FLORIDA BOAT AND CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT LAWYER
For a lot of people, a cruise is the vacation of a lifetime. This is their opportunity to relax and enjoy life onboard. Vacationists take this opportunity to have new experiences on a ship. You’ll be surprised at how many passengers can fit inside a vessel.
Unfortunately, this dream trip can quickly turn into a nightmare. Accidents happen anywhere. Even while unwinding while on a cruise, you are not safe from accidents. This can happen to you or someone you love. You could become injured while you’re on board.
Injuries from falls, slips, and trips in cruise ship accidents are sometimes severe. Furthermore, injuries can also be caused by poor maintenance and poor safety procedures that put passengers’ lives at risk every day.
Suppose you have been injured on cruise ships because of another person’s negligence or carelessness. In that case, it is crucial to act fast before your rights expire under maritime law.
Our Florida cruise ship accident attorney at The Soffer Firm will fight for your rights. They won’t stop until you recover damages for your medical bills, physical pain, and emotional suffering.
Our top Florida cruise ship accident law firm represents clients throughout Florida, from Miami-Dade County to Broward.
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HOW CAN OUR FLORIDA CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT LAWYER HELP YOU
The cruise lines and their insurance companies will do everything in their power to deny your cruise ship accident claims.
If this is happening to you, you need a lawyer who can fight these industry giants on your behalf. It would be best if you have an experienced Florida cruise ship accident lawyer on your side. Our experienced cruise ship lawyer has years of successful client representation. He can effectively handle cruise ship injury cases.
Your cruise ship injury lawyer should not only have many years of experience. A great lawyer is also equipped with vast knowledge and understanding of general maritime law.
A cruise ship crash victim is entitled to compensation for all the damages caused by the negligent cruise line. All cruise line employees should be responsible for the safety of all the boarded passengers.
At The Soffer Firm, our experienced Florida cruise ship injury lawyers have represented hundreds of injured passengers. Our expert representation reached and helped many victims around the state.
We assure our clients that we work on their cases and get them done as soon as possible. Our legal team handles all the necessary legal work so our clients can focus on making a full recovery.
Our cruise ship accident attorneys can help you:
- Gather necessary evidence that will support your case.
- Communicate with large corporations or insurance companies to receive maximum compensation.
- Thoroughly review your case and estimate the value of damages you can recover.
- Represent you on your behalf when the responsible party denies responsibility for your injuries.
Injured cruise ship passengers should not suffer from the trouble of getting fair compensation. Our cruise ship injury attorneys will ensure that this will not happen to you.
FLORIDA CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT CASES OUR PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM HANDLES
At The Soffer Firm, our experienced cruise ship accident lawyers handle several cruise ship injury cases. The following list is the cruise ship accidents our law firm handles.
Slips, trips, and falls injuries
Various factors can cause slip and fall accidents. These injuries are commonly caused by wet floors, broken or uneven steps, or improper lighting. Other factors such as improperly placed furniture, debris on the floor, and slippery surfaces are also considered.
This injury is often a result of negligence. You must seek legal advice immediately if you sustain any injury from a slip and fall accident. If you wait too long to contact an attorney, there may not be any evidence left about what happened.
Cruise ship fire injuries
Cruise ships are a popular vacation for many people. But they’re not as safe as you may think. There have been several cruise ship fires that have led to injuries and deaths.
The main danger on cruise ships is fire. Fire aboard a vessel at sea is much more difficult to contain than an ordinary building fire. This is because there’s no way to access it except by lifeboats or helicopters.
Contaminated food and Norovirus infection
Food poisoning is a severe problem for those who eat at buffets on cruise ships. A single person can contaminate hundreds or even thousands of other passengers. This sickness spreads rapidly like a wildfire. The enormous amount of people inside a cruise ship is also a factor why this disease spreads quickly.
Contagious illnesses like Norovirus also pose a significant risk. Most cruise ships only have a common bathroom shared by many passengers. Sleeping areas are known to be a hotspot of viral infection. The enclosed space helps germs spread swiftly.
Cruise ship excursion injuries
Cruise line-sponsored excursions offer a variety of fun activities for vacationists. These activities range from swimming with dolphins to ziplining through the jungle. But while these shore activities can be relaxing and adventurous, there are some things that you should know.
