Miami-Dade jury hits Royal Caribbean with $6.2 Million verdict
By Jim Walker, Walker & O’Neill
Today (Dec 20), a jury here in Miami, Florida returned a verdict over $6,200,000 on behalf of a seriously injured crew member.
The crew members is from Haiti and worked as a cleaner on the Jewel of the Seas.
He sustained a serious back injury due to the repetitive nature of his work and the long hours which crew members are required to work.
After the crew member sustained injury, Royal Caribbean sent the crew member to Santa Domingo in the Dominican Republic for medical treatment. There a surgeon performed a back fusion. The crew member’s lawyer alleged that the surgery was unnecessary and caused the crew member unnecessary and additional injuries.
We have written about the medical facilities in Santo Dominican before. Rather than fly the injured crew members to Miami, where the cruise line in headquartered and the executives reside, the cruise line often sends their ship employees to the Dominican Republic where the medical expenses are substantially cheaper although the treatment is substantially inferior.
We have discussed the sub-standard medical facilities in Santo Domingo before. A jury in Miami previously returned a $1,000,000 verdict for a Celebrity crew member who underwent a crippling, unnecessary pacemaker surgery.
Royal Caribbean tries to save money by keeping its ill and injured crew members out of Miami, and this is often the result. Read: Cruise Ship Medical Care – Royal Caribbean Gives Their Crew Members the Royal Shaft.
Royal Caribbean reportedly made no settlement offer before trial.
The jury returned a verdict for the crew member finding that Royal Caribbean was negligent under the Jones Act, the vessel was unseaworthy, and the cruise line failed to provide prompt and adequate medical treatment.
The crew member was represented by Miami maritime lawyer Brett Rivkind
The total verdict was in the amount of $6,282,261.
The cruise lawyer was defended by defense lawyer David Horr.
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Related story:
Man dies after falling from cruise ship
From The Australian
A MAN died after falling overboard from a cruise ship off the Queensland coast.
The man was seen falling overboard from the Rhapsody of the Seas ship about 2am (AEDT) on Saturday, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) says.
Life rings and marker smoke were deployed and the ship was turned around in an attempt to find him.
Merchant vessel the Pacific Pearl and a government plane were also used in the search.
An AMSA spokesman said the cruise ship, which had left Sydney on Thursday, recovered the man’s body about 9.30am (AEDT).
The Royal Caribbean International cruise ship was sailing towards Noumea, New Caledonia
In a statement, the company said the man’s family and friends were receiving support.
“Royal Caribbean’s Care Team is providing support to the guest’s family and travelling companions and our thoughts and prayers are with them,” the statement read.
Australian and New Caledonian Law Enforcement Services have been notified of the death, the cruise ship company said.
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