Cruise ships are massive floating vessels more complex than the average boat. Some people call modern cruise ships floating cities. The largest cruise liners have retail stores, casinos, multiple restaurants, bars, nightclubs, auditoriums, bumper cars, water parks, gyms, and other impressive facilities.
The size and options on these ships make them an attractive draw for vacationers who want everything in one place. Every year, millions of people board cruises to see other parts of the work and enjoy themselves along the way.
However, an unfortunate aspect of crowds and water and alcohol when mixed is the increased risk of injuries.
Thousands of people have been injured on cruises. Sometimes, those injuries are fatal.
People who go on cruises should recognize their vacations aren’t risk-free. In addition, when bad things happen, the cruise lines may be held liable for damages.
If you or someone you know is hurt on a cruise ship, finding good legal support is often just as essential as getting medical attention. A qualified cruise ship personal injury lawyer will protect you and your family from financial harm and other related impacts.
Here are five of the most common cruise ship injuries and how victims can win damages after the fact.
John Leighton is one of the country’s best cruise ship accident lawyers. Located in Florida, where most of the world’s cruises originate, the team at Leighton Panoff Law is in a prime position to monitor legal issues around cruise injuries and push for reform.
At Leighton Panoff Law, we deal with various cruise ship accident claims, ranging from negligent security to slips and falls to sexual assault.
What causes cruise ship accidents? By far, slip and fall injuries are the most common incident on cruises.
It’s no wonder. People drink, run, walk, and have fun on a ship with plenty of wet surfaces.
In addition, the crew must sometimes navigate rough seas that make it hard for passengers to maintain their balance.
As a result, injuries are relatively common. Five common cruise ship injuries include:
These are just some of the common injuries we see on cruise ships.
Working with an experienced cruise ship personal injury lawyer will help you know what to do after an injury and how to seek damages.
Besides slip and fall injuries, some of the claims we bring include the following:
Injury victims often feel like an accident aboard a cruise ship was an honest mistake. What they don’t realize, sometimes, is that operators, owners, and other cruise stakeholders are liable for damages as part of the customer-cruise contract.
Winning damages often requires aggressive litigation due to the challenges of pursuing a cruise ship personal injury case.
Why are cruise ship personal injury cases often challenging?
First, most cruise lines require that cases or claims must be brought in Miami because the city is their largest port. Miami is home to more cruise ships than anywhere else in the world. Millions fly or drive to Miami every year before boarding a ship.
Second, cruises typically fly foreign flags to bypass United States laws. Old arcane industry regulations and the complicated legality around liability put limits on passenger rights.
Finally, injury victims usually have only one year from the time of their injury. This short statute of limitations is designed to limit company liability because many people fail to file claims or understand the extent of injuries before it’s too late.
Knowing this, what should victims do?
Aggressive litigation is often the best course after a cruise ship injury. The right personal injury lawyer with experience dealing with cruise companies knows how to put travelers in the best position to win settlements and judgments.
Time is of the essence due to a short statute of limitations and a legal system designed to protect cruise ships and their operators.
At Leighton Panoff Law, we aggressively represent victims and pursue their cases in Miami to hold liable parties accountable.
When is the cruise ship to blame for an injury?
It’s essential that victims recognize that cruise ships and the staff have a duty of care toward passengers. They’re responsible for providing a safe environment free from risks of sexual assault, slip and fall injuries, drowning, etc.
A failure to meet those responsibilities leaves them open to liability. In many cases, thankfully, nothing happens when a lifeguard leaves their post, or the cleaning staff fails to address wet areas around pools or in lobbies.
However, injuries happen more than most people think.
Companies must act to limit risks and warn people about potential hazards. When they don’t, and someone is injured, they should bear the costs.
The history of injuries and the risks of traveling on cruises mean cruise operators are experts at limiting exposure.
For example, injury victims frequently report that cruise staff interview them or try to take recorded statements after an accident.
Well-meaning people will mistakenly say that it was a freak accident or that they blame themselves. Statements like these and other mistakes related to inexperience can severely harm a cruise ship personal injury claim.
Quick action after a cruise ship injury increases your chances of winning compensation. Damages will cover essential costs like:
Here’s a basic overview of what you should do after an injury on a cruise ship.
