Cruise Ship Accident Attorney

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.