gusts of wind reaching over 60 miles per hour.

According to reports at the time of the incident there was a strong storm and while these type of waves are unusual in the Mediterranean, it is not unusual during a strong storm.

While cruise ships do encounter large waves while out at sea they rarely continue sailing, many of the departure dates are moved back or canceled.

The last event of this type was in 2005 when a 70 foot rogue wave struck the Norwegian Dawn, injuring four people, breaking windows and flooding cabins. September of 1995 there was another event when Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth 2 was struck by a 90 foot rogue wave, which most of the passengers slept through.

Investigators are expected to arrive as early as Thursday and meteorologists believe there is no link between the twenty-six foot waves and the recent earthquakes in Chile.

Cruise Ship Slapped by Rogue Wave | Passengers Seriously Injured and Killed

2010-03-04T15:11:00.000-08:00

Passengers Killed when giant rogue wave slaps passenger liner. Devastating raw video is out. Cruise ship wave. People were thrown about like rag dolls as glass broke and furnishing bumped people. The cruise ship was slapped by a rogue wave in a area known to be dangerous for waves and since passengers were killed, it is likely to result in cruise ship lawsuits.

Cruise Ship Passenger Killed and Other Passengers Injured In Rollover Tour Bus Accident

2010-02-24T06:26:00.000-08:00

February 23, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports a passenger from a Princess cruise ship was killed in a bus rollover accident.

Princess Cruise Lines released a statement Tuesday that a tour bus carrying 20 passengers from the Caribbean Princess were involved in a rollover accident in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The tour bus left the road and rolled over at approximately 9:35 a.m local time.

The Princess Cruise Lines stated the tour bus was taking passengers on an excursion that is a part of the seven day Southern Caribbean cruise. They have also stated that they are still looking into the cause of the accident.

The passenger that was killed in the rollover accident has been identified by the Royal Police as Aaron Humphry age 24 from Rochester, who was traveling with his parents. There were also several other passengers that were injured in the rollover tour bus accident according to Princess Cruise Lines.

If you were injured in a cruise ship accident, contact a cruise ship lawyer at Ehline Law | Injury Lawyer 201 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-593-4871. http://www.ehlinelaw.com/

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FBI Investigating Woman Killed on Cruise Ship

2010-02-21T08:06:00.000-08:00

February 20, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports the FBI is investigating the death of a woman on board a cruise ship.

The Carnival cruise ship Ecstasy summoned the FBI according to an FBI spokesman to investigate the death of a woman that was on board the ship.

According to reports the woman that was found dead on board the Carnival cruise ship Ecstasy has been identified only as a 32 year old woman from Brazoria County Texas. She set sail on the ship earlier in the week from Galveston with her fiancé.

The woman according to reports was found dead when the Ecstasy docked in Mexico, after marrying her fiancé on board the ship.

The FBI according to their spokesperson is conducting the death as a cruise ship homicide and it is believed the woman was beaten to death. The FBI’s primary suspect is the man the 32 year old woman married whose name has not been released.

An autopsy will be performed by the Galveston County Medical Examiner to determine what caused the woman’s death.

Carnival Ecstasy Collides with Pier In Galveston

2010-02-04T21:55:00.000-08:00

February 4, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports Carnival’s cruise ship Ecstasy collided with a pier while trying to dock in Galveston last Thursday. The cruise ship accident is the latest in a string of Carnival cruise ships mishaps; the last was one of the other company’s ships that collided with a dock in St. Kitts causing a 30 foot gash in the forward port of the ship.

According to Carnival Cruise line officials there were no injuries reported in the accident, and there was minor damage to some glass balcony railings on the ship. The Ecstasy was on a five night voyage to Mexico from Galveston.

According to reports in the Galveston County Daily News the Ecstasy damaged a $1.8 million passenger gangway, which is now unusable for passengers. The passengers are now using the gangway used by crew members of the cruise ships docking at the pier.
It has also been reported that the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating the cruise ship accident and according to Vance Gulliksen spokesman for Carnival Cruise lines they will cooperate fully with the Coast Guard.

Carnival Cruise Ship Damaged After Striking Pier

2010-01-30T17:41:00.000-08:00

January 30, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports the Carnival cruise ship Miracle struck a pier in St. Kitts on Thursday, while docking damaging the 2,124 passenger ship. The accident resulted in a 15 foot gash along the hull of the Miracle close to the waterline of the ship, according to reports.

According to Carnival Cruise there were no injuries during the accident and the departure of the ship has been delayed, while the damage is repaired. The ship was scheduled to depart St. Kitts on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. and arrive in Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday morning.

The departure of the cruise ship from St. Kitts has not been determined, and authorities from Lloyds Classification Society have been notified and are in St. Kitts. The repairs were being done and expected to be completed Friday. The Carnival Cruise Line stated that the damage has been repaired and the ship is scheduled to dock in Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday approximately four hours later than originally scheduled.

According to Port Zante officials stated the ship departed with temporary repairs that were completed on Friday, on the forward port side of the ship adjacent to the crew cabins. Port officials also stated that there were 2,178 passengers and 914 crew members onboard the cruise ship Miracle at the time of the accident.

Slip and Fall Cruise Ship Lawsuit Awarded $9.5 Million

2010-01-07T16:42:00.000-08:00

January 7, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) according to reports a Cruise line employee that was injured in a 2006 accident has been awarded by a Florida court $9.5 million.

Danny Simpson was working for Steiner Transocean as a fitness instructor when he slipped and fell in the ships spa facility due to a wet floor. The injuries he sustained including back injuries which included leaving the fitness instructor incontinent and impotent.

The accident occurred after the cruise staff cleaner had not Dryden area on the gym floor or warning the fitness instructor about the wet floor. The floor was wet due to a woman that had become ill while running on a treadmill in the area of the accident.

The negligence of the cleaner and failure to warn Simpson about the wet floor led to the $9.5 million award in a Miami Florida court. Steiner Transocean has filed papers to appeal the award claiming that responsibility for the cruise liner accident was not their negligence, but what's the cruise lines employee.

Passenger Reportedly Jumps Overboard on Bahamas Cruise

2010-01-02T17:42:00.000-08:00

January 2, 2010 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports by cruise ship accident attorneys, the U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a passenger that is believed to have jumped from a cruise ship in the Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez stated the female passenger was reported missing by her husband.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard the Royal Caribbean Monarch crew members reported the woman identified as Neha Chhikara missing from the ship on Thursday afternoon while the cruise ship was in route from Nassau to CocoCay.

Spokeswoman Martinez stated that Friday the security camera footage from the Monarch was reviewed and the Bahamian government officials concluded the footage from the security cameras showed the 23 year old woman jumped overboard early Thursday morning from the 11th deck of the cruise ship.

The Monarch left from Port Canaveral Florida on Monday and was due to return Saturday from a five day Bahamas cruise.

Latest Update on FBI Investigating Missing Cruise Ship Chef

2009-12-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

December 10, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports one of the crew members from a 15 day Panama cruise has vanished from the ship.

The 31 year old chef identified as Angelo Faliva disappeared according to reports after walking out of the kitchen during the middle of his shift on November 25th. Faliva was not seen after this time and it has also been reported that the security cameras on the Coral Princess did not pick up any unusual activity.

It has also been discovered that there is a missing life ring from the aft of the ship, according to reports on the ship that departed from Fort Lauderdale Florida. Princess cruise line official spokeswoman Julie Benson stated the cruise line is also puzzled as to the fate of the missing chef. They are in full cooperation with the authorities, but have no evidence in which to further the investigation.

According to FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller the FBI became involved in the case at the request of the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles. The ship that recently docked in Los Angeles is where Faliva’s family will meet with the authorities and the FBI.

The investigation into the missing 31 year old chef is being lead by the Bermuda authorities due to Princess Cruise line ship the Coral Princess carries the Bermuda flag.

Chiara Faliva sister of the missing chef has stated the family was alerted by authorities on Sunday and they are assuring the authorities the Princess Cruise line chef did not take his life, but must have been involved in foul play. Cruise ship accident lawyers will be watching this case closely.

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Cruise Ship Passengers Deal With Frightening Day At Sea

2009-11-29T22:24:00.000-08:00

November 29, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports passengers on a cruise ship were out at sea when the ship lost power.

According to reports the Norwegian Dawn and its thousands of passengers were at sea when a power outage caused rough conditions for those aboard. The power outage caused the passengers to have no electricity, no water, and no elevators.

The Norwegian Dawn was on a nine day cruise to the Caribbean and temporarily lost power Friday morning. According to one passenger, Ivan Brannan the front desk was engulfed in difficulties and Deck 7 was extremely hot for passengers that were overweight and the handicapped, along with the lack of water and other comforts.

The ship according to reports experienced mechanical problems losing power approximately 95 miles from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The outage lasted between 12 and 18 hours, with the ship gaining little power.

The Coast Guard reportedly brought the ship parts it needed in order to reach Puerto Rico and restoring partial power to the ship. Brannan stated that the cruise line has started to arrange flights for the passengers and the Norwegian Cruise Lines stated it will give each of the passengers a 75 percent refund and a 50 percent future cruise credit. The cruise credit the company stated will be good until the end of next year. Luckily it was not a serious cruise ship accident.

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Cruise Ship Accident Collision In Mexican Port

2009-10-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

October 2, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports two Royal Caribbean passenger cruise ships collided in Cozumel. The ships involved in the collision were the Carnival Legend an 88,500 ton ship able to carry 2,124 passengers and the Royal Caribbean ship Enchantment of the Seas an 80,700 ton ship able to hold 2,252 passengers.

