subject: A Cruise Ship Accident Lawsuit Is More Complex Than Most [print this page] Even after extensive worldwide media coverage of the accident, the passengers of the Costa Concordia, which wrecked off the coast of Italy in January 2012, are finding that receiving compensation for their pain and suffering is an uphill battle. Safety standards at sea are open to broad interpretation, and cruise ships are rarely cited for safety problems unless a major disaster like the Costa Concordia sinking takes place. Fighting a cruise line in a court of law is complex, and to succeed, it is essential for the person injured on a cruise to enlist the help of a cruise line injury law firm with specific experience in cruise cases.
Cruise Ship Accident Lawsuit Venues are Specified in Advance
A ruling in 1991 by the United States Supreme Court allowed cruise lines to specify in advance where lawsuits against them take place. In the U.S., these venues are mostly in the Miami area, regardless of where the plaintiff lives. For example, a family of Costa Concordia survivors from Braintree, Massachusetts filed suit in Broward County in July 2012. The cruise line's hope, of course, is that an injured person will find it to be too much trouble to file suit in Florida and give up altogether. However, even if a settlement cannot be reached and a suit is filed, there is a good chance it will be settled before the trial date.
Terms and Conditions Favor Cruise Companies
Most people don't take the time to read the terms and conditions printed on their cruise tickets, but they contain very important information, such as the venue where suits must be filed. Your cruise terms and conditions heavily favor the cruise company and put up enough barriers that many people injured on cruise ships don't bother attempting to win compensation for their pain, suffering, and medical expenses. However, just because fighting a cruise company is difficult does not mean that it's impossible. To succeed, you need an experienced cruise injury attorney working with you.
Time Is Not On Your Side
One of the most onerous terms of cruise vacations is that you only have one year after an injury in which to pursue the cruise company in court. With just about every other type of injury case, you have three to five years. This short window of opportunity is why you should not waste your time trying to work directly with the cruise company after an injury. If they offer anything at all, it will be too little and too late for you to file suit.
A Cruise Line Injury Law Firm is Essential to a Successful Lawsuit
If you are injured on a cruise, document the incident as fully as you can and get contact information from any witnesses. Demand a copy of your shipboard medical record, and call a cruise line injury attorney as soon as possible. Cruise lines do all they can to deflect lawsuits, but if you have an experienced attorney working on your behalf, you can succeed in receiving compensation after your injury.
