What Evidence Should I Collect After a Cruise Ship Accident

Accidents can happen anywhere, even within the seemingly safe environment of a cruise ship. If you find yourself injured during a cruise vacation, gathering the evidence needed after a cruise ship accident is important for building a strong personal injury claim.

File and Get a Copy of an Incident Report

An incident or accident report is one of the most important pieces of evidence you’ll need after a cruise ship injury. To get one of these documents, you must report your injury to cruise ship staff and make sure they file an official report.

After they file your report, request both a physical and digital copy. This document is an official account of the incident and can be important when you file your claim. With this report, you have documented the evidence that the cruise line knew of your injury, making it harder for them to deny your claim.

Gather Witness Contact Information

Witnesses can provide valuable support for your personal injury claim. If any passengers or crew members saw the incident that caused your injury, collect their names, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Your attorney can use this information to contact the witnesses later and collect their statements. These statements can corroborate your account of the incident, provide additional context for your injury, and strengthen your case.

Document the Scene and Your Injuries

Documenting the scene and your injuries with photos and video is vital. Take clear pictures and videos of the accident scene, including any hazardous conditions that contributed to your injuries.

For example, if you slipped and fell on a wet floor without a warning sign, make sure to take pictures of the area. Or, if you fell on a staircase with a missing or loose railing, take a video that shows this.

Also, document your injuries immediately after the incident and throughout the healing process. Your pictures immediately after the incident will serve as evidence of the severity of your injuries. And your pictures throughout the healing process will demonstrate the necessity of your treatments.

Request a Copy of Your Medical Report

After any accident that causes injury, seeking medical attention as soon as possible is critical, even if you initially feel fine. This treatment keeps your injuries from worsening and creates a paper trail of your injuries and treatments.

Make sure you obtain copies of all medical reports about your treatment on and off the ship, including diagnoses, treatment plans, and prescriptions. These reports are essential for establishing the nature and severity of your injuries.

Medical reports also help your lawyer assess your case’s value. Before filing your claim, you and your attorney must determine its worth. A large portion of your compensation will go toward your medical costs.

Write Down Your Account of the Incident

Write down your account of the accident while the details are still fresh in your mind. Your account should include the date, time, location, and a detailed description of what happened.

This personal injury statement will not serve as evidence in your claim. However, it can help you recall specific details later, which can be crucial when the trial could take place months or years after the injury occurred.

Understanding the Burden of Proof

In personal injury cases, the injured party has the burden of proof. This means you must demonstrate that the cruise line’s or another passenger’s negligence caused the accident and that the accident resulted in your injuries.

The evidence you collect will help establish the following key elements required for a successful case:

The cruise line or other passenger who caused your injury owed you a duty of care
Their actions or inaction breached this duty of care
The breach directly caused your injury
You suffered losses due to your injury, such as medical bills, lost wages, etc.

How an Attorney Can Help

gavel of justice and scales of justice on a table

It’s important to hire a personal injury attorney after any accident. If your injury occurred on a cruise ship, you need an attorney with maritime law experience. Cruise ship injuries fall under maritime law, which may differ from the state laws you’re used to.

For example, there’s a separate statute of limitations for injuries under maritime law. Instead of using the statute of limitations of your home state or the state from which your cruise departed, maritime law gives you three years from the date of your injury to file your claim.

Some of the ways your attorney can assist you with your claim are:

Investigating the incident to determine the facts of the case and identify the party responsible
\Assessing your losses and coming up with a fair compensation amount to seek through your claim
Filing your claim correctly and within the statute of limitations set out by maritime law
Negotiating on your behalf with the cruise line’s attorneys and insurance company to reach a fair settlement
Representing your case in court and seeking the maximum compensation available if the opposing party doesn’t agree to a reasonable settlement offer

Get Help from a Cruise Ship Injury Attorney

Suffering an injury on your cruise vacation can be distressing. However, knowing what evidence needed after a cruise ship accident can significantly affect your ability to receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

Contact Vucci Law Group online or call us at (866) 404-3415 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced maritime law personal injury attorney. We’ll evaluate your claim, explain your legal options, and assist you in any other way we can.

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Types of Claim

There are many things for which a passenger may make a claim, some of which include:

Slip and Fall Accidents

Water Slide / Wave Pool Accidents

Swimming Pool Accidents

Contaminated Food

Norovirus Outbreaks

Fires

Falling Overboard

Physical Assault

Jack

Firstly, I want to say a massive thank you to everybody at the Vucci Office! In particular - Karl, Millie and Raul . I was visiting from England and they couldn’t have made me feel more welcome; They worked perfectly as a team to make me feel assured and made a hard time much easier.

Louis Vucci was recommended to me by a friend from my previous career and after using him, I can safely say I have no regrets.Louis was consistently honest with me which I greatly appreciated. He spent an endless amount of time on my case and his passion was so genuine - I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I couldn’t recommend them anymore.
Once again, thank you!

Albert L.

I was injured on a cruise ship – I slipped and fell and injured my shoulder. I was not sure about the process and needed help. I had no idea about the difficulty in dealing with a cruise line. My attorney, Louis Vucci, handled my claim from beginning to end and guided me throughout. He and his staff were courteous and attentive and obtained a great result on my behalf.

Betty A.

I had to have hip repair surgery because of a slip and fall on a cruise ship. Louis was very kind and professional. This was my first experience working with an attorney. He never tired of all my questions and answered truthfully and respectfully. He honestly understood my concerns and addressed every single one. I could not have asked for a better attorney. He and those in his office were wonderful. He settled my case in a timely manner and I was very happy with the outcome.

Andrew Somer

I worked with Louis and The Vucci Law Group from an incident I had aboard a cruise ship. Louis was very candid, honest and sympathetic to my situation. He was thorough and worked on my behalf with the cruise line, insurance and medical companies. He kept me fully updated and informed every step of the way. He made this very challenging time a little easier to handle. Highly recommended.

Denise Grosdanof

My son broke his arm while participating in the onboard child care program. I approached other lawyers who turned down my case. I was about to give up and I decided to try one last time. I found Louis and I could not be happier that I did. Not only did he sympathize with my case he was well versed on legal responsibility the ship has to ensure safety of children while in their care. He responds to inquiries and emails immediately and takes you through the steps to file a claim. We were extremely happy with the outcome! I highly recommend working with Louis, he is knowledgeable friendly and easy to approach. The whole process was painless.

K. K.

I broke my C4 vertebrae after suffering a fall on a Flow Rider excursion sold by Carnival Cruise Line. I was very fortunate to have Louis Vucci represent me in my personal injury lawsuit. Louis was extremely professional, knowledgeable and tenacious. He did an excellent job of asserting my claim against all responsible parties (including the Flow Rider operator in Grand Turk), anticipating and addressing their defenses, and securing a very favorable settlement. Along the way, Louis always kept me informed about the status of my case and minimized any inconvenience to me, which I very much appreciate since I live in New Jersey. Thank you Louis for your good counsel and determination to obtain a fair and just resolution.

Ryan Bockiaro

Louis is down-to-earth and will go out of his way to help you

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