Costa Cruise Ship Injury & Accident Attorney
Cruise passengers are entitled to a certain level of safety and security on a cruise ship. It is extremely rare that a cruise ship would sink and suffer catastrophic injuries and loss, but injuries from fires, illness, and everyday dangers on board the ship are quite common, as are injuries from assault or crime committed by other passengers or cruise ship staff and crewmembers.
If you or a loved one was injured on a Costa Cruise, our attorneys may be able to help. Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind represent passengers and their families after injuries on cruise ships, and we fight to get you and your family the compensation you need for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering related to a cruise ship injury. For a free legal consultation on your potential case, call our Costa Cruise ship injury and accident attorneys today at (866) 386-1762.
Suing for Injuries on a Costa Cruise Ship
The staff and crew on a cruise ship and the cruise line that owns and operates the ship are required to follow certain duties they owe their passengers. The duty to provide proper security and safety aboard the ship is chief among these duties, and when cruise ships allow dangerous conditions to cause accidents, foodborne illnesses to spread among passengers, and dangerous passengers or staff to commit assault and sexual assault on their ship, passengers are often entitled to sue the cruise ship for their injuries.
Although Costa Cruises is an Italian company headquartered in Genoa, it is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (Carnival Cruise Line), which is headquartered in Miami. In many cases, Americans injured on Costa Cruise ships who keep their port in the U.S. may be able to file their cases in the United States under U.S. maritime law. Our cruise ship injury attorneys will analyze your case and determine whether you can sue in the U.S. for your injuries and fight to get you the compensation available under U.S. law.
In a maritime injury case, you typically sue the cruise ship and the company that owns it as the defendants. Their crew and staff may be the ones who commit the negligent acts or omissions aboard the ship, but the cruise company can usually be held liable for its employees’ errors and mistakes.
In many cases, it is clear to see how the ship’s crew would be responsible for preventing injuries. For instance, cases of slip and falls or other injuries brought about by dangerous conditions on the ship are clearly the crew’s fault, because they are responsible for maintenance and upkeep to keep the ship safe. Other injuries are also clearly the ship crew’s fault, such as injuries involving food poisoning or norovirus, injuries from negligent supervision in a pool or water slide on the ship, and overboard or drowning injuries from loose handrails.
The cruise ship and cruise line can also be held liable for other mistakes their staff made that allowed you to be injured. If you were overserved at a bar on the ship and suffered injuries because of it, the ship could be liable for those injuries. Similarly, it is up to the ship’s crew and staff to provide security on board. If you are the victim of a crime committed by another passenger or a member of the ship’s staff or crew, you could be entitled to sue the ship for failing to prevent the injury. This is common in cases of assault, sexual assault, or other crimes committed aboard a cruise ship.
Damages for Injuries and Accidents on a Costa Cruise Ship
If you or a loved one was severely injured on a cruise ship, you could face substantial damages. In most injury cases, you can claim damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering related to the accident. In cases involving the death of a loved one, these damages may include additional harms your family faced because of the death.
Damages for medical expenses can be claimed in an injury lawsuit. These damages should cover the full cost of treatment and recovery, including the cost of on-board care, medivac to a hospital on shore, and surgeries, rehabilitation, and physical therapy you receive on shore or back home. If the care you received was sub-par at a foreign hospital or delays in medical evacuation caused the injuries to get worse, the ship might be responsible for these damages as well.
If you missed work because of your injuries, you could be entitled to claim damages for lost wages. These damages can be paid to cover lost wages during your recovery as well as ongoing lost wages and reduced earning capacity caused by permanent or long-term injuries.
“Pain and suffering” is a broad term used to cover the physical pain and discomfort of an injury as well as the mental and emotional suffering you face after a serious injury. These damages might not be visible, and it may be difficult to show a jury paperwork or documentation that proves these damages, but you can still claim these damages in court.
If a loved one was killed on a Costa Cruise, you and your family might suffer substantial harms. This can include financial damages like the cost of lost wages, funeral expenses, burial expenses, and lost household services, as well as damages for the lost companionship, loss of consortium, and other harms you face from the death.
Call Our Costa Cruise Ship Injury Attorneys for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries from food poisoning, assault, or an accident on a Costa Cruise ship, contact our law offices today. Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind represents victims of injuries on Costa Cruise ships and other cruise ships, and we fight to get them compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages related to their injuries. For a free legal consultation on your case, contact our law offices today at (866) 386-1762.
