Cruise Ship Accidents

Cruise ship accidents are more common than most people realize. A vacation experience is abruptly tainted when an accident, crime, or other traumatic event occurs onboard a cruise ship. The laws surrounding these incidents are complex and may involve several jurisdictions, including maritime, federal, and sometimes laws of other countries. This complicates the legal process and requires the best lawyer in your corner to fight for your rights.

Cruise lines have a responsibility to protect passengers from all forms of harm. Any form of negligence is a failure to protect patrons from these catastrophic incidents. Compensation may be due for medical bills, ongoing costs, financial damages, pain and suffering, and more.

There is a strict time frame for filing cases against a cruise line. Contact Willie D. Powells III immediately if you have suffered from an injury, illness, or crime while on a cruise ship. Willie D. Powells III specializes in these cases and will fight to get you the compensation that you deserve. Reach out today and let us help you gather the evidence you need to prove your case.

Cruise Ship Accidents

There is a vast range of cruise ship accidents that can occur and lead to serious, lasting injuries. The cruise line may try everything in their power to hide the severity of these incidents to protect their reputation.

Cruise Ship Accidents Include:

Criminal Assaults
Fires
Food Poisoning
Slips and Falls

Overboard Accidents
Recreational Injuries
Wrongful Death

These accidents can lead to long-term financial, physical, and emotional damages that are detrimental to an individual’s quality of life.

There are numerous forms of negligence that cruise line employees and operators may be liable for performing.

Overserving Alcoholic Beverages
Failure to Maintain Sanitary Standards
Ignoring Inclement Weather Warnings
Failure to Staff Qualified Medical Professionals
Lack of Adequate Ship Security

The cruise line is liable for injuries, illnesses, or crimes that result from these negligent behaviors.

Cruise ship companies will react immediately in an attempt to protect themselves when an incident occurs onboard. Cruise lines will often rely on the complexities of laws at sea, including variances in laws that apply to foreign waters, and try to convince injured cruise passengers that their claims are invalid.

Do not believe any legal claims from the cruise line operators. These organizations are simply trying to shift responsibility to protect their company. Contact a cruise ship lawyer immediately to discuss the circumstances of your accident. An attorney that specializes in maritime law can help you determine if you may have a case.

Risks of Injury While on a Cruise

Cruise lines are responsible for providing vacationers with a safe place to enjoy themselves. The cruise line may be liable for your injuries, regardless of who the individual is at fault.

Injuries Caused by Negligent Vessel Management and Operations

There is no justification for when a preventable accident leads to serious injury. There are numerous injury-causing accidents that can occur as a result of negligent vessel management and operations.

Cruise line negligence is a major cause of the majority of slips and falls, illnesses, and collisions that occur onboard.

Cruise ship passengers have the right to a clean sanitary ship environment. Unfortunately, not all cruise lines maintain this environment, leading to numerous viral and bacterial illnesses onboard.

Cruise lines have a responsibility to protect passengers from all injuries, including injuries caused by other passengers.

Criminal activity is more common on cruise lines than most people are aware. Cruise ship passengers are at risk of suffering from violent crimes, including physical and sexual assault.

Victims of crime onboard a cruise ship are protected under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act. The regulations within this act require that all serious crimes are reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

The act defines serious criminal activity as criminal incidents, including assault with serious bodily injury, kidnapping, suspicious deaths, and all degrees of sexual assault. 75% of all the crimes that occurred on a cruise ship and were reported to the FBI were incidents of sexual assault.

Cruise lines employ medical practitioners to assist passengers in the event of an injury, illness, or other medical emergency occurring onboard. Unfortunately, these medical professionals do not always have the experience, knowledge, or skills to care for patient needs.

It is considered medical malpractice and can lead to serious, ongoing medical issues when a passenger does not receive the medical care that they deserve in their time of need.

Compensation and Remedies for Cruise Ship Injury Victims

Cruise ship passengers have rights and are entitled to compensation when they become victims of accidents onboard. Cruise ship passengers are protected under maritime laws that were developed to protect passengers onboard any water vessel.

Compensation Under Maritime Law:

Medical Bills
Future Medical Expenses
Lost Wages
Pain and Suffering

Maritime law also protects passengers by providing compensation for a loss of earnings capacity. This protection provides compensation in the event that an injury or illness results in permanent disability.

Cruise ship passengers are protected from incidents that occur onboard and at the port. You may also be entitled to compensation if you were injured on land during the cruise. For example, if you were injured during recreational activities on shore.

What Should the Victims of an Accident or Crime on a Cruise Ship Do?

There are several things that you should do if you have been a victim of a cruise ship accident or crime. These steps will protect your legal rights to ensure that you receive justice, including maximum compensation for your injuries.

Report your incident to the cruise line and comply with their medical team. The cruise line will likely require you to visit their infirmary and file a report.

Do not sign anything admitting guilt and remember that their medical doctor works for the cruise line. These professionals will do everything in their power to protect the ship and cruise operators.

Get a copy of any incident reports that the cruise line doctors, law enforcement, or ship workers complete for your records.

Take photographic evidence of any and all circumstances related to your injury, illness, or crime that occurred. This may include photos or videos of injuries, surrounding environment, etc. Get a list of other passengers who may have witnessed the incident, including contact names, phone numbers, and other vital information.

Keep copies of all documents regarding the incident, including medical, criminal, or other types of reports.

You are required to comply with the medical team onboard, but you should seek additional medical opinions once you return to shore.

Most cruise lines set stipulations regarding the statute of limitations for injuries that occur on a cruise line. Generally, these laws limit the time frame to file a case to one year from the date that the accident occurred.

Willie D. Powell III specializes in the complex laws surrounding accidents that occur at sea, including on cruise ships. Reach out immediately to discuss your case.