The world witnessed how the passengers of the Grand Princess cruise ship were quarantined without being able to disembark until it was confirmed whether they had been infected with the virus or not. We strictly followed the news to be aware of the situation and where they were going to disembark.
Could Princess Cruises be liable for the damage her passengers suffered?
What’s more, could Princes Cruises be liable if their passengers contracted coronaviruses aboard their cruise ships? Depending on the specific circumstances, the company could be responsible for the damage the passengers suffered, simply because cruise ships are common carriers.
Common carriers have to transport passengers safely; they must exercise the highest level of care and vigilance to avoid any harm to their passengers. In other words, a shipowner must ensure that no passenger is harmed, including accidents, intentional damage, and unforeseen events. If they are aware of the risks present on the ship, they should also promptly inform passengers.
When common carriers fail to fulfill their duty of care for their passengers, they may be liable for all resulting damages. How did Princess Cruises fail in their duty of care for passengers? By failing to detect passengers leaving the first cruise ship correctly, and by failing to inform passengers of the risk of being exposed to the virus onboard, the company breached its duty of care and placed passengers at risk.
Due to this duty of care, the affected parties could take legal action against the company and hold them responsible for all damages suffered.
Therefore, passengers could have valid reasons to file a lawsuit against Princess Cruises if their coronavirus spread was directly associated with the company’s negligent actions. If you or someone you know was on this cruise, call us to advise you on how you should proceed to file a lawsuit against the company, we will help you develop your case.
