Lawsuits Piling Up in Disastrous Carnival Triumph Voyage
The lawsuits are starting to pile up in response to the recent Carnival Triumph voyage disaster, which left thousands of passengers stranded on the disabled cruise ship for days without air conditioning, working toilets, or proper food.
A lawsuit filed by an Oklahoma couple is seeking class-action status for the more than 3,000 passengers who were aboard the ship. Their lawsuit claims that they and other passengers suffered from headaches, nausea, insomnia, and nightmares while they were being towed back to port in Mobile, Alabama. The suit also claims that the conditions were made worse because Carnival, for economic reasons, decided to tow Triumph to the United States rather than pull it to a closer Mexican port.
“This decision was motivated solely by financial gain and Carnival’s convenience,” the lawsuit states.
While it states on the tickets for the Carnival Triumph cruise that class-action lawsuits can’t be filed against the company, the lawsuit claims that should be ignored because Carnival was negligent when it let the ship go out to sea, despite incidents that allegedly occurred in January that affected Triumph’s engines and propulsion.
Maritime attorneys interviewed by The Miami Herald said that despite the legal restrictions found on Carnival tickets’ fine print, passengers could win lawsuits if it can be proved that Miami-based Carnival let the ship sail despite past engine problems. Additionally, it may have to be proved that passengers’ suffered from such severe mental anxiety as a result of the voyage that they had to seek psychological or medical care.
One maritime attorney told the Herald, “I think there is a good case of liability against Carnival. The issue really comes down to the damages.”
Most legal experts speculate that Carnival may decide to settle if it finds it cannot get the lawsuits dismissed based on the legal restriction clauses or on other grounds.
If you believe you’ve suffered from a mental or physical injury while aboard a ship, it’s important that you contact a law firm experienced in maritime law. The cruise ship injury attorneys in Florida at Farah & Farah are ready to fight for your legal rights. If you have questions about your legal options, call us at (800) 533-3555 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.