Some of these sponsored activities are not handled by the cruise line. Most of them operate independently. And when things start to go south, these cruise lines will deny any responsibilities.
Medical malpractice or medical negligence injuries
This is a massive medical malpractice issue for cruise ship passengers. While many medical malpractice and negligence cases go unreported, the ones that do come to light are often devastating. We’re experienced at handling these complex medical malpractice claims against cruise lines.
We know how important it is for you to get compensated for your injuries and suffering. No passenger should suffer from cruise line medical negligence.
Physical assault or sexual assault cases
Sexual assault crimes on cruise ships are a severe problem. These cases often involve complicated legal issues and high-profile defendants with deep pockets. Cruise ships have a history of covering up sexual assaults on board. This leaves many victims feeling helpless and hopeless about seeking justice.
Our legal team is experienced in representing clients against major cruise lines such as Carnival Cruise Lines.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AS A CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER
When going on a vacation, most people rarely even look at the adverse events that could go down. They are more fixated on the fun side of the trip. After all, that is the purpose of taking a vacation. Though cruise ships offer the best way to relieve your pent-up stress, there are still some things that you should always keep in mind.
With that being said, here are some things a passenger should remember when boarding a cruise ship.
Passenger Ticket
You will receive a tiny multi-page ticket with small scriptures when you book a cruise ship. Most people ignore this, but this ticket is crucial in knowing your rights inside a cruise ship. In that multi-page ticket, it is also indicated that if you are injured and contracted an illness inside a cruise ship, you can only file for a lawsuit within a year. Most people miss this provision in their tickets and never get the justice they deserve.
What are the applicable laws?
In some cases, when you are aboard a cruise ship, the United States laws are not applicable. Always look at the flag on the vessel. If it’s for a different country, then their regulations apply inside the cruise ship.
Medical care and medical services
Not every medical professionals are capable of providing quality healthcare services. More often than not, passengers suffer an even more severe condition after treatment. Before boarding a cruise ship, always research their onboard medical team. If you have a heart condition, make sure that you are boarding with a cardiologist.
Criminal acts
What happens on the ground can happen inside a ship. Like in every trip, accidents can happen, and you or your family can become a victim. To prevent this from happening, always make sure that you apply adequate safety measures to protect your family from criminals. Don’t just openly invite a stranger inside your cabin. Prevention is always better than cure.
The cruise ship company
When you are injured or hurt by negligent crew members, the cruise company will try its best to avoid liability. It’s a defendant’s instinct. If you find yourself in this situation, the best way to deal with it is to gather as much information as you can. You can collect witness’ information so you can have passenger testimonials for what happened.
Forum selection clause
The passenger ticket contract indicates where a passenger can file a lawsuit. This is per the forum selection clause. Most major Miami cruise ship provides Miami, Dade County, Florida. You and your lawyer must know where to file your case correctly. If you missed out on the one-year deadline, your cruise ship injury claim is good as gone.
The cruise ship industry has vast regulations. It may be hard for a regular passenger to navigate all through this. Suppose you find yourself struggling to get your cruise ship injury claims after an accident inside the vessel. In that case, a cruise accident lawyer is there to help you.
These lawyers are adept in personal injury law and maritime law. They are experienced in facing cruise industry giants, and they will aggressively fight for you.
COMMON INJURIES IN CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENTS
As established above, cruise ship accidents are not uncommon. These accidents can bring several injuries. Some of these injuries are mild and easily treatable. In contrast, a victim may also suffer from severe injuries and highly contagious diseases.
Some of the most commonly encountered injuries in a cruise ship injury case are included in this list:
- Injuries of the Back and the Neck: These injuries are commonly encountered in slip and fall accidents. Slip and fall victims suffer from the traumatic trauma caused by the impact of falling on a hard surface. Fall accident victims may feel a sharp pain in their neck when turning. They might even feel a shooting pain in their back if they landed on their back.
- Spinal cord injuries: This injury is also related to slip and fall accidents. When a victim’s back fell on a sharp surface, they often hit a sensitive part of their spinal cord. Spinal cord injuries often lead to paralysis or loss of body senses. The most susceptible group to this injury are the elderly and individuals with bone conditions.
- Hip Injuries: Victims often suffer from hip injuries after an activity. Depending on the nature of the game, the hip injury may be caused by the equipment. Victims may feel pain when turning on their hips. Cruise ship hip injuries are often associated with fractured hips and need to be examined by a medical professional.
