1. Home
  2.  → 
  3. Maritime Law
  4.  → What Are My Rights If I’m Injured On A Cruise Ship?

Attorneys Fighting For Cruise Ship Injury Victims & Their Families

Although cruise ships are a floating vacation and are meant to be stress-free, there are seemingly endless ways to get hurt while aboard a cruise ship or while taking shore excursions. We have all heard horror stories on the news in recent years of passengers injured, sickened and even killed while sailing the seas on a luxury cruise.

If you’ve been seriously injured or a loved one has been killed, The Hodge Law Firm, PLLC, is ready to help you assert your rights and to hold the cruise line and other at-fault parties accountable for personal injury or wrongful death.

You Likely Have The Right To Compensation

Here are just some of the common injuries you might have experienced, any of which may be legally actionable:

  • Slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents aboard the ship or on gangways
  • Severe food poisoning after eating aboard the ship
  • Pool accidents and drownings
  • Being struck by objects falling from overhead compartments or upper decks
  • Fires and explosions aboard the ship
  • Falls and other injuries caused by broken railings or other equipment in disrepair
  • Injuries suffered during cruise line-sponsored activities or while on shore excursions

You Have The Right To Sue Multiple Defendants

First and foremost, the cruise line is likely to be named as a defendant in a personal injury lawsuit. But depending on the circumstances, other parties may have been liable as well, including business owners (for accidents during shore excursions), tender boat captains, equipment manufacturers and even other passengers.

Seek Medical Treatment, Create Medical Records And Document Evidence

If you’ve been injured on a cruise ship, you should seek medical care aboard the ship even if you aren’t sure it will help. Although medical staff aboard a cruise ship likely won’t be as experienced as doctors on land (or have as many medical resources), you still need to ensure that you are medically stable and not in danger of worse injuries or complications.

Seeing the ship’s doctor will also help your future legal claim in two ways. First, it creates medical records of your injuries immediately after the accident. You should ask for copies of those medical records before the cruise has ended.

Second, it doesn’t allow the cruise company to claim that your injuries were exaggerated (and didn’t need medical attention) or that you were negligent in failing to seek first aid and medical care in a timely manner after the accident.

In addition to medical records, you should try to gather as much evidence about what happened as you can, including names of witnesses, photos, videos and a written account from your own perspective. It is also a good idea to report your accident or injuries to an official working for the cruise line (such as the ship’s safety or security officer) and get copies of that report for yourself.

Learn More In A Free Initial Consultation

The Hodge Law Firm is based in Galveston, and we serve clients all along Texas’ Gulf Coast Region (including those injured at sea). To discuss your rights and legal options for free, call us at 409-241-7246 or send us an email.