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Can Carnival passengers sue cruise line?

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    Legal ramifications of cruise ship nightmare

  • Duration 3:09
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Live this voyage of the damn can they -- they have a case traders right now -- guy who has sued -- -- maritime attorney Michael -- commons Michael thanks for joining us today from Miami.

Well thanks for having -- we just had on about a half an hour ago a small business owner who.

You know bush she's.

She was trapped at -- on board that ship that wasn't working she was not happy with the compensation from carnival can she get more than what they're offering.

Absolutely 100% and she shouldn't be happy about at all and I think the 500 dollars is laughable.

Keep in mind the concordia about thirteen or so months ago every person that was on there no matter who they were were offered about 45000 dollars in compensation roughly.

Now of course that was a shocking maybe 567 hour period and I have a lot of clients from that case but here you had an extended five day period.

So to -- 500 dollars -- it is just a joke and it's just -- hope that they can.

Maybe have some people -- it and cost about 32 people died on the Concord -- Great point great point -- really is I.

It's one a Carnival Cruise Lines has been such a successful cruise line.

And this one wrong obviously horrendously wrong.

Why wouldn't even from the PR perspective don't you wanna overwhelm those passengers -- -- very successful lucrative company Mickey Ericsson is is families it is.

Is so wealthy.

Why do they want -- low -- these people at this point.

Sure a lot I think part of the reason -- carnival was so successful.

Because they are able to really defend and really I think the big point is actually avoiding the United States laws they are any liberian corporation they have -- headquarters in Miami.

But they are not subject to US taxes they don't pay any federal taxes they're not subject to US labor laws so they're basically able to get everything on the cheap.

And then when people get hurt and bad things happen they try to do everything I can to prevent -- people from being able to make a recovery.

Haas also Michael what would be an appropriate compensation for all these passengers.

Well you know really it that's a question that should ultimately does not be decided by a jury of their peers and that's one of the great things about the US legal systems that you go -- forgery.

And any passenger goes and says well this is what happened to me and they determine what the value of that should be.

But what's really important is.

There's some unique legal issues that are going on here because of this passenger ticket contract.

And anytime you have me on talking about a -- on the talk about the ticket contract because all that is is a tool by carnival -- every cruise line designed to take away your rights.

In here not only are they trying to limit their liability for emotional distress claims they are also trying to prevent you from having any type of a class action which is important here.

But also they're trying to foresee these passengers to go and arbitration now.

So instead of even be able to go to United States court they would have to go and -- and the arbitrator would be paid for and chosen by carnival.

Well it'll be interesting to see what they do -- -- the company and the passengers as well as have you gotten calls are ready Michael.

Absolutely not not from anyone actually on the -- but from family members of people that are on the -- sure plus we should also point out the next fourteen.

Wages for the ship have already been canceled and suddenly people who thought there were gonna go on vacation next week -- -- -- -- Michael -- North Shore.

We thank you very much for -- us today from Miami.

Any time nice to see you guys are in --

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