- Injury of Foot, Ankle, and Knee: These injuries are relatively common and often encountered in cruise ship accidents. This injury is commonly associated with slip accidents and excursion activities. An injured victim may find it hard to walk or step on their foot.
- Head Trauma Injuries: Head trauma injuries are commonly associated with traumatic brain injuries or a broken skull. These injuries often have severe complications and lifelong damages. Severe brain trauma patients may lose the functionality of their body parts, and they may have trouble remembering. Older people often suffer from these injuries.
- Norovirus infection: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named Norovirus as a commonly encountered viral infection in a cruise ship. This virus is typically transmitted through food ingestion. Norovirus patients often suffer from severe stomach issues.
These are just a few examples of personal injuries a victim may sustain in a cruise ship-related accident.
COMPENSATORY DAMAGES AVAILABLE TO CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT VICTIMS
Damages recoverable in cruise ship-related accidents are similar to most personal injuries. Compensation can either be from economic damages or non-economic damages.
Economic damages negatively affect the victim’s finances. The most common type of economic damages is medical bills. The responsible party has the legal responsibility to compensate the victim. They will shoulder any medical treatment or doctor visits a victim needs to make a full recovery. This includes present and future therapies.
Credit card bills and other debts incurred because of the accident are also covered. When a victim is in a financial crisis because of the accident, the defendant will provide monetary compensation.
Another compensation under economic damages is lost wages. If the victim cannot report to work due to severe injuries, the responsible party will pay for their lost hours. Suppose the victim is permanently unable to return to work. In that case, the liable party will compensate for the loss of future earnings.
On the other hand, non-economic damages are not financially impacting. This means that these compensations did not affect the victim’s finances. Emotional pain and suffering are included under this type of damage.
A victim has the right to receive compensation if they suffer from mental anguish. Loss of consortium is also covered under non-economic damages. This is applicable in the event of wrongful death. The surviving spouse will receive compensation for the loss of consortium.
IMPORTANT STEPS YOU SHOULD TAKE RIGHT AFTER A CRUISE ACCIDENT IN FLORIDA
“What should I do now?” You may ask.
Most cruise ship victims ask this question. The general maritime law surrounding a cruise ship incident can be quite complicated to understand. So most victims don’t know what to do after an accident. They don’t even know who to turn to after the unfortunate event.
Here is what you should do after an accident while on board a cruise ship.
- Seek medical attention: If you are injured or severely suffering from an infection you caught onboard, you should get treated immediately. You or someone you know should call the attention of a medical professional to prevent severe progression of your injuries or infection.
- Report the accident to responsible authorities: You or a family member should immediately report the incident to the cruise ship authorities. Make sure that they document this report and secure a copy of that report. You can use this later on when you file for personal injury claims.
- Document the accident: If it’s physically possible, you should take documentations of the accident. Otherwise, ask someone to do it for you. Make sure that your party has photographic evidence and video footage of the accident. You can also request contact information from witnesses who are willing to make testimonials. Witness testimonials can support your case and have a greater chance of recovering damages.
- Contact a lawyer: The maritime law governing cruise lines can be complicated. An expert cruise line accidents lawyer can help you review existing regulations that you can use to support your case. They provide a multitude of legal support that is beneficial for you and your case.
Seeking legal assistance from a lawyer is a crucial step. A lawyer can make or break your lawsuit. They can take over all the legal processes involved in your case so you can focus on your recovery.
WHO SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR FOR CRUISE SHIP INJURIES AND ASSAULT CASES?
Common carriers refer to any cruise vessel that departs from the United States territory. These vessels are controlled or manipulated by an individual or entity. This individual or entity has the legal responsibility of due care to all onboard passengers.
They are responsible for ensuring that the passengers safely board and leave the ship. The responsible entity should ensure that the vessel has adequate safety measures to protect the passengers from harm or criminal acts.
According to negligence law, the controlling individual or entity can be held liable if the victim proves that they breach their duty. But, this can be quite hard to prove. The victim’s party must provide solid proof that the cruise operator intently breached their duty of due care.
The cruise line company can only be held liable if there’s evidence presented. This evidence should show that the operator intently denied safety measures and caused preventable accidents.
