Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer
Experienced Cruise Ship Accident Attorney Who Will Fight For You
Whether you are a crew member or a passenger on a cruise ship, sometimes you may feel that acquiring compensation from an accident or injury on a ship is far-fetched. At the Law Office Of Irwin Ast, our cruise ship accident lawyer helps victims every step of the way to fight against cruise lines in order to get the compensation our clients truly deserve after their incident.
Cruise ship accidents and illnesses are a common occurrence. Viral outbreaks on cruise ships are so pervasive that the United States Center for Disease Control has a website dedicated to these illnesses when they spread throughout a cruise ship. Other commonly known accidents that can happen on cruise ships include the following:
- Collisions or crashes
- Sinkings
- Groundings
- Cruise ship fires
- Natural calamity or terrible weather
- Cruise ship crimes
- Poisoning or illnesses
- Drownings
- Injuries
Cases We Handle
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“What Should I, The Victim, Be Mindful About?”
1. Keep your ticket. Do not lose it.
The ticket has very important information that can help specify where and when you should file suit. This is very important as a suit filed in the wrong location and at the wrong time will not serve in your favor at court. If you were injured or became ill while vacationing on a cruise, do not lose your ticket. That ticket is also literally your ticket to making a claim. Without it, any cruise ship accident lawyer will be greatly handicapped.
Our cruise ship accident attorney will be your legal guide and take care of everything, even with the applicable law regarding cruise ships registered in foreign countries (vessels with foreign flags) since these types have different law applications compared to one that is registered in the United States. With applicable law, don’t assume that you are on a United States cruise ship.
2. The time you need to file a claim.
Most cruise lines require your claim to be presented within six months of the accident. The ticket also has this information, which in turn, helps prove the validity of your claim. What this means is that if you wait too long to file a claim, it is nearly impossible to do so. Though there are some exceptions that may apply in certain conditions, they are considered very rare. The actual ticket you purchase contains a great limitation on your rights under Florida law. Whereas a regular injury case has a four year statute of limitations — meaning you have four years from the time of the accident to make a claim. Most cruise lines require that any lawsuit be filed within one year only. Florida Courts have held that cruise lines can place such restrictive clauses within their tickets. It is best to inquire about the best course of action and consult a cruise ship accident lawyer right away after the accident for help and guidance.
Remember, the cruise line must have official notice of your claim within six months- a year of the accident or illness. This notice provision must not be ignored. Should you fail to notify the cruise line of your claim, you will not have met the condition precedent for successfully filing a lawsuit should it become necessary.
3. Don’t let them intimidate you.
When something goes wrong, don’t expect the cruise line to act in your best interest. The cruise line’s initial instinct is to defend themselves and they will gather as much proof or evidence that will give them the advantage against you. It is best that you must gather as much information as you can to help with your case and to also defend yourself. A Miami cruise ship injury lawyer at the Law Office Of Irwin Ast can help you. You can protect yourself as well as support your cruise ship accident attorney by:
- Taking photographs
- Gathering names of witnesses
- Knowing the important addresses
- Taking note of the needed telephone numbers and contact details
- Basically documenting as much helpful information as possible regarding the accident
What Should I Do After A Cruise Ship Accident?
It is best to seek medical attention right away for your sustained injury. Then, gather all of your resources to help you carry out what’s needed in order to obtain all the important information to document regarding the accident. As you are recovering from the injury, it is best to be mindful of the time when you can file a claim as well as it is limited only to a very short time.
Lawsuits against most cruise lines must be filed in the Southern District Federal Court for Florida. Let a Florida cruise ship accident attorney at the Law Office Of Irwin Ast handle your case against a cruise line.
You can find peace of mind when you have somebody working for you, by your side. An experienced cruise ship accident lawyer at the Law Office of Irwin Ast is ready to give you all the legal help you need. Call a Miami cruise ship injury lawyer right away.