– What should I do after accident?
– What can I win in a cruise ship injury lawsuit?
– What is the deadline to sue?
– Cruise Ship Company Liability
– Cruise Ship Safety and common hazards
Cruise ships are popular vacation choices due to the abundance of activities that are available onboard, all of which can be done while at sea. It is a place that often hosts getaways for a few days at a time. If you have been injured on a cruise ship, though, you should seek out appropriate legal action and get the compensation you deserve. Our team of cruise ship accident lawyers at the Downtown LA Law Group will be able to assist you with your case and see to it that you are given the best representation available. We have years of experience handling cruise ship injury lawsuits and we know the best methods to win your claim for you.
Types of Cruise Ship Accidents & Injuries
Cruise ships are generally large boats with numerous passengers and crew members on board. They are very big and have many activities that are otherwise present on the land. The cruise ships may not be properly maintained, though, and there may be inherent dangers present onboard. Some of the accidents that can happen on cruise ships include the following:
- Slip and fall accidents: Slip and fall accidents can happen on cruise ships where there are spills, broken stairs, debris or items in hallways, unstable walkways, and more. You can essentially slip and fall anywhere on a cruise ship, and the injuries can be compounded by falling off the boat or off a deck.
- Swimming pool accidents: There are often swimming pools present on cruise ships, which can lead to many accidents. There may not always be a lifeguard present, and the pools themselves may have defective parts, such as broken diving boards, malfunctioning ladders, broken stairs, and much more. The tiles nearby may also be excessively slippery, and there may be no warnings of the depths of the pool. Therefore, no one can read what is posted and may hurt themselves diving in.
- Elevator and escalator accidents: The numerous decks of cruise ships can be accessed by elevators and escalators at times. These areas may be broken in some way and can easily cause a catastrophic incident.
- Recreational activities: Some cruise ships have numerous recreational activities on board, such as rock climbing, and the activity could be very unsafe.
- Drowning: Some individuals choose to jump off the cruise ship and swim in the ocean, which can be very dangerous if you are not anchored or if you are out in open waters far from shore. It is much easier and more common to drown in the ocean than it is to drown in a pool, but the latter can still occur.
- Assault and battery: The abundance of guest son the ship and the likelihood of lowered inhibitions and low amount of security means that many people will act violently towards others. If you were assaulted, sexually assaulted, raped, or otherwise harassed by a member of the crow or another guest, you could sue for damages.
- Bed bugs: Because of the large amount of passengers present on cruise ships who are bringing their own clothing and luggage, the rooms and bunks can become infested with bed bugs. These creatures are notoriously difficult to kill and can live for months without feeding or appearing.
- Falling objects: It is possible that parts of the cruise ship can become dislodged due to heavy waves or storms. If you are hit by a chandelier, painting, light fixture, or other item that has detached from the wall, you could be seriously injured and take legal action.
- Structural failures: The cruise ships should have ample maintenance done on them, and if there are defects or problems with the design of the ship, injuries and accidents can happen. These dangers should be taken care of, and if they cannot be fixed at once, should be marked appropriately with labels or hazard and warning signs.
- Wrongful death: It is possible that an accident on a cruise ship can lead to a wrongful death, such as a drowning or a fall. It is difficult to get the best medical treatment when on a cruise ship and a loved one or family member could tragically pass away from his or her injuries.
What should I do if I were in an accident on a cruise ship?
- Pictures of your injuries
- Medical notes detailing the nature and extent of your damages
- Copies of medical receipts and proof of treatment that you received
- Pictures and videos of the scene of the accident
- Surveillance footage, if available
- Statements and testimonies from other individuals on board the ship who saw the incident happen or who were similarly injured
- Receipts and bank statements showing that you paid for the cruise
- A copy of the incident report you filed with the cruise ship
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form or call (213) 389-3765 today.< It is important that you gather all of your evidence quickly and without alerting the ship until you have everything. If you alert them to the incident beforehand, such as with bed bugs, the cruise ship manager will likely quarantine the area or issue an emergency fix. This will make it impossible for you to get the proof you need, which will prevent you from getting your deserved compensation.
What can I win in a cruise ship injury lawsuit?
If you were hurt while on a cruise ship, you could receive ample forms of restitution for your damages. You should not be expected to walk away from the incident owing money for debts and bills if you were not responsible for it in the first place. The value of your claim will be determined by the insurance agent responsible for handling it. He will look at how impactful the damages were and how much they affected your life and career. He will also look at how negligent you were or your level of responsibility for the incident. — How Much is a Cruise Ship Injury Case Worth: Average Settlement Amount?Our goal will be to win you the following types of compensation:When your vacation dreams turns into a nightmare – one of many Cruise Ship Accidents
You have been planning it for months now; that cruise ship vacation you’ve been dreaming of. Your entire family is going and you are all so excited to set sail. You’ve packed your bags and can’t wait to be sipping on that tropical drink with the umbrella sticking out. This is how most people feel as they get ready to go on a cruise ship vacation. Yet most people don’t realize just how many cruise ship accidents occur every day. Or you could be an innocent cruise ship employee, and have fallen victim to the negligence of the Cruise Company or management.
