Guide to Cruising with a Food Allergy
Going on a cruise with an allergy can seem daunting. Even if you continuously voice the risk of you consuming a certain food, negligent cruise staff might serve it to you, causing a serious and avoidable allergic reaction. Still, there are some steps you can take to keep yourself safe on a cruise, or at least create liability for the cruise line if you suffer injuries.
For example, you can inform the cruise of your allergy at booking, make sure to bring ample epinephrine auto-injectors or other necessary medications with you, and tell your server about your allergy and its severity each time you order food on the ship. If you are still served the allergen and have a bad reaction, seek immediate medical attention from onboard medical staff. When avoidable allergic reactions cause serious complications for victims, they may file lawsuits against cruises for their negligence in causing medical emergencies.
For a confidential and free case assessment from Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, call our cruise ship injury lawyers today at (305) 204-5369.
What to Do if You Are Going on a Cruise with a Food Allergy
If you are going on a cruise with a serious food allergy, it’s important to prepare the necessary medications and inform the cruise line of your allergy when you book your ticket. At each meal, remind your server of your allergy to hopefully reduce the risk of coming in contact with whatever food could create a medical emergency for you.
Inform the Line During the Booking
When booking your cruise, you can typically add special information and any specific accommodations you might need the ship to make, such as a food allergy. This shouldn’t be the last time you inform the ship of your allergy and the importance of not serving it to you, but it can be the first documentation of you asserting your allergy. You can also ask for information about the cruise line’s procedures for addressing allergies, such as possibly pre-ordering meals to ensure there is no contamination. Being upfront about your allergy and the dangers of a reaction like anaphylaxis is important, so make sure to inform the cruise line before you board the ship.
Bring Necessary Medications with You
If you have a food allergy that requires medical attention when triggered, it’s important to bring all necessary medications and documentation with you so you are prepared. For example, keeping epinephrine auto-injectors with you could provide relief if you show symptoms of an allergic reaction. While it is important to bring your own medications with you, the medical staff aboard the ship should have the capability to treat, at the very least, mild allergic reactions. If they do not, passengers experiencing allergic reactions might go into anaphylaxis or suffer other life-threatening complications.
Having a plan of action in case of an allergic reaction is beneficial for those with life-threatening allergies taking cruises, and you can feel free to share that plan with those you are traveling with and the onboard medical staff. Board the cruise prepared with the medication you need, just in case.
Reaffirm Your Allergy with Cruise Staff
While cruise staff cannot monitor everything you consume on the ship, they should not serve you any foods with your specific allergens in them, particularly after being reminded about the risk. For example, suppose you go to eat at one of the restaurants on the ship, and you inform the waiter of your allergy, yet the meal you consume contains the allergen. In that case, the cruise would be liable for your reaction and potential injuries or damages associated with it. As a passenger, the most you can do is inform the staff of your allergy when ordering meals, closely read menus, and keep your medications on you, though that might still not prevent an allergic reaction due to negligence on a cruise.
While not a food allergy, being gluten intolerant poses difficulties for cruise ship passengers, as they might also suffer serious reactions after being served foods they explicitly stated they could eat not for medical reasons, potentially experiencing dehydration and other avoidable digestion issues.
What to Do if You Have an Allergic Reaction on a Cruise
Cruise lines can be liable for medical emergencies and the damages that result from them due to negligence. If you have an allergic reaction that would have been preventable if not for the staff’s negligence or recklessness, you may have a claim, which you can start gathering evidence for right away.
If you have a reaction even after communicating your allergies to staff, seek immediate medical attention. Having your medication on you is crucial, but if you were under the impression that your food did not contain the allergen, symptoms might come on quickly since you were not expecting them. Even momentary delays in administering epinephrine auto-injectors can have serious consequences, and passengers may need emergency care from onboard medical staff.
While your medical records will outline the severity of the reaction and any complications you suffered, witness statements can help our cruise ship injury lawyers confirm negligence. For example, eyewitnesses, such as fellow passengers, might testify to hearing you clearly voice your allergy when ordering a meal on the cruise and the waiter acknowledging you but still serving you the allergen anyway.
Not properly responding to medical emergencies due to negligence could make the cruise ship liable for victims’ damages, as part of the duty of care cruises owe passengers includes having medical facilities on board. Though medical teams on cruise ships aren’t very large, they should promptly respond to emergencies when notified, as failing to do so could lead to a fatal allergic reaction in a passenger.
Call Our Lawyers About Your Cruise Ship Injury Case Today
Call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind’s Miami cruise ship injury lawyers today at (305) 204-5369 for a free case analysis.