The collision took place when the Carnival Legend was maneuvering away from the port in Cozumel just after 6:00 p.m. According to one witness the ship as it was getting closer to the Enchantment of the Seas and a tug boat tried to get between the ships to stop the Legend from striking the other ship. The tug was not able to get between the ships prior to them colliding. After the collision the Enchantment of the Seas leaned to the side for a brief time.

According to reports the damages to the Enchantment of the sea included damaged rails, and stem, there is also some minor damage to some of the open deck areas. A witness also stated they could hear breaking glass.

According to the Carnival, Royal Caribbean cruise line the passengers on the two cruise ships that collided were uninjured. They have reported that there have been no passenger injuries and the ships have been released by the authorities to continue on their route to Belize where the two ships were headed prior to the crash.

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Passenger Missing From Cruise Ship—Coast Guard Halts Search

2009-09-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

September 24, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports a 67 year old woman and resident of California reportedly fell from the ship in Canadian waters. The woman has been identified as Edelgard Carney age 67 of Sutter Creek, California, who reportedly did not leave the ship when it docked at the Port of Vancouver, British Columbia. The ship the Sapphire Princess noted the woman was missing after the end of a four night cruise to Alaska.

The Sapphire Princess a 2,670 passenger vessel had been at sea since late Monday when it left the port of Ketchikan Alaska and Wednesday traveled the scenic Inside Passage to Vancouver. The U.S. Coast Guard searched 800 miles of water, before calling off the search and stating they would assist Canadian officials in the recovery effort. The U.S. Coast Guard also stated that Carney’s belongings and baggage were still in her cabin. They believe that Carney may have fallen off of the ship approximately 200 miles south of Ketchikan or 57 miles east of Graham Island in Canada.

The U.S. Coast Guard searched for the missing passenger with plane, helicopter and boat in and included in their search the areas of Dixon Entrance, Tongass Narrows and the northern part of Hecate Strait. Cruise ship accident lawyers confront these fact patterns all too often, which could be one of the reasons why cruise lines use form selection clauses.

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Passenger Airlifted From Carnival Spirit Cruise Ship

2009-09-22T23:09:00.000-07:00

September 22, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports a 63 year old man that became ill on the Carnival cruise ship Sprit had to be airlifted off of the ship by the U.S. Coast Guard.

According to reports Saturday afternoon the 11th Coast Guard District Command Center in Alameda California received a distress call from the Carnival Spirit that there was an ill passenger that the ship’s doctor believed his condition was becoming more serious. The Carnival Spirit physician stated that the man was critically in need of medication that the ship was running low on.

The Air Station at Barbers Point dispatched a C-130 long range search plane to air drop the needed medication to the ship that was approximately 200 miles northeast of Oahu. At the time of the airlift the cruise ship was approximately 100 miles from Oahu and the U.S. Coast. Guard sent a helicopter from Barbers Point.

The helicopter was an HH-65 with a medically trained crew to evacuate the ill passenger at approximately 5:40 p.m. He was transported to the Tripler Army Medical Center.

There has been no report of the 63 year old man’s condition and the type of medication the ship had run short of has not been released. Cruise ship accident attorneys special in these types of cases.

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Port Of Los Angeles Worker Killed

2009-09-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

September 14, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports a Port of Los Angeles worker was killed in an accident involving an empty freight container.

The man that was fatally injured has been identified as John Robert Kiser a 53 year old resident of Lakewood according to the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office.

Kiser was pinned and crushed by an empty freight trailer that was being moved by a utility tractor according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokes person Shawn Lenske. The accident occurred approximately 7:20 p.m. at Berth 229, a large container dock located at Terminal Island.

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health according to Lenske is investigating the accident in which Kiser was fatally injured.

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Cruise Ship Passenger Dies After Accident

2009-09-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

September 8, 2009 (by Horatio Algren)

According to reports a 50 year old American man died after an accident while on a Royal Caribbean cruise in Cozumel.

The man whose identity has not been released is described as a 50 year old American man and was seriously injured when he fell from the Island Shuttle that is owned by the Ultramar ferry company. The injuries were sustained when the man was injured by the boat’s engine and died from cardiac arrest according to reports.

The cruise ship accident at sea occurred when the boat was docking at a pier in Cozumel. Royal Caribbean has stated the man was traveling aboard the Freedom of the Seas and had joined a catamaran shore excursion. This according to Royal Caribbean is where the American was involved in the fatal accident.
The family and friends of the man that was fatally injured remained in Cozumel, along with specially trained Royal Caribbean Guest Care Team members that will assist them.

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Rape Suspect Arrested On Carnival Cruise Ship

2009-08-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

August 12, 2009 (by Hortatio Algren)

According to reports a Canadian rape suspect was arrested on the Carnival cruise ship Inspiration in Tampa Bay.

It has been reported that the U.S. Marshalls met the Inspiration when it docked in Tampa Bay after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security found the name of the alleged rapist on the ships manifest.

The man has been identified as Steven Mark Anthony Requena age 28, and has been a fugitive after fleeing Canada after the alleged rape that took place in 2007.

The alleged rape took place at Fort Erie, Ontario and it is reported Requena is suspected of raping a woman while holding a scalpel to her throat.

According to a U.S. Marshall spokesperson, Requena now lives in Buffalo, New York and was traveling with a group and accompanied by a female that has not been identified. Officials also state that Requena did not put up a struggle when U.S. Marshals arrested him in his cabin on the ship after it had docked, and was arrested on a Canadian warrant.

Requena who will be extradited to Canada is facing several charges including sexual assault on a cruise ship, and officials from the U.S. Marshall's service and Homeland security have stated as a fugitive a cruise ship is no place to hide, and the arrest of Steven Mark Anthony Requena should be an example.

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Jeopardy—It’s Not A Game On TV

2009-08-03T13:44:00.000-07:00

Jeopardy—it’s not a game on TV, it is what passengers on cruise ships put them selves in when they are not aware of the dangers that are on cruise ships. This danger can be from injuries, foods that are tainted that can cause food poisoning and from sexual assaults. The passenger from Riverside should not have to worry about these types of things while on vacation, but it is becoming more frequent news from cruises.

The problem is cruises are a lot of fun; they are a place to get away from the traffic and other distractions of vacations. They have tempting ports of call for the passenger and this makes passengers oblivious to any dangers that might occur. Taking a cruise is way to relax and have fun, on an elegant ship that has all the comforts, it is not supposed to be a place where jeopardy—it’s not a game on TV exists.

The sad truth is that there is these things jeopardize passengers aboard cruise ships. The cruise ship should be thought of by a passenger as any other type of vacation where there are dangers that need to be watched for, and then of course the ones you can not like food poisoning, injuries and sexual assaults. These can all occur on a cruise ship and when they do the passenger needs to seek the representation of a cruise ship attorney.

The types of accidents that can occur on cruise ships can lead to serious injuries, food poisoning should not happen when foods are properly prepared and kept refrigerated, and sexual assaults should never take place. This is why being represented by a cruise ship personal injury attorney makes perfect sense, the cruise line needs to be held responsible for their ship and the events that take place while passengers are on them.

When an injury, food poisoning, or a sexual assault has taken place as a passenger from Riverside, there are accomplished Inland Empire, Los Angeles, or Orange County cruise ship attorneys that have experience dealing with cruise lines that will allow the passenger that thought they were going to have a perfect cruise the satisfaction of holding the shipping firm responsible. It also begins the healing process for the injured victim, the passenger with food poisoning or the passenger that was sexually assaulted, with the knowledge they have an experienced attorney standing up for them against the cruise line.

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The Importance Of Cruise Ship Security

2009-07-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

Security Aboard the Cruise Ship

Passengers aboard cruise ships often let their guard down, this is a relaxing environment and has the appearance of a city or community where everything the passenger could need or want is available. When the ship is out at sea this is when passengers feel there is no need to keep their guard up in the resort type of setting. Ehline Law says this not wise, letting your guard down can place the passenger in danger of becoming a victim of a crime while aboard a cruise ship.

There are some steps that can be taken to prevent becoming a victim of a crime:

Luggage

One of the complaints that is most often heard involves luggage, and includes damage, loss or theft of the contents of the luggage. One of the things that people accustomed to traveling often do to protect themselves in the event of lost or stolen luggage, they keep a written inventory and take photographs of the luggage and contents. The importance of cruise ship security is self evident.

Items that are important such as medications, eye glasses, expensive jewelry and other items should be carried rather than packed in luggage. Another thing that is done by experienced travelers is to photocopy the contents of their wallets, one photocopy is left at home and one is carried, this should also include passports. Luggage should be watched until it is turned in to the cruise line baggage handlers, this is where it will be processed with the luggage of the other cruise ship passengers, and it will be delivered to the assigned cabin of the passenger.

Tips About Types Of Luggage

The luggage that is used should be plain, and should be able to be locked or secured, as it will be with thousands of other bags and needs to be secure enough not to open up. One of the other ways that are used to secure luggage is with extra banding, duct tape and the use of airport plastic wrap that is then secured. Self locking tie wraps are used by seasoned travelers to secure luggage with zippers, these ties are easily found at home improvement stores and other places. Securing zipper luggage is done for several reasons, first there is no easy access, and this means no one can take anything out of the suitcase, and they also cannot put anything in like drugs, which has been known to occur. This can put the owner of the luggage in danger from the person that placed the drugs in the luggage, and it can also place them in danger of being arrested on drug charges.

Tags on luggage while a good idea, should not have a complete address or telephone number, this can assist home burglars to know exactly where the home is that will be empty while the person is aboard a cruise ship.

