Commentary by Zebersky Payne Shaw Lewenz, LLP
Cruise claims of injury have become a little too common in recent years during a time when the cruise ship industry seems to be developing far too many issues. But keep in mind that when you take a cruise, your rights are mostly protected in the event of any injuries. In fact, cruise ships take much more responsibility for your safety due to the ever-present dangers that already exist residing on a vessel treading water. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read your cruise contract, because many cruise ships are starting to revise them to avoid fewer lawsuits.
Filing a Claim Against a Cruise Ship
You have the right to file a claim against a cruise ship and those involved if the owners of the ship failed to protect your safety. Cruise ships fall under the legal title of a common carrier that requires more special care in assuring the safety of their passengers. And as we’ve seen in the media, it’s quite clear that cruise ships aren’t always safe. Your claim can be against not only the owner but also the company that booked your cruise. You also have other recourses if none of them were directly to blame for a particular injury.
Can You Sue if Someone Else Causes You Injury on the Ship?
While cruise ships may not be able to prevent certain accidents from happening, they take special care in making sure you’re safe from someone else hurting you. Most ships set up security cameras and hire security guards to make sure no one is hurt in a robbery or attempted rape. Even so, there’s always a chance of something happening, and you have the right to sue both the cruise line for liability and the person who injured you if they’re caught.
Keep in mind that you’ll need evidence of a person hurting you in order to succeed in your lawsuit. In the age of the security camera, it’ll be much easier.
Reading Your Cruise Contract
After many of the recent cruise ship incidents, many cruise lines are changing their contracts to make it tougher to sue for injuries. Be sure to read any clauses in your contract, because they could become overly complicated legally. NBC News reported on the infamous Carnival nightmare cruise in February and how the Carnival contract reduced all liability, specifically class action lawsuits. Contracts like that can leave you in a situation where you may never get compensation for any medical bills you incurred.
Cruise ships may also make it harder by limiting you to filing a claim in a specific state where you may find far too many inexperienced cruise ship lawyers.
Here at Zebersky Payne Shaw Lewenz, LLP, we have extensive experience in all injury claims, including the cruise ship industry. If your cruise ship contract limits you to filing in Florida, we’ll be on your side and fight for your rights to compensation, no matter what the cruise contract said.
Contact us for a consultation on your case if you’ve just ended a cruise that caused serious injury rather than the great travel experience it should have provided.