You board a cruise ship in Miami, ready for sun and relaxation, until a slick deck or broken railing changes everything. Suddenly, instead of vacation, you’re dealing with pain, medical treatment, and questions about your rights.
The hours and days after an injury are critical. How you report the accident, the medical treatment you get, and the evidence you gather will affect your medical recovery and ability to seek compensation once the ship returns to port.
Our experienced Miami cruise ship accident lawyers explain the steps to take if you’re hurt while onboard a cruise ship and why quick action is the best way to preserve your claim.
Steps To Take After a Cruise Ship Injury
Accidents and medical emergencies happen on cruise ships every year, from children falling from balconies to injuries during boarding.
If you’re harmed on a cruise, what you do next is crucial to your well-being and legal rights. Take these steps immediately:
- Seek Medical Attention Right Away: Report the injury to the ship’s medical staff so it’s in the medical log. If the ship’s doctor can’t treat your injury, ask for evacuation to a shore hospital.
- Report the Accident to Crew Members: Complete an incident report with staff and request a copy. This creates the official record linking your injury to the voyage.
- Take Photos and Collect Proof: Document the scene, your injuries, and hazards like wet decks, broken railings, or poor lighting that contributed to the accident.
- Collect Witness Information: If other passengers or crew saw the incident, ask for their names and contact details. Their testimony can help confirm your account.
- Keep Travel Documents and Receipts: Save your ticket, excursion forms, and receipts for treatment, medication, or transportation linked to the injury.
- Get Medical Care After Returning to Port: Once you dock in Miami, visit an independent doctor. Their report continues your care and verifies the injury outside the cruise line’s records.
Contact a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer while you’re still on the ship, or right after you return to port. The earlier you reach out, the faster they can help protect your rights and build your case.
What Your Attorney Can Handle for You
After your immediate medical needs are taken care of, a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer can take over the legal process. They understand maritime law and the fine print hidden in passenger contracts.
Here’s how we put your recovery first at Aigen Injury Law:
- Review Your Ticket Contract: Cruise tickets often contain a foreign forum selection clause requiring lawsuits to be filed in the court of their choice, regardless of where the injury occurred. Your attorney will confirm jurisdiction and applicable law.
- Investigate the Incident: Our team can gather surveillance footage, ship maintenance records, employee logs, and other evidence that may not be available to passengers to support your claim.
- Handle Cruise Line Communication: We manage the paperwork, speak with the cruise line, and help protect you from settlement pressure tactics.
- Build Your Damages Claim: Compensation can include medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and future care needs. We work with medical and economic experts to help calculate the full extent of your losses.
- Secure the Best Outcome: Through skilled negotiations or, if needed, a courtroom trial, we apply legal strategies and maritime law expertise to help secure the recovery you deserve.
With cruise injury claims subject to short deadlines, early legal involvement is essential to record your injuries and preserve the evidence required to pursue recovery.
Deadlines To Know
Cruise ship injury claims are governed by strict time limits, and failure to meet even one deadline may bar your case. In most cruise ship-related contracts, this includes:
- Notice of Claim Within Six Months: You may be required to notify the cruise line of your intent to pursue a claim within 180 days of the injury.
- Lawsuit Filed Within One Year: Many contracts shorten the time to sue from Florida’s standard two-year statute of limitations to 12 months.
These rules vary depending on the cruise line and type of claim; having a lawyer review your ticket is essential. If you miss a deadline or file incorrect paperwork, the court could dismiss your case, leaving you to cover the cost of your injuries out-of-pocket.
Get Qualified Legal Support for Your Claim
Cruise ship injuries can be devastating, and the cruise line’s deadlines and paperwork make recovery harder. Our Miami cruise ship accident attorneys at Aigen Injury Law move fast to protect your rights and seek full compensation.
Start your claim by contacting us today for a free consultation.