Filing a Cruise Ship Injury Claim

Cruise ship injury claims differ from typical personal injury claims. Federal law, maritime law, and personal injury law can all play a part. This can be a source confusion when determining which of these laws applies to your claim. An experienced cruise ship injury attorney at [firm-name] can evaluate your case and determine which laws apply. We want to help you pursue compensation for the injuries you suffered due to the cruise line’s negligence.

The Steps Involved in Filing a Cruise Ship Injury Claim

Because passenger injury claims against cruise lines differ from typical personal injury claims, it is necessary to understand the steps required when you file a cruise injury compensation claim.

Here are the steps involved in filing a cruise ship injury claim:

Report the incident to the cruise line as soon as possible after the injury occurs. Do not end your stay on the boat without contacting cruise ship personnel. Provisions in your cruise ship ticket agreement often require that you report the incident while still aboard the ship or forfeit your right to bring a claim.
Contact an experienced cruise ship injury attorney as soon as possible. Calling an attorney from the ship following the incident is a great way to ensure your right to make a claim is preserved.
Give notice of your claim as required by your ticket agreement. Usually, you must provide the details of your claim to an insurance company within six months of the incident.
Make a demand for compensation. Before going to trial, you can attempt to settle your case with the insurance company. Your attorney can help you decide how much to demand as compensation for your injuries. An attorney can also help you further negotiate with the cruise line, which may help you avoid trial.
Select the proper forum (court) to file your lawsuit if you can’t settle with the insurance company. Your ticket agreement typically contains a provision that designates what court will hear your case. If you file your case in the wrong court, the cruise line’s attorneys may ask the court to dismiss your lawsuit.
File your claim in the appropriate court. An attorney can help you observe all necessary deadlines and forum selection and advocate for you throughout the process.

How to Navigate the Claims Process for a Cruise Ship Injury

Consult an experienced cruise ship injury attorney to help you navigate the claims process. Since federal law in many forms affects the cruise injury claims process, a seasoned cruise ship injury lawyer will understand the terms of the ticket contract and any other laws that apply to your case.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Filing a Cruise Ship Injury Claim

If you book a passage on a cruise ship, you must carefully read your ticket agreement since it is a contract between you and the cruise line. By purchasing a ticket, you agree to its terms. Your ticket agreement contains the requirements to file a claim or lawsuit for personal injuries.

Some common mistakes include selecting the wrong forum (court) to file your claim and missing deadlines. In addition to meeting requirements for the location of your case filing, you must give notice of your claim (usually within six months) and file it within a specific time (one year).

The court can dismiss your case for any of these reasons. Your case may not succeed if you fail to allege a fact key to your recovery, like establishing that the cruise line was negligent or that its negligence was the actual cause of your injuries. This is why a knowledgeable attorney is essential.

The Role of Mediation and Arbitration in Cruise Ship Injury Claims

Arbitration and mediation both involve presenting your case to a neutral third party. While an arbitrator acts as a decision-maker, a mediator acts as a facilitator. Mediation involves a third party acting as someone who helps the parties engage in meaningful, productive negotiations.

Cruise lines prefer to arbitrate cases mainly to avoid excessive jury verdicts. An arbitrator experienced in hearing cruise ship injury cases is much less likely to award outrageous million-dollar verdicts. Cruise lines use arbitration in many types of matters.

However, claims involving passenger death, bodily or emotional injury, or illness are not subject to arbitration provisions. Remember that you have the right for a court to hear your case instead of an arbitrator.

Hurt in a Cruise ship Accident? Contact Louis A. Vucci, P.A., Today

The [firm-name] legal team has the knowledge and experience to meet the challenges posed by cruise ship injury cases. Our record of recovering compensation for our clients is a measure of our success. We can help you deal with your injuries and other losses. Contact us online or call [phone-number linked="true"] to schedule a free consultation.

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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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