FEDERAL COURT DISMISSES COVID-19 NEGLIGENCE SUITS AGAINST PRINCESS CRUISES
September 20, 2020
On August 21, 2020, a Federal judge in California dismissed three lawsuits which alleged that Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. knowingly exposed passengers to the novel coronavirus and that its negligence caused passengers to contract the virus and some to die. In all three cases, the plaintiffs alleged that they or their loved ones contracted COVID-19 on the Ruby Princess as a result of the cruise line’s negligent approach to their safety. In one case, the court found that the plaintiff needed to show that she had been appointed the personal representative of the estate of her late husband and dismissed the claim. In the other two cases, the judge dismissed the claims after finding that the complaints did not provide enough evidence to show the passengers actually contracted the illness on the ship. This same defense is likely to be relevant in any lawsuits brought against airlines for claims asserting that a COVID-19 related illness was contracted during a flight. Based on these recent cruise line cases, that may be a difficult claim to prove.
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr (esahr@eckertseamans.com or 202-659-6622); Drew Derco (dderco@eckertseamans.com or 202-659-6665), or Andy Orr (aorr@eckertsemans.com or 202-659-6625).
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