With the sun warming your skin, the sea breeze tussling your hair and a full buffet waiting for you at lunchtime, the possibility that something may go awry seems impossible. For many, cruise vacations go off without a hitch. Others, however, are not so lucky.  When it comes to the unlucky ones, Leesfield & Partners ..read more

Lengthy terms and conditions are scrolled past with fervor, and liability waivers are signed on digital screens in a rush. Whether it’s before a jet-ski guided tour in Key West, a parasailing adventure, or when purchasing a ticket aboard a cruise ship, people pay little mind to the language in these documents before they sign. When tragedy strikes, however, these documents are one of the first things a corporation’s attorney will point to to avoid liability.  It is important to note that these waivers do not give cruise lines a free pass to flout safety regulations. Case law out of the Un ..read more

Carnival Cruise Lines is adding to its ships including three that rival in carrying capacity with Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas.  The three new ships from Carnival are reported to be the largest vessels operated by the company and will be able to carry nearly 8,000 passengers. Construction of the first ship is scheduled to be completed in 2029 with the other two following in 2031 and 2033, according to reporting from national news outlets.  Currently, the cruise line operates 26 ships with stays in places like the Bahamas, the Mexican Riviera, the Pacific Islands and Australia ..read more

With the dwindling days of summer vacation and the promise of back-to-school sales and homework assignments on the horizon, families all over the United States will head to South Florida in droves for last-minute summer getaways. The area has plenty to offer that attracts millions of tourists every year from the famed beauty and history of the Florida Keys to the opportunity to observe wildlife in the Everglades. Many families, however, will head straight to PortMiami, the cruise capital of the world, to board one of many cruise lines that frequent the area.  PortMiami saw 7.3 million peo ..read more

The family of a 76-year-old Kentucky man was awarded over $2 million this month after his death from a burning incident in a motel shower, according to news outlets. The incident happened in 2021 while the man was on a business trip. When he got in the shower, hot water estimated in the lawsuit to be 150 degrees Fahrenheit scalded him. The man fell and was unable to get up until coworkers who heard him screaming rushed into the bathroom to help. The man had third-degree burns following the incident and died seven months later after spending most of his time in and out of hospitals. Third-degre ..read more

In the same way as the popular saying, “April showers bring May Flowers,” summertime liberties can breed several injuries.  Though it might not be as catchy, the latter is no less true. With an increase in outdoor activities, recreation, and travel, the warmer season has a propensity for injury. With the warm and sunny weather outside and school out for anywhere between two and three months for summer vacation, many families take the opportunity to travel, go on cruises, and or try recreational activities they are not accustomed to in their everyday lives such as go-karting, parasailing ..read more

A woman sues SeaWorld after being injured at its Aquatica water park on a slide last year when another patron “violently colliding” with her. The woman was visiting SeaWorld’s Aquatica in Orlando when she said she went on a slide that had no lifeguard stationed outside of it to monitor when patrons had safely gone down the slide and give permission for the next person to go. Before the woman got off her water slide, another adult guest got on and “violently colliding” with her, causing her permanent injury, her attorneys said in the lawsuit.  This story is, unfortunately, not unique. A 7 ..read more

Cruise ships at Port Miami will be able to plug into the county’s power grid – a move that officials say will boost the local economy by attracting more cruise lines to the area while cutting down on pollution. There’s just one problem. More ships means an increase in the possibility of cruise ship injuries, a practice area that Leesfield & Partners knows all too well.  The decision was spurred by sustainability efforts from Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava who told reporters in an article published in The Miami Herald that the project would bring the county that much clos ..read more

Leesfield & Partners attorneys successfully resolved a medical malpractice case on behalf of parents whose 9-month-old baby suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of cruise ship doctors’ malpractice. The important and potentially case dispositive legal issues, in this case, included a passenger ticket contract with restrictive forum selection and choice of law clauses. Unlike 99% of cruise ship ticket contracts this contract called for the application of law from our clients’ home country (United Kingdom). The U.K. is a signatory to the Athens Convention and its draconian cap on damage ..read more

Basking in the sun or heading to a cholesterol-raising buffet for the fourth time in a single morning, no one thinks about the dangers aboard cruise ships. Statistics show, however, that cruises are riddled with all kinds of hazards. From sexual assaults to falls resulting in broken bones or requiring surgery, Leesfield & Partners has represented just about every injury aboard these massive holiday vessels.  When stories are spread in the media about cruise medical care and its often devastating consequences, Leesfield & Partners attorneys know that it is unfortunately not all tha ..read more