What if You Have a Medical Emergency on a Cruise?
When medical emergencies happen on cruises, it is paramount that passengers get immediate medical attention. This is especially true if the medical emergency was caused by the cruise ship’s negligence.
In the event that you experience a medical emergency on a cruise, visit the nearest medical professionals. Typically, this is the medical staff on board. Once you have docked, even if it is a foreign port, go to the closest hospital. Then, once you are able, return home. Do not continue your cruise. After you get home, go to a hospital near you. Continue getting medical treatment for your injuries for as long as necessary. If your medical emergency was due to negligence, whether on behalf of the cruise ship or another party, you can likely file a lawsuit. Civil action can allow you to recover compensation for your medical expenses as well as other damages.
If you require compensation following a medical emergency on a cruise, call the cruise ship injury lawyers at Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. at (305) 204-5369 and set up a free case review today.
What to Do if You Have a Medical Emergency on a Cruise
Passengers might experience medical emergencies for various reasons while on cruise ships. Often, such emergencies are due to accidents caused by negligence. In any case, injured passengers should take certain steps following a medical emergency on a cruise to protect their access to compensation.
Visit Cruise Ship Medical Staff
If you are not docked at a port when your medical emergency occurs, visit the cruise ship’s medical staff. Cruises often have doctors on board capable of helping hurt passengers to a certain degree. Cruise ship medical staff might not have adequate equipment or medications on board that are necessary to fully deal with your medical emergency. Still, it is better than waiting until you are docked to see a doctor, especially if it is a true emergency.
If you were injured because of the cruise ship’s negligence, do not assume that you should not get a second opinion because you have seen the medical staff on board. While such medical professionals have a duty of care to treat you to the best of their ability, but the cruise ship employs these individuals. So, it will still be important for you to visit other medical professionals to assess your injuries once you are able to get off the cruise.
Go to the Nearest Hospital
When medical emergencies happen, cruises might be docked at ports. This provides the opportunity for passengers to go to the nearest hospital or medical facility. The closest hospital will often be in the foreign country where the ship is docked. While this can be nerve-racking for victims, getting the medical attention you need, even if it is at a foreign hospital, is important. Our cruise ship injury lawyers can obtain your medical records from a foreign medical facility once you have returned home. Such medical documentation can act as evidence in your case if you choose to sue the cruise ship or another negligent party for your injuries.
Return Home
If you have experienced a medical emergency on a cruise ship because of negligence, return home after receiving the immediate medical care you need. Do not rush your return home if you need to stay in the hospital for a bit. Once you have gotten home, seek another opinion from a hospital or doctor nearby. Continue getting the appropriate medical treatment for your injuries or condition. If you do not resume medical care upon your return home, your compensation claim might not be as strong. Gaps in medical treatment typically do not bode well for victims. If you were hurt because of a cruise ship’s negligence, do not stay on the cruise. Doing so could make it appear as though your injuries are insignificant and do not require continuous or extensive medical treatment.
Keep Your Medical Records
Following medical emergencies on cruise ships, injured passengers should keep all records of their medical treatment. This includes any care you received from cruise ship medical staff or from doctors in a foreign hospital. Continue keeping track of your treatment and expenses upon your return home. This documentation can act as proof of your damages and injuries, which can help you recover compensation in a lawsuit against a cruise ship. In addition to your medical records, our lawyers will compile additional evidence of fault, such as surveillance footage and eyewitness statements.
File Your Claim
Certain medical emergencies experienced by cruise ship passengers are due to negligence. For example, if you fell overboard or sustained a broken bone after a fall, it might have been because the cruise ship did not have the proper safety precautions in place. Medical emergencies and injuries might also be caused by assault on a cruise ship. If your injuries were due to negligence, you can likely file a claim against the cruise ship in question to recover compensation for your medical expenses and other damages.
In order to find success in your case, you will need to file within the statute of limitations. Many cruise ships operate out of Florida, meaning you might have two years to bring your claim. If the jurisdiction of your case is under U.S. maritime law, the filing deadline might differ. Cruise ships often put stipulations in the fine print of passengers’ tickets, sometimes making it harder to sue.
Once your case concludes, you can recover compensation for losses incurred because of a medical emergency caused by negligence. Compensation in these cases typically includes recovery for economic and non-economic damages. If the cruise ship acted with gross negligence in causing your medical emergency and injuries, you might also be eligible to recover punitive damages.
Call Our Attorneys About Your Cruise Ship Injury Case
Call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. at (305) 204-5369 to discuss your case for free with our boat injury lawyers.
