Attorney to Sue Celebrity Cruises for Injury
When accidents happen on cruises, injured passengers may be able to bring claims against negligent cruise ship companies like Celebrity Cruises.
If you were injured as a passenger of a Celebrity Cruises ship, you might have to inform the company of your intent to sue within six months of the accident. On top of this added reporting requirement, victims might face jurisdictional issues in claims against Celebrity Cruises or other cruise ship companies. For example, even if your accident happened far from Florida, you might have to bring your claim there since that is where Celebrity Cruises is headquartered. When preparing your injury claim against Celebrity Cruises, our lawyers will assess its value by reviewing all recoverable damages from the accident, including your medical expenses, lost wages, and psychological damages.
To get a free case review from the cruise ship injury attorneys of Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A., call (305) 204-5369 now.
Notifying Celebrity Cruises of Your Intent to Sue for an Injury
When you purchase a ticket from Celebrity Cruises, you essentially sign a contract with the cruise ship company. This means you agree to certain stipulations, like informing the company of your intent to sue for an injury.
While most cruise ship injury claims must be filed within a year, cruise lines can require victims to submit a notice of a claim six months after an accident. Suppose you are obligated to do this per your passenger ticket but fail to do so. In that case, you might be barred from recovery if you then try to file a lawsuit, even if you do so within a year of the accident involving Celebrity Cruises.
Our cruise ship injury attorneys can start gathering preliminary information about the accident as soon as possible to prepare your notice of intent to sue and your case so that they are ready to file by the deadline. To aid in this regard, victims can and should report an accident to the onboard crew or administration immediately. Victims can also get initial care from onboard medical staff and continue their treatment when they return home. Do not allow for any substantial gaps in your medical care, as that could hurt your recovery.
Jurisdictional Issues in Injury Claims Against Celebrity Cruises
Because many cruise ship accidents happen at sea, far from the navigable waters of the United States, jurisdictional issues might arise when victims try to file injury lawsuits against Celebrity Cruises.
The first thing to understand is that cruise ship accident and injury claims are typically governed by maritime law, meaning they might fall within the jurisdiction of federal courts. Furthermore, since Celebrity Cruises’ headquarters are in Miami, any claim filed against the company would likely be brought in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Since where victims bring their claims might be far from where an accident occurred or they might live, our lawyers can help victims bring lawsuits as out-of-state plaintiffs, guiding them through the litigation process and encouraging them to participate in their recoveries.
Assessing the Value of Your Claim Injury Against Celebrity Cruises
It is important for victims to appreciate how much their claim is worth so that they know what to expect regarding their likely financial recoveries. Our attorneys can help you track your damages and calculate them so that we can request appropriate compensation in your complaint against Celebrity Cruises.
Medical Damages
When assessing your claim’s value, we will look towards any and all documentation of your damages. For example, we will need all records regarding your medical treatment and its cost. This can include medical expenses from treatment you received while still on the cruise and treatment you have received upon returning home. Furthermore, if you need further medical treatment past the conclusion of your claim, we can seek compensation for future damages not yet incurred. To do this, we might get medical experts to review your records and testify to support your recovery.
Lost Wages
Your lost wages will also influence the value of your lawsuit against Celebrity Cruises. Note the first day you could not work because of your injuries, and give our lawyers your employment information and any other details we might need to calculate your lost wages due to injury, such as past paystubs or tax returns. If you can work at a lower earning capacity, we can consider the difference between your current earning capacity and your previous ability.
Psychological Damages
Especially traumatic cruise ship accidents might have long-lasting psychological effects on victims. To assess the value of your non-economic damages due to injury, we might use either the per diem method or the multiplier method.
When using the per diem method, we would assign a dollar amount to your pain and suffering and then multiply that amount by how many days you expect to experience psychological distress because of the accident.
When using the multiplier method, we would start by picking a multiplier. This multiplier is typically between 1.5 and 5, depending on the severity of a victim’s injuries. For example, if you sustained a traumatic brain injury, we might choose a higher multiplier than if you sprained your wrist in a slip and fall accident on a cruise. After identifying a multiplier, we would multiply it by your total economic damages. The resulting sum would be the amount we request for your non-economic damages.
Proving non-economic damages often requires a combination of tactics since such losses do not come with an inherent monetary value. Because of this, some victims might testify about their pain and suffering at trial. Statements from mental health professionals and records confirming your serious injuries can result in non-economic damages as well.
Call Our Lawyers to Get Help with Your Cruise Ship Injury Case Now
Call our cruise ship injury attorneys at (305) 204-5369 to set up a free case assessment from Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. today.
