Attorney for Injuries Caused by Cruise Ship Security
The security staff on a cruise ship is trained to help prevent injuries and to help keep people safe aboard a ship. If these workers forego their duties and allow people to be injured – or worse, actually cause injuries themselves – victims might be entitled to sue the cruise line. The attorneys for injuries caused by cruise ship security at Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. might be able to help.
Our attorneys have decades of experience filing lawsuits against negligent cruise lines for passenger injuries. We fight to help victims of violence, sexual assault, and other injuries committed by cruise ship security get compensation for the trauma they suffered. For help with your potential case, call our cruise ship injury lawyers today to set up a free legal consultation. Our number is (866) 386-1762.
Causes of Injuries by Security Staff on a Cruise Ship
Security workers, whether on a cruise ship or anywhere else, should be properly trained. This means knowing how to handle unruly passengers and how to detain people safely and legally. In most cases, security officers are not permitted to use force or violence against someone who is not causing a physical danger. Security officers who are not properly trained or who act against their training might be responsible for any injuries they cause during the performance of their duties.
Security workers are not the same as police. On ships, maritime law does give the captain and the crew more leeway to detain people or use force to solve problems. This might give a cruise ship security officer more power than the security at a shopping mall or the bouncer at a bar, but it does not give them blanket authority or the right to injure others.
If a security officer injured you because they used excessive force, this might entitle you to a lawsuit. Self-defense or defense of another requires a measured response. This means that if cruise security responds to mild violence with excessive force, deadly force, or use of deadly weapons, they might be responsible for such an overreaction.
Additionally, security officers on a cruise ship must avoid causing injury to bystanders. If they are not careful in how they work to detain an aggressive passenger, they could cause collateral damage. Injuries to bystanders caused by excessive force could lead to a lawsuit as well.
Lastly, security officers should not cause injuries unless required to in response to another issue. This means that a security officer should never commit assault or sexual assault against another passenger. They should also avoid resorting to force to respond to non-violent scenarios, such as disorderly conduct or public drunkenness.
Suing a Cruise Line for Injuries Caused by a Security Officer
Cruise lines are generally responsible for their crew and staff. As mentioned, cruise ship security officers need training. They also need to be properly supervised and instructed to help them perform their duties safely. If the cruise line was responsible for failing to properly train or supervise their workers, they could be responsible for any injuries the security workers caused.
The cruise line will also be responsible for screening their prospective employees. Security officers usually need clean records to show that they do not have a history of violent crime and that they can be trusted to perform properly in an emergency. If the cruise line hired security workers with a history of violent crime, sexual assault, or misconduct at work, they could be putting passengers and other crew members at risk.
The cruise line can also be held liable for injuries that their workers cause through negligence. An employer is typically responsible for an employee’s negligence if the negligence occurred while the employee was working within the scope of their duties. Even if the mistake cannot be pinned on poor training, the cruise line can still be held responsible. The same as how you would sue the cruise line if the captain crashed the ship or a janitor failed to clean up a slippery deck, you can sue to hold the cruise line responsible for errors in judgment or mistakes that security workers cause while on duty.
Damages for Injuries Caused by Cruise Ship Security Workers
Security workers using excessive force can often be responsible for sprains and strains, bruises, broken bones, and other serious injuries. If you spent time in the hospital or missed work because of the injuries you suffered, you might be entitled to substantial damages for your injuries.
Damages in an injury lawsuit against a cruise ship can be claimed to cover economic harms. This usually covers the cost of medical evacuation, treatment at a hospital on shore, follow-up appointments with your own doctor, and additional care to treat the injuries. It can also cover the cost of wages that you lost because of your injury, now and in the future. These damages can be substantial in some cases.
In addition to the economic damages, you can also claim damages for noneconomic harms. This usually includes damages for pain and suffering, at the least. These damages compensate you for the physical and mental effects of an injury, including the fear and the distress of coping with the injury. In some cases, noneconomic damages can also include punitive damages. If the cruise line or its workers were especially negligent or the injuries you faced were part of a pattern of negligence at that cruise line, the court could punish the cruise line by ordering them to pay you additional money.
Talk to a lawyer about what your injury case could be worth.
Call Our Attorney for Injuries Caused by Cruise Ship Security Officers to Set Up a Free Consultation
If you were injured by the security staff on a cruise ship, call our lawyers today. Whether the injuries occurred when security was trying to detain you or when force and violence were uncalled for, Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind’s attorneys for injures caused by cruise ship security might be able to help you seek compensation for your injuries. To schedule a free case consultation, call our lawyers today at (866) 386-1762.
