A Georgia family is suing Carnival Cruise after the parents found an 18-year-old in their 10-year-old’s bedroom. The family complained that the door was not secure. Plus, the Carnival cruise sexual assault was not investigated despite the parents’ insistence.
About Cruise Ship Rape and Sexual Assaults
People often assume that violent crimes, including sexual assault and rape, are not a problem aboard cruise ships, yet statistics disagree. In fact, it is scarily more common than many know. In fact, rape and sexual assault are the two most common kinds of crimes that take place at sea. Unfortunately, cruise ships often keep these traumatic and life-changing events in the dark from the general public.
Cruise lines are now required to report all crimes to the Department of Transportation. The number of reported sexual assaults on cruise ships jumped 550% in the first six months of 2016 from 6 to 39. These statistics just account for the ones reported since many times victims are persuaded to not file a report. Even a recent Senate report agreed that these statistics are just a fragment of this common crime.
Carnival Cruise Sexual Assault
The family began on the Carnival Victory ship sailing out of Port Canaveral on June 6, 2016. The parents booked two rooms across from each other. When the parents went to nap across the hall, they shut the other bedroom. However, an hour later when the father checked on the 10-year-old, he found an intoxicated 18-year-old lying in bed next to his terrified child. The father grabbed the teen and alerted security.
The father said that the door to his son’s room seemed fully closed. But, when he knocked on it, it opened. He alleges that the cruise line should have known that the unsecured cabin door could be unsafe. Instead, Carnival released a statement defending the teen. The company said the teen has a history of sleepwalking and accidentally climbed into a bed he thought was his own. Plus, Carnival said the teen was not drunk, yet no one administered a sobriety test.
The family also is upset that their son had a physical examination, but the teen did not. Carnival protected the teenager and their image but did nothing for the young child.
We Can Help
Cruise lines owe their passengers a duty of reasonable care. Carnival owed this family a safe environment, however, the company did not deliver. At The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, our lawyers have decades of experience helping injured people get justice and full compensation for injuries caused negligence. Given that lawsuits against cruise ships are in a venue favorable to the cruise lines, it is incredibly important to have an experienced attorney with ample resources to prosecute your claim. The Michel Brady Lynch Firm regularly takes on the largest corporations in the world with a track records of proven success and results. Contact The Michael Brady Lynch Firm today, and our attorneys will review your case for free and help you protect your rights. For your complimentary consultation, call our office now.