TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Sep 9, 2020

Three federal judges recently dismissed cases brought by passengers who contracted COVID-19 onboard Princess Cruise Lines ships, Law.com reports. The dismissals are among the first in the nation to address plaintiff’s injuries and causation in cases alleging that corporate negligence lead to infection. “If you’re on a ship for three weeks and still can’t demonstrate causation … causation seems extremely difficult to demonstrate,” observed law professor Christopher Robinette. One of the judges said he dismissed the suit because allowing it to go forward “would lead to a flood of trivial suits” and “open the door to unlimited and unpredictable liability.” Another judge argued that a complaint alleging the plaintiff “suffered symptoms akin to the common cold” did not belong in court. The third judge said plaintiffs had not established causation.