The cruise ship company, Royal Caribbean, could be sued for damages over the deaths or injuries caused by the eruption on Whakaari last Monday, if people bought their tickets to visit White Island overseas.
An honorary academic at University of Auckland's faculty of law Bill Hodge says accident compensation laws effectively prevent New Zealanders launching legal action.
But he told RNZ reporter Anusha Bradley that because the company does business in the United States, that opens the door to law suits.
