Types of Cruise Ship Accidents (Continued)
Theft Onboard Cruise Ships
Theft may or may not involve personal injury. In fact, if you are the victim of identity theft on a cruise ship, you might not realize it until after you are home on dry land.
An attorney who specializes in admiralty or maritime law can tell you when you are due compensation for sustained injuries or stolen goods.
Overboard Accidents
While overboard accidents on cruise ships are relatively rare, they can be deadly. Cruise ships are required by law to return to the scene where a missing passenger was last seen, in case they fell overboard.
Failure to return to search for or rescue an overboard passenger is clearly negligent behavior by the operator and grounds for a lawsuit and damages.
Disappearance at sea may result in wrongful death or other charges against the cruise line and additional parties.
Burns
Shipboard fires are usually contained in nonpublic areas, such as kitchens or operations rooms on cruise ships, but occasionally decks and staterooms are involved. Cruise ships are required to have equipment and crew trained for fire-fighting, and these are usually effective.
Even if you don’t sustain burns or lose property due to fire,
you can still suffer from smoke inhalation, slip and falls, and other accidental injuries. A 2006 case involved a heart attack death resulting from a large, four-deck fire.
Personal Injury Due to Negligence
There are many ways one can get hurt onboard a cruise ship, so watch out for situations where negligent maintenance may lead to cruise ship accidents.
If you are injured while using the ship’s gym or spa facilities, you may be able to prove negligence.
Consult a maritime attorney near the port city listed on the back of your ticket if you believe negligence caused your injury.
When selecting a personal injury attorney you’ll want to ask critical questions such as: how long have you been practicing law; do you have experience with
cruise ship accident cases; what is the biggest settlement or verdict you have won?