Guests and Workers on Cruise Ships: What You Can Do After an Accident
When you make a getaway from the daily grind, you may be hoping to avoid the humdrum and the stressful. But even on a cruise ship, you may not be able to avoid injury and illness from someone else’s negligence. If you have a vacation planned in your future, or if you are recuperating from a trip, then you need to be aware of things a cruise ship would never advertise about.
You were probably already aware of recent accidents. Back in 2012, a cruise ship veered too close to the Italian coast and caused an accident where thirty-two people died. Not much later, a different cruise ship had an engine room fire that shut down the ship’s power. Passengers had to go days without basic plumbing and without electricity. Fortunately, these rarely occur, but ships are still rife with the potential for accidents that cause injuries.
If there is poorly kept stretch of walkway, or if something on the ship malfunctions, you could suffer serious injury. This might mean that you are eligible to file a premises liability claim against the negligent ship owner. For example, you may be able to file a claim for a slip and fall accident that is caused by someone failing to remove dangerous obstacles.
You may also be able to take action against illness you contracted on your ship. For example, not everyone who is suffering from nausea and diarrhea is suffering seasickness. It could be a norovirus, a stomach bug that you might contract when a large number of people are living together in close quarters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is a considerable likelihood for this virus to occur in dorms, hospitals, and prisons.
According to several reports, this virus on a cruise line is rare, but all the same, thousands of passengers come down with it every year. February of this year, one cruise ship alone had 118 people come down with norovirus. If a serious virus was due to negligence in maintaining the quality of the ship, then you might have a claim.
Perhaps a cruise ship is your daily grind. If you work for a cruise ship, then you are probably considered a seaman under the Jones Act. Through this legislation, you might be able to pursue compensation for a workplace accident. To learn more about your rights, contact a Raleigh personal injury lawyer.
We have more than 38 years of experience, and we may be able to successfully guide you to the settlement you deserve. You can reach the Whitley Law Firm 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so call today!