Hurt By A Cruise Doctor’s Negligence? You May Have A Case

Cruise lines are required by law to ensure travelers have a safe passage to the destination. They have to follow certain safety standards and provide the travelers with all the facilities they need to travel comfortably. However, despite all precautions, travelers sometimes injure themselves or become ill during the cruise.

Most cruise ships have certified and educated medical professionals on-board who are available to help ill or injured travelers. The cruise lines are responsible for ensuring that these medical professionals are well-trained and provide complete care. If travelers are harmed because the medical professionals on-board were negligent, the cruise line can be held responsible for the passenger’s resultant injuries.

Types of medical negligence

There are different kinds of medical negligence you’re likely to experience under the care of a cruise ship medical professional. Lawyers investigate these problems and help clients get the compensation they deserve:

1. 1. Misdiagnosis

This is one of the most common forms of medical negligence. Some on-board doctors are under-qualified and inexperienced. They sometimes don’t have access to the right tools and equipment to make the right diagnosis. Sometimes doctors can misdiagnose heart disease, tumors, heart attack, blood clots, and infections, etc, and that can lead to serious health issues and even fatalities.

2. No treatment

Doctors can sometimes diagnose the problem correctly but fail to treat it according to established standards. That can lead to a number of problems down the line. The lack of proper treatment can refer to anything from poor follow-up care, premature discharge, or not recommending a specialist or hospital.

3. Wrong prescription – If the doctor has provided the wrong prescription or provided a dose that’s too strong or too weak for the condition, a resulting adverse medical event maybe linked to medical negligence.

How can lawyers help?

Lawyers are familiar with the rules and regulations regarding medical malpractice on cruise ships. They have studied past cases and incidents so they understand how to argue the case and negotiate with the cruise line. Here’s a brief look at what lawyers do:

•      Analyze the case – Their first priority is to understand the case and determine if the cruise line is liable and if the doctor was negligent. Sometimes the details of such cases aren’t clear and the facts need to be determined for proper analysis.
•      Collect evidence – They then collect evidence to support their client’s position and ensure there are no loopholes in the argument for the opposing party to exploit. This ensures that the clients get the compensation they deserve.
•      Determining compensation – This is also an important aspect of the cruise ship medical negligence case. The appropriate compensation is determined by the impact of the negligence on the client’s life. Experienced lawyers know just how to calculate reasonable compensation demands and ensure clients get the best settlement offers possible.

If you want to know more or need some advice on cruise ship medical negligence, don’t hesitate to contact us at Charlip Law Group, LC at 888-815-1418 or use this contact us form to get in touch with us.