What types of cruise ship accidents can be handled by a lawyer?

Miami, Florida is one of the most active and most popular cruise ship hubs in the U.S. Each year, the number of passengers spending their holiday on cruise ships continues to increase and as a direct result, the number of accidents and injuries continues to increase.

If an injured party has suffered due to negligent behavior while on a cruise ship, they have the right to be compensated for physical or emotional injury and harm to their property and/or financial status.

If you have been injured in a cruise accident, contact our principal attorney Sean M. Cleary and find out about your possibilities for filing a valid injury claim.

Cruise ship incidents that can be subject to a legal case

A cruise ship injury can not only ruin your vacation but can lead to a long recovery process and time away from work. All incidents that threaten the safety and well-being of cruise ship passengers and crew members can later constitute a legal case:

• cruise ships collisions
• cruise ship groundings and rogue waves
• fires or explosions on the cruise ship

Grounding accidents are events that lead to the damage of the submerged part of the hull, as a result of running aground. In January 2012, the Costa Concordia suffered cruise grounding off the Italian coast, and as a result, over 30 lives were lost.

The most common types of personal injury suffered aboard cruise ships are of course slip and fall accidents. They occur because of various reasons such as:

• failure to warn about dangerous conditions
• harsh weather conditions
• inattention
• insufficient lighting
• slippery floors

If the injured party can prove that the cruise line or crew failed to exercise care that a reasonable party would have (or that in the circumstances the law requires for the protection of other persons or the interests of other persons) the injured party may be entitled to compensation. Each case is singular in terms of the type of physical and emotional trauma and incidental financial losses suffered. Moreover, entitlement for compensation depends on:

• the cause of the incident
• prerequisites stated on the ticket/in the contract with the cruise line
• the severity of injuries suffered

What to do in case of a serious personal injury onboard a cruise ship

In case serious personal injuries occur onboard a cruise ship, it is important to know what exactly needs to be done. Passengers are advised to:

• report the incident to the security department of the ship
• visit the doctor on board, or if the injuries are severe ask to be transferred to a hospital on land
• document the circumstances of the accident, take pictures of the surrounding conditions, write down contact details of potential witnesses
• if they were the victim of a crime, ask the crew to report it to the FBI
• carefully read the contract on the back of the cruise ticket and make sure they respect the protocol
• file a written incident report to the cruise ship operating company within six months
• contact a maritime attorney as soon as possible

If you suffered a serious personal injury while onboard a cruise ship, do not hesitate to contact The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary as soon as possible. We have handled several personal injury cases on behalf of both passengers and crew members and we have the necessary experience and skills to effectively negotiate on your behalf.

Frequent cruise ship medical conditions

Contagious conditions spread through contaminated food and drinks, inadequate sanitation, and poor ventilation. The most frequently documented cruise ship outbreaks involve:

• respiratory infections (influenza and Legionnaires’ disease)
• GI infections (norovirus)
• vaccine-preventable diseases other than influenza

Cruise ship medical clinics deal with a wide variety of illnesses and injuries. Approximately 3%–11% of conditions reported to cruise ship infirmaries are urgent or represent an emergency.

Other statistics related to cruise ship illnesses and contamination include:

• Approximately 95% of illnesses are treated or managed onboard
• 5% require evacuation and shoreside consultation for medical, surgical, and dental problems
• Approximately half of the passengers who seek medical care are older than 65 years
• Most (69%–88%) passenger dispensary visits are due to medical conditions, of which respiratory (19%–29%) and gastrointestinal (GI) (9%–10%) illnesses are the most frequently reported diagnoses
• Approximately 10%–25% of passengers report seasickness, and injuries (typically from slips, trips, or falls) account for 12%–18% of medical visits

To reduce the risk of onboard introduction of communicable diseases by embarking passengers, ships may conduct pre-embarkation medical screening to identify ill passengers before boarding.

Among potential health dangers that can occur during a cruise, we can find food poisoning, Norovirus infection, Salmonella infection, etc. These types of diseases can have as cause contaminated food and drinks, inadequate sanitation, poor ventilation, and others. Noroviruses are a group of viruses that affect the stomach and intestines causing gastroenteritis. The viruses spread through contaminated water and food and on cruise ships through physical contact. Symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• Fever
• Headache

If you got sick due to the negligent acts of others on a cruise contact our Miami-based office today for legal representation.