Florida lawyers will likely be your best bet in any cruise ship accident claim. They’re close to where the industry is located and will probably have the most experience.
In addition, only work with a law firm that specializes in representing cruise ship injury victims.
Finally, hire a legal team with a track record of winning sizeable judgments and settlements for their clients.
At Leighton Panoff Law, we’ve spent years fighting for our clients to hold irresponsible cruise ship staff, management, and owners responsible for injuries, wrongful death, and other incidents.
Take a look at some of our recent successful cases.
As you can see from the above cases, cruise ships will try to obfuscate the facts and deny liability in cases where there was a clear breach of their duty of care.
The team at Leighton Panoff Law offers free consultations to help you decide whether you have a case and how to proceed.
Get the compensation you deserve after an injury or wrongful death by aggressively pursuing litigation against those responsible.
Common cruise ship injuries include broken bones, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal injuries, lacerations, and psychological trauma. These injuries often result from slip and fall accidents, rough seas, intoxicated passengers, or poor maintenance of onboard facilities. If you’re injured on a cruise, it’s critical to understand that cruise lines may be held legally responsible if they failed to maintain a safe environment.
Cruise lines, staff, or associated third parties like shore excursion providers can be liable for injuries if they breach their duty of care to passengers. For example, if wet surfaces are left untreated, security is lacking, or medical care onboard is inadequate, the cruise operator may be responsible for resulting harm. A cruise ship personal injury lawyer can determine which party should be held accountable.
To prove liability, you must show that the cruise line failed to take reasonable precautions to prevent your injury. Evidence such as witness statements, incident reports, medical records, and photos of the accident scene are crucial. An experienced lawyer will help collect this evidence and build a strong case on your behalf.
Seek medical attention, gather witness information, document the scene with photos or videos, and retain any related records. Avoid giving written or recorded statements to cruise personnel. As soon as possible, consult with a cruise ship injury lawyer to protect your legal rights and begin building your case.
Yes, if your injury occurs on a shore excursion arranged by the cruise line or one of its affiliates, you may still be able to hold the cruise company liable. Shore excursions are often advertised as part of the cruise package, and the cruise line may be responsible for vetting the safety of third-party providers.
Most cruise lines require personal injury lawsuits to be filed in Miami, Florida, as part of their ticket contracts. This is because Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world and serves as the legal home base for many cruise companies. Working with a Florida-based cruise injury lawyer ensures you’re filing in the right jurisdiction.
Most cruise ship injury claims must be filed within one year of the incident. This statute of limitations is significantly shorter than in typical personal injury cases and is enforced strictly by cruise line contracts. Delaying legal action may result in losing your right to compensation.
Yes, cruise ship injury victims can pursue damages for emotional distress, including mental anguish, pain and suffering, and trauma. In addition to compensation for physical injuries, these non-economic damages are often significant and require legal expertise to quantify and recover.
Cruise companies are well-practiced in protecting themselves from liability. They may attempt to collect statements that downplay the seriousness of the injury or dispute the facts surrounding the incident. Their legal teams are trained to minimize payouts, which is why hiring an experienced cruise injury lawyer is vital.
Leighton Panoff Law has extensive experience handling complex cruise ship injury cases. With multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for cruise accident victims, the firm is a trusted advocate for those harmed on the high seas. Based in Florida, they understand the cruise industry’s legal framework and aggressively pursue justice on behalf of injured passengers.
A nationally-recognized trial lawyer who handles catastrophic injury and death cases. He manages Leighton Law, P.A. trial lawyers, with offices in Miami and Orlando, Florida. He is President of The National Crime Victim Bar Association, author of the 2-volume textbook,Litigating Premises Security Cases, and past Chairman of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America’s Motor Vehicle, Highway & Premises Liability Section. Having won some of the largest verdicts in Florida history, Mr. Leighton is listed inThe Best Lawyers in America (14 years), “Top Lawyers” in the South Florida Legal Guide (15 years), Top 100 Florida SuperLawyer™ and Florida SuperLawyers (14 years), “Orlando Legal Elite” by Orlando Style magazine, and FloridaTrend magazine “Florida Legal Elite