- Medical bills (surgery, hospitalization, medication, physical therapy, future medical procedures, and more)
- Lost income (missed promotions, benefits, checks, tips, and future wages due to time spent receiving medical treatment or recovering)
- Property damage (replacement of items, payment for broken belongings, and more)
- Pain and suffering damages (emotional trauma, PTSD, anxiety, fear, psychological anguish, and more)
- Wrongful death damages in the event a loved one or family member dies in the incident (funeral and burial fees, loss of consortium and relations, loss of expected inheritance and savings, pre-death medical bills and pain and suffering, and more)
Cruise Ship Safety and common hazards on cruise ships
Cruise ship accidents can occur just as commonly as they do in a restaurant, on the road, or at home. There are hazardous situations that occur daily on a cruise ship that can lead to person injury; incidents like to slip on a wet deck, food poisoning, sickness outbreak, falling off one of the decks or a balcony to a lower deck, falling down stairs, being attacked by someone, not to mention the most horrible event that could occur – someone disappearing off of the side of the cruise ship. These cruise ship accidents and others occur more often than most vacationers realize, and it’s something every person should be aware of prior to cruising.
Learn more about your legal options by chatting with a representative now.
What is the deadline to sue for a cruise ship injury?
The statute of limitations is the time during which you can file a lawsuit to pursue damages. If you do not file a lawsuit within this time period, you will be unable to receive anything for your case, and your claim will be thrown out. It is important that you act quickly to ensure that your evidence is submitted on time and you do not run the risk of missing out on your deserved restitution.California has a statute of limitations of 2 years on personal injury lawsuits, but cruise ships do not necessarily adhere to that limit. Because the ships often travel among many states and waters, it can be difficult to select which statute to follow – the state of origin, the state in which the injury occurred, or something else? To avoid this issue, cruise ships generally write notice requirements into their contracts. These notice requirements act identically to statute of limitations. However, they are often much shorter. Most cruise ship companies only have a statute of limitations of 1 year from the injury, while some are as short as one month.
There are some situations in which the statute of limitations can be extended or the notice can be lengthened. These circumstances often involve those who were minors at the time of the incident, those who were left incapacitated, or those whose intended defendants left the state. Minors can follow the statute when they turn 18 years old, while the incapacitated can follow it when they return to health. Further, once the defendant returns, the statute of limitations will resume; otherwise, it is temporarily suspended while he is out of state. If you are unsure of the time limit on your case, or if you are unaware of the time you have left, contact our firm for more assistance.Cruise Ship Company Liability for Your Injuries
If you become a victim to any of these types of cruise ship accidents, or something similar, the idea of battling over open waters may seem overwhelming. Taking on a cruise ship company in a battle over whose fault it is that you or your family experienced an accident isn’t easy alone. If you are a cruise ship employee (or former) and you experienced an injury at the negligence of the cruise company, you don’t have to take on the company by yourself. Insurance settlements will not usually cover the damages you have experienced, monetarily, emotionally, or physically. Let the attorneys at the Downtown LA Law offices fight your battle for you.
The Best Firm in Town
The Downtown LA Law Group in Los Angeles has years of experience filing lawsuits against cruise ships for injuries and accidents suffered on board. We know the best methods for success and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. Our firm is consistently lauded as one of the best in the city, and our high ratings and settlements speak for themselves.Our attorneys will represent you in your case against the cruise ship company, no matter what type of cruise ship accidents you have experienced. In California, there are several cruise ports that depart from our state, so we do have extensive experience in handling cases involving cruise ship accidents. We will begin with your initial consultation and provide you with our recommendations, giving you the choice of what option you wish to take. Your family deserves peace of mind, after such an experience; don’t let your ruined family vacation end with just a sad memory. Take action with our law offices, and get the results you need to be able to move forward with your life. We offer unmatched services and truly personalized care.Call our offices today to speak with an attorney in a free legal consultation. You can ask us questions about your case and what you should do to move forward, and we will tell you how much we feel it’s worth and what we will do to help. We will also give you our zero fee guarantee if you hire us to represent you. This states that you won’t have to pay a dime out of pocket – we will cover all the costs of the case ourselves, and if we lose, we get no payment from you at any point. If we win, the money will come from the settlement or verdict we bring you, so your personal finances will never be touched. If you were injured in a cruise ship accident, contact the Downtown LA Law Group today to sue for compensation.