Top Cruise Ship Medical Negligence Attorney in Florida

Justice and Compensation for Medical Negligence Victims

With decades of experience in maritime law and a deep commitment to advocacy and compassion, Scolaro Law is the trusted choice for referral attorneys and injured passengers.

Were You a Victim of Medical Negligence on a Cruise ship?

Cruise vacations promise relaxation and adventure, but when medical emergencies arise onboard, passengers rely on the ship’s medical facilities and staff to provide competent care. Unfortunately, medical negligence can occur, leaving passengers with devastating consequences.

 At Scolaro Law, we concentrate on representing clients harmed due to medical negligence on cruise ships. With over 25 years of maritime litigation experience and a relentless dedication to securing justice for injured clients, we help clients fight and win their personal injury cases.

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What is Medical Negligence on Cruise Ships?

Medical negligence occurs when healthcare professionals fail to provide the standard of care required, resulting in harm to the patient. On cruise ships, this negligence can take various forms, including:

Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis

Passengers may suffer life-threatening consequences when symptoms of serious conditions are not promptly recognized. Misdiagnosis can lead to delayed treatment, worsening the condition and causing irreversible harm.

Inadequate Medical equipment or Lack of Medications

Cruise ships may not be equipped to handle severe emergencies. The absence of critical diagnostic tools or essential medications can leave passengers vulnerable during medical crises.

Untrained or Under-qualified Medical Personnel

Cruise lines sometimes employ medical staff with insufficient qualifications or experience. These individuals may fail to provide adequate care, leading to preventable injuries or complications.

Delayed Evacuation to an Onshore Medical Facility

In emergencies, timely evacuation is critical. Cruise lines that fail to arrange prompt medevacs can significantly worsen a patient’s prognosis, sometimes with life-altering consequences.

Failure to Evacuate the Cruise Ship

In some instances, the ship’s doctor may refuse to initiate an evacuation, even when it is medically necessary. This can lead to catastrophic outcomes, as every moment of delay in significantly increases the risks of permanent injury or death.

If you have been a victim of medical malpractice, our team is here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.

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Legal Representation for All Types of Cruise Ship Injuries

Cruise Lines we Sue

We’ve taken on some of the biggest cruise lines to fight for justice. No matter their size or influence, we stand firm to secure the fair outcomes our clients deserve.

  • Carnival Cruise Line
  • Celebrity Cruises
  • Royal Caribbean
  • MSC Cruises
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Oceania Cruises
  • Norwegian Cruise Line
  • Princess Cruises
  • Viking Cruises
  • Holland America Line
  • Seabourn Cruise Line
  • Regent Seven Seas Cruises
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Give Us A Call

(305) 424-2300

Cruise Line Duty to Provide Medical Care & Sexual Assault Response

The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 sets guidelines for licensed medical staff on cruise ships, requiring at least three years of clinical experience and training in emergency care. For sexual assault cases, the Act mandates anti-retroviral medications, forensic tools, and training for medical personnel to handle exams and provide preventative treatments.

Victims of sexual assault are guaranteed access to law enforcement, private communication lines for confidentiality, and protection for their privacy. Medical and counseling records cannot be shared without consent except in specific legal circumstances.

Partner With Scolaro Law and Get the Compensation you deserve

Common Injuries and Consequences of Cruise Ship Medical Negligence

Medical negligence on cruise ships can result in various injuries and complications. You may be entitled to compensation if you experienced one of the following:

  • Worsening of pre-existing medical conditions: Passengers with chronic illnesses may experience severe exacerbations when their conditions are mismanaged, leading to prolonged suffering, additional medical expenses, and potential hospitalizations. 
  • Permanent injuries or disabilities: Errors in medical treatment can result in long-term impairments, such as brain damage, nerve injuries, or amputations, drastically altering the victim’s quality of life. 
  • Emotional distress and financial burdens: Families often face emotional trauma as they watch loved ones suffer due to negligent care. The accompanying financial strain from medical expenses and legal action adds another layer of hardship, creating stress and instability for the entire family.
  • Wrongful death: In the most tragic cases, medical negligence can result in the untimely death of a passenger. These cases demand accountability from cruise lines to prevent future tragedies. These burdens are compounded by the need to pursue legal action against powerful cruise lines.
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Top Personal Injury Attorney With Over $500 Million Won in Verdicts and Settlements

Highlight Cases

Scolaro Law has achieved remarkable results for clients who fell victim to medical negligence on a cruise ship.