If any luggage has signs of being tampered with prior to opening it when on a cruise ship, alert security prior to opening the luggage and have them present when it is opened. When leaving the ship at the end of the cruise luggage should be secured in the same manner for the owner’s protection.

Be Secure When Entering The Cabin

When entering the cabin on a cruise ship, check the cabin including the bathroom while the door is still open, and the closet before closing the door. It is on safe to assume the cabin is secure, like what a hotel room might be, employees in the ship’s crew have keys to the cabin and while they have access they also might leave the door standing open while they are attending to their duties.

This can include steward services, and cleaning personnel that might leave the door open giving anyone easy access to the cabin. The key locks might also be aged and not as secure as those in hotels, this is one reason why it is wise to inventory items that are packed into luggage, carried in wallets or purses and any jewelry should be photographed.

One of the advantages that should be used is to lock valuables in the ships safe deposit box; this is because most cruise passengers are setup with a charge account while aboard the ship. This enables cash and credit cards to be locked in the safe deposit box and jewelry and other valuables should also be kept there while on the ship, this should include passports and other important papers.

The cabin door may have more than one lock once inside the cabin, all locks should be used and the door should not be opened to strangers. Asking what a person wants through the door is much safer than opening the door, and if accompanied by children they should also be taught this security measure.

Keys for the cabin should be kept where strangers or crew members will not have the prospect of gaining access to the cabin and when disembarking when in port the key can be left with the registration desk for safe keeping.

Public Areas Are Safer

When aboard a cruise ship and it is out at sea that does not mean it is completely safe and there is not any criminal acts that can take place. There might not be the same amount of danger, from crewmembers or passengers, but the threat of being robbed are attacked is still there can easily be done by either. One of the reasons that danger can be perpetrated by a crew member is because cruise lines often hire transient and seasonal crewmembers and even have problems keeping the ships fully crewed. The percentage of crewmembers that are not hardworking and honest is very small, but it does exist, and it is not safe to assume that the cruise line has properly screened each employee.

The security personnel are often lacking in numbers unlike at land based resorts, and staying in the public area is a way of self protection. Ship security often dresses in plain clothes to patrol the public areas and also view the cameras in these areas. One of the important things to know is that the ratio of security personnel in relation to the amount of passengers is often insufficient.

The Security Plan For The Family

Being at sea often causes people to have a false sense of security, the belief that this floating resort city has no crime and that is an ill fated thought by passengers. When traveling with the family continues the same type of rules as at home, not allowing them to be out after curfew and also instruct them that they are not to follow a crewmember out of a public area. When traveling with children, especially teenagers it is not smart to open the door to crewmembers or other passengers. Parents also should not allow crewmembers to enter the cabin. There are nightclubs, casinos, swimming pools and Jacuzzi hot tubs or other type of hot tub, on board every ship and while the crime rate is lower than land based areas there still can be predators that are looking for a victim. That means children should not be alone in these areas, without the supervision of an adult or in a group.

One of the other things that parents need to be careful of is passengers that are intoxicated; one of the things about cruise ships that they are known for its food and alcohol. Alcohol does not bring out the best in some people and just because passengers are dressed nicely does not mean when intoxicated, they will not become aggressive or act appropriately. It is also not unheard of for someone on board a cruise ship to slip a drug into a drink to take advantage of passenger, just the same as it can occur in any other place. Letting your guard down on a cruise ship can also allow pickpockets, purse thieves and cabin burglars can do what they do easier.

There are also con artists that look for wealthy women or men to prey upon when given the chance on a cruise.

The family security plan should not be much different than at home, there should be bed checks, curfews, restrictions and special places to meet at designated times. While a cruise should be fun for the family, parents need to monitor what children their children become friends with, just like you would at home. Just because a child is on a cruise does not mean they may not like to do things that get them in trouble or do drugs. One of the things that parents can do is to keep their children involved in activities in the public area sponsored by the ship and even then make contact with your children.

Even though the cruise is a place for parents to have fun, spending hours in the casino or seeing a show can allow the children to have run of the ship that can be dangerous for them. There should be a plan in place that includes a crew member that can be contacted in case you are separated at a port from your children.

Cruise Ships And The Law

Most people do not stop to think about boarding a cruise ship and the law, even though you have boarded the ship at a United States port does not mean that you are protected by our laws and justice system. This is because most cruise ships are not registered in the U.S., but in other countries and that is the laws that will apply while on the ship. For the most part the cruise industry does not report crime data on a constant basis to the FBI or have a data base that lists the ships with the largest crime problems.

It is possible for a crime to be committed on a cruise ship with the perpetrator being from one country, the victim from another country and the ship carrying a flag from a third country, and it can occur in territorial waters of a fourth country. This means the crime may not fall into any jurisdiction, or even be reported to authorities. This means the crime might not ever even be investigated by the authorities.

The law that would cover this type of crime would be maritime law, and it is not as developed as the laws in the United States. When a major crime occurs in International waters the only United States agency that can investigate is the FBI. When the FBI is not called in to investigate the crime can be reported to the jurisdiction of the closest foreign country and embassies of the parties involved. In this event, the prosecution of the crime is left to the port authorities and what the outcome will be is unknown, since the laws will be different than those of the United States.

This is something that families should also be aware of, if their child gets into trouble, it will not be the United States laws that will be an issue. The laws the child and the parents will be held accountable could be that of a foreign country. Before taking a cruise it is possible to contact the cruise line directly for details on the safety record of the ship, how the ship will handle problems such as lost luggage, criminal acts and ask for a written disclosure of their policies and regulations.

There is also the Cruise Lines International Association in New York City that represents twenty five of the largest cruise lines that can be contacted for more information. The important thing to remember when going on a cruise is not to let your guard down to stay safe, be cautious and stay alert while at sea.

This has been a public service message from the Cruise Ship Lawyer at:
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Husband Confesses To Cruise Ship Murder

2009-07-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

July 18, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports Robert McGill has confessed to the beating death of his wife Shirley aboard the cruise ship Carnival Elation.

According to the FBI while questioning the Los Angeles school teacher he told investigators that he had killed his wife in the bathroom of their cabin with his bare hands. McGill when read his Miranda rights continued to speak with investigators about the murder of his wife on his birthday.

According to friends and neighbors McGill is a well respected teacher and a pleasant neighbor, shocking those who know him.

A plea of not guilty was entered in the court of U.S. District Magistrate William McCurine Jr. on behalf of McGill and he has been scheduled for appearances on the 23rd and 30th of July to answer to the charge of murder. McGill also asked to speak to the court and his family, and after the hearing his two adult sons, his attorney and the Assistant U.S. Attorney Joanna Curtis all declined to comment on the case.

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FBI Investigating Cruise Ship Murder

2009-07-16T17:14:00.000-07:00

July 16, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to a California cruise ship wrongful death lawyer the FBI is investigating the death of a 55 year old woman they believe was killed by her husband aboard a Carnival cruise.

Special agent Keith Slotter of the San Diego FBI Office stated that after they were notified on Tuesday about the death of a 55 year old woman, there were 20 agents transported by a U.S. Coast Guard cutter to the cruise ship Carnival Elation.

FBI Special Agent Darrell Foxworth stated that the alleged suspect in the murder is the woman’s husband was being kept in a small jail aboard the cruise ship when they arrived. The cabin on the lower deck where the death took place was being guarded and a sign was posted stating secured area.

According to Agent Slotter they do not know the motive for the murder and that out of the 2,052 passengers; approximately 40 passengers were interviewed by the FBI. According to one of the passengers on the ship Tuesday night, there was an announcement over the public address system calling for Operation Starbright to go to room R-24.

Thursday morning a team was aboard the Carnival Elation to collect forensic evidence in the secured area where the woman was found. The 55 year old woman has been identified by the County Medical Examiner’s Office as Shirley McGill, a resident of Winnetka California.

The Carnival cruise ship Elation left San Diego on Saturday with 2,052 passengers aboard for a five day cruise to Cabo San Lucas. A spokesperson in a written statement for the Carnival Cruise line stated their thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Shirley McGill.

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Infant Rescued By The U.S. Coast Guard After Cruise Ship Injury

2009-07-11T23:44:00.000-07:00

July 11, 2009 (by Horatio Algren) According to reports the U.S. Coast Guard came to the medical rescue of an infant after an accident aboard a cruise ship.

According to authorities after an infant fell on the cruise ship Celebrity Infinity while it was at sea. The U.S. Coast Guard was able to assist getting the infant and parent off of the cruise ship to seek medical care.

The Celebrity Infinity was approximately 80 miles west of Juneau at the time of the rescue, when the U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was launched from the Air Station Sitka. The helicopter crew hoisted the infant and parent from the cruise ship. They then transported the injured infant to Bartlett Regional Hospital.

According to authorities the infant’s condition is stable. Cruise ship accident attorneys are following this case closely. 633 West Fifth Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles, CA, 90071; 6700 East Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 275, Long Beach, CA 90803; 14007 Palawan Way Marina del Rey, CA, 90292; 201 Wilshire Blvd, Second Floor, Santa Monica, CA, 90401; 620 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1100 Newport Beach, CA, 92660. Phone: 888-400-9721; 213.596.9642.

When A Fun Cruise Turns Into A Tragedy Onboard Ship

2009-07-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

Every year thousands of people take cruises and watching their commercials or leafing through their brochures, it looks like a fun and active vacation. What they do not say is what the experienced cruise ship personal injury attorney can say before taking a cruise. There are accidents, assaults and cruise ship rapes that occur more often than anyone would think is possible. The numbers are frightening and many people would not go on cruises if they knew the amount of people that are assaulted.

