A cruise should be a fun and safe time. And while most cruises remain fun and injury free, there are ways to be hurt while on a cruise.
The following are the most common cruise ship accidents:
- Slip and falls or trip and falls: Cruise ship staff are required to maintain a safe ship. This means if there are any wet or slick surfaces, adequate warning signs should be displayed. Stairs and landings should be properly maintained so that there is nothing broken, sharp or uneven so falls do not occur.
- Drowning: Most cruise ships have several pools on board, as well as water slides and other cool additions. These must be monitored at all times by the cruise line’s staff so that drowning accidents are prevented. With that said, staff must properly secure the pool areas at night when no lifeguards are available.
- Fires: Fires on cruise ships can lead to various issues for passengers, including the very serious threat of burn injuries, having to evacuate the ship, and a loss of power which can lead to a loss of sewer and food storage capabilities.
- Collisions With Other Ships/Objects: When a cruise ship crashes into another ship, object, or even a piece of land, everyone onboard could be harmed.
- Food Poisoning And Other Illnesses: Cruise ships house thousands of people, and because people are within a confined space, stomach viruses can be spread quite easily among guests. On a similar note, if food is not prepared or stored properly, everyone onboard can become seriously ill in a short amount of time.
- Defective Equipment: If the cruise ship has any faulty equipment, your risk for suffering an injury is dramatically increased. This includes dangerous defects in the on-ship bowling alley, rock climbing walls, water rides, golf courses, and other fun additions.
- Excursion Injuries: Just be aware that just because cruise ships contract other companies to provide activities off the boat, like snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, zip-lining, and spelunking, this does not mean that these companies follow the necessary safety protocols you expect.
Filing an injury claim against the cruise line can be complex. It is important to understand that attorneys and insurance companies that represent cruise ship lines will do whatever they can to limit paying a claim and having their brand tarnished. There are specific time frames and other laws that govern cruise ship injuries that must be followed when filing an injury claim.
Our Florida Cruise Ship Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are familiar with the specific laws that must be followed should you need to file a lawsuit against a cruise line. We will fight aggressively to make sure your interests are protected. Our goal is to secure maximum compensation for your suffering.
Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.