Costa Concordia sinking (merged threads)

[Krazy Kruizers]

the settlement is on top of replacing personal effects as i understand it. But how do you prove you have all those personal effects and you know they are going to be depreciated

 

Sadly -- you can't prove everything that you have taken on a vacation with you.

[the2ofus]

This thread is so long that haven't read every post so my comment may be redundant. It seems to me that if people take valuable items like jewelry, expensive cameras or computers on a cruise they have an obligation to personally make sure that they are covered by insurance. What good jewelry I have is insured under a rider on my homeowner's insurance and my ins. agent has photographs plus appraisal information. Same should apply to other really valuable stuff or you should be willing to replace it at your own cost.

[Pete Jackson]

There is an amazing video of the exact track of the Concordia as she first hits the rocks and finally slides into her current resting place. The quick 100-degree turn to starboard as she stopped forward motion and began lateral motion must have been a major contributor to the steep listing of the ship.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16754771

[chrispb]

BBC Radio said this afternoon that Costa were going to pay every passenger £9,000 plus return the cost of their cruise. This is to cover the items they lost at sea and the distress they suffered.

[KirkNC]

I was listening to the Today show -- $14,000 US -- doesn't seem much to me considering what all those people have gone through and go through for the rest of their lives.

 

That was my take also.

[jschm27]

Not yet - there is still a lot to determine as this is the biggest ship ever wrecked. Apparently even Costa is unsure whether to salvage or cut it up.

 

here is the latest for you KK on that - http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/27/us-italy-ship-salvage-idUKTRE80Q0Q220120127

 

Kazu - Thanks for the link. Very informative.

 

John

[Tampa Girl]

According to ABC News: "Costa Cruises is offering uninjured passengers $14,460, or 11,000 euros each to compensate for mental trauma and lost baggage." Well. . . I guess that would take care of trying to prove what you lost. Somehow, I don't think that this offer is too attractive for most of the passengers. (Or is that just the attorney in me speaking???)

[sail7seas]

I think I heard suits must be brought within 30 days. That is not a lot of time for a family from U.S. to bring a suit in Genoa especially seeing they had hope for at least 7-10 of those days their loved ones may have survived by some miracle.

 

[world~citizen]

Someone noted that the Costa offer won't cover the cost of jewelry for some pax. Its true. Two or three rings can get you there. For many just one. In Tiffany's in New York, it is normal to see people buy $20,000 gemstone rings and not even get invited to those little rooms to process the transaction over a cup of tea or coffee or whatever goes on in there. (I never get invited to those kinds of rooms.) I have seen similar rings and better gracing the fingers of patrons of HAL.

 

Also, France24 is interviewing the residents of Giglio who say from what they have seen of the trauma experienced by survivors, they wouldn't recommend the offer be accepted.

 

Is this going to be when we find out that those elegant silk gloved hands cruiselines extend to us in hospitality cover an iron fist?

 

Smooth sailing...

[kazu]

I've posted enough links - so I won't bore you - but a lawyer has stated that most passengers should be getting 125,000 euros (I believe) due to trauma, stress, how it was handled and lost items that can't be replaced.

 

costa is also being challenged on 'having to go to Italy'. The lawyers are saying that nothing is signed in advance. Passengers get their tickets and then the rules and shouldn't be held to it.

 

It they have to go to Italy - they have to lodge 10% of their claim with the court - so suing for $1,000,000 - you have to lodge $100,000. Lawyers are stating that this is unfair. Because passengers can affor a cruise doesn't mean they have this kind of money.

 

boy, what a mess.

[peaches from georgia]

125,000 euros is now slightly over $164,000. Wouldn't be enough for me. There will be expenses involved and attorneys' cut.

[Seago2]

Not to interrupt the legal speculation, which, as a one time maritime lawyer both interests me and frustrates me (some of it is wildly off base- a simple wiki search would tell a give a lot of you the answers you're seeking)-

 

But here is the heartbreaking blog of the Heil family, who are still awaiting work on Grandma and Grandpa.

 

http://heilfamilyupdate.wordpress.com/#!/page/1

[WriterOnDeck]

This thread is so long that haven't read every post so my comment may be redundant. It seems to me that if people take valuable items like jewelry, expensive cameras or computers on a cruise they have an obligation to personally make sure that they are covered by insurance. What good jewelry I have is insured under a rider on my homeowner's insurance and my ins. agent has photographs plus appraisal information. Same should apply to other really valuable stuff or you should be willing to replace it at your own cost.

 

Some policy riders for jewelry do not include accidental loss. That's why, for example, I have a separate jewelry policy rather than a rider on homeowner's insurance. Not sure where this situation falls on that scale. But those with just a rider might want to check it out -- I think, at least for me, accidental loss is more likely than for it to be stolen. Just FYI.