When a fun cruise turns into a tragedy onboard ship, there are some things the Orange County, Miami, or Los Angeles cruise ship personal injury attorney will explain, first of all, out on the ocean there is no longer the protection of the United States laws. This means there are complicated maritime laws and not every personal injury attorney is experienced or has an intimate knowledge of these laws. This is why as a resident of Bakersfield it is important to seek the experienced cruise ship personal injury attorney when a cruise has turned tragic.

This is not something new; the statistics that have been kept between 1993 and 1998 showed there were 108 assaults that included both crewmembers and passengers that were assaulted. Even though this was some time ago, it represents assaulted victims and the assaults continue today in even greater number.

What this means is that cruise ships have not been safe for sometime and there has not been much done to protect the passengers from an assault. This also means that staying on a ship until it returns to port with the attacker.

When a fun cruise turns into a tragedy onboard ship for the Bakersfield resident, while this will have long lasting effects there is an answer to help begin the healing. That is to consult with a cruise ship personal injury attorney, because they know the complicated laws that apply to cruise ship assaults. They also know that the owner of the cruise ship would like nothing better than the passenger from Bakersfield to go home thinking that since they were at sea there is nothing that can be done.

This of course is not true, the experienced Orange County cruise ship personal injury attorney can build a case for the assault victim holding not only the attacker responsible, but also the cruise line that did not protect the passenger from harm aboard their ship.

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Passenger Falls From Cruise Ship

2009-05-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

May 26, 2009 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by cruise ship accident attorneys, an 18 year old has fallen overboard from the cruise ship Carnival Fantasy.

The man has been identified as Bruce O’Krepki and is on of the 69 new graduates of the St. Thomas Aquinas high school in Hammond Louisiana. O’Krepki, his family and approximately 30 of their classmates and families were on the cruise ship that left New Orleans and was on its way to Key West.

The teen reportedly fell over the rails of the Carnival Fantasy that his parents were chaperones aboard the cruise ship. The incident occurred approximately 150 miles southwest of Tampa on Sunday evening.

According to Coast Guard Petty Officer Rob Simpson the Coast Guard has been searching for two days by boat and air for O’Krepki. There have been two planes and a Coast Guard cutter searching for the teen.

O’Krepki graduated with honors from his high school May 9th and was to attend Louisiana State University on an academic scholarship according to his uncle Rick O’Krepki. He also stated the teen ran track and played soccer in high school.

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No Surveillance Tapes Released By Norwegian Cruise Line

2009-05-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

March 23, 2009

According to reports Norwegian Cruise Line has refused to release their surveillance tapes after a violent attack on a passenger.

The man attacked is identified as Matthew Ashe a resident of Stevenson Washington who has filed a suit against the Norwegian Cruise Lines after a violent assault on him. Where three men with beer bottles attacked him, he was also kicked and punched during the attack during a March 2008 cruise on the Norwegian Star.

The cruise on the Norwegian Star was taken with Ashe’s parents who have requested that the cruise line provide them with a copy of the surveillance tapes so their son can identify his attackers. The surveillance tapes recorded the attack and the Norwegian Cruise Line has let the request by Ashe’s parents go unanswered for the past year. The Ashe family along with a local law firm requested the surveillance tapes to identify the three men to the FBI.

The next step the Ashe’s took was to hire a maritime attorney located in Miami Florida, the same city the cruise line is based. The response the maritime attorney has gotten was having their emails to the Norwegian Cruise Line block their emails.

The family has now filed a Federal law suit in Miami in order to obtain the surveillance tapes in order to have the information they need to give the FBI about the assault. They have also joined the International Cruise Victims, which is a non profit organization based in Washington state. They also intend to contact their congressional representatives so other cruise passengers do not have these problems.

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When Your Vacation Has Been Ruined Because Of A Rape Assault

2009-05-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

There are literally an endless amount of individuals and entire families that take in a ton of enjoyment by taking an exciting and fun cruise each year to many different amazingly beautiful areas of the world. It is a very unique type of vacation that allows you to let go of all of your worries, pull your hair down, and put all of the cares of the world way back into the furthest recesses of your mind. It is also a time when you and each of the members of your family can take advantage of planning numerous different fun and adventurous activities that you simply are not able to do anywhere else. Unfortunately however there are times when these memorable vacations can turn into a complete nightmare. Unexpected injuries can occur, painful and frustrating seasickness can often grab a hold of you with a vengeance, or an assault could occur such as a rape. When your entire vacation has been totally ruined because of a rape assault that was forced on one of your loved ones by a waiter or other employee onboard a cruise ship, you need to know who you can turn to in making sure that justice prevails.

It does not matter if you are from Santa Monica or one of the surrounding areas, you will want the assurance that you will be receiving only the utmost in knowledge and professionalism that a cruise ship rape attorney can provide for the victimized member of your family. The attorneys have a vast storehouse of knowledge in this specific type of traumatic assault and they have spent numerous years helping several other individuals who have become the victim of rape while they were trying to simply enjoy a family vacation while they were onboard a cruise ship. Depending on the specific area of the oceans waters that the assault occurred, there may be special maritime laws that will apply to your individual case. The expertise of only the most knowledgeable, professional, and compassionate cruise ship rape attorneys has the experience that is often required when these types of special laws apply to your case.

When your vacation has been totally ruined because you became the victim of a rape assault, you need to turn to a cruise ship rape attorney that will continuously review and study each aspect of your case until they know that the guilty part will pay for his wrong doing.

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Environmental Group Worries Cruise Ships Polluting Ocean Waters

2009-05-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

According to the environmental group, Oceana, there is a growing concern about the amount of pollution that is being dumped into the ocean daily by cruise ships. This pollution includes sewage, solid waste and garbage, along with toxic chemicals and oily bilge water.

According to the Seattle International Travel Examiner, there are some cruise lines that are making an attempt to change this ocean pollution, this includes Princess Cruises, Holland America, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celeberty and Norwegian Cruise Lines. These companies according to the newspaper have implemented environmental standards to correct their pollution.

Princess Cruises and Holland America ships have the ability to plug into hydroelectric power while the ships are in port to reduce the air pollution from the ships idling. Holland America has also begun using ships that use hybrid powered systems and have a seawater scrubbing emission system to help reduce air pollution.

There are two smaller cruise lines that have begun implementing environmental measures, these are Lindblad Expeditions and Adventure Smith. These measures include offsetting their carbon footprint, new sustainable technologies and purchasing seafood that is from sustainable sources.

The Alaska cruise industry is not following the other cruise lines and had requested the water pollution rule be abolished earlier in the year. This pollution rule was approved by voters in 2006 and according to the Alaska cruise industry it is unfavorable to tourism.

The Union of Concerned Scientists has developed a green travel guide, this compares the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from different types of transportation, and which leave the least carbon footprint. The report determines the impact on the environment by using several factors; the type of transportation, the distance it will be traveling and the amount of people.

Oceana has put together their own numbers for the average pollution cause by cruise ships daily spilling into the ocean.

• Seven tons of garbage and solid waste
• 25,000 gallons of sewage from toilets
• 143,000 gallons of sewage from sinks, galleys and showers
• 7,000 gallons of bilge water
• 15 gallons of toxic chemicals

Cruise ship lawsuit attorneys will be watching this closely along with consumer groups.

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Coast Guard Rescues Woman From Aboard Coral Princess Cruise Ship

2009-05-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

May 18, 2009 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by a cruise ship accident lawyer, the Coast Guard rescued a woman aboard a cruise ship Sunday afternoon.

The Coast Guard was notified at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Sunday that a woman on the Coral Princess nearly drowned in the ships pool.

The Coral Princess was 30 miles west of Bodega Bay when the incident occurred. The woman identified as being age 57 was evacuated by the Coast Guard and then air lifted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

The 57 year old woman is believed to be in good condition, according to reports.
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Cruise Ship Passenger Injured By Exploding Fire Extinguisher

2009-05-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

May 2, 2009

According to reports by Celebrity Cruise Ship accident lawyers, a cruise ship passenger was by an exploding fire extinguisher while disembarking from the ship.

The ship docked at Port Everglades according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office was the Celebrity Infinity. According to sheriff’s spokeswoman Dani Moschella the incident occurred at approximately 10:00 a.m. when passengers were disembarking from the ship.

There was some panic according to Moschella when two canisters exploded, the first canister exploded when a worker threw it in the back of a truck. The canister was a fire extinguisher that, because of the trucks movement shot through the trucks window.

The flying canister struck one of the passengers disembarking from the ship knocking the person to the ground and injuring him. Paramedics transported the injured passenger to Broward General Medical Center.

Approximately 30 minutes after the incident a crewmember was removing another canister from the ship that also exploded according to Moschella. The hazardous materials unit and paramedics arrived on the scene as more people were said to have been injured. The explosions are said to have been a coincidence according to the hazardous materials unit and the incidents are now under investigation.

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First Cruise Ship Docks In California To Avoid Swine Flu

2009-05-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

April 30, 2009

According to reports by Princess cruise ship accident lawyers, a cruise ship was rerouted after the many swine flu outbreaks and has docked in California.

The cruise ship Sapphire Princess is the first ship to dock at the San Diego port, with more ships to follow after it was decided Mexico cruises needed to be avoided. Since the outbreaks of swine flu in Mexico with as many as 159 deaths in Mexico attributed to the flu cruise lines have halted their cruises.

The cruise lines that have rerouted their trips to Mexico and will be making port at San Diego and other ports are Carnival Corp, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Holland America.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a non-essential travel alert to Mexico earlier in the week and have issued a possible pandemic alert since. Mexico is reporting as many as 2,000 cases of swine flu cases in the country.

