Cruises have become the fastest growing segment of the vacation market and one of fastest growing segments in the travel industry. Over 5 million people enjoy pleasure cruises each year.
But in spite of their success, several cruise lines have come under fire recently for poor shipboard sanitation and safety practices. Carnival Cruise Lines has recently experienced high profile incidents including fires and allegations ranging from petty theft to sexual assault aboard their ships.
The pleasure cruise industry has experienced 24 major accidents since 1979 in which 11 people were killed and 186 seriously injured, costing over $140 million in damages. The most common causes of injury aboard cruise ships are slip and fall accidents, food poisoning, medical malpractice, fires and assaults.
Cruise lines have become quite adept at limiting their liability for these types of injuries. This is done in part through the use of fine print on passenger’s tickets. These tickets contain disclaimers and time limitations on when someone may file a lawsuit. Some cruise lines require that they be notified in advance of any suit.
By requiring further that lawsuits be filed in ports of embarkation, the cruise industry knows that most passengers will be reluctant to travel long distance for a trial. Also, by registering their ships outside of the U.S., many American based cruise lines attempt to avoid U.S. government standards.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Bus Accident Lawyer
There are less than 300 fatal bus accidents in an average year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of those, nearly 30% involve transit buses while approximately 130 deaths are attributable to school bus accidents.
An experienced bus accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve if you’ve been involved in a bus accident.
Although bus accidents are relatively infrequent, they can significantly affect the lives of those involved in an accident. Bus accident rates will also rise as more individuals choose to use public transportation in order to avoid ever increasing traffic congestion.
Factors that can contribute to a bus accident include driver negligence, dangerous roadways, improper maintenance and weather conditions. Bus accidents can result in serious injuries to the passengers, the bus driver, pedestrians or drivers of other vehicles involved in an accident. In fact, nearly seventy% of those involved in a bus accident were occupants of the other vehicles involved. In an effort to prevent non-bus occupants from being injured in a school bus accident, safety precautions for drivers in the vicinity of school buses have been instituted at the state level.
Proponents of installing safety belts in large school buses argue that the school bus design has not changed since 1977 and that requiring the use of safety belts in these buses may foster habits that encourage the use of safety belts in other vehicles. Buses under 10,000 pounds of gross weight are already required to have seat belts for all passengers.
An experienced bus accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve if you’ve been involved in a bus accident.
Although bus accidents are relatively infrequent, they can significantly affect the lives of those involved in an accident. Bus accident rates will also rise as more individuals choose to use public transportation in order to avoid ever increasing traffic congestion.
Factors that can contribute to a bus accident include driver negligence, dangerous roadways, improper maintenance and weather conditions. Bus accidents can result in serious injuries to the passengers, the bus driver, pedestrians or drivers of other vehicles involved in an accident. In fact, nearly seventy% of those involved in a bus accident were occupants of the other vehicles involved. In an effort to prevent non-bus occupants from being injured in a school bus accident, safety precautions for drivers in the vicinity of school buses have been instituted at the state level.
Proponents of installing safety belts in large school buses argue that the school bus design has not changed since 1977 and that requiring the use of safety belts in these buses may foster habits that encourage the use of safety belts in other vehicles. Buses under 10,000 pounds of gross weight are already required to have seat belts for all passengers.
Boating Accident Lawyer
Any injury on or with a boat, ferry, ship or personal watercraft like a jet ski is regarded as a boating accident. There are over 4,000 people injured and 750 killed as the result of boating accidents each year. Of those killed, roughly 80% were not wearing their personal flotation devices at the time of the accident and 70% drowned.
A boating accident attorney should have extensive experience with maritime laws and boat accident lawsuits.
Open motorboat and personal watercraft injury cases are among the most frequent and rapidly rising in number. This is due in large part to increasing traffic in our waterways combined with an increasing popularity of leisure boating.
If a boating accident results in the disappearance or death of an individual or in an injury requiring more than basic first aid, it must be reported to state authorities or the Coast Guard within 48 hours under federal law. The reports are then entered into the Boating Accident Report Database system. If the accident results in property damage over $500, the incident must be reported within ten days of its occurrence.
Among other causes, a boating accident injury can result from collisions with other vehicles or fixed objects, grounding, capsizing, falls overboard, fire, explosion, engine or equipment malfunctions, sinking, skier mishaps and carbon monoxide asphyxiation.
Most boating accident injury cases are due to boat operator negligence. The operator of a boat or vessel is responsible for exercising reasonable care in preventing injury to others, much as is the case with auto or bus drivers. Unfortunately, over 40% of boating accident injury cases involved a boat operator under the influence of alcohol. And among negligent boat operators, over 80% never took a boating safety course.
A boating accident attorney should have extensive experience with maritime laws and boat accident lawsuits.
Open motorboat and personal watercraft injury cases are among the most frequent and rapidly rising in number. This is due in large part to increasing traffic in our waterways combined with an increasing popularity of leisure boating.
If a boating accident results in the disappearance or death of an individual or in an injury requiring more than basic first aid, it must be reported to state authorities or the Coast Guard within 48 hours under federal law. The reports are then entered into the Boating Accident Report Database system. If the accident results in property damage over $500, the incident must be reported within ten days of its occurrence.
Among other causes, a boating accident injury can result from collisions with other vehicles or fixed objects, grounding, capsizing, falls overboard, fire, explosion, engine or equipment malfunctions, sinking, skier mishaps and carbon monoxide asphyxiation.
Most boating accident injury cases are due to boat operator negligence. The operator of a boat or vessel is responsible for exercising reasonable care in preventing injury to others, much as is the case with auto or bus drivers. Unfortunately, over 40% of boating accident injury cases involved a boat operator under the influence of alcohol. And among negligent boat operators, over 80% never took a boating safety course.
Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Although recreational bicycling has gained a surge of popularity over the past three decades, congested roadways, parking restrictions and the high cost of commuting have also made bicycling an inexpensive and convenient mode of transportation. Many young bicycle riders, however, are unaware how to safely and legally share the roads with automobiles, and automobile drivers often do not respect bicyclists’ right to share the road. This has resulted in an increase in serious, often fatal injuries to bicyclists.
We’ll help you find an experienced bicycle accident lawyer.
Nearly a million children are injured in bicycle accidents each year in the U.S. and every six hours a bicyclist is fatally injured. Only a third of bicycle related accidents are due to collisions with automobiles. But this type of accident accounts for the majority of catastrophic injuries, of which 75% are head injuries.
We strongly recommend that children be required to wear a protective helmet at all times when riding a bicycle. It is also advisable for children to attend bike safety education programs, which are frequently sponsored locally and from which you can sometimes purchase a helmet at discounted prices.
We’ll help you find an experienced bicycle accident lawyer.
Nearly a million children are injured in bicycle accidents each year in the U.S. and every six hours a bicyclist is fatally injured. Only a third of bicycle related accidents are due to collisions with automobiles. But this type of accident accounts for the majority of catastrophic injuries, of which 75% are head injuries.
We strongly recommend that children be required to wear a protective helmet at all times when riding a bicycle. It is also advisable for children to attend bike safety education programs, which are frequently sponsored locally and from which you can sometimes purchase a helmet at discounted prices.
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