If you live in the Los Angeles area and were injured while vacationing on a cruise ship, our Los Angeles cruise ship accident lawyers at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers can help you get compensation for your injuries.
With over a century of personal injury experience, the attorneys at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers know personal injury law inside and out. We’ve earned our reputation for winning significant financial awards for our clients to the tune of over $400 million collected.
Contact our Los Angeles, CA, law offices or call us at (877) 300-4535 today for a free consultation. Our attorneys will review your case and discuss your options.
How Can M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers Help After a Cruise Ship Accident in Los Angeles?
Sailing on a cruise ship is a dream vacation, but it can quickly become a nightmare if you have an accident while onboard. Dealing with your injuries is overwhelming enough without having to figure out how to hold the negligent parties accountable for what’s happened to you.
Let our personal injury lawyers at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers take care of the legal issues so you can concentrate on your recovery. When you choose us to represent you in your Los Angeles, California, cruise ship accident case, you can expect us to:
- Take the time to hear your story and understand what happened
- Investigate the ship and accident site to gather evidence
- Talk to leading Los Angeles experts to assist in your case
- Negotiate with the cruise line, insurance companies, and anyone else involved
If we don’t get cooperation and a fair settlement offer, we’ll represent you at trial. You can trust that your case is in reliable and skilled hands when you choose the Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers.
Why Do Injuries Occur on Cruise Ships?
Negligence by cruise ship employees is often the cause of the majority of accidents that occur on board. Some cruise lines fail to implement sufficient safety procedures and protocols to protect vacationers from the risk of injury.
In an attempt to maximize their profits, other cruise lines might book vacationers in excess of the ship’s capacity. This only increases the possibility that people will get injured or become ill during the cruise.
Types of Cruise Ship Accidents
Cruise ship accidents are more common than you might think. A wide range of injuries occurs regularly on these ships.
Common cruise ship injuries include:
- Illness outbreaks
- Cruise ship operational incidents
- Slip-and-fall injuries
- Overboard accidents
- Sexual assault
- Swimming pool accidents
- Escalator/elevator accidents
- Food poisoning
- Recreational activities (on and off-ship)
The most common injuries sustained on a cruise ship are those caused by slip-and-fall accidents. A cruise is supposed to be an enjoyable and relaxing experience.
However, cruise ships are teeming with both obvious and hidden dangers, including slippery floors. Unfortunately, that means there’s always the risk of injury.
What Injuries Are Common in Cruise Ship Accidents?
Vacationers suffer from an extensive list of injuries every year on cruise lines. Common injuries that occur on ships include:
The long-term prognosis for these injuries is not always immediately obvious, and many can lead to chronic pain and long-term medical issues.
Illnesses
There have been numerous reports of illness outbreaks on cruise lines. This can lead to mass illness due to crowded ships and no proper protocol in place. These include viral and bacterial issues such as respiratory infections, GI infections, and vaccine-preventable illnesses. These infections can spread quickly in such a confined space.
Complications in Cruise Ship Settlements
There are a number of complications that can occur in filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit against a cruise line. These obstacles are complex and include:
- Contract clause provisions, such as arbitration clauses
- Jurisdictional issues
- Statute of limitations
- Accusations of fraudulent claims
- Physical location at the time of injury or illness
- Disclaimers
These issues are complex, and the strength of your case may depend on some or all of these factors. Our experienced cruise ship accident lawyers at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers can help you navigate these issues.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit?
The state of California requires that accident victims file a lawsuit within two years of the accident. This time limit, known as the statute of limitations, means you need to get started on your case as soon as possible. Once this time has passed, you’re barred from bringing a lawsuit and you’ll forfeit your right to seek compensation.
Who Is Responsible for Cruise Ship Accidents?
The cruise ship industry is worth billions of dollars. These companies should be held liable when a passenger is injured on one of their ships.
This could be applicable in incidents that occur on board, such as a waterslide or hot tub injury. This also applies to recreational activities off the ship, for example, recreational hiking, scuba diving, rock climbing, and other onshore excursions.
There may be other parties liable for your injuries including any vendors or entertainment providers contracted with the cruise line.
What To Do If You Were Hurt on a Cruise
You may be entitled to compensation if you or a loved one were hurt or became ill due to a cruise ship company’s negligence. It’s critical that you collect as much evidence as you can.
This may include photos, videos, reports, medical bills, or other relevant documentation. If possible, reach out to anyone else on the ship who may have witnessed or experienced the incident.
Report the incident to the cruise line but do not accept any settlement offers. These billion-dollar industries might offer you far less than what your case is worth. Your next step should be to contact our personal injury team at M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers immediately so we can begin evaluating your case.
Cruise ship personal injury claims are complicated and involve numerous areas of law. You’ll need to hire an attorney who is experienced in securing compensation in these cases. Our personal injury attorneys are ready to advocate for you. Large companies don’t intimidate us. We’ll fight to protect your interests.
Contact our Los Angeles law offices today for an honest case evaluation. We’ll do everything we can to get you the compensation you deserve (economic and non-economic damages) for the injuries that ruined your well-deserved vacation.
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