It was reported that as many as 2,000 passengers from the Sapphire Princess got off the ship when it docked in San Diego. There are as many as one dozen more ships expected to use San Diego as a port of call during the swine flu outbreak.

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Cruise Lines To Halt Stops In Mexico

2009-04-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

April 28, 2009

According to reports by Princess cruises accident lawyers, after earlier reports that many cruise lines did not expect to stop their Mexico cruises, because of swine flu have now changed their plans.

Four of the largest cruise lines have announced they will now suspend all stops in Mexico, this includes Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, this also includes Princess Cruises, which is owned by the Carnival Corporation. Holland American has also suspended any stops in Mexico.

This comes after the announcement by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention that any nonessential travel to Mexico should be halted after the swine flu outbreak.

The cruise lines have changed their itineraries and will be stopping at other ports including San Diego and Santa Catalina Island, some cruises will also be spending more time at sea rather than stopping at a port.

There have also been plans made by the cruise lines, because of the swine flu outbreak to allow passengers to reschedule their cruises for a later date if they do not want to stop at the chosen ports while Mexico is not on the itinerary.

Health officials have closed most of the public spots in Mexico where people gather, since the outbreak of the swine flu, these sites include theme parks, soccer stadiums and museums. One of the most popular places for gathering, Starbucks has closed ten of their cafés in Mexico City after health officials issued recommendations.

According to the cruise lines the cruise ships already out at sea have been rerouted and will be avoiding any Mexican ports.

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Pirates Attack Italian Cruise Ship

2009-04-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

April 27, 2009 (by Otto Smyth) According to reports by cruise ship injury lawyers, the Italian cruise the Melody ship with over 1500 passengers, including 74 Australian passengers was attacked by Somali pirates.

According to Ciro Pinto the captain of the Melody stated pirates off of the east African coast attacked the ship, while it was approximately 200 miles north of Seychelles and 600 miles from the Somali coast.

The captain and the security staff fought off the pirates with handguns handed out to the security staff and a fire hose. The security staff fired on the pirates when they tried to hook a ladder on the side of the cruise ship and used the fire hose on them.

The pirates fired on the ship causing some damage and they followed the cruise ship for approximately 20 minutes. According to captain Pinto the pirates kept firing at the ship while they were following. The captain also stated the passengers were in their cabins and there were two people with scraps and no one else was injured during the incident.

Kenyan maritime official Andrew Mwangura of the East African Sea Farers Assistance Program based in Mombasa stated, while the actions of the captain and security staff might have saved the Melody from being captured by the Somali pirates no passenger ship should have weapons. He went on to state they should have used other means of chasing them off, such as the loud acoustic devices that are made to scare the pirates off.

There was a Yemeni owned tanker, the Sea Princess II that was freed, according to Mwangura and stated there must have been a ransom paid, but he did not know how much was paid. There was also another ship, which was Greek owned released after a $1.9 million dollar ransom was paid.

The pirates have almost doubled their raids on ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, since the beginning of the year. Mwangura also stated this was not the first attempt on a cruise ship, although they have not been successful in capturing one.

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Vacations At Sea Can Be Anything But Safe

2009-04-13T16:48:00.001-07:00

The statistics show each year that there are sexual assaults and rapes aboard cruise ships, these violations are not only done by passengers, but also by crewmembers that the passenger feels they can trust. Vacations at sea can be anything but safe and this is not a part of the vacation warnings, like the reminders to bring passports and other identification.

Once a ship leaves port it becomes a floating city, it is no longer under the same laws that protect a person everyday and while most people taking a cruise think they are leaving crime behind. That is not the case at all for some passengers and they have little protection from their attacker, until they reach port and can leave the ship.

A crime like cruise ship sexual assault or rape can occur easily enough on a ship the size of a cruise ship, where there are locations that other people will not venture during the attack or even in the passengers cabin. Being on a cruise ship passengers often have a false sense of security and trust other passengers and crewmembers. They forget all the cautions they would normally take when on land, because after all this is a vacation and that is how being violated can happen.

What this passenger needs to know is when this type of attack occurs the authorities should be alerted as soon as possible and an experience Los Angeles cruise ship attorney should be contacted. These types of cases are often settled in civil court with the cruise line company who should be held responsible for not protecting the passenger that has suffered a sexual assault or rape at the hand of another passenger or cruise ship personnel.

Only an experienced cruise ship attorney is able to properly represent this passenger that has suffered a sexual assault or rape. This is because there are laws that pertain to cruise ships since most do not carry the U.S. flag and do not adhere to United States laws while passengers are aboard and a crime is committed. Vacations at sea can be anything but safe, even though many passengers feel they leave crime behind when the ship leaves the dock.

Sexual assault and rape are things that will change a person’s life; it can make doing simple things like going to the store difficult and can require lengthy therapy to begin to heal. This should not be a part of a cruise and if it does occur the cruise ship line and the person that did this crime should be held accountable. The cruise line will have attorneys to protect them from claims and this is why an experienced Los Angeles cruise ship attorney is important to have protecting the victim.

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After Daughter’s Death On Cruise Ship Mother Goes To Washington

2009-04-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

April 6, 2009 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports amid controversy over cruise ship legislation that would make cruise ships safer for Americans traveling aboard ships safer.

Jamie Barnett the mother of a daughter that died aboard a cruise ship a day after setting sail from what was said to be an overdose of methadone. Barnett has stated that while her daughter Ashley age 24 died according to a U.S. based medical examiner of methadone, feels that she did not receive medical assistance soon enough.

Barnett believes that the medical assistance did not respond fast enough and that the lack of proper experience contributed to her daughters death. Ashley’s mother states she does not want other family’s to go through what she has and is traveling to Washington D.C.

Barnett a resident of Burbank is going to Washington D.C. with several other members of the International Cruise Victims Association to rally support for the proposed legislation to make passengers safer on cruise ships.

Cruise ship officials have stated that the ships staff on the ship that was headed to Ensenada in 2006 when Barnett’s daughter died did all they could to revive the woman, after they received an emergency call.

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Carnival Cruise Pulling Ships From Alaska Routes

2009-03-24T22:05:00.000-07:00

According to Cruise ship accident lawyers, Carnival Corporation will be pulling the Serenade of the Seas and reducing capacity in 2010 as stated by the Carnival Corporation Chairman Micky Arison. Carnival Cruise Lines is the leader in Alaskan cruises with 15 ships, out doing Holland American which has seven ships and Princess Cruise lines who also has seven ships going to Alaska.

According to Arison this would impact the land based hotels, restaurants and other places frequented for passengers. The chairman also stated that there could be more cuts by 2011 by the Carnival Cruise Line Corporation.

This is all do to the impact that the $50 dollars per head tax that the cruise lines pay when stopping at port with their passengers.

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Somali Pirates Attack Cruise Ship With Rocket Launchers

2009-03-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

March 7, 2009 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by cruise ship injury lawyers, Somali pirates attacked a cruise ship with 1,200 British passengers aboard a cruise ship with rocket launchers.

The ship Balmoral a 43,000 ton 715 foot cruise ship came under fire at least four times by Somali pirates who came within 400 yards of the ship in the waters in the Gulf of Aden.

The ship had 1,300 passengers with 1,200 British citizens who were all sent below deck according to an email account by one of the crew members to her boyfriend. She also stated that all of the passengers were very upset and frightened.

The pirates according to reports were armed with rocket launchers and AK-47’s the cruise ship while trying to avoid the pirates who had launched to smaller ships radioed for help from other ships in the area and the U.S. Navy was contacted and they escorted the Balmoral to safety.

This incident occurred two weeks into a three month cruise while the Balmoral was sailing from Jordan to India and continued on its way after being escorted out of the dangerous waters by the U.S. Navy.

This is was not an isolated incidence, in 2008 there were over 130 merchant ships attacked in the Gulf of Aden and there were double that amount in 2007. The Somali pirates also hijacked 42 ships from April through December of 2008 for a total of £100million in ransom.

An International military task force to protect the merchant ships and cruise ships that travel through these waters, against the Somali pirates, monitors this area of the Indian Ocean.

One passenger identified as Stuart McKellar stated that the crew on the Balmoral alerted the ship was being followed ay approximately 3:30 p.m. by a small craft. The passengers were warned there could be problems and drills were put into place. When they were told to go below deck by the captain of the cruise liner the passengers knew it was not just a drill. Contact Los Angeles personal injury lawyers if you were injured in a cruise line accident.

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Cruise Passengers Injured On Tour Bus

2009-03-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

March 6, 2009 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports sixteen passengers from a Celebrity Cruise ship were injured when a excursion bus ran off the road.

The passengers were on the Celebrity Summit and were taken to a local Dominica Republic hospital where 11 of the passengers were admitted overnight. While they were kept overnight five of the Celebrity staff members remained with them including a nurse.

Since the bus accident there have been specially trained Celebrity Guest Care Team members including another nurse who arrived at Roseau Dominica to escort the seriously injured passengers to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami by an air flight.

The 16 passengers that were injured had sustained injuries including broken bones, lacerations, bumps and bruises and three passengers sustained more serious injuries.

The Celebrity ship the Summit left San Juan, Puerto Rico on a seven night Caribbean Cooking Adventure cruise. The passengers were on a shore excursion to join local culinary experts to learn how to prepare traditional Caribbean dishes and concluded with a scenic drive through Roseau prior to going to the pier.

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Cruise Ships Gangway Collapses—Passengers Injured

2009-03-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

March 6, 2009 ( by Otto Smyth) According to reports by cruise ship injury lawyers, the gangway of a cruise ship collapsed in high winds and injured four people boarding the ship.

