Princess Cruise Ship Injury + Accident Attorney
On a cruise, many of the aspects of safety and health on board are under the direct control of the cruise line and the ship’s crew. From onboard safety to the food you eat, the cruise ship’s staff and crew are responsible for ensuring you have a good time on your cruise and that you remain safe. If they fail to uphold these standards, you could be seriously injured.
The attorneys at Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. represent victims of injuries on Princess Cruise ships and other cruises, and we work to get you the compensation you need to cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. For a free legal consultation on your injury case, call our Princess Cruise ship injury and accident lawyers today at (866) 386-1762.
Suing Princess Cruises for Injuries and Accidents
If you were injured on a Princess Cruise ship, you might be entitled to compensation for the injuries. In many cases, the injuries would have been avoided if it were not for acts or omissions of the cruise ship’s staff and crew or problems with the ship that the cruise line failed to repair. In these kinds of accidents, you may be able to sue the cruise lines under a claim that their negligence was what caused your injuries.
To prove your negligence claim, you must show the court that the cruise line owed you a duty, that they breached that duty, and that the breach of duty caused your injuries. The duty in your case will depend on the specifics of how you were injured, but generally, cruise lines owe passengers a few different duties on board:
- Kitchen staff must serve clean food that is free from foodborne illness.
- Custodial and maintenance staff must keep the ship clean and clear of tripping and slipping hazards.
- Bar and restaurant staff must be careful not to overserve passengers alcohol and put them at risk of injury.
- Security crew must reasonably help prevent crime and assault on board.
- Staff must not engage in violence or sexual assault against passengers.
- Crewmembers responsible for shore excursions must carefully pilot boats and planes to avoid injuries.
- Lifeguards and other staff must be trained in CPR and help prevent injuries and drowning in pools and on diving or snorkeling trips.
Other duties are also essential to keeping passengers safe. As a passenger, you have a relationship with the cruise line and its staff, and they must uphold any duties the law places on them. If they fail to do so, you should be entitled to sue them for injuries.
Damages in a Princess Cruise Accident Lawsuit
If you suffered serious injuries on a Princess Cruise, you must prove the damages you suffered before you can get the compensation you deserve. In most injury cases, there are three major categories of damages you can claim: medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. There may be other additional damages you face in your case, potentially including economic damages or intangible damages, and you should be entitled to full compensation for any harms that were caused by the cruise line’s negligence.
Damages for medical expenses can be claimed to cover any medical bills stemming from the injuries. If you needed medical transportation and were treated at a foreign hospital, this could be quite expensive. You should be entitled to full compensation for the cost of this care even if there were complications or mistakes that made the care more expensive.
If you missed work because of the injury or illness, you should be entitled to damages for the lost wages you faced. This includes damages for wages you missed while recovering from your injuries as well as wages that you will lose in the future if the injury is severe enough to stop you from working entirely or severe enough that you must take a lower-paying job.
Damages for lost wages are “intangible,” in that you cannot show someone else the pain and suffering you faced. These damages are also “noneconomic” in that there are no clear costs associated with these damages that you can prove by producing bills and financial statements. Still, you can claim compensation for these damages using your testimony about your experience and the degree of injury to help prove how much your pain and suffering is worth.
Other damages can be shown by producing medical bills, testimony, and economic estimates of the harm. In some cases, your lawyer might hire a financial expert to help prove your damages and how much they cost.
Filing a Lawsuit Against Princess Cruises
If you were injured on a Princess Cruise ship, your case will likely be handled in an American maritime court. Maritime law governs most ships and vessels that fly an American flag or keep their main port in the U.S. When you sue under maritime law, you often need to use a maritime lawyer, and you may be required to file in federal court. Your lawyer will help you file your case in the right court against the proper parties to get you compensation for your injuries.
Call Our Princess Cruise Injury Attorneys for a Free Legal Consultation
If you or a loved one was on a Princess Cruise and was involved in an accident, acquired an illness, or suffered from injuries or violence on board the ship, contact our law offices to discuss your options for seeking compensation and filing a lawsuit against the cruise line. Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind represent injury victims and their families in lawsuits against Princess Cruise and other cruise lines for negligence and accidents on cruise ships. To set up a free legal consultation on your case, contact our law offices today at (866) 386-1762.
