Defective / Malfunctioning Equipment

Were you injured on a cruise ship because the ship’s equipment malfunctioned or was defective? If so, you could pursue compensation from the party responsible for making or maintaining the equipment. This isn’t an undertaking you should take on by yourself. An experienced cruise ship excursion attorney can take the burden of getting the money you need off your shoulders.

Cruise ships are undoubtedly a fun and luxurious vacation experience. Still, being on a giant vessel in the middle of the ocean can also be hazardous – especially if a cruise line hasn’t taken the proper steps to ensure their ship is maintained correctly.

At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we understand how difficult it can be to endure physical, emotional, and financial hardship due to a cruise gone wrong. We are committed to helping hold cruise lines accountable for passenger injuries they caused. Our experienced cruise ship injury lawyers will work diligently to build a strong case, seek fair financial compensation, and support your recovery. Call us today at (866) 404-3415 for a free consultation about how we can help you today.

Cruise Ship Dangers

With so many systems working together to maintain a ship’s functionality, things can go wrong quickly. Incidents like electrical fires, gas leaks, propeller malfunctions, and more have the potential to do severe damage to not only the vessel itself but to everyone aboard. These incidents can cause severe emotional, physical, and financial injury to anyone who must endure them.

While cruises are undoubtedly a fun and exciting vacation experience, they can be dangerous. There are a variety of potential hazards that can arise from negligence or malfunctions on board a ship that could cause harm, injury, or even death to passengers and crew members alike. If not properly maintained or operated, cruise ships can seriously threaten everyone aboard’s health, safety, and overall well-being.

Every marine vessel is supported by a system of carefully constructed and operated parts, such as engines, propellers, hydraulic systems, electrical wiring, navigation equipment, and more. Indeed, if even one of those systems malfunctions, even seemingly minor issues can cause accidents, injuries, or even deaths.

Defective and Malfunctioning Equipment on Cruise Ships

Defective and malfunctioning equipment aboard a cruise ship can be one of the biggest threats to passenger and crew safety. In fact, according to a 2015 report from research firm G.P. Wild, approximately ten people die, and 60 people are injured each year on cruise ships due to “operational mishaps,” which can include everything from seemingly minor technical issues to major malfunctions leading to physical injury, emotional distress, and even death.

Cruise ships can be considered balanced ecosystems in many ways. As such, even seemingly minor disruptions to that ecosystem can lead to catastrophic conditions and life-threatening disasters. While most cruise excursions travel to and from their destinations safely, it’s important to remember that marine travel can still be dangerous, especially if there’s defective or malfunctioning equipment aboard. Here are several potential risks to consider when traveling aboard cruise ships.

• Power outages: A power outage on a cruise ship can lead to a wide range of problems, including everything from disruptions to onboard activities to issues with food storage and preparation. An outage could even lead to severe safety concerns if critical systems are affected.
• Electrical shocks: Faulty wiring, poorly maintained electrical systems, and other issues can lead to several severe issues aboard cruise ships, especially when passengers are on board. Even with experienced crew members aboard, faulty electrical systems on marine vessels can result in fires, explosions, and electrical shocks. These issues can lead to serious injuries or even death if left unchecked.
• Fires: From the kitchen to the engine room, cruise ships have plenty of spaces where dangerous fires can spark. Malfunctioning equipment that generates heat, such as ovens, boilers, or electrical systems, can cause severe fires leading to catastrophic damage and injury.
• Drowning: Even in the calmest waters, defective or poorly maintained equipment, such as broken guardrails, faulty fin stabilizers, or malfunctioning lifeboats and flotation devices, can put passengers and crew members at risk of drowning.
• Plumbing and sewage systems: Plumbing and sewage systems aboard cruise ships are essential to maintaining a safe and healthy environment for passengers and crew members. Since people on these marine vessels are often in such close proximity to one another, it’s critical to keep plumbing and sewage systems as pristine as possible. If they malfunction, they can lead to unsanitary conditions, food poisoning, disease spread, hospitalization, and even death.

What Compensation Could I Get?

At Louis A. Vucci P.A., our experienced cruise ship injury lawyers strive to help our clients who sustained injury on a cruise ship because of faulty or malfunctioning equipment. When you’ve been injured and require treatment, you need financial compensation to recover from your physical, emotional, and financial suffering.

With years of experience with cruise ship cases for our injured clients, we understand the complexities of pursuing a legal claim against a cruise line and will work toward holding all responsible parties accountable. We will closely collaborate with you to understand the full extent of your injuries, as well as the impact those injuries have had on your daily life.