According to the port authorities at Spainish port Palma Harbor, that the ship drifted braking from its moorings due to 70 mile per hour winds and this caused the gangway to break.

When the gangway broke and crashed in the water it threw four people in the sea, one man, reportedly an 80-year-old man from Egypt sustained head injuries and three others were treated for hypothermia.

The crew members dove into the icy sea to rescue the people who had been boarding the ship when the mooring broke in the 70 mile an hour winds. The accident occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. and the MSV Fantasia is owned by the MSC Cruises in an Italian owned company.

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Cruise Ship Passengers Returned To Port After Getting Virus

2009-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

March 2, 2009 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by cruise ship lawsuit lawyers, a cruise ship has returned to San Diego after over 100 passengers become ill.

It has been reported that the MS Oosterdam, a Holland American ship returned to San Diego on Saturday after the crew declared a code red on the first night of the cruise. There are reportedly over 100 passengers, along with crew members that contracted the norovirus and became ill their first night at sea.

Norovirus is a stomach flu that caused the passengers to become ill, is a stomach virus having symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting and other symptoms. It is unclear what the source was that cause the virus aboard the ship and after returning the passengers to port at San Diego, the ship was sanitized and was expected to return to sea.

There were 2,600 passengers aboard the Holland American cruise ship that was enroute to Mexico.

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Elderly Couple Disappears From Carnival Cruise Ship

2009-01-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

January 17, 2009 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by cruise ship accident lawyers, the FBI says a couple that was aboard a Carnival cruise ship has disappeared and presumed to have gone overboard, their names have not been released. The couple was reported to be a 90 year old man and his 79 year old wife.

The couple it has been reported left from Long Beach on Monday and when the ship docked on Friday they were no longer aboard the cruise ship. Investigators have stated the ships crew last saw the couple on Tuesday evening at approximately 7:45 p.m.

According to FBI spokes person Laura Eimiller the ship left Long Beach with 2,052 passengers and was in route to Santa Catalina Island and then to Ensenada Mexico. FBI investigators boarded the ship and were interviewing passengers after Carnaval Cruise Line contacted them when the couple was found to be missing. An evidence response team boarded the ship to collect evidence from the couples stateroom that was found to be double locked from the inside with a “do not disturb” sign on the doorknob. The couple’s personal belongings were found in the room and the door to the balcony unlocked.

According to Petty Officer 2nd Class of the Coast Guard Prentice Danner, the Coast Guard was conducting a search for the couple from Ensenada, Mexico to Catalina Island and then to Long Beach. The Petty Officer stated no boats would be used due to the expansive area that was to be searched for the couple.

The Coast Guard search has since been halted after searching with no results and they have alerted ships captains in the area to the missing couple.

In a statement by Carnival Cruise Line spokes person Jennifer de la Cruz they have no knowledge if the man and his wife had gotten off the cruise ship at either the Catalina or Ensenada stops.

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Ferry Sinks Off Indonesian Island Over 200 Missing

2009-01-11T20:51:00.000-08:00

January 11, 2009 (by Attorney Michael Ehline)

According to news reports at the Los Angeles Cruise Ship Lawsuit Center, an Indonesian ferry that was carrying at least 250 passengers and 17 crew members sank off the island of Sulawesi after being struck by waves of approximately 16 feet.

It has been reported by an official on the island of Sulawesi that so far there have been 20 passengers from the ferry found from the ferry after it hit stormy weather on the sea. The survivors that have been found were picked up by a fishing boat and among them was the captain of the ferry.

It was reported by the captain that he saw approximately 100 passengers leaping from the ferry prior to it sinking but he did not know what their fate was.

According to a port official in Parepare where the ferry had originated rescue crews that had been sent out were having difficulties due to the weather reaching the site where the boat sank. They went on to state that the last contact with the boat was approximately 2:00 a.m. and at that time the captain of the ferry stated there were waves of approximately 7 feet. The weather that has been stormy in the vicinity was good sailing conditions on Saturday when the ferry left the port at Parepare.

The ferry after leaving Parepare was in route to Samarinda in East Kalimantan, the storm with waves that over took the boat occurred approximately 30 miles from the coast.

The current fear is the death toll could rise as the ferry’s in this area are known to be over crowed, having several incidences every year and are known for poor safety standards.

If you were injured in a serious accident, such as a ferry or cruise ship accident and need a California boating accident attorney, contact Michael Ehline toll free at 888-400-9721. 201 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401.

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Mystery Illness Strikes Passengers And Crew Of MSC Sinfonia

2009-01-09T20:14:00.000-08:00

January 9, 2009 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by cruise ship injury lawyers, Brazilian health officials said that the Swiss owned cruise ship MSC Sinfonia had an outbreak of a mystery illness while at least 340 became ill and had symptoms of severe vomiting and diarrhea.

According to a spokesperson who did not release their name as is their agencies policy, from the National Agency for Sanitary Vigilance stated the illness that the passengers were struck with did not seem as though it was life threatening. They went on to state that the ship is now docked in Salvador, Bahia.

The agency while doing an investigation into the illness found there was a problem with the mayonnaise and the ship’s drinking water contained too much chlorine. They have not released what might have caused the illness until their investigation is completed.

They also stated the outbreak of the illness is now under control, the ill passengers were questioned and are being treated aboard the cruise ship. The Swiss owned ship was permitted to return to Rio de Janeiro after being ordered to notify health authorities if any other passengers become ill.

The Swiss owned cruise ship Sinfonia left port in Rio de Janeiro on Friday with passengers becoming ill on Monday and Tuesday, totaling at least 340 out of the 2,000 passengers aboard ship. The company MSC Cruises is a division of Mediterranean Shipping Co. has not made any statements about the mystery illness.

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Coast Guard Searches For Cruise Ship Employee Who Reportedly Fell Overboard

2009-01-01T21:42:00.000-08:00

January 1, 2009

According to reports the Coast Guard has stated a man employed as part of the entertainment on the Carnival cruise ship Sensation reportedly fell overboard in the waters off of Florida.

The man allegedly fell overboard at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Thursday and in a statement from the Carnival cruise company the man was not working at the time he fell overboard and was a part of the entertainment staff on the cruise ship. Carnival also stated that six other crew members saw the employee fall overboard and the crew members stated the man accidentally fell from the ship. At the time the crew members saw him fall they threw him a life ring and also notified the ships officials. Then the Coast Guard was alerted to the situation according to Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class James Harless.

Harless stated the man fell approximately 82 feet and the water was approximately 72 degrees. He also stated it is unclear if the man overboard was able to catch the life ring the crew members threw to him.

Carnival Cruise lines have also released a statement to the mans family and friends stating their thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and his friends.

The ship was approximately 20 miles from the coast of Vero Beach when the man fell from the ship, after a full day of searching he has not been found; searches were carried out on the water and by air. Harless of the Coast Guard stated they searched with a Coast Guard cutter, a smaller boat that was dispatched from Fort Pierce and a rescue helicopter.

The Carnival ship Sensation was in route from the Bahamas to Port Canaveral, the cruise ship was late returning and passengers stated the atmosphere today was solemn in light of the missing man. Carnival cruise ship accident attorneys are probably sharpening their swords to get this case.

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Mexican Navy And U.S. Coast Guard Search For Woman That Fell From Cruise Ship

2008-12-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

December 28, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by Princess cruise ship accident lawyers, the Mexican Navy and the United States Coast Guard have been searching the waters off of Cancun for an American woman that reportedly fell from a Norwegian cruise ship.

The woman has been identified as Jennifer Feitz age 36 who was aboard the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship that left Miami for a seven day cruise to the western Caribbean. Feitz was reported missing by her husband before 5:00 a.m. Friday morning, when the ship was east of Isla Mujeres.

The Mexican Fifth Naval Regional Command stated they had been searching using navy boats and helicopters and had found no signs of the woman late Friday and had to halt their search due to difficult weather conditions and strong waves.

The United States Coast Guard was using a Falcon jet; they also halted their search until the next morning. They stated they will resume the search using a C-130 according to Petty Officer Third Class Nick Ameen. If you were injured in a cruise ship accident, call 888-400-9721 to speak with California cruise ship injury lawyers.

According to reports the search for Jennifer Feitz was taking place approximately 17 miles east of Cancun.

The Norwegian Cruise Line has made no public statement about Jennifer Feitz.

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The U.S. Coast Guard Rescues 26 Passengers From Yacht

2008-12-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

December 15, 2008

According to reports by boat accident lawyers in California a distress call was received by the authorities from a 52 foot yacht named Giant Feet after it struck rocks in the vicinity of Coyote Point in the San Francisco Bay area.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded to the distress call where the yacht was found to be taking on water and rescued twenty-six people aboard the boat.

The rescue attempts by boat were unsuccessful as the yacht was in to shallow of water, by the Coast Guard and the local fire department. After the attempts failed a helicopter lowered a small life raft and rescue swimmers, who were able to get the twenty-six passengers off the 52 foot yacht.

The passengers were then transported to the San Mateo County Fire Department Incident Command Post that was located at Coyote Point Marina.

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Cruise Ship Crew Member Arrested For Sexual Assault

2008-08-26T20:30:00.001-07:00

Crew Member Arrested For Sexual Assault

August 26, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports by cruise ship rape lawyers, a crew member aboard a cruise ship has been arrested near Juneau Alaska after allegedly sexually assaulting another crew member.

