Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer
What are some of the more common injuries that occur on cruise ships?
- Slip and fall - numerous wet or uneven surfaces and ship maneuvers contribute significantly to serious cruise ship injuries
- Swimming pool accidents - including water slide and wave pool injuries
- Ports of call - accidents on cruise-line approved excursions
- Physical or sexual assault - perpetrated by crew members or other passengers
- Contaminated food
- Medical negligence
I've been injured on a cruise ship. What should I do?
You should first seek medical help by reporting to the ship's infirmary. If you were injured in a physical or sexual assault, you should also immediately report the incident to the ship's security officer. The rest of this answer is limited to steps you can then take to protect your legal rights.
Your cruise ship ticket is a contract and contains information on what you are required to do. Typically, this entails notifying the cruise line of your injury within six months to prevent foregoing your right to collect damages. If you do this without consulting with an attorney, which is not recommended, make sure that you are familiar with the exact requirements and obtain proof that the notification was sent and that it was received by an official representative of the cruise line. You may also be required to file a claim within a year of the date of your injury, usually in the city in which the cruise line is based.
Is medical care on cruise ships held up to the same standards as on land?
Yes. Deviations from standard practices, or a failure to transfer patients who need advanced care to shore, may be subject to medical negligence claims. However, transferring a patient to and/or leaving a patient at port in another country without making adequate arrangement for their care may also constitute negligence by the cruise line and/or cruise ship's physician.
What should I do if I've been sexually assaulted on a cruise ship?
See sexual assaults on cruise ship lawyers.
If I've been injured in a cruise ship accident, do I need an attorney?
Trying to settle a cruise injury claim of your own is usually not a good idea. When you purchase a cruise ticket, you enter into a venue contract prepared by cruise line attorneys who ensure that the deck is staked in the cruise line's favor. Following the requirements of the contract as you pursue your claim is often very difficult. And even if you meet all requirements, cruise line representatives may imply that a settlement is possible when they are actually only trying to run out the clock on the time by which they know you must file a claim for it to be valid. And even in the unlikely even you are able to secure a settlement, odds are that the compensation you receive is well below what a skillful cruise ship injury attorney would have been able to help you recover.
