Los Angeles Cruise Ship Accidents
Departing on a cruise from Los Angeles should be a fun, relaxing and enjoyable adventure. Unfortunately, this is not the experience many passengers have due to serious accidents and injuries during the vacation. If you get hurt in a cruise ship accident, protect your rights by hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles who has experience going up against major cruise lines. Your attorney will fight for justice on your behalf.
Common Types of Cruise Ship Accidents
When a cruise ship is not controlled, supervised or maintained as it should be, accidents happen. Cruise lines are legally responsible for ensuring the reasonable safety of cruises they offer. A poorly operated cruise ship can contain many injury risks.
These risks can result in accidents such as:
- Slip, trip and fall accidents onboard
- Staircase accidents
- Falls overboard
- Elevator accidents
- On-ship activity injuries
- Shore excursion accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Collisions with other boats or fixed objects
- Cruise ship mechanical failures
- Fires or explosions
- Serious illnesses or infections
- Food poisoning
- Assaults and violent crimes
Cruise ship accidents can result in broken bones, head and brain injuries, spinal cord damage, soft-tissue injuries, lacerations, burns, internal injuries, and many other serious injuries. It’s critical to seek help from an attorney after suffering severe injuries in any kind of cruise ship accident.
Legal Complications Involved in Cruise Ship Accident Cases
Cruise ship accidents in the Los Angeles area have various legal considerations that do not exist with typical personal injury claims. Injuries and deaths that take place on the water or at cruise ship terminals are governed by maritime laws, which are special state and federal laws. Your case may have different deadlines, legal rules and grounds for filing.
Cruise ship cases can be difficult for injured passengers to navigate due to clauses included on each ticket that protect cruise lines from liability for many accidents. Passenger contracts control the filing process, including imposing a one-year time limit on most claims. To effectively navigate your case and recover fair compensation, you may need to hire a lawyer.
Who Is Liable for a Cruise Ship Accident and Injury in Los Angeles?
You may be able to hold a cruise line liable, or legally responsible, for your injury if the cruise line or one of its staff members was negligent. If the cruise line failed to provide a reasonably safe environment for passengers, for example, this could provide grounds to hold the company liable for a related injury, illness or death.
You or your attorney must prove negligence for a successful case. This requires evidence that the cruise line or one of its employees owed you a duty of care, breached this duty and caused your cruise ship accident. A Los Angeles maritime lawyer can help you gather evidence to support your case, such as accident reports, maintenance records, witness statements, medical records, and photos or videos.
How Can a Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Help?
A maritime and admiralty lawyer in Los Angeles can help you navigate the complex medical and legal aspects of a cruise ship accident claim. An attorney can provide critical legal expertise and guidance, including explaining state and federal maritime laws. You can trust your lawyer to take on a powerful cruise line in and out of the courtroom to pursue maximum compensation for your losses. Meanwhile, you can focus on your recovery.
To speak to a local cruise ship accident lawyer at no cost or obligation, contact Rose, Klein & Marias LLP.