No one excepts to get hurt when they are on vacation. Yet cruise ships pose unique hazards to passengers on the open seas. Passengers may be hurt if they slip and fall on stairs or around pools or hot tubs. Improper or poor food handling may lead to food poisoning. Passengers may also get injured when participating on such ship activities as climbing walls, water slides, or surf simulators. While minor, there is always a risk of catastrophic injuries resulting from grounding, fire, or falling overboard.
If you are gravely injured on cruise ships run by Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Celebrity, or any other cruise line, you should immediately find your legal rights. Not only do cruise ship injuries fall under a different set of laws, but your ticket also likely limits the time you have to notify the cruise line of your claim and file a lawsuit. Plus, your ticket often restricts where you can file a lawsuit. Should you miss the deadlines or file your lawsuit in the wrong location, your case could be dismissed.
At Wolfson & Leon, our maritime attorneys defend the rights of passengers gravely injured on cruise ships. Contact us today for your free and personal case evaluation by calling 305-285-1115.
Cruise Ship Staircase AccidentsMany cruise ships have multiple decks for passenger rooms, dining, and activities and are equipped with indoor and outdoor stairs. Stairwells can be a quick way to get to another deck without waiting for an elevator. However, cruise ship stairs may not follow the same land-based building codes that passengers are used to. Varied sizes of stairs, treads, and dimensions can make cruise ship stairwells risky. Outdoor staircases may become wet from rain or water splashed up from the ocean.
You could be seriously hurt if you fall on a cruise ship staircase. A cruise ship staircase accident may happen if;
Passengers can be badly hurt if they slip or trip and fall on a cruise ship staircase. They may break bones, tear ligaments, or injure their back or neck. Passengers may suffer from a traumatic brain injury if they hit their head on the stairs, railing, or floor when falling. And if the railing gives way or a passenger tumbles down multiple stairs, the accident may result in permanent injury.
Can I Recover Damages in a Cruise Ship Accident?Under maritime law, cruise ship owners, operators, and employees owe passengers a duty of reasonable care. Although this standard may vary depending on your accident's circumstances, a cruise line operator is usually required to keep common areas free of foreseeable hazards. This can mean having adequate non-slip surfaces on decks or keeping the walkways free of hazards.
When ship owners, operators, or employees are negligent with their responsibility of providing a safe environment, an injured passenger may have the right to recover compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future earnings loss.
Why Call a Port Canaveral Cruise Line Accident Lawyer?When you are gravely hurt when traveling on a cruise ship, be sure that you take the appropriate steps to report the accident to the cruise line when it happens. You should seek legal help from a Port Canaveral Cruise Line accident lawyer as soon as possible. Different laws and rules may govern your cruise ship accident, so seeking the help of an experienced maritime lawyer is critical to protecting your rights.
At Wolfson & Leon, our team of Miami cruise line accident attorneys defend the rights of passengers hurt when traveling on a cruise ship. When you or a family member were severely injured on a cruise ship, we invite you to call us today for a free and confidential case analysis. We review the legal merits of your claim, answer your questions, and talk with you about available legal options to recover compensation when you are gravely injured. Find out more by calling the Port Canaveral cruise line accident attorneys at Wolfson & Leon today at 305-285-1115.