View All Case Results

Medical Negligence

$5.5 Million

Tom Scolaro successfully challenged the damage caps imposed by the Athens Convention after a toddler suffered the amputation of multiple limbs due to a cruise doctor’s misdiagnosis.

Negligent Blood Transfusion

$4.25 Million

Our team secured $4,250,000 for a cruise passenger contracted HIV during a cruise after receiving an emergency blood transfusion to treat a life-threatening gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Medical Negligence

$4 Million

We secured a $4,000,000 settlement for our client who suffered irreversible brain damage after a cruise doctor failed to order a medically necessary evacuation following a severe stroke.

Medical Negligence

$3.3 Million

We successfully represented Ilija Loncar, a crew member whose arm was amputated after a cruise doctor’s improper administration of Promethazine caused severe tissue damage. 

Medical Negligence

$2 Million

Our client contracted a throat infection which caused massive injuries resulting in a lengthy hospital admission and multiple surgical procedures. Thomas Scolaro secured an exceptional seven-figure recovery at mediation.

Medical Negligence

$1.75 Million

Our client sustained a heart attack during a cruise but was kept on the ship instead of being evacuated for medical treatment, leading to his death the following day. Thomas Scolaro filed a lawsuit alleging the cruise line’s medical staff inflicted emotional distress upon the family members of the victim.

Can You Sue a Cruise Line for the Medical Negligence of Its Doctors?

Passengers can now hold cruise lines accountable for substandard medical care due to the landmark Franza v. Royal Caribbean decision in 2014.  The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals recognized that cruise lines often present their medical staff as employees who wear uniforms, operate in advertised facilities, and provide care as part of the cruise experience. This ruling allows passengers to seek justice for medical negligence onboard.

Medical negligence cases against cruise lines remain intricate despite this landmark victory for passengers. Cruise lines frequently invoke contractual defenses, jurisdictional limitations, and other strategies to minimize liability. At Scolaro Law, we have the experience and dedication to guide clients through these challenging cases and secure justice for victims.

Common Legal Challenges in Medical Negligence Cases

Holding cruise lines accountable for medical negligence involves unique legal complexities, including:

Jurisdictional Hurdles:

Many cruise tickets include contractual clauses that dictate where lawsuits can be filed, often in distant or inconvenient locations. Navigating these restrictions requires dedicated knowledge of maritime law.

Maritime Law Nuances: 

Cruise ship cases fall under specialized legal frameworks distinct from standard personal injury law. These frameworks involve international treaties, maritime statutes, and specialized case law that can significantly influence the outcome of a claim. Working with an experienced attorney knowledgeable of these nuances is essential for building a strong case.

Limited Liability Defenses: 

Cruise lines frequently attempt to limit their liability through disclaimers, passenger contracts, or complex corporate structures. Some contracts may include provisions that seek to cap damages or restrict legal claims. These defenses can be challenging to overcome without a skilled legal team.

Refer Your Cruise Ship Medical Negligence Case to Scolaro Law with Confidence

Trust Scolaro Law with your clients’ cruise ship medical negligence cases. With our vast experience handling medical malpractice cases and proven results, we’ll handle the complexities so you can focus on your practice. Partner with Scolaro Law—where advocacy, experienced hustle, and compassion set us apart.

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Your Partner in Navigating Malpractice Lawsuits

Why Choose Scolaro Law for Your Cruise Ship Medical Negligence Case?

At Scolaro Law, we offer unmatched dedication and commitment in handling cruise ship cases. Here is why injured clients and referral attorneys rely on us:

Extensive Experience

With over 25 years of practice, we have handled numerous cruise ship injury cases, including medical negligence claims. Our understanding of maritime law ensures we can navigate the complexities of these cases.

