If you are a passenger on a cruise ship and get injured, there will be a few things you will have to prove in order to determine liability. The number one thing you will have to confirm in court is that the cruise ship operator was negligent in some way. This is the main way that you will be able to recover damages from the cruise line. Proving that the cruise line failed to act with reasonable care doesn’t have to be difficult, but you and your attorney should know the types of negligence that can be proven on a cruise ship.
What Are Some Examples of Negligence on a Cruise Ship?
Most injuries that occur on a cruise ship are slip and fall accidents. Specific types of these incidents can include:
- Falling down a staircase: Many times, staircases can be unsafe and cause someone’s slip and fall injury. Factors included in a dangerous staircase can include water (or another liquid) on the stairs, badly designed handrails, and shallow or high steps.
- Slipping and falling on the deck: The cruise line has a duty to keep the deck safe, and employees should safeguard the decks against any potential hazards. Pool and hot tub surfaces should be safeguarded against especially wet and slippery surfaces.
- Tripping over a threshold: There are many thresholds in the doorways of cruise ships that can be tripping hazards but are required by law. Cruise ships can be negligent for failing to give their passengers legitimate warning of a threshold.
Any of the cruise ship employees, or the cruise line itself, can be liable for your injuries if you can prove there was negligence involved. Cruise ships should have all surfaces clean and safe for their passengers, so if there were no warnings or safety signs alerting you to the hazard, you could potentially prove your case. Contact our maritime attorneys so we can help you through the investigation and evidence gathering process of your case.
