When a passenger from the Carnival Glory died in a Snuba shore excursion booked through the cruise line, a witness reported it took 20 minutes for the ambulance - which was lacking the essential equipment to save lives - to arrive at the scene. Nurses and a firefighter reportedly performed CPR on the passenger for 15 minutes without success. There was allegedly no doctor available who could pronounce the passenger dead so they could take the body away instead of leaving it in the sun for hours.
Cruise lines need to make sure every tour operator has defibrillators and proper first aid equipment on cruises. Carnival did not make any statement regarding the accident.
Is Snuba Diving Safe in Miami?
Snuba or Hookah Diving is a form of introductory diving that allows people with no training to experience what it is like to breathe underwater like a scuba diver. Carnival requires passengers to complete and pass a medical questionnaire/waiver to participate.
However, going scuba diving might be a bad idea because most scuba proponents offer superficial training.
You get a quick explanation of the fundamentals but aren't warned about potential dangers or trained to handle emergencies.
Scuba and snuba diving are dangerous activities, and you can't safely do them with only a few minutes of training.
We believe anyone who offers scuba diving to the public but fails to warn of the potential dangers and to provide proper training for dealing with emergencies ought to be fully liable in a court of law when something goes wrong.
Shore Excursions and Injury Risks in Miami - Who Is Responsible?
Many passengers aboard cruise ships wish to take part in some of the organized shore excursions while enjoying a cruise ship vacation.
Most cruise lines combine in their packages days at sea with days on ports, with land-based trips that vary from sightseeing to cultural events and activities, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, or hiking.
Unfortunately, the excitement of taking part in such excursions often tops the potential risks such activities pose to unsuspecting tourists.
Trip and fall injuries are common while visiting cities in Florida. The risk of injury is even higher if the activity is more demanding and can include:
- Injuries occurring on rides due to equipment failure
- Injuries on tender boats
- Passengers being robbed
- Passengers suffering violent crimes
- Snorkeling and swimming accidents
Cruise lines usually hire independent contractors when organizing offshore trips, meaning that they are not directly responsible for any claims arising from accidents that occurred during such trips. Cruise lines do not supervise operators. Many times, they are not adequately trained or act negligently towards tourists, exposing them to various risks. However, according to the law, cruise lines are responsible for hiring competent contractors for day trips and can be held legally responsible if they fail to do so.
Cruise lines also have the duty to warn passengers about any dangers they might face offshore. Thus, injured passengers might still be able to recover damages, even for injuries that occurred during offshore trips.
Filing a Cruise Ship Accident Claim in Florida
Laws that apply to ships at sea are quite different from those that apply on the land. When it comes to maritime law and cruise ship injuries, passengers need to be very attentive since they purchase the ticket. Tickets usually contain information about the cruise line's liability in the unfortunate event of injuries sustained onboard or during offshore excursions. The fine print holds the key to your legal rights as a passenger involved in cruise ship accidents and usually extends to stating the prerequisites you need to meet to file a claim.
Conditions to file a claim usually vary from cruise line to cruise line, but two of them are fairly typical:
- The claim must be filed within one year following the event.
- The passenger must warn the cruise line in a written statement about the intent to file a claim within six months following the event.
How Can Miami Lawyer Sean M. Cleary Help?
Because claims brought against Miami cruise lines have short statutes of limitation, you must act quickly to preserve your chances for compensation.
If you suffered a serious injury during a cruise line Miami offshore excursion or have been injured during a scuba dive, we will help you pursue monetary compensation.
We have extensive experience handling cases related to unfortunate incidents that occur to a passenger on a shore excursion. Contact the Miami-based attorney Sean M. Cleary and get the fair compensation you deserve.