Those who purchase passage aboard a cruise ship rarely expect the likelihood of experiencing injury. However, mistakes happen, and when they do as a result of the negligence of the cruise ship staff, a lawsuit can be filed to collect compensation for the damages. At the top-rated Normandie Law Firm, our skilled attorneys with experience handling cruise ship accident claims can assist you in building your case, and file a claim. If you have any questions after reading this article, please feel free to contact our San Francisco law offices for a free consultation. A qualified lawyer experienced in cruise ship accident cases will be happy to help you.
Cruise Ships & Cruise Ship Accidents
Cruise ships are like luxury hotels that cross open seas. However, just like hotels, the cruise ship staff and company are expected to uphold a level of safety and security to all of their passengers. When this degree of care fails, the cruise ship or cruise line company can be held as responsible for any damages that the passenger may receive while under their care. Listed below are some of the more popular cruise lines throughout the United States:
- Azamara Club Cruises
- Carnival Cruise Lines
- Celebrity Cruises
- Cosa Cruises
- Crystal Cruises
- Cunard Line
- Disney Cruise Line
- Holland America Line
These are just some of the popular cruise lines from around the U.S. However, regardless of a cruise line’s popularity, they are expected to uphold a level of safety and security for all of their passengers. Whenever this degree of safety and security is breached, a passenger has every right to hire a maritime injury or cruise ship injury attorney to file a lawsuit for the injury and trauma that they have suffered. Listed below are some of the common injuries that a passenger can endure while on a cruise ship:
- Food Poisoning: The contracting of a foodborne illness via consumption of ill-prepared food served by cruise ship staff
- Burn Injury: A burn injury is considered to be any damage to the layers of skin via exposure to harsh chemicals, light radiation, thermal exposure, or electrical current.
- Slip, and Fall Accidents: Slip and fall accidents occur when passengers fall as a result of poor floor or visibility conditions
- Assault and Battery: Assault and battery are two forms of violence, assault being the threat of violence, and battery being the actual execution of said violence.
- Sexual Assault: Sexual assault is the unsolicited sexual advances of another and can range from inappropriate touching to the most severe form of sexual assault: rape
- Falling overboard: Passengers have been known to fall overboard if they disregard designated safety procedures or if there are no adequate safety measures in place.
- Drowning: Since cruise ships pass through open ocean, the likelihood of a passenger falling overboard and drowning can be reasonably high.
- Bed Bug Bites: bed bugs can be a major nuisance to passengers, and can inflict quite painful wounds.
- Contagious Diseases: The proximity of cruise ships makes passengers more susceptible to contracting dangerous infectious diseases
- Injury from Onboard Fires: Due to the proximity of cruise ships fires that break out on board can be incredibly dangerous
- Medical Malpractice of Cruise Ship Medical Staff: Cruise ships tend to have their medical team on staff, and when they fail to uphold the level of care all medical professionals are held to a lawsuit can be filed against them.
- Mechanical Failures: Like all large machines, cruise ships can experience malfunction, when this occurs, many are at risk for injury
- Theft of Valuables or Identity: With all the kinds of people buying cruise ship tickets, the odds of having something stolen are reasonably high.
The Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations for any lawsuit is the time limit wherein a case can be brought to court. If these rules on a lawsuit’s deadlines are not followed, then there is a high chance that the entire case can be dismissed. In regards to cruise ship accidents, in most states, victims who have experienced an injury on a cruise ship have just a single year to file a suit. This is because, technically, there is no statute of limitations for cruise ship injuries. Instead, there is a period designated in the ‘fine print’ of a cruise line ticket indicating that victims only have a single year to file their case. Cruise lines do this as they know that many guests will not read the fine print on the ticket and think that they have the standard two-three (or any other time limit designated by your particular state) The fine print also defines that minors have three years to file a case.
For this reason, it is vital that you seek appropriate legal representation immediately after suffering a cruise ship injury. An accomplished attorney who has experience in cruise ship accident cases can assist you in understanding the statute of limitations surrounding your particular case and how best to file your claim. Having an experienced attorney on your side could mean the difference between filing a successful claim for compensation and having your case dismissed from court.
How Normandie Law Firm Can Help
Cruise ship accidents can be incredibly devastating to those who experience them, and the damages can last a lifetime. If you or a loved one has suffered any injuries as a result of a cruise ship accident, then you may be entitled to monetary compensation for all the damages that you have suffered. If you file a claim with our Los Angeles law firm, you could find some, if not all, of these following expenses compensable:
- All medical expenses
- Loss of Income
- Loss of Potential Future Income
- Emotional Damages (stress, anxiety, PTSD, etc…)
- Punitive Damages (which are difficult to win; as a result, only a top attorney with expertise in cruise ship injury lawsuits can secure them for your settlement)
Victims of cruise ship accidents one can contact our law offices to learn more about how to receive compensation for their injuries. Our expert attorneys with experience in cruise ship accident cases in Los Angeles are committed to ensuring every one of our clients has the resources to put up a fair fight for their cases.
FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: As a show this commitment to you and your case we offer our clients the benefits of a zero fee guarantee policy. Under our zero fee policy, all clients don’t pay for our services until their case is won. If you feel in need of a second opinion, second opinion case reviews are also free under this policy. Call our law offices today for a free consultation by one of our experienced lawyers, and we can discuss the incident, your damages, and the path to receiving proper compensation for your damages.
