Cowen Edwards represents cruise accident victims in Florida. Our experienced Florida cruise accident lawyers understand the dangers of these ships, designed for comfort but sometimes resulting in harm. If you’ve been injured on a Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection cruise, contact us for a free consultation.
Do You Even Need a Lawyer?
When you’re on a cruise, whether it be a Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection or any other line, there’s certain things you need to be prepared for. While these ships are designed for fun and excitement, there’s also risk for accidents and injuries. At that point, you might be wondering what your legal options are and whether or not you need a lawyer.
The answer is that it depends on your situation. You’re not required to have one, but dealing with injury claims, especially on a cruise ship, can be tricky. If your injury is minor, you probably don’t need a lawyer.
But if the cruise ship’s negligence caused significant injuries, you can file an injury claim. Further, serious injuries often require a lawyer’s help. Our team can:
- Investigate your accident thoroughly.
- Check if similar accidents have