Every year, millions of vacationers flock to cruises. In 2018, 28.2 million people bought cruise tickets, bringing in around $45.6 billion dollars for the cruise industry. With so many people in one place, cruise ship accidents are bound to occur.
What Every Cruise Ship Passenger Needs To Know
When preparing for a trip, most people do not want to think about the things that could go wrong. However, being prepared for a worst case scenario may actually help you relax on your cruise. The following list of major cruise lines will only give you a year to file any lawsuits:
- Carnival Cruises
- Celebrity Cruises
- Norwegian Cruise Lines
- Princess Cruises
- Royal Caribbean Cruises
A great way to decide which cruise line is best for you and your needs, make sure to look for testimonials. Reading other passengers’ experience with the cruise line will help you make a more informed decision.
Cruise Ticket
When you buy your cruise ticket, there is usually fine print. If we are being honest, most people do not read the fine print. However it actually contains a lot of useful and important information. For example, if you become sick or injured on a major cruise line, this is where they will have their disclaimer on how you can proceed.
Medical Care
Cruise ship companies employ medical doctors on their ships. However, it is important to keep in mind that they may not be qualified for every situation. When looking into cruise lines, it is important to look into what type of doctor is employed on that particular ship. If you sustain a serious injury, you will want to make sure that the cruise ship you have chosen will be prepared to give you aid.
Shore Excursions
Most cruise line companies offer shore excursions as part of their experience. While exciting and adventurous, it can create dangerous conditions for both crew members and passengers alike. If you are involved in a shore excursion accident, you will be under the jurisdiction of whichever country you are in.
Cruise Ship Injury Cases
It is important to know that if you are going to be filing a personal injury lawsuit, it needs to be filed where the cruise line has specified in the fine print on your passenger ticket. Most major cruise line companies are based in Miami, Florida.
While it is not fun to think about being hurt or becoming ill on your dream vacation, preparing for the worst is an important part of being a responsible traveler.
Common Types Of Cruise Accidents And Incidents
Knowing you need to be prepared is one thing, knowing what you need to be prepared for is very different. Both crew members and passengers alike are susceptible to crime, injury and illness. It can be hard to prepare for the uncertain, but there are a few accidents, injuries and incidences you can plan for.
Illness
There are some illnesses that are easier to imagine and to prepare for. Motion sickness, also known as sea sickness, is a very common way to end up needing medical care. Food poisoning is not an unlikely scenario either. Another illness that is common on cruise ships is Norovirus. Although cruise lines do their best to maintain a clean and sanitary facility, ships can be a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.
Accidents
Accidents are not uncommon on cruise ships, being on the water can cause dangerous conditions and lead to serious injuries. Cruise lines often have swimming pools, which can lead to accidents and drowning if there is not proper supervision. Fall accidents are another possibility. Oftentimes, passengers have been imbibing and with the motion of the water, it becomes easier to slip and fall. If you have sustained a cruise ship injury, a cruise ship accident attorney will be best qualified to handle your injury case.
Crime
Unfortunately, you cannot always avoid crime. Wherever you have a large gathering of people, you will often have some sort of crime. Sexual assault is the most commonly reported type of crime on cruise ships. Robbery, physical assault and murder have all occurred on the high seas, and therefore need to be kept in mind when booking a cruise.
If you are the victim of a crime or you are an accident victim, it is important to seek a maritime lawyer. Maritime law can be complex and confusing, even for those lawyers who practice regularly, so hiring one with years of experience can make the process easier for you.
What You Need To Know About Cruise Ship Law
When something goes wrong on a cruise ship, it can be hard to know what you need to do. Maritime law governs what happens out at sea, and cruise ships offer a unique set of circumstances. If you have a personal injury case, it is important to seek a maritime lawyer that has experience with personal injury lawsuits against major cruise lines.
The general maritime law from the United States Supreme Court holds that cruise ship owners owe a legal duty to passengers to act with reasonable care under the circumstances. Cruise ships also have a duty of care to ensure the safety of their passengers. This special duty of care owed to passengers includes protection from crew members’ assaults, rapes, and other criminal attacks.
The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act, is a federal statute that gives anyone who has been working on a ship, barge, or oil rig and has been injured on the job the right to sue their employer for personal injury damages. If you are a crew member who has experienced a personal injury, you need to seek an experienced maritime trial lawyer.
Usually in maritime law the statute of limitations to file an injury claim is three years, but under cruise ship law, the statute of limitations is narrowed down to one year. This is usually stated as part of the passenger’s ticket contract, in the fine print. Accident victims are also required under the passenger ticket contract to provide written notice to the cruise line within six months from injury date.
If you intend to file a personal injury lawsuit, medical malpractice lawsuit, or a wrongful death lawsuit, you will need a law firm that specializes in maritime law. The time frame for filing claims is very short, and the guidelines to be able to file in that time are strict. It is important to hire a trial lawyer that will be able to best represent you.
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What To Do If You Are Involved In A Cruise Ship Accident
Being involved in an accident on a cruise can be traumatic and confusing. If you or a loved one are involved in a cruise ship accident, there are steps you need to take to make sure proper procedure is followed.
Injury victims should seek medical care. The first thing you need to do if you receive a serious injury is to see the cruise ship’s doctor.
- File an accident or injury report and make sure you get a copy.
- Make sure to document any and all injuries, and try to get statements of any witnesses to the accident.
- Obtain a cruise ship injury lawyer, have them do a case review and make sure to send a written notice of your intent to file a personal injury claim.
- Keep track of any medical bills that may accrue.
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Contact Florin|Roebig Accident Attorneys
Florin|Roebig wants to take on your cruise ship accident case! Our personal injury attorneys have years of experience. With a free case evaluation, we can give you a case review and begin to fight for you. We care about your personal injury case and are ready to file your cruise ship injury claim. For your free consultation with an injury lawyer, call Florin|Roebig at (800) 226-6581 today!
