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Injured on a Cruise? We May Be Able to Help You Get Compensation
Cruise ships are seen as places of glamour, luxury, and living out one’s dreams. But too often, people come back from a cruise with more than just good memories. When an accident on a cruise ship causes injury to a guest, the guest may be able to file a lawsuit against the cruise line to claim compensation.
What Can Go Wrong on a Cruise Ship?
Most people immediately think of disasters when imagining a cruise ship accident. The ship sinking, being grounded, capsizing, or colliding with another ship or a fixed object are just a few of the disastrous scenarios that can occur. These disasters may seem “natural” or “unavoidable,” but that is not always the case. A captain’s error could result in the boat sinking, or the pilot may inadvertently steer the ship into an object, such as a dock.
Fires, propulsion issues, and loss of power can all cause situations that injure passengers. Often, crews will know about existing problems beforehand. When they do not want to cancel a trip and lose the profit, they may allow the cruise to continue and put the safety of the passengers at risk.
An outbreak of a dangerous illness, such as norovirus, influenza, or Legionnaires’ disease, can also be of great concern on a cruise ship. While cruise ships are large, they are still a confined space and viruses can spread easily and quickly. Crew members need to always be on the lookout for passengers who may be contagious. If any passenger is deathly ill, the ship needs to be prepared to care for them, have other passengers disembark, or arrange for an airlift to a hospital.
Deaths can also occur on a cruise ship. They may be accidental, such as a passenger drowning in an onboard pool, or they can be intentional, such as someone jumping overboard. Cruise ships also see a number of crimes, such as rape, assault, and robbery.
Other injuries can also be caused by a basic slip-and-fall. A fall may be caused by a passenger tripping over an obstacle left in a pathway, or on a spilled drink that has not been cleaned up promptly.
The Complexities of Cruise Ship Accidents
Claims involving cruise ship injuries are extremely complex. Many cruise lines are based in other countries, and operate in both United States and international waters during the trip. Cruise ship cases may involve admiralty law, which is separate from personal injury law in North Carolina.
Another challenging aspect is determining liability. There are many working parts on a cruise ship, and many potential at-fault parties. A claim that began as the fault of another passenger could also encompass crew members and the cruise ship company.
Our Promise to You
When to Speak to an Attorney
If you wish to pursue a case against a cruise ship, you need an attorney well-versed in both admiralty and personal injury law. Rhine Law Firm, P.C., has extensive experience in both.
Anyone injured on a cruise ship should speak to a lawyer as soon as possible. Preserving evidence can be difficult when a cruise ship accident occurs, as crew members may quickly clean an area and the number of people present on a cruise ship can pose a problem. An attorney can advise you on how to preserve evidence while still on the ship, and the next steps to take when pursuing a lawsuit.
If you are injured on a cruise ship and wish to seek compensation for your injuries, call Rhine Law Firm, P.C., today at . Someone may be responsible for your injuries. If they are, we will hold them liable for providing compensation.
We are proud to serve the people of North Carolina.
Although our primary office location is in Wilmington, North Carolina we represent clients nationally and across the state of North Carolina. Some of the many areas we serve are listed below.
Our Firm Can Help
Our Wilmington maritime lawyers can assist you to file an injury claim in a cruise ship accident as a crewman, seaman, or passenger, on commercial vessels, and a wide range of other seagoing vessels. This includes cases of death on the high seas, injury cases in international waters, cases involving cabotage rights, and other admiralty or maritime law cases of all types.
Call now for a free case evaluation. You need a lawyer who will be available to you from the start of your case through to resolution, and who you can trust to be personally dedicated to the pursuit of justice and full compensation for you.
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