Cruise News - International Cruise Victims Association
July 02 - 2010 : International Cruise Victims Association (ICV) brings about landmark changes for victims who die at sea
Over the past two weeks, the International Cruise Victims Association has continued their work for the rights of victims who die at sea and as a result, the House has passed H.R. 5503, the Securing Protections for the Injured from Limitations on Liability Act (SPILL Act).
Introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) and Louisiana Gulf Coast Congressman Charlie Melancon (D-La.), this legislation focuses on fixing loopholes in liability statutes so that the victims who die at sea can be fairly treated.
The SPILL Act addresses out-of-date legislation from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s: Death on High Seas Act (1920), Jones Act (1920), and the Limitation on Liability Act (1851).
· It amends the Death on the High Seas Act and Jones Act to permit non-pecuniary damages.
· It repeals the outdated Limitation on Liability Act.
· It prevents parties responsible for oil spills from using the bankruptcy courts as a subterfuge to leave victims without adequate legal recourse.
· It provides that these changes will apply to all cases on and after April 20th, consistent with previous liability law changes enacted by Congress.
The ICV legislation which also passed this week, the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2009, originally contained a provision to amend the Death on the High Seas Act (DOSHA).
It remains the goal of ICV to change this out-dated law to permit non-pecuniary damages. Now that the House has approved this legislation, the International Cruise Victims Association under the leadership of president, Kendall Carver, moves on to the Senate.
For more information about the International Cruise Victims Association, please visit www.internationalcruisevictims.org or contact the following:
Kendall Carver
E-Mail Kcarver17@cox.net
Phone 602 852 5896 or 602 989 6752
For more information about the issues of safety at sea and the legislation surrounding this, take a look at the unique Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine section
about Safety and Crime at Sea