We will pursue compensation for these types of losses related to your injury:

• Medical bills: You may be entitled to receive compensation for any medical expenses you incur as a result of your injury. Medical expenses include hospital bills, doctor’s office visits, medication costs, rehabilitation expenses, assistive devices, physical therapy, and surgery.
• Lost wages: At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we know lost wages can have a huge impact on our clients’ lives. If your injuries have caused you to miss work or have harmed your ability to work in the future, you may be entitled to receive financial compensation. Our experienced attorneys can help you assess the value of your current and future lost wages by gathering evidence of your lost income, consulting medical experts about how your condition will affect your ability to do your job or work at any job in the future, consulting financial experts about how much income you will lose if you are unable to return to work at all.
• Pain and suffering: The physical and emotional toll that pain and suffering can have on our clients is something that Louis A. Vucci P.A. takes extremely seriously. Your compensation should include money for the physical pain you’ve experienced, as well as for the mental anguish you experience because of the accident.
• Emotional distress: Because emotional distress can have such a detrimental impact on a victim’s health and overall well-being, we take claims like these very seriously. After any kind of emotional or physical trauma, emotional distress can arise as anxiety, depression, fear, loss of sleep, and other emotional or mental symptoms. Often, accident victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder. If you’ve suffered physical disfigurement due to the accident, those injuries produce their own trauma. You could obtain compensation for your loss of enjoyment of life if you are unable to engage in activities that brought you joy prior to your injury.

At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we will work toward obtaining the financial compensation you deserve by building a strong case that holds all responsible parties accountable.

How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?

At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we believe everyone is entitled to high-quality legal representation when they’ve been injured through no fault of their own. That’s why we work on a contingency-fee basis. You pay us no money upfront. We will work diligently on your case, and you won’t owe us anything unless we get compensation for you. Our incentive is not only to help you but to earn our fees. If we don’t get you any money, you don’t pay us anything. Ever.

How We’ll Fight for You

At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we are dedicated to advocating for our clients and ensuring their rights are protected. If you were injured because of defective or malfunctioning equipment on a cruise ship, our experienced cruise ship injury lawyers would fight for you. We will thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, gather evidence and witness statements to build a strong case on your behalf, handle all communications with the insurance companies and cruise line, and negotiate aggressively with the responsible parties.

If a fair settlement can’t be reached at the table, our lawyers are prepared to escalate the case to court and advocate for you in front of a judge. At Louis A. Vucci P.A., we know you may be dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial challenges that come in the aftermath of an injury. We’re committed to helping you work through the legal process with compassion and empathy, especially when you may not be strong enough or knowledgeable enough to advocate for yourself.

Our cruise ship injury lawyers will guide you through every step of the complex legal process and work toward obtaining the fair financial compensation you need. If you were injured due to defective or malfunctioning equipment aboard a cruise excursion, call Louis A. Vucci P.A. at (866) 404-3415 to seek legal representation today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most people who board a cruise ship never anticipate suffering serious or life-threatening injuries due to an accident at the fault of the cruise ship company or crew member. Because of that, many injured victims aren’t aware of their rights or that they can even take legal action against such a large and seemingly powerful entity in the first place. The Miami cruise ship injury lawyers are here to answer all of your questions and to start, we’ve added a few answers to some common questions here.

How long do I have to take legal action against a cruise ship company?

For any personal injury case, plaintiffs have a set window of time they can file a claim and pursue legal action. This is known as the statute of limitations and is especially narrow and strict for cruise ship injuries. While it can be as short as a year, the specific statute of limitations for your ship and cruise line is usually located on your ticket so make sure to read that before embarking on your trip.

Do I have to travel to Miami if I file a lawsuit?

For many injured victims, they may have set sail from Miami but actually live somewhere else in the country. The time and cost of traveling to Miami for your case may discourage many people from taking legal action. Many cruise lines do require you to file the lawsuits in the United States Federal Courthouse in Miami, which means you would have to travel to Miami for at least the filing, and if it goes to court, you may have to travel several times for various phases of the case. Every case is different so contact an attorney for a more specific answer to your scenario.

How much does an attorney cost?

This is a common and understandable question for many injured victims who are now facing tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills or lost wages and don’t think they can afford even a consultation with a lawyer. Fortunately, with Louis A. Vucci P.A. your consultation is always and free, and our legal team works on a contingency basis. This means we don’t charge anything if we don’t win and only take a small percentage of the compensation when we are successful.

Contact a Defective/Malfunctioning Equipment Lawyer

The aftermath of an accident aboard a cruise ship due to defective or malfunctioning equipment can be extremely stressful and even more overwhelming. Dealing with injuries and getting proper medical treatment away while out of the country and making arrangements to get back home can leave anyone feeling lost, confused, and alone. That’s why you need an experienced and tough legal representative to fight for you. The defective/malfunctioning equipment lawyer, Louis A. Vucci P.A. will be by your side every step of the way, helping you hold negligent cruise ship companies responsible for their actions. Contact us today at (866) 404-3415 and speak with one of our legal representatives to schedule a free consultation.