In several cases, a passenger is injured because of a crew member’s neglect. In most cases with similar scenarios, the court holds the operator responsible, even if the operator ensured adequate safety measures around the vessel or the accident is caused by an unforeseeable event.
In some cases, liability exempts onboard medical providers. This rule only applies when the boarded doctor or other medical practitioners are considered independent contractors. In that case, the cruise line company does not have any liabilities for the injuries caused by a negligent medical provider.
This is why reading the passenger ticket contract is essential. This document specifies what the responsibilities of a cruise line company to the victim are. By speaking with an experienced cruise ship lawyer, you can identify the appropriate individual who should be held liable for your injuries.
WHY CHOOSE THE SOFFER FIRM MIAMI PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS FOR YOUR FLORIDA CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT CLAIM?
By now, we were able to establish the importance of hiring a lawyer in a cruise ship incident. There are two factors you should look for in a cruise ship accident lawyer. And these are experience and knowledge.
A personal injury lawyer should have a deep understanding of general maritime law. They should know what statutes and regulations you can use to support your case. They should have an updated knowledge of any changes or updates made to the current maritime law.
An ideal lawyer should also have relevant experience. They should have a proven background of successfully defending clients against cruise line companies. An experienced lawyer is equipped with the confidence to stand up against major cruise lines and protect the rights of their clients.
Here are the reasons why our law firm is the perfect choice to handle your case:
- At The Soffer Firm, our expert personal injury lawyer possesses these qualities. Our lawyer is knowledgeable about cruise line laws. Defending injured clients from cruise ship injuries is not new to our experienced lawyer.
- Because of his expert representation, our primary lawyer was awarded the Super Lawyers “Rising Star” award for Plaintiff’s Personal Injury. He successfully bagged this award for five consecutive years, from 2016 to 2020.
- The Soffer Firm is the leading and go-to law firm for most personal injury victims. Our law firm has the reputation of recovering millions in personal injury cases.
- Not only that, our law firm was recognized for the unmatched quality of service we provide and the work ethics of our entire legal team. Because of those, we were able to create a long-lasting attorney-client relationship with our former clients.
Accidents involving a cruise ship are often complicated. The laws surrounding cruise lines accidents are different in most cases. Not to mention the uncooperative cruise lines companies who will try their best to slip away from any liabilities.
Speaking with a proficient lawyer is your best option. Our lawyer at The Soffer Firm provides a free initial case consultation and works on a contingency fee basis, so you will pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We will carefully investigate your case and devise the best defense strategy to win your case.
FLORIDA CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT FAQs
By the law, the established statute for most personal injuries is around three years. However, for most cruise line-related accidents, the victim only has one year to file a lawsuit. This limitation is stated in the passenger ticket contract.
This is why every passenger must read their contract to understand their rights inside the ship.
A cruise ship accident attorney can help you prove liability against the responsible party to successfully win your cruise ship accident case. Depending on the nature of the case, a lawyer can help you maximize the amount of compensation you can receive.
The cost of hiring a lawyer depends on the severity of the case. The lawyer will need to evaluate the complexity of your case before they can provide an amount.
Our law firm practices free initial case consultation for our clients. We also function on a contingency fee basis. This means that we don’t get paid until you get paid. We will only charge you if we are successful in recovering compensation for your damages.
TALK TO OUR FLORIDA CRUISE SHIP ACCIDENT ATTORNEY TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION
Victims should not take cruise ship accidents lightly. When you or a loved one is injured on a cruise ship, seek legal help as soon as possible. You need to know that our lawyer will handle your case with the utmost skill and care.
The cruise line industry has become increasingly aggressive in denying responsibility for severe injuries and the wrongful deaths of passengers aboard their cruise ship. They often place the blame on the passenger. They claim that his actions or decisions caused the preventable accident.
Even when presented with clear evidence showing negligence on behalf of the ship’s crew, they would still deny accusations. This leaves many victims feeling helpless and alone. They try their best to recover from devastating physical and emotional injuries sustained during their supposedly wonderful vacation at sea.
At The Soffer Firm, we have represented hundreds of individuals. Individuals who were harmed while traveling by sea in Florida or abroad. Our law firm is composed of experienced cruise ship lawyers who will work tirelessly to seek justice and get compensation for you. Our lawyers understand how complex these cases can be.
Call us now at 305-487-8615 for a free case evaluation. Alternatively, you may also fill up this form.