[DizzyDallasDi]

the settlement is on top of replacing personal effects as i understand it. But how do you prove you have all those personal effects and you know they are going to be depreciated

 

I'm pretty sure diamonds and gold don't depreciate. :D

[world~citizen]

Here is an interesting link with a video showing how sailing close to Giglio was, perhaps, routine.

 

Interesting.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/9022442/Costa-Concordia-passed-230m-from-Giglio-during-previous-salute.html

[world~citizen]

Not to interrupt the legal speculation, which, as a one time maritime lawyer both interests me and frustrates me (some of it is wildly off base- a simple wiki search would tell a give a lot of you the answers you're seeking)-

 

But here is the heartbreaking blog of the Heil family, who are still awaiting work on Grandma and Grandpa.

 

http://heilfamilyupdate.wordpress.com/#!/page/1

 

If your point is that people are experiencing perhaps the most horrific ordeal of their lives over this and that is lost in this thread, I am not so sure.

 

For myself, and I think most people here that point is NOT lost, at least not on us. There is a fear that it will be lost on Costa and that the pax from people who were uninjured to those folks who lost family members will not be respected.

 

It seems to me that the offer of Costa "appeared" to be: "you are alive, so what". That was not nice. I am not a lawyer and it may be good law or bad law I don't know, but I reserve the right to comment on it.

 

If the point of your post wasn't that then never mind. :)

 

Thanks for the link. It helps put things in perspective.

 

Smooth sailing...

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not to interrupt the legal speculation, which, as a one time maritime lawyer both interests me and frustrates me (some of it is wildly off base- a simple wiki search would tell a give a lot of you the answers you're seeking)-

 

But here is the heartbreaking blog of the Heil family, who are still awaiting work on Grandma and Grandpa.

 

http://heilfamilyupdate.wordpress.com/#!/page/1

 

Thank you for the link.

Very sad for the family as they may never have closure.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Wondering -- if US passengers do decide to accept that $14,000 settlement -- won't they have to pay taxes on that money?

[GeriatricNurse]

Wondering -- if US passengers do decide to accept that $14,000 settlement -- won't they have to pay taxes on that money?

 

I only know that Candians do not have to pay taxes on lottery winnings! ;)

[kazu]

It looks like most lawyers are saying not to take the offer (big surprise).

 

The good news is that the crew is being taken care of. They will be paid.

 

here is the link http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/438af278-48e1-11e1-974a-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1kkhTp3cy

[Krazy Kruizers]

I only know that Candians do not have to pay taxes on lottery winnings! ;)

 

You do in the states.

State lotteries -- no taxes -- just federal taxes.

But -- interstate lotteries -- PA state tax and federal tax.

[Globaliser]

Here is an interesting link with a video showing how sailing close to Giglio was, perhaps, routine.

There's still no evidence that this was routine.

 

That's the same video of last August's sail past, which was planned and done with permission. The track taken by the ship that time has been posted elsewhere already. Although the ship may have got a bit closer to the harbour mouth than it did on the accident cruise, the actual track was safe because it gave a wide berth to all the known dangers.

 

AFAIK, there's been no evidence that it was done at any other time, other than the captain's alleged assertion that he had done it "three or four times" (as part of his claim that he knew the waters well). That may be a self-serving lie on his part as much as it could be a damaging admission. Certainly, I haven't seen any other video, for example, of any other occasions.

[Globaliser]

It seems to me that the offer of Costa "appeared" to be: "you are alive, so what". That was not nice.

The way I read it, the offer (which was made only in respect of those who were not injured) was intended to be a flat rate sum likely to be higher than these individuals could prove to be entitled to, so it would be a quick way for them to get their money and move on. Costa expressly said that if people had higher losses than that, they could decline this offer and seek to claim their actual losses.

 

So I just don't see how this offer could be interpreted in the way you suggest.

 

Those with any experience of the American legal system should remember that not all legal systems work in the same way. Having a valid claim does not open the door to lottery money winnings. I don't know how compensation is assessed in Italy, but I can say this about English law: If you have suffered no injury, the compensation you'd be awarded for the fear you felt during the incident is absolutely zero.

[VermeulT]

Wondering -- if US passengers do decide to accept that $14,000 settlement -- won't they have to pay taxes on that money?

 

No. "pain & suffering" court winnings are not taxes in the US, only if they are to replace specific items lost.. Or something like that. (per my won car accident settlement. )

[world~citizen]

There's still no evidence that this was routine.

 

How routine it was (or wasn't) will be explored in whatever tribunal(s) lie ahead. I think as you do, everyone gets their day in court and sometimes its funny how evidence sometimes seems to come out of nowhere.

 

Time will tell.