Accidents that occur on cruise ships are different than other types of personal injury cases and require the experience and knowledge of a cruise ship accident attorney. There are often state, federal, and maritime laws that may be involved and it is important to determine which entity will have jurisdiction over the accident claim.
Cruise ship companies owe the passengers on their ships a special duty of care, meaning these companies are required to provide the utmost in protection from injury. The company is required to ensure that each passenger safely arrives in port. If the company fails to adhere to this duty and a passenger is injured because of this failure, then the company may be liable for any damages and losses the passenger suffers.
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, there may be multiple parties who could be liable for the victim’s injuries including the company who owns the ship, the company who was operating the ship, the company who was chartering the ship, and the company who sold the passenger the ticket for the cruise. There may even be a third-party who is also liable. A skilled cruise ship accident attorney will be able to determine who all the liable parties are.
The most common types of cruise ship accidents include:
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- Burns or other injuries from fires
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- Dock accidents
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- Falling objects
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- Falling overboard
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- Illnesses from contaminated food or unsanitary conditions, such as the Norovirus
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- Injuries resulting from errors made in navigation
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- Injuries while participating in recreational activities aboard the ship
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- Medical malpractice or medical negligence
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- Physical assault because of unsafe areas
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- Pool accidents
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- Sexual assault because of unsafe areas
- Slip and falls
Filing Cruise Ship Accident Lawsuits
Many cruise ship tickets have contracts which outline what the cruise company’s liability may be in the event a passenger is injured during the cruise. It is important for every passenger to read exactly what those terms are and to make sure they understand these terms in order to protect their legal rights in the event they are injured and wants to pursue an injury lawsuit.
There are often certain criteria that the company may include in these contracts which stipulate requirements the passenger is agreeing to before they can file a lawsuit. For example, there is often a requirement that the passenger is agreeing to notify the company in writing that they plan on filing a claim for the accident. There is often a very limited time frame that the passenger will have to notify the company after the accident, as well as how long the passenger has to file the lawsuit.
Whatever type of clauses may be in the contract, an experienced cruise ship accident attorney will know how to proceed with an accident claim against the company in order to be successful in collecting damages the victim deserves for their injuries.
Let a Cruise Ship Accident Attorney Assist You
If you were injured while spending time on a cruise ship, contact a law firm to find out how they can help. A skilled cruise ship accident attorney can meet and discuss the details of your case and determine what the best legal course of action to take is.
Source: Elizabeth, NJ Personal Injury Lawyers, Rispoli & Borneo, P.C.