Washington Parent Sues NCL After Minor Suffers Ruptured Appendix Due to Alleged Medical Malpractice Aboard Norwegian Aqua
Jennifer Hampshire, a resident of Washington, has filed a maritime medical malpractice lawsuit against NCL (Bahamas) Ltd. in the Southern District of Florida. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of her minor child under Case No. 1:26-cv-24546-JEM, alleges that the cruise line and its shipboard medical personnel failed to properly diagnose and treat a severe case of appendicitis, resulting in a ruptured appendix and permanent injuries. The complaint also names onboard physicians Dr. Leia Revelo and Dr. Rodineil Abengania Nomorosa as defendants.
Cruise Passenger Suffers Ruptured Appendix on Norwegian Aqua Following Alleged Shipboard Medical Misdiagnosis
According to the complaint, the minor passenger presented to the medical center of the Norwegian Aqua with complaints of severe middle and lower abdominal pain, a high pain score, and repeated vomiting episodes during a cruise. Over multiple visits, shipboard medical personnel allegedly documented symptoms ranging from a dull ache in the umbilical area to right lower quadrant tenderness, fever, and a positive McBurney’s point tenderness. Despite these classical clinical indicators of appendicitis, along with laboratory results showing a markedly elevated white blood cell count and elevated C-reactive protein, the medical staff initially diagnosed the minor with acute gastritis. The medical center discharged the minor patient twice before his condition rapidly deteriorated to the point where he was unable to stand. He was ultimately medically evacuated from the vessel to a shoreside facility, where his appendix ruptured and required emergency surgical intervention.
NCL Accused of Failing to Properly Equip and Staff Cruise Ship Medical Facility During Boarding Window
The lawsuit alleges that NCL breached its duty to exercise reasonable care by failing to properly man, resource, and equip the medical facilities aboard the Norwegian Aqua. The plaintiff asserts that it is unrealistic for a cruise line carrying thousands of passengers and crew members to operate with an inadequate number of medical personnel to handle complex pediatric and adult emergencies. Furthermore, the complaint claims that NCL failed to maintain operational diagnostic equipment and sufficient medication supplies necessary to promptly identify and treat progressive conditions like appendicitis. The legal team references several prior lawsuits against NCL in the Southern District of Florida—including cases involving liver failure, organ failure, and sepsis—as proof that the cruise line had actual and constructive knowledge of systemic inadequacies within its shipboard medical departments.
Complaint Alleges Negligent Hiring and Incompetence of Norwegian Cruise Line Doctors and Nurses
In addition to structural and provisioning failures, Hampshire alleges that NCL engaged in negligent hiring and retention practices regarding its medical staff. The complaint contends that NCL failed to diligently verify the qualifications, education, and credentials of Dr. Leia Revelo and Dr. Rodineil Abengania Nomorosa. The plaintiff asserts that the hired shipboard doctors and nurses lacked the necessary emergency training, active clinical experience, and certifications required to effectively implement an adequate triage system or handle progressive gastrointestinal emergencies. It is further alleged that the medical team may have lacked proper licensure to practice medicine within the relevant maritime jurisdictions, falling significantly below the prevailing professional standards of care for health care providers.
Norwegian Cruise Line Facing Vicarious Liability Claims for Onboard Medical Malpractice Under Apparent Agency
The legal complaint seeks to hold NCL vicariously liable for the actions of its medical personnel under multiple legal theories, including respondeat superior, apparent agency, and joint venture. The plaintiff highlights that NCL prominently displays its logos and insignias throughout the shipboard medical center, utilizes proprietary marketing phrasing such as “our medical team,” and commands full authority over billing by directly charging passenger onboard accounts for medical treatments. Because the family reasonably and detrimentally relied on these representations to believe the medical staff were actual agents and employees of the cruise line, the suit argues NCL must answer for their negligence. The plaintiff seeks damages for permanent physical injuries, continuing medical expenses, emotional distress, physical handicap, future lost earning capacity, and the total loss of cruise vacation value.
Contact a Cruise Ship Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today if You Received Inadequate Medical Care Aboard a Vessel
Cruise lines have a non-delegable legal obligation under general maritime law to ensure that passengers who fall ill receive a reasonable standard of care while utilizing onboard medical facilities. When shipboard doctors fail to recognize medical emergencies, delay necessary evacuations, or misdiagnose acute conditions, the consequences can be life-altering. If you or a loved one suffered severe complications due to negligent medical treatment during a cruise vacation, contact our team of experienced maritime personal injury lawyers today to review your case.
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Disclaimer: Our firm does not represent the plaintiff in this case and is not involved in the litigation. The information provided is a summary of allegations based on publicly available court filings. We make no representations about the truth of these allegations, are not commenting on the merits of the case, and are not predicting any outcome.