The crew member who was assaulted reported the sexual assault by another foreigner working on a cruise ship M/V Serenade of the Seas(Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines), when the ship arrived at port in Juneau at approximately 9:30 the crew member allegedly sexually assaulted a female crewmember in her cabin. The Turk, Serkan Tezsay, was taken into custody and transported to Lemon Creek Correctional Center.

The Lemon Creek Correctional Center is located in Juneau and is a multi function correctional institute, with the capacity to hold 164 male and female inmates.

If you have been the victim of a Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines employee cruise ship sexual assault such as cruise ship gang rape, anal rape, or oral rape, there are experienced California, Orange County and Los Angeles cruise ship attorneys who can be reached at 888-400-9721. news personal injury attorney los angeles

Cruise Ship Rape is a Real Danger to Ship Passengers

2008-08-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

Sexual assaults and rape can be a worry for many young women and especially for the parents of young girls wanting to go on an exciting cruise ship vacation alone. Every year hundreds of such young girls and young women will embark on a much awaited vacation adventure on a cruise ship. It happens yearly for graduating high school seniors as cruise ships are popular senior trips. Graduating college students celebrate their final release from school by going on cruise ship vacations also.
Little do these young women know that lurking on every cruise liner may be a rapist awaiting his next victim. Statistics show that Cruise Ship rape is a very real danger.

This has been the experience of many Cruise Ship Rape attorneys in several cities in Los Angeles County, like Marina del Ray and Los Angeles. These expert lawyers have made it their mission to hold cruise ship rapists accountable for their actions. They have statistics and facts from a five-year study that shows that sexual assaults and rapes on board cruise ship lines happen more frequently than anyone could have imagined. In fact, some cruise lines have now hired security personnel to try and prevent these rapes from happening.

Cruise lines should be held accountable for not protecting their passengers and if they have made no attempt at doing that, cruise ship rape lawyers can help the rape victim bring about justice.

California has jurisdiction over the western coastal waterways where the Princess Cruise lines depart for their cruises. This makes Orange County the place to find the best possible cruise ship rape lawyers. Of course, other attorneys could take a cruise ship rape case but the best possible chance to win a claim for personal injury from a cruise line can be found with those attorneys who have the most experience. Cruise Ship rape is a very real danger and the attorneys in Orange County deal with the victims more than any other lawyers located in different parts of the nation, with the exception of Florida. Florida holds the eastern coastal waterways jurisdiction for cruise ships.

The city to file a claim for cruise ship rape in California is Los Angeles. Orange County residents and other cruise ship passengers can turn to the Cruise Ship rape lawyers here for understanding and for any and all legal help needed to file a personal injury claim against the cruise line when they have been raped or sexually assaulted.

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Burn Injuries Suffered In Sacramento Boat Fire

2008-07-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

July 19 (Patrice Garby)

Fire officials were called out to a boat fire on the Sacramento River Friday night. The Fire Department reports that they responded to the fire at 8 p.m. The Reports also say the fire was on a boat in the Sacramento River near Front and J streets in Old Sacramento.

Four people that were onboard suffered minor to 2nd degree burn injuries. The injuries were not life threatening. Reportedly the contents in their boat caught fire and forced the victims to jump overboard into the water. Los Angeles burn injury lawyers reported that other nearby boats helped the victims out of the water. They were later taken to the U.C. Medical Center for treatment of their burn injuries.

Officials said the boat fire was extinguished at 8:20 pm.

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Princess Cruise Ship Cruise Passengers Rescued After Fall Overboard

2008-07-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

July 14, 2008 (Otto Smyth)

According to reports by Cruise Line accident lawyers at Ehline Law, a spokes person for Crown Princess, Julie Benson has released information in one of the latest stories of cruise passengers to go overboard on a Princess type cruise ship.

This time it was the Princess Cruise’s Grand Princess that was approximately 150 miles off of the Galveston Coast when two passengers fell from a balcony. According to the statements by Benson the pair, a 22 year old man and a 20 year old woman fell from a balcony at approximately 1:30 a.m. Their friends alerted the captain of the ship who then turned the ship to go in search of the two passengers.

The captain of the Grand Princess and crew used high powered spot lights and rescue boats to search for the man and woman. Each were found and picked up by rescue boats, one at 5:300a.m. and the other at 6:00 p.m.

These passengers are the latest passengers that have fallen overboard on cruise ships, there have also been passengers such as Mike Mankamyer a passenger on the Carnival Glory, who was rescued by the Coast Guard after falling about 60 feet from the ship and later found approximately 30 miles from the Ft. Lauderdale coast.

Then there was the case of Daniel Dipiero who went overboard for his family to find out later that after being turned away at one bar aboard ship he was then served at another. Later he found his way to a deck chair where he slept until waking feeling sick and went to the rail to be ill. The next piece of the tape this was seen on shows the young man slipping over the rail. This incident occurred on a Royal Caribbean ship Mariner of the Seas.

The list goes on with passengers who have gone overboard on cruise ships with names like Mindy Jordan and Lynsey O’Brien.

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Glacier Bay Cruise Ship Cracks Hull

2008-07-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

July 13, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports the Spirit of Glacier Bay ran aground earlier in the week in Tarr Inlet while in route from Juneau to Ketchikan. The cruise ship was on its way to Ketchikan for scheduled repairs when it began to take on water.

The company, Cruise West has stated that the ship was taking on approximately 10 gallons of water per hour due to a crack in the hull that was caused by the cruise ship running aground. In comments from the Coast Guard Petty Officer Wes Shin stated that the crack was in the void hull and was kept under control.

The ship was carrying 12 crewmembers that took the ship in to port at Wrangell where the crack in the hull was found and repaired.

The ship was to be put into service this summer has had four of its cruises cancelled and since its repairs in Wrangell it has resumed course for Ketchikan.
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Could I get Raped on Board a Cruise Liner?

2008-07-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

Could I get raped on a board a cruise liner is not a question you would typically think to ask. Experienced lawyers who will sue Princess Cruise Ship for rape or sexual assault, know that the very real danger of rape onboard a cruise ship can turn a young woman’s dream vacation into a nightmare. The atmosphere onboard a cruise ship which if rife with the party atmosphere of drinking and gambling coupled with the lack of law enforcement presence, can leave young women or little boys and girls vulnerable to rape while onboard a cruise ship.

Every year many young high school graduates will celebrate their graduation accomplishment by going on a cruise. Parents worry about the safety of their daughters on these cruise ship vacations. Rape does happen on a yearly basis onboard these cruise ships. Who should be held liable? Should it be the cruise lines? Many argue that yes, they are liable because they did not provide protection for their passengers while onboard.

There have been many stories in the news of people getting raped by non-American citizen employees of cruise lines, such as Crown Princess, and Carnival Cruise Lines. Could I get raped on board a cruise liner is a question that can be answered based upon the statistics.

Seeking to keep good public relations going for their industry, cruise ship lines have a strong propensity to deny there are problems of this nature onboard their ships. In truth, as their policy now stands, every trip can be a tragedy waiting to happen. Violent crimes of rape are rare but they do occur occasionally. Cruise ships are not required to have law enforcement personnel onboard and are under no compulsion to report any crimes while at sea. They do voluntarily report serious crimes such as rape and homicide to the FBI but are not required to by law.

Legislators are working hard to pass a bill that will require cruise ship lines to hire and place peace officers onboard ever cruise. If passed, this law will greatly help personal injury lawyers in Long Beach, Huntington Beach, New Port Beach and other Orange county and LA cities, to hold the cruise ship line responsible for rape onboard a cruise ship. Any young woman who has suffered such an attack needs to turn to an experienced personal injury lawyer for help in her bid to hold the cruise ship industry liable for her injuries. New Port Beach and Redondo Beach personal injury attorneys can help with their knowledge and experience in winning these cases.

Whether the bill passes or not, it would be in the cruise industries best interest to hire law enforcement personnel to protect it’s passengers. Many personal injury cases have been awarded against these cruise lines. There is legal recourse the victims can take with help from personal injury attorneys. Rape does not have to just be ignored because it happened out of police jurisdiction. If you or someone you know has been raped onboard a cruise ship, do not hesitate to call a personal injury lawyer.

If you have been the victim of a cruise ship rape you will need the expertise of a cruise ship rape attorney and in Orange County they can be reached at 888-400-9721.

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Lawsuit Settled Against Cruise Line

2008-07-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

July 2, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission there has been a settlement in a federal lawsuit that was filed against a cruise line.

This was a federal lawsuit that amounted to as $485,000 in a settlement to seven former employees and also for remedial relief.

The lawsuit alleged that the NCL America, Inc. had let seven Middle Eastern crew members go that served in a variety of different positions on the cruise ship Pride of Aloha.

NCL America, Inc. denied the allegations they acted inappropriately where these crewmembers were concerned when agreeing to resolve the suit. They agreed to the $485,000 settlement for the Middle Eastern crewmembers. They also stated that they would revise their policies as well as uphold equal opportunity employment practices. They further stated that they would also use EEO consultants along with providing training for managers and employees about the equal employment policies and the complaint procedures.

According to reports Anna Y. Park the attorney for EEOC’s Los Angeles district office that also includes Hawaii that they are very pleased with the results and the agreements that NCL America made to improve and prevent discrimination.
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Woman Brings Suit Against Carnival Cruise Line Over Rape

2008-06-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2008 (by Otto Smyth)

According to reports a woman that was drugged and raped on a cruise that left from Miami on February 1st has now filed suit against the Carnival Cruise Line.

It is reported that the woman identified as Morgan Black a mother and piano teacher from Jacksonville who went on the Sixthman Music Cruise on the ship Carnival Victory.

