Cowen Edwards represents injury victims on any Florida cruise line, including companies like Celebrity. Owned by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity is one of the most popular cruise lines in Florida, but you can get hurt on one of their cruises just like anyone else. If you or someone you know has been injured on a Celebrity cruise, contact us today to set up a free consultation to talk about your legal options.
When Do You Need a Lawyer?
Going on a Celebrity cruise is normally a relaxing experience. At the same time, though, there’s many things that can potentially happen to you while on board. Whether you need a lawyer depends on your situation. While it’s not required, dealing with injury claims from a Celebrity cruise ship can be complicated. For minor injuries, you might not need legal help.
But if the cruise ship’s negligence caused serious harm, getting a lawyer is important. We can help by investigating the accident, researching similar incidents, talking to witnesses, and checking the ship’s policies.
Our goal is to simplify the legal process for you, so you can focus on recovering. We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront for our services. Once you decide to take legal action, we’ll be there to help. Usually, the first step is figuring out who’s responsible.
Is Celebrity Responsible For My Injuries?
Celebrity cruise lines didn’t reach the point it has by taking shortcuts when it comes to the passenger experience. Indeed, like many other lines, Celebrity has a number of amenities and other things designed to make these trips memorable and fun for you. Moreover, they also recognize the potential hazards and have measures in place to make you aware of them–all with the hope of reducing accidents and injuries.
Still, accidents happen. When they do, it’s the specifics of your accident that determine legal responsibility. In legal terms, this is known as “negligence.” Negligence can come into play in various forms on these ships, including:
- Not enough signs or alerts about dangers.
- Employees not properly taught how to handle safety issues.
- Safety rules that are hard to understand.
- Problems with how the ship was built or kept up.
- Ignoring dangers everyone knows about.
- Not checking the backgrounds of workers like they should.
When negligence results in injuries, you may need to file a formal injury claim against the responsible party to seek damages. Typically, this involves the cruise line, but it can also involve others, like:
- Crew members
- Passengers
- Equipment manufacturers
- Ship builders
- Food staff or handlers
- Royal Caribbean
What should you do?
After a cruise ship accident, taking the following steps is crucial:
- Seek medical assistance immediately. This will alert the ship’s management that something has happened that needs to be taken care of.
- Report the accident promptly to ship authorities to create an official record and address safety concerns.
- Preserve evidence by documenting the accident scene with photos or videos and gathering witness contact information.
- Keep track of expenses related to the accident, such as medical bills and lost wages, as these will support your claim for damages.
Following these steps protects your rights and strengthens any potential claim you might have. While not foolproof, they are vital steps to take in case you need to file an injury claim.
Legal Options After a Celebrity Cruise Accident
Even though a cruise ship is a bit different from other businesses, it still has a duty to keep you safe, just like any other company. In terms of your actual option, you can file a claim to get “damages”. This usually means filing a claim with their insurance or filing a personal injury lawsuit in court.
Regardless of which options you choose, you can potentially recover the following:
- Medical expenses – Coverage for the costs of medical treatment and care resulting from the accident.
- Lost wages – Financial support for income lost or anticipated to be lost if you’re unable to work due to the accident.
- Property damage – Reimbursement for damage to personal belongings caused by the accident.
- Emotional distress – Financial support for the emotional and mental suffering caused by the accident.
- Pain and suffering – Coverage for the physical and emotional pain endured directly from the accident.
- Loss of enjoyment of life – Financial support for the impact of the accident on your ability to enjoy life fully. It can also cover any loss of companionship with your family.
- Punitive damages – In severe cases of negligence by the cruise line or responsible party, you may be eligible for punitive damages as a form of punishment.
- Wrongful death expenses – In the event that your injuries are fatal, your surviving family can recover expenses related to your death, like funeral and burial expenses.
Filing a claim for a cruise line injury in Florida can be tough. That’s why teaming up with our experienced cruise accident lawyers is essential. We’ll help identify all responsible parties and guide you through every step of the claims process with our expertise and resources.
Common Injuries on a Celebrity Cruise
Part of the problem of any cruise ship is that it’s inherently risky, despite all the things in place that make it fun and exciting. The reality is that even just being on the open sea is dangerous. At the same time, every accident is unique. So, depending on the circumstances, you could be facing any of the following injuries
- Drowning – Accidental falls overboard or incidents in swimming pools can result in drowning or near-drowning situations.
- Broken bones – Falls or collisions may cause fractures and broken bones.
- Muscle or ligament tears – Sudden movements, slips, or falls can result in muscle and ligament sprains and strains.
- Respiratory issues – Poor air quality or exposure to hazardous substances onboard can lead to respiratory problems.
- Cuts and bruises – Accidents involving sharp objects or collisions may cause minor injuries like cuts and bruises.
- Burns – Hot surfaces or scalding liquids onboard can lead to burns.
- Head injuries – Accidents involving head impacts, such as falls or collisions, can result in head injuries.
- Illnesses – Contaminated food or water onboard can cause food poisoning or other sickness for passengers and crew.
- Injuries during shore activities – Participating in shore activities may pose risks like slips, falls, or other mishaps.
No matter what happens to you, remember to always prioritize your health and safety first. With that taken care of, make sure to reach out to our team for guidance and support.
Turn to Cowen Edwards For Legal Support After a Celebrity Cruise Accident in Florida
When you walk onboard a Celebrity cruise ship, you don’t expect to be injured. Yet, this can happen when you least expect it. When it does, you can turn to our experienced Florida cruise ship accident lawyers at Cowen Edwards for support. We’ll explain your options and help you through the recovery process. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more.
