Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Blog
On February 6, 2016, nearly 4,500 passengers boarded Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Anthem of the Seas and departed on a trip to the Florida and the Bahamas. Unfortunately, a severe storm began the next day. Said storm was accompanied by wind gusts of up to 120 miles-per-hour and about 40-foot tall waves! Due to the severity of the storm, the ship’s captain ordered everyone to remain in their rooms. One passenger, Mr. Simpson, brought a negligence lawsuit against the cruise line. Mr. Simpson alleges that the captain of the cruise ship had knowledge of the approaching storm and neglected the safety of the passengers. The captain negligently opted to sail through a hurricane. During the hurricane, the ship shook so violently that Mr. Simpson was thrown 18 feet across his room. He sustained a concussion, a bruise on his left eye, an injured wrist and pains and bruising on his torso, ribs, and neck. Mr. Simpson now seeks to recover damages in physical injury, physical pain and suffering, impairment and economic insecurity.
What to Do if You Suffer an Injury on a Cruise Ship
First of all, please be advised that you must act quickly if you or your loved one suffers an injury at the fault of a cruise line. As a matter of fact, at the moment you purchase your cruise ship ticket, you are entering into a binding contract with the cruise line. This particular contract, once in writing, specifies how long you have to file a lawsuit if you are injured, for example. What is noteworthy is that this time limit can be as short as six months to one year. For this reason, it is imperative that you retain an experienced maritime lawyer as soon as possible to begin working on your case.
When injury occurs, the initial step should always be to contact the ship’s safety or security officer. This is the individual that you will report the accident to. Additionally, it is important that you proffer a written notice your intent to file a personal injury lawsuit. It is important that you note the names and contact information of any witnesses of the accident. You should also note the names and contact information of any individual that provided assistance to you following the incident. Furthermore, it is a good idea to take plenty of photos of the scene where the accident occurred. This helps safeguard you if the cruise line later destroys or damages evidence. Of course, you should seek medical help as soon as possible on the ship. Once the ship is ported, you should seek medical attention off the ship as well.
Take Action
The maritime personal injury attorneys at Gerson & Schwartz, PA have more than 80 years of combined experience handling a variety of accident, injury, wrongful death claims including claims for missing persons. Our attorneys are licensed to practice law in all Florida state and federal courts. Our Florida law offices are located in Miami near the port of Miami and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. We will not charge you for your case unless we recover money on your behalf. Contact us today for a consultation.