Can You Sue for Injuries Sustained on a Viking Cruise Ship?
You never expect a cruise to end early due to an accident or injury, but should that happen, you should seek compensation for your losses.
If you were hurt during an accident on a Viking cruise ship, you may be able to file a negligence claim for compensatory damages. Common causes of cruise ship injuries include tripping and slipping accidents, falls overboard, and intentional assaults. Promptly preparing your case is vital since you may only have one year to file a lawsuit and recover damages from a jury award or settlement. In terms of which damages you can recover, victims typically get compensation for all medical expenses due to negligence, in addition to lost wages and non-economic damages.
Call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind at (305) 204-5369 to schedule a confidential and free case review from our cruise ship injury lawyers.
What Types of Injuries Can You Sue for After an Accident on a Viking Cruise Ship?
Passengers can sue cruise ship companies for injuries due to negligence, including those sustained during tripping or slipping accidents, falls overboard, or intentional assaults.
Injuries from Slip and Falls
Tripping, slipping, and falling accidents are some of the most common causes of passenger injuries on cruise ships. Slick decks might cause passengers to slip and break their hands or wrists. Tripping over unsecured flooring due to a hazard on deck could lead to falls to lower levels of the ship. These accidents could also result in broken bones, including spinal cord injuries.
Injuries from slipping or tripping accidents could happen in any area of a Viking cruise ship if crew members fail to ensure safe environments for passengers, from the restaurants to the pool decks.
Injuries from Falls Overboard
Falls overboard are often fatal and, if not, end in debilitating injuries for victims. Victims who survive falls overboard and are found during search and rescue efforts might suffer anoxic brain injuries that reduce their quality of life, require considerable rehabilitation, and prevent them from working and earning an income. In addition to anoxic brain and drowning injuries due to a lack of oxygen to the brain, victims might sustain traumatic head injuries and several broken bones because of falls overboard.
Injuries from Intentional Assaults
Hundreds of people, including many passengers and crew members, are aboard Viking cruise ships at any given time. This presents the risk of injuries from intentional assaults, especially if cruise ships offer negligent security when docked at foreign ports. The cruise ship company may be liable for injuries caused by intentional assaults by crew members, especially if they have a history of such behavior and were kept on staff or hired despite it.
When Can You Sue for Injuries Sustained on a Viking Cruise Ship?
After your cruise is ruined by an injury due to negligence, recklessness, or an intentional act, you must quickly start preparing your case since you will only have a short time to pursue compensation for your various damages.
Victims must file claims according to maritime law when injured because of negligence at sea. This means they only have one year to prepare and file their lawsuits in court, though they might have to notify the cruise ships of their claims beforehand. Preparing a strong case within the allotted time period is crucial. Otherwise, you could miss the filing deadline or present a case incapable of meeting the standard of proof or resulting in a fair settlement.
While you focus on physically recovering after an accident, our attorneys can prioritize preserving crucial and relevant evidence, such as footage from cruise ship surveillance systems and eyewitness statements.
What Damages Can You Sue for After Sustaining Injuries on a Viking Cruise Ship?
Cruise ship accident injuries are often expensive to treat, resulting in costly damages for victims. In your lawsuit, we can request compensation for these losses, supported by proof of your economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
When injured on a cruise at sea, victims incur many costs. Initially, they may need emergency medical care, requiring medical evacuation to a nearby hospital with the necessary resources, staff, and equipment. The cruise should cover these costs entirely, including any expenses associated with search and rescue efforts if a victim falls overboard. If you initially sought care from onboard medical staff, our cruise ship injury lawyers can request those records and compensation for any damages associated with that treatment if you were charged.
We can also request compensation for any costs associated with traveling home after the accident and any medical treatment you receive upon your return. If you need to take more time away from work than you anticipated for your cruise, we can seek compensation for your lost wages as well. Future losses are also compensable, and we can use medical expert statements to confirm the additional treatment you will need to recover from your injuries and if your earning capacity is permanently affected by the accident.
Non-Economic Damages
Victims may also sue for non-economic damages to cover the pain and suffering they have experienced. Devastating cruise ship accidents can be shocking and harmful to victims’ emotional well-being, causing some to develop serious depression as they physically recover. Do not underestimate the value of your non-economic damages or how they affect your claim’s total worth. Doing so could result in victims accepting unfair settlement offers that do not scratch the surface of their pain and suffering. Depending on the cause of your injuries, and if they were due to gross negligence, you might get punitive damages, and our lawyers can review your case to determine if exemplary damages are on the line if your case goes to trial.
Call Our Attorneys About Your Cruise Ship Injury Claim
Call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind at (305) 204-5369 for help with your case from our Miami cruise ship injury lawyers.
