Cruise Ship Accidents

Article: What to Do If You Are Injured On a Cruise Ship

Cruises aren't always fun in the sun and games on deck. Serious injuries can and do occur as a result of cruise ship accidents. If you're injured on a cruise ship, it's important that you take measures to document your injuries and protect your rights.

The most common injuries on cruise ships include slip-and-fall injuries and run-ins with automatic doors or pieces of furniture. However, sexual assaults and other crimes may occur on cruise ships as well. Cruise ship injuries generally fall under general maritime law, and may also be governed by the contract you sign before boarding the cruise ship.

If you are injured on a cruise ship, report your injury to the ship immediately. Be sure to immediately document your surroundings at the time of injury. A disposable or digital camera will do. Make sure to take pictures of the warning signs (or lack thereof) on the premises, any unsafe conditions, and your injury.

Seek medical treatment immediately; the longer you take to seek medical care, the more leverage the cruise ship will have in proving that your injuries were not severe or unrelated. Most if not all cruise ships have a full medical staff that can help treat your injury; seek out medical care and find out the extent and nature of your injury as soon as possible. Promptly seeking medical attention will help you determine whether you need to be airlifted or dropped at the nearest port of call or if you can continue to stay on the ship.

Once you've sought medical attention, it's time to find legal representation in order to find out what your rights are. Since maritime and admiralty law can be complex and cruise ship law is based in part on contract, it's vital to find out how long you have to bring your lawsuit and in which venue to file. Your contract will lay out the legal specifications, but you may need a cruise ship lawyer to help you translate whether you have to present the cruise ship with a statement of particulars or are under any time restraints.

If you are injured on a cruise ship, even if you don't know if you will file suit, make sure to save all of your receipts. Expenses related to your injury may be compensable if you get a jury verdict; however, you can't claim expenses you can't prove.

If you were injured on a cruise ship, legal representation is the most effective way to secure your rights and eventually seek compensation. An experienced cruise ship lawyer can help evaluate your case and get you the compensation you deserve for a cruise ship's negligent or improper conduct.