Shine Lawyers has filed a class action against the owner and operator of the Ruby Princess.
It is alleged that the outbreak of Coronavirus on the Ruby Princess, which docked in Sydney on Thursday 19 March 2020, resulted from a failure to take appropriate measures to ensure that passengers were safe and protected from contracting the virus on the ship.
This failure constitutes breaches of the cruise owner and operator’s duty of care to its passengers, and of the consumer guarantees and other provisions of Australian Consumer Law.
Background
On Sunday 8 March 2020, the Ruby Princess cruise ship departed Circular Quay.
Despite 158 cases of coronavirus symptoms being logged on the previous voyage, passengers on board the Ruby Princess failed to be informed of this, and the potential risks they faced of contracting the virus on the cruise.
After an 11-day round trip to New Zealand, the ship docked in Sydney on Thursday 19 March. Ruby Princess passengers were permitted to disembark at Sydney’s Circular Quay and return to their homes.
Since leaving the ship, over 700 passengers have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Passengers on the Ruby Princess consisted of Australian residents, as well as US citizens and citizens of a number of other countries.
Can I join the Ruby Princess Coronavirus class action?
You are able to sign up to the class action:
- if you were one of the passengers on the Ruby Princess that departed Circular Quay on 8 March 2020 (regardless of whether or not you contracted the coronavirus); or
- if you are an executor or administrator of the estate of a passenger who contracted coronavirus on the cruise and subsequently passed away; or
- if you are a family member or loved one of an ill or deceased passenger who has suffered a psychiatric injury as a result of their loved one’s contracting the virus on the cruise.
If you are unsure whether you can participate in the class action, please contact us so that we can provide you with further assistance regarding your legal rights.
