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Millions of people set sail from Galveston, Texas, every year on cruise ships, taking them on relaxing yet adventurous trips through the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean. It’s easy to see why taking a cruise is a popular vacation choice. A cruise is a convenient way to see several exotic destinations without organizing transportation between them. You can explore a variety of tropical islands and exciting ports or just relax onboard with all your food, drink, and entertainment provided. Many cruise ships also feature extra amenities such as spa treatments or fun classes passengers can take.
Unfortunately, major cruise lines are not always as careful as they should be and don’t always take the steps necessary to keep their passengers and crew members safe. All too often, people who get hurt on a cruise ship are left to face mounting medical bills, pain and suffering, and other problems without understanding maritime law or knowing how to pursue compensation effectively.
A cruise ship injury attorney in Galveston can help if you were injured on a cruise. Louis A. Vucci P.A. is a cruise ship injury attorney with an extensive track record of winning cases against major cruise lines. We handle a wide range of cruise ship personal injury cases and wrongful death cases, and we are happy to represent both crew member and passenger claims. Call Louis A. Vucci P.A. today at (786) 375-0344 for a free case review with an experienced maritime personal injury lawyer serving Galveston, Texas.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury on a cruise departing from Galveston, it’s critical to know your rights and the steps to protect yourself. Louis A. Vucci P.A. specializes in representing injured cruise ship passengers and crew members, helping them understand maritime law and pursue the compensation they deserve.
If you’ve been injured on a cruise departing from Galveston, it’s important to understand your rights and the steps you need to take to protect yourself. Here are the key things you need to know:
When you receive your cruise ticket, be sure to review the fine print carefully. The ticket outlines important legal details, including a one-year deadline for filing injury claims against the cruise line. Missing this deadline can prevent you from seeking compensation, so understanding these terms is critical. According to Cruisecritic, the fine print on your cruise ticket will include information such as the potential for changes to the port fees, penalties for disembarking at the wrong port, rules about what you can carry in checked bags, limits on cruise line liability, limits on traveling while pregnant or with an infant under six months old, and other rules and limitations. Some of these rules can limit your right to take the cruise line to court after an injury. However, you do have rights despite these limitations.
The Cruise Lines International Association has adopted a Passenger Bill of Rights. that entitles you to professional emergency medical care, a crew trained in emergency procedures, an emergency power source, and other rights while on a cruise. Check to confirm that your cruise line is a member of the CLIA and that they have adopted the Passenger Bill of Rights.
Acting quickly after an injury is essential. Report the incident immediately, seek medical care—whether onboard or after disembarking—and consult a lawyer as soon as possible. Prompt action helps meet legal deadlines and preserves evidence, like medical records and witness statements, for your case. Remember to document everything that happens and to keep all the documentation you have. That means asking the crew for a written incident report, asking medical professionals for copies of all your medical records, taking photographs to gather evidence, and keeping everything to show your lawyer as soon as possible.
Although your cruise departs from Galveston, the ship’s registration may dictate that foreign laws apply. Most cruise ships are registered in countries like the Bahamas or Panama, which means legal issues might be governed by those nations’ laws. Cruise lines often register ships under a “flag of convenience,” meaning that the ship is registered in a country with laws relatively favorable to the cruise line. If anything goes wrong on board, the laws of the country where the ship is registered may apply to the case, which is an advantage to the cruise line. The laws that apply to your case can be diffucult, but a knowledgeable Galveston-based maritime lawyer can guide you through the process.
If you’ve been injured on a cruise, it’s important to know where to file your claim. Many cruise lines—such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian—require that injury claims be filed in Miami, Florida, as outlined in the cruise ticket contract. This provision, known as a “forum selection clause,” mandates that only specific courts may hear cases. Some other lines, such as Princess Cruises, require claims to be filed in California, while Holland America directs cases to Washington State.
Incidents that can lead to a lawsuit against a cruise line often happen while the ship is at sea, which means that maritime law rather than state law governs the case. As such, federal courts hear cases involving maritime law, and your contract with the cruise line probably specifies that you must file the case in federal court in Miami, Florida, even if your cruise left from Galveston, Texas. However, the jurisdiction of your case depends on the specifics of what happened and where it happened.
It’s important to understand where you must file your claim and to act quickly, as most cruise lines enforce a one-year statute of limitations. Consulting with an experienced cruise ship injury lawyer can help you file your claim in the correct jurisdiction.
The Port of Galveston is the only port in Galveston, Texas, and the only active cruise ship port anywhere in Texas. Houston’s Bayport Cruise Terminal once offered regular cruise departures, but it no longer does.
Located on Galveston Island, the Port of Galveston has a total of three cruise terminals, offering cruises to Mexico, the Caribbean, and other tropical destinations. Each terminal serves different cruise lines:
Where is the cruise ship port in Galveston? Cruise Terminal 1 is located at 2502 Harborside Drive, while cruise Terminal 2 is at 2702 Harborside Drive. Cruise Terminal 3 is on Pier 10 at 1152 Royal Caribbean Way. All three terminals are located on Galveston Island.
Slip and fall accidents or other incidents that occur at or around one of the cruise line terminals can be the basis for a personal injury claim against the cruise line company. If you are injured while boarding or disembarking or due to unsafe conditions at the cruise line terminal, contact a Texas cruise ship accident lawyer immediately.
Your cruise ship injury lawyers will ask you at what terminal the accident occurred, investigate the circumstances of your injury, and determine which parties you may hold liable.
A Galveston cruise ship injury attorney helps you understand your case and pursue fair compensation for your injuries.
The law requires cruise lines to maintain safe environments for passengers and crew. Negligence occurs when they fail in this duty, such as by not maintaining equipment or addressing hazards onboard. For example, poor maintenance of key systems like diesel generators can result in preventable accidents. In cases where negligence causes injury, those affected have the right to seek compensation. A Galveston-based cruise ship injury lawyer can help prove negligence and secure damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and more.
Negligence on a cruise ship can be different from negligence on land. According to the Supreme Court, negligence is defined in maritime law according to the Kermarec standard, which requires “reasonable care under the circumstances of each case.”
Examples of maritime negligence include:
After a cruise ship accident in Galveston, Texas, you should take these steps immediately:
Do not agree to sign anything without consulting a lawyer, and avoid making any statements the cruise line could interpret as an admission of fault.
You should contact your cruise ship accident attorneys as soon as possible because you only have one year to file suit.
Although the Uniform Statute of Limitations for Marine Torts established three years as the standard in marine personal injury cases in the United States, your contract with the cruise line will determine the statute of limitations in your case. This contract gives you only one year to file a lawsuit.
This might not seem like such a short time to you, but your attorneys need time to investigate the case and negotiate a settlement with the cruise line, so don’t delay. Contact an attorney in Galveston, Texas, immediately.
Common causes of injuries on a cruise ship include:
Typical cruise ship injuries include:
No matter what injury you suffered, you shouldn’t have to face the consequences of someone else’s negligence alone. If you were injured on a cruise due to the negligence of the cruise line or anyone else, a maritime personal injury lawyer can help you hold them accountable and get the help you need.
In a Galveston, Texas, cruise ship accident, you can pursue compensation for both economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages include:
Noneconomic damages include:
According to the United States Supreme Court, maritime law does allow for punitive damages. However, courts will only award punitive damages if the cruise line acted with reckless disregard for the safety of passengers or crew.
There are many things for which a passenger may make a claim, some of which include:
