On January 13, 2012, the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia hit a reef and sank in the shallow waters off the coast of Italy. At the end of February, the Costa Allegra went adrift after a fire in its engine room knocked out power. Since then, the dangers of cruising have been brought back into the media’s spotlight.
Although cruise ship accidents are rare, when one does happen, it can result in serious trauma and serious injuries. One of the most common cruise ship accidents is slipping or tripping on wet or uneven surfaces, or injuries due to the ship rocking from side to side. Another common cruise ship accident is sustaining an injury in the swimming pool or while on a water slide. Injuries sustained while on ship excursions bring up complex issues of law, and the approach to recovering damages for these injuries depends on numerous factors.
Injuries sustained on a cruise ship can present interesting legal hurdles. First, the statute of limitations, or the time limit to file a law suit, is significantly shorter. Although the time frame to file a lawsuit varies, the time frame generally is one year from the date of the accident. Additionally, the cruise ticket dictates the venue, which is where the law suit needs to be filed.
If you or a family member has been injured on a cruise ship, it is important to contact an experienced attorney to protect your rights.
For more information on the contents of this article or any other question you may have, please contact the Zweben Law Group.