Maritime Worker Crushed Between Containers
Death in the maritime industry is common and surviving family members have the right to be compensated for their loss. Recently, a maritime worker was crushed between rows of containers at a port where he was employed. A flatbed trailer hit the containers, causing them to fall. The maritime worker, unfortunately, was killed. The deceased worker’s family took the proper legal actions. They contacted an experienced Maritime Attorney, specializing in Jones Act and Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), and a claim was filed. The LHWCA attorney argued that the area where the containers were kept was not constructed in a safe manner. The layout was not large enough for trailers to easily maneuver. On the day of the trial, the defendant offered a settlement of $1.45 million. The deceased worker’s family accepted the offer. The money will help provide for the worker’s spouse and children.
The Jones Act and Longshore Act provide protections for many of these maritime workers. When a maritime injury occurs, workers should contact a Maritime attorney for advice and filing a claim.
Sickness Outbreak on Princess Cruise Lines Coral Princess
The Centers for Disease Control reported that the Princess Cruise Lines’ ship, Coral Princess, sailed into Ft. Lauderdale on May 4 with 66 passengers and 3 crew members showing signs of illness. Under the law, cruise lines must report sickness outbreaks when a certain number of passengers and crew present to the ship’s medical facility with gastrointestinal (GI) sickness. The Coral Princess was the fourth cruise ship at a South Florida port to report a sickness outbreak that was big enough to sanction an investigation by the CDC.
Because of the confined environment of cruise ships, sickness can spread quickly and an infected passenger can contaminate others with a GI illness for 2 or more weeks after the symptoms disappear.
Princess Cruise Lines performed the following tasks:
- Increased cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan
- Made announcements to both notify passengers and encourage case reporting
- Provide full service at all buffet and self-service food outlets
- Preparing a ship turnaround disinfection plan for the Fort Lauderdale arrival 4 May, and will submit to the CDC for review
- Making daily reports of gastrointestinal illness cases to the CDC
Cruise lines have a duty to properly clean, disinfect, and maintain food storage units, plates, utensils, and other devices that come in contact with food. When an illness or injury occurs on a cruise ship, a passenger should contact a cruise ship attorney for advice and filing a claim. A cruise ship attorney is an expert in this niche area of the law.
