subject: Hurt On A Cruise? Contact A Cruise Ship Accident Law Firm Today! [print this page] All forms of travel experience down periods, often because of large and public accidents. Whether train, plane, car or ship, passenger safety is never 100 percent. The cruise industry has enjoyed years of steady growth and is now the most profitable sector in the travel industry. However, recent tragedies have underscored the need for improved passenger safety, especially when it comes to the larger cruise lines.
When it was completed, the Costa Concordia was the largest Italian cruise ship in history. The enormous vessel was one of the most popular floating cities in Europe, before it struck a rock and ran aground just north of the Italian island of Isola del Giglio. There were more than 4,200 passengers on board at the time, 300 of which have since been confirmed dead. That accidents happen is a fact of life, but many people now worry that these ships have simply gotten too big.
The most famous sea disaster of all time was the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Over 1,500 people died in the icy waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. But the Titanic was a rowboat compared to some of the modern cruise ships, like the Costa Concordia, which had 2,000 more passengers aboard when she ran aground. And the Costa wasnt even the biggest ship in the water! There are now ships that can accommodate more than 6,000 passengers!
How is this possible?
The cruise industry has been on a heck of a run in reason years. According to the experts, it is now a $40-billion industry. But because it takes a long time to build new ships and larger vessels are more profitable because they can accommodate more guests, the major cruise lines have been investing beaucoup bucks in bigger ships. The strategy has paid off, for the most part. There is no doubt that cruise travel or cruising is more popular than ever. About 16 million people booked cruises in 2011, which was an 8 percent increase over the previous year.
As we mentioned, the most profitable ships are the mega ships, which are essentially floating cities, complete with shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, and even casinos. Most of these mega ships operate out of Florida and visit ports of call in the Caribbean. These fast, fun, and affordable vacations have become extremely popular with American families. But are they safe?
Call a cruise ship accident law firm
It stands to reason that anytime a space becomes more crowded, the more accidents there will inevitably be. Thousands of people are injured on cruise ship accidents each year. Some are the result of slip and falls, diving accidents, or food poisoning. It is the job of a cruise ship accident law firm to determine if the victim is entitled to damages for his injuries.
Each case is different. But one thing that every injured guest should know is that most of the major cruise lines put special provisions in their contracts/passenger tickets that limit personal injury lawsuits to one year. Most other accident victims have three or four times as long to file suit. Therefore, it is important to contact a cruise injury law firm as soon as possible after your accident. Because most of the major cruise lines are incorporated in South Florida, most personal injury claims must be filed by a cruise injury law firm in the Sunshine State.
