Cruise Ship Accident Attorneys

Cruise ship accidents and injuries, whether they happen onboard the ship or in port during a cruise-related shore excursion, can be extremely complicated matters to resolve, involving multiple and international jurisdictions, complex liability issues, and unique legal implications. When a cruise ship accident, cruise ship injury, or cruise ship death occurs, a thorough investigation and evaluation of its cause(s)–conducted by a personal injury attorney with direct experience handling cruise line accidents and cruise-related injuries–is always the best way to proceed. To find an experienced cruise ship accident attorney in your area, contact the law offices of The Roller Law Group. Our personal injury lawyers and accident attorneys have experience litigating admiralty and maritime cases and have handled numerous lawsuits against the owners and operators of cruise lines, tour companies, and cruise-company-run shore excursions.

What You Need to Know About Cruise Ship Accidents and Claims

Cruise ship accidents are exceedingly rare, especially when you consider the hundreds of sailings and thousands of passengers who embark each month. While most cruises proceed without incident, several types of cruise ship injuries and accidents can occur on any cruise vacation.

Onboard accidents include slip and fall accidents, swimming pool accidents, falling overboard, food poisoning from cruise-ship food service, injuries or illnesses caused by unsanitary conditions, physical or sexual assault, weather-related accidents and injuries, passenger or crew negligence, and injuries caused by defective products, premises hazards, or crew error. Passengers also are at risk for many of these same types of accidents and injuries during shore excursions exploring ports of call and day trips.

Why You Need an Experienced Cruise Ship Accident Attorney

A considerable portion of the general maritime law applies to cruise ship matters, but there also are special laws and personal injury claims regulations that apply just to cruise ships. These unique legal matters require the specialized expertise of a cruise ship injury attorney, like those associated with The Roller Law Group. For example, under the authorization of U.S. federal statutes, cruise lines often insert special provisions into their passenger tickets that limit the time in which a passenger may file a lawsuit against the cruise ship company. The normal statute of limitations for admiralty and maritime matters is three years. Many cruise lines, however, shorten the statute of limitations to just one year. They also can seek to limit the liability the cruise line agrees to accept.

In addition, a “forum selection clause” can allow cruise lines to designate a particular jurisdiction for any litigation brought by passengers. Passengers who are unaware of a cruise line’s forum selection or who choose to ignore it and file a lawsuit in another jurisdiction are likely to have their case dismissed, leaving them with no means of recovery against the cruise line.

Nearly every cruise line operates vessels registered in a foreign country, as well. In a personal injury or cruise ship accident claim, the laws of the country of registration and international treaties also could be directly applicable to the case–which has the potential to work in favor of or against the claimant. Engaging the services of an admiralty attorney or cruise ship accident lawyer with experience in these multi-national legal situations and expertise in reviewing and negotiating under choice-of-law issues can be critical in reaching a favorable settlement and full compensation. Given the complexity of the maritime legal issues involved in cruise ship accidents and injuries, hiring a skilled maritime lawyer to investigate, litigate, negotiate, and resolve cruise ship accident claims is especially critical. If you have been involved in a cruise ship accident or received an injury onboard a cruise ship or during a cruise shore excursion or day trip, use the convenient form on this website to contact a cruise ship injury lawyer at The Roller Law Group and receive a free, confidential evaluation of your case.

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Contact us today and learn how we can help you understand your legal rights!