Impressive Settlement Results

We have recovered over $500 million for our clients, demonstrating our commitment to achieving justice. Our successes show our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes in even the most challenging cases.

Client-Focused Law Firm

We prioritize maximizing recoveries while maintaining a compassionate approach. Every client’s story matters, and we work tirelessly to ensure their voices are heard.

Fighting for Your Justice

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury from cruise ship medical malpractice, trust Scolaro Law to provide the required skills and dedication necessary to fight for the compensation you deserve.

What Our Clients Are Saying

“My family and I are extremely blessed to have had Tom and his team represent us during the most difficult time of our lives.”

Tom’s tireless work ethic was evident, revealed to us through constant communication and updates throughout the lengthy process. Tom handled our case as I would have handled it, if I had his legal expertise, with relentless determination, ferociousness, professionalism and integrity. That being said, his kindness, compassion and transparent genuine dedication to me and my family showed in every interaction. For whomever is reading this, and is considering being represented by him and his team, I will leave you with this, making this decision can and will alter the trajectory of your life. It has for me and my family, I wish you well, choose wisely.

Fran

What Our Clients Are Saying

“Highly Talented, Honest, Compassionate Lawyer”

My wife suffered a serious injury when we were visiting Miami. We hired an injury lawyer who failed to get us a satisfactory settlement after many months. We transferred our case to Tom and his team. Tom, Renaud and the rest of the team care deeply about their clients and go far beyond the client/attorney relationship. Our experience with Tom and Renaud was very satisfactory from the first moment we consulted with Tom. Tom and Renaud always responded quickly and effectively to all our questions. They did a brilliant work investigating and researching evidence, interviewing witnesses, and preparing for mediation. Tom hired a professional photographer to produce a short documentary video to highlight the amount of pain and suffering which my wife and every member of our family have suffered due to the injury. This video in addition to the many talents of Tom have ensured the satisfactory settlement which we got. Tom helped us to achieve a very satisfactory settlement, which was more than double what our first attorney managed to negotiate. The amount of investigation and research which Tom and Renaud put in our case was unbelievable. The way and strategy that Tom used to negotiated with the insurance company was amazing. Tom is an honest, compassionate, and extremely talented attorney, and above all he is a great negotiator. I would highly recommend him, and his amazing team, to anyone who needs a personal injury lawyer. 

O.R.

What Our Clients Are Saying

“I would highly recommend Scolaro Law to anyone that needs someone on their side.”

Tom and his whole team were great. My suit took a long time, and they explained and guided me through every step. They were patient and kind, and made sure it was as easy for me as they possibly could. They didn’t just care about how much of a settlement they could get; they cared about the bottom dollar for Me. They didn’t just work the case; they understood it. Their knowledge of the legal system, what works and what doesn’t, is hard to find. I would highly recommend Scolaro Law to anyone that needs someone on their side.

Maria

What Our Clients Are Saying

“It was truly a pleasure to work with all the team of Scolaro Law.”

From our very first consultation, Thomas Scolaro was knowledgeable, compassionate, and genuinely invested in my case. Tom and his legal assistant Barbie took the time to explain every step of the legal process, ensuring I fully understood my options and potential outcomes. They were always prompt in responding to any questions or concerns I had, making me feel supported and well-informed throughout. Thomas’s expertise and dedication truly showed in the handling of my case. He fought tirelessly to achieve the best possible result, and thanks to hard work of all Scolaro law team, the outcome exceeded my expectations. It was clear that the team not only knew the law inside and out but also genuinely cared about my well-being. If you’re looking for a professional, compassionate, and highly skilled attorney, I wholeheartedly recommend Thomas Scolaro and I am grateful to have had him by my side.

Nataliia

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Contact Scolaro Law Today

If you or a loved one has suffered due to medical negligence on a cruise, don’t wait. Contact Scolaro Law today for a free consultation. Our experienced team will fight tirelessly to secure the justice and compensation you deserve.

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