- Story Highlights:
Royal Caribbean is one of the most well-known brands in the cruise industry. Recently, a woman in South Florida, Shir Frenkel, coordinated with her attorneys to file a personal injury lawsuit against the cruise line. We will continue to monitor this case to see if Frenkel is awarded the financial compensation she deserves.
What Personal Injury Occurred?
Frenkel was traveling aboard Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Allure of the Seas with her new husband, Igal Tyszman. The couple had just married when they embarked on the cruise. After setting sail, the newlyweds docked and went ziplining in a cruise-sponsored shore excursion.
While ziplining, Frenkel became stuck about halfway down the line. Tyszman had taken off shortly after Frenkel. Frenkel had no way to dislodge herself and was a “sitting duck” as Tyszman, who had no way to stop himself, came speeding toward her. The couple collided in mid-air. Tyszman passed away a few hours later as a result of injuries suffered. Frenkel herself suffered from catastrophic injuries.
Could Royal Caribbean Be At Fault?
The lawsuit filed against Royal Caribbean Cruises seeks more than $1 million in damages and contends that the company was at fault for a few reasons. First and foremost, Frenkel alleges that the couple did not receive any guidance on how to stop their ziplines in the event of an emergency.
Additionally, Frenkel says that the guides did not communicate with one another before telling Tyszman to depart. The guide on the departing platform, who was with Tyszman, had no way of knowing that Frenkel had become stuck on the line.
More important is the fact that the suit claims that Royal Caribbean knew that there were significant safety concerns about the zipline excursion but did not take any steps to mitigate the situation. The zipline operator, Extreme Caribe Zip Line Tour, had been involved in at least one lawsuit previously.
Furthermore, Frenkel’s lawsuit contends that there were at least ten accidents that had occurred prior of which Royal Caribbean was made aware.
Lastly, Frenkel’s suit contends that the couple was the victim of false advertising. The couple was under the impression that Royal Caribbean operated the tour when in reality, it was run by Extreme Caribe. Royal Caribbean had hired the company as an independent contractor and did not inform their guests before the beginning of the excursion. Guests even used their cruise-issued Seapass cards to pay for the adventure.
Debi Chalik is one of the attorneys who filed the case. She said that it was impossible for guests to have known that Royal Caribbean was not in charge of operating the excursion. She added, “These newlyweds were expecting a fun excursion with the highest safety standards, and that is obviously not that they received, and the consequences, in this case, proved tragic.”
Have You Suffered A Personal Injury?
Frenkel’s case may seem extreme, but it’s evidence that a personal injury can occur at the most unexpected of times. If you believe you have suffered a personal injury, be sure to contact our team of experts today.