Morgan’s suit claims she was drugged and raped by a fellow passenger the last night of the cruise, which was February 4th.

In her suit that is being presented by her attorneys Charles Lipcon of Miami a cruise ship litigation attorney and Gloria Allred the attorney from California who has taken part in victims rights cases. The Carnival Cruise Line is being held responsible for neglecting to have security cameras in all of the common areas of the ship.

Lipcon, Morgan’s attorney has a published book that discusses these type of incidences that he states happens often and he estimated that he files approximately one suit a week for victims of cruise ships.

It is reported that the cruise line has made a statement that they would not comment on this case, as they have not seen the suit, however their priority is to keep passengers and the crew safe on their ships. They have security officers who are not in uniform on their cruises and many are retired police officers and other law professionals on board their ships.

This case was filed in the U.S. District Court in Miami on Thursday June 19th as a U.S. Senate subcommittee in Washington D.C. was hearing evidence as to the safety for passengers aboard cruise ships. Among those who testified was Kendall Carver whose daughter disappeared approximately three years ago from a cruise ship and is the president of International Cruise Victims.

While Carver stated he was pleased with the way this committee meeting went, part of the reason that these meetings are necessary are because of what advocates say is a non-existence of government involvement, vague jurisdictions and their corporate policies.

This was the first hearing held to discuss the safety of American passengers on cruise ships although there have been meetings on this issue by House Committee.

If you have been a victim of a cruise ship incident that involves rape or any offense against you there are experienced Orange County cruise ship attorneys who will fight for you and can be reached at 888-400-9721.

Learn more: Address 633 W. Fifth St., 28th Fl. Los Angeles, CA 90071; 1875 Century Park East Suite 700 Los Angeles, CA 90067; 14003 Palawan Way Marina del Rey, CA 90292; 620 Newport Center Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660. Phone 888-400-9721.news personal injury attorney los angeles

Princess Cruise Ship Injury Lawyers Discuss Recovery for Loss of Consortium

2008-06-15T22:52:00.000-07:00

The issue is whether a Princess Cruise ship negligence case governed under California State practice and procedure precludes a loss of consortium claim as might a case governed strictly under Federal Admiralty/Maritime Law. Princess Cruise Ship Injury lawyers discuss recovery for loss of consortium. The answer appears to be answered in favor of the Princess cruise ship passenger forced to file the claim in California state court pursuant to the cruise line passenger passage contract, to allow such claims.

Typically, counsel for Crown Princess cruise lines will argue that that federal law exclusively applies to all cruise ship claims, and that such law, known as “maritime law” does not allow loss of consortium. But some research indicates that the only time federal law would trump California state court here is if this were a Long Shoreman’s claim. (See e.g., Igneri v. Cie. de Transports Oceaniques, 323 F.2d 257 (2d Cir. 1963).) However, in Princess injury cases to be filed in California, this is a case where there would be a contractual passage contract which has a forum selection clause- mandating Los Angeles, California venue -in other words California State law would arguably apply.

The venue clause as of June 15, 2008 states that “All disputes and matters involving claims for emotional or bodily injury, illness to or death of any Passenger whatsoever arising out of or relating to this Passage Contract or Your Cruise shall be litigated before a court of competent jurisdiction located in the city of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., to the exclusion of the courts of any other country, state, city or county. You hereby consent to jurisdiction and waive any venue or other objection that may be available to any such action or proceeding being brought in such courts.”

Thus, the passage contract does not appear to bar loss of consortium claims, nor loss of society claims. Nor does the passage contract say that federal maritime law will apply at all. Indeed, it appears to say the opposite- that California will be the forum and California law will apply.

Given the foregoing, the law is well settled. Although a case involving a forum selection clause in a passenger cruise line ticket contract is "a case in admiralty, and federal law governs the enforceability of the forum-selection clause" [Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc. v. Shute, 499 U.S. 585, 590, 111 S. Ct. 1522, 113 L. Ed. 2d 622 (1991)], the law of the forum itself is what is used in deciding the case. Here, the law of the forum state, California, clearly allows- and encourages- loss of consortium claims.

In other words, even though federal statutory law may be involved, in the absence of contrary provisions in an applicable federal statute, the law of the state is controlling in all matters of practice and procedure. (Oldham v. Kizer (1991) 235 Cal.App.3d 1046, 1070; Bohme v. Southern Pac. Co. (1970) 8 Cal.App.3d 291, 297.)

Obviously, the Courts in California (Princess Cruise Line's chosen forum) should apply California law. There is no federal statute that would appear to trump California law. A cruise line injury claim involving a passenger is not a Long Shoreman’s case. The California Supreme Court in Rodriguez v. Bethlehem Steel Corp., 12 Cal.3d 382 at page 405, stated consortium includes conjugal society, comfort, affection and companionship.

California Jury Instructions Civil (5th ed.) (BAJI 14.40 (1974 Rev.)), states the measure of damages for loss of consortium includes love, companionship, comfort, affection, society, solace or moral support. In Sea-Land Services, Inc. v. Gaudet, 414 U.S. at 585, 94 S.Ct. at 815, the court, said: ‘The term ‘society’ embraces a broad range of mutual benefits each family member receives from the others' continued existence, including love, affection, care, attention, companionship, comfort, and protection.' Apparently, there is a distinction without a discernible difference between loss of society and loss of consortium.

Since loss of consortium is a cognizable claim under state law, and the claim will need to be litigated in a state court, the chosen forum, and California law applies, admiralty law should not trump the state court claims for loss of consortium.

Case law from other jurisdictions is in accord, although some draw a distinction between territorial and non-territorial waters. For example, a recent case, Christopher Anthony Liner v. Dravo Basic Materials Co., Civil Action No. 00-1908 SECTION: "J"(2), UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16593, November 3, 2000, Decided November 7, 2000, Filed; November 8, 2000, Entered held as follows:

Two of the plaintiff's boat hit an unmarked and submerged barge that was the property of the defendants. The plaintiff were riding in a 17-foot fiberglass recreational boat. Since plaintiffs, who sued for loss of consortium, were not seamen, and therefore not covered by United States Congressional statute, they could supplement their claims under general maritime law with applicable state law since the accident occurred in state territorial waters.

State law permitted claims for loss of consortium. The Court recognized that there is a general trend in the case law that also supported punitive damage claims under general maritime law when there were no overlapping federal statutes.

In fact, for many years U.S. courts have tried to create uniformity in maritime laws regarding whether or not those injured at sea could recover non-pecuniary damages such as loss of consortium and loss of society. Loss of society involves damages for loss of intimacy and companionship stemming from a family relationship, and loss of consortium traditionally was that same type of loss, but through marital relations of the spouses.

The main thing deciding whether or not not a tort victim can make a claim for recovery of these types of loss seems to do with the status, such as whether or not the person harmed was a cruise ship passenger, as opposed to a seaman, or longshoreman, for example. It also matters if the accident or injury occurred in U.S. waters, as opposed to non territorial waters.

If there is already a federal statute covering this scenario, there may be a bar to non-pecuniary damages, which can include loss of consortium or loss of society tort claims. There are some statutes like the Death on the High Seas Act ("DOHSA") that limit damages in wrongful death lawsuits to "pecuniary loss sustained by the persons for whose benefit the suit is brought." (See e.g., 46 App. U.S.C. § 762.) And many courts have decided that the DOHSA disallows damages for loss of society and/or consortium. (See e.g., Mobil Oil v. Higginbotham, 436 US 618, 624, 1978 A.M.C. 1059, 1065 (1978).

The Jones Act also precludes any damages recovery for non-economic damages like loss of consortium and loss of society claims.

Maritime law claims for unseaworthiness have normally allowed recovery of damages for loss of society/consortium. (See Sea-Land Services v. Gaudet, 414 US 573 (1974),1973 A.M.C. 2572 (1973) The Court pointed out that that claim did not involve a seaman. Therefore, the Jones Act did not apply. Also, the DOHSA did not apply since the wrongful death took place in territorial waters and was thus not a Death On the High Seas Act case.

Then later, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed recovery for damages in non death tort claims. (See e.g., American Export Lines. Inc. v. Alvez, 446 U. S.274 (1980). In that case, a spouse of a harbor worker who was seriously injured while on a ship in territorial waters was allowed to recover loss of society damages.

In Emery v. The Rock Island Boatworks. Inc., 847 F.Supp. 114, 1994 A.M.C. 2329 (C.D. I11.1994), the court allowed a a spouse of an injured passenger to seek loss of consortium damages since no statute, including the Jones Act or DOHSA, applied to limit such damages. The Emery court realized that no statutory law overlapped general maritime law in that case.

In that case, no one knew whether plaintiff's injury occurred in territorial or non-territorial waters, the court ignored that distinction and seemed not to care, when it made its decision.

In conclusion, since the forum selection clause clearly indicates that the Princess Cruise ship case that will be decided in a California State Court, under California State Laws (ordinary negligence), the reasonable expectations of the Princess Cruise ship passengers bound by the contract, that was solely written by the cruise ship, are that the case would be decided in California state court using California state law(s).

California state law provides for loss of consortium and loss of society claims. Even if the territorial waters issue is pertinent, it is not conclusive.

At the very least the Princess cruise ship contract is ambiguous and therefore it is reasonable to apply state procedure and practice here, which both practically and procedurally allows a cause of action for loss of consortium. Princess Cruise Ship Lawsuit injury lawyers who represent plaintiffs, discuss recovery for loss of consortium in order to educate the public and make sure victims aren't leaving money damages on the table. Cruise ship accident attorney, Michael Ehline can be contacted at 888-400-9721news personal injury attorney los angeles