January 4th 2025.
Alan Forster, a 77-year-old man from Devon, had been eagerly awaiting his month-long cruise on the P&O Arcadia with his wife Dianna, 79. They were going to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to New York and back, marking their 48th cruise together. Alan couldn't wait to board the ship at Southampton on September 3rd, looking forward to spending quality time with his beloved wife and enjoying all the amenities the ship had to offer.
However, just two weeks into the journey, Alan fell ill with norovirus. This highly contagious "vomiting bug" had spread to nearly 100 other passengers on board, as confirmed by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. Alan's symptoms included diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting, and his condition quickly worsened when his kidneys began to fail. Despite receiving medical attention on board, his health continued to decline, and upon reaching St John's in Newfoundland, Canada, he was hospitalized and put on a drip. Tragically, Alan passed away in October, leaving behind his wife of 54 years, two children, and four grandchildren.
Dianna remembers Alan as a loving husband and father, and she is still struggling to come to terms with his sudden passing. She blames herself for wanting to go on the cruise, wondering if she could have prevented Alan from falling ill and ultimately losing his life. She also questions if the cruise ship could have done more to prevent the outbreak and provide better medical care for her husband.
According to Dianna, the medical staff on board were slow to respond to Alan's symptoms, and even when they did, their actions were limited to just moving him back to his bed. She recalls trying to raise the alarm multiple times, but she was dismissed and told to return to her room. Jatinder Paul, a specialist international serious injury lawyer representing the family, is determined to get the answers they deserve and hold the cruise ship accountable for any failings or delays in providing proper medical care for Alan.
In response to the family's claim for compensation, a spokesperson for P&O Cruises states that they were saddened by Alan's death and will be conducting an investigation to determine if any mistakes were made. They also mention that Alan did receive medical care on board until his condition became critical, at which point he was promptly transferred to a hospital. The family's legal team will continue to push for answers and justice for Alan, but for Dianna, every day since her husband's passing has been filled with grief and pain, and she can't help but wonder if things could have been different if only they had never gone on the cruise.
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