Ronald and Eva Weissberger of Broward County have filed a $1 million lawsuit against Princess Cruise Lines for allowing them to be exposed to coronavirus on the Grand Princess cruise ship.
The couple boarded the ship on February 21 and weren’t examined or screened before they got on, despite the fact that the ship has previously had two people on board with the virus. They also weren’t given a warning about the risk of exposure before they got on the ship.
“Not one passenger was questioned, let alone examined in any capacity,” the lawsuit claims.
The Weissbergers also said the ship started to run low on food.
“They said the last two days there was not a lot of food,” she said. “They were given turkey stuffing for breakfast.”
The couple was able to get off the ship Monday night and were taken to a military base near Sacramento where they will be quarantined for two weeks. While neither of them are showing symptoms, Ronald has heart issues.
“I’m worried, upset and angry because this whole debacle could have been avoided. The screening getting on the ship was next to nothing,” Debi Chalik, the Weissbergers’ daughter who is also one of their attorneys, said.
The lawsuit says that the couple would not have gotten on the ship if they had been told about the risk and would have disembarked in Honolulu on February 26 if they were aware of the risk.
The suit claims that the couple is now at risk of immediate physical injury and are also suffering from emotional distress. It says that the cruise line should have taken more precautionary measures after another ship in its fleet, the Diamond Princess, had an outbreak of the virus last month that infected over 700 people.
Princess Cruise Lines issued the following statement about the lawsuit:
“Princess has been sensitive to the difficulties the COVID-19 outbreak has caused to our guests and crew. Our response throughout this process has focused on (sic) well-being (of) our guests and crew within the parameters mandated on us by the government agencies involved and the evolving medical understanding of this new illness. We (sic) not been served with any lawsuit relating to this matter, and we will not comment on any pending litigation.”
For information about personal injury claims, visit Cohen & Cohen.
