Class Actions

Our firm has extensive experience in bringing class action lawsuits against maritime corporations as well as land-based companies.

Class action lawsuits involve the bringing of a lawsuit by one or more persons (usually designated as a class representative) on behalf of a large group of others in a similar situation. These types of cases frequently involve complicated procedural legal issues. Class action lawsuits fall under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The purpose of class action lawsuits is to offer remedies to individuals who have suffered similar injuries due to a common cause. In the case of cruise ship outbreaks, sinking, extreme delays, or other disasters at sea, passengers – and crew – may be eligible to sue under a class action lawsuit.

In order for a class action lawsuit to be accepted by the courts, the lawsuit must have certain key characteristics. For instance, there must be a common claim among members of the class who are suing. The number of people who are suing must be so large as to make individual lawsuits impractical, namely, a class action suit must be the most practical measure to resolve the issue. Finally, one or more of the claims must be similar for plaintiffs and defendants.

Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. is a maritime and admiralty firm based in Miami, Florida with extensive experience in handling class action lawsuits. Our class action lawsuit attorneys have handled admiralty and maritime class action cases, and have also successfully litigated claims regarding airplane crashes, product liability, as well as other land-based cases. Our founder, Charles R. Lipcon, handled the first class action filed in Admiralty. Trust our lawyers to provide you with the superior legal counsel you deserve.

Maritime Class Action Lawsuits for Cruise Passengers

Cruise lines take careful measures to protect themselves from class action lawsuits. Some passenger ticket contracts essentially require passengers to waive their right to sue in the event of a disaster or outbreak on board a ship. However, a class action lawyer who understands these contracts, the fine print, and the approaches cruise lines take to avoid liability can fight these contracts in court.

In many cases, passengers are not aware that they waive key legal rights when they board a cruise ship. Because these contracts are often tucked into the fine print, passengers may struggle when trying to fight a negligence claim against cruise lines. Fortunately, the law supports passenger rights following an accident or injury at the hands of a negligent cruise operator, and find issues with these passenger ticket contracts. A maritime lawyer can help victims file a class action lawsuit and protect their rights when their safety has been violated.

Some of the class action lawsuits we have filed recently include:

• Celebrity Eclipse Coronavirus Class Action – If you were a passenger on the Celebrity Eclipse, and wish to join the class action, please contact us. Read more.
• Costa Luminosa Coronavirus Class Action – If you were a passenger on the ill fated Costa Luminosa, and wish to join the class action, please contact us. Read more.
• Grand Princess Coronavirus Class Action – If you were a passenger on the Grand Princess, and wish to join the class action, please contact us. Read more.
• Ruby Princess Coronavirus Class Action – If you were a passenger on the Ruby Princess, and wish to join the class action, please contact us. Read more.
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Coronavirus Class Action – If you were a crewmember on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and wish to join the class action, please contact us. Read more.
• Celebrity Cruise Lines Coronavirus Class Action – If you were a crewmember on the Celebrity Cruise Lines , and wish to join the class action, please contact us. Read more.

These are some of the major cruise ship class actions we have handled in the past:

• Royal Caribbean Class Action Lawsuit After Hurricane Harvey – If you were a passenger trapped in Hurricane Harvey due to Royal Caribbean’s negligence and wish to join the class action, please contact our lawyers. Read more.
• Carnival Triumph Class Action – If you were on the Triumph and wish to join the class action, please contact our lawyers. Read more.
• Anthem of the Seas Class Action – If you were aboard the Anthem of the Seas during the recent hurricane incident on or about February 7, 2016, contact our law firm. Read more.
• Costa Concordia Lawsuit – If you were a passenger when the Costa Concordia cruise ship hit a rock as near the Italian shoreline, please get in touch with our cruise ship attorneys. Read more.
• Viking Sky Cruise Class Action – If you were a passenger on board the Viking Sky which knowingly sailed into a Bomb Cyclone, please contact us. Read more
• Sandals Resorts Class Action – If you have been a guest at any of Sandals’ resorts throughout the Caribbean, please contact us. Read more

Why Seek Help with an Attorney that Handles Class Actions?

When it comes to class action lawsuits, complex litigation is often required. Victims may need to fight a flawed passenger ticket contract, and in some cases, if a ship is registered in a foreign country (which the majority usually are), the class action lawsuit may involve foreign laws. Because there are often very strict time limits on the amount of time to file a claim, passengers need to act fast, if they intend to sue. For this reason, it is important that anyone who has been injured on board a cruise seek the counsel of highly-experienced maritime class action lawyers. Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. organizes and initiates many class action lawsuits, and strives to protect the rights of passengers who were hurt or injured while cruising.

Protecting Your Rights

Our attorneys have extensive class action experience in the area of admiralty and maritime law. The first ever class action in admiralty law was handled by a member of our firm. In the landmark case, passengers on-board a cruise received compensation for exposure to contaminated water. Since then, many class action claims in admiralty and maritime law have been filed and successfully handled by our firm.

If you need to join a proposed class action lawsuit, or if you would like to file a new claim, contact us today and we will help you understand your rights as well as the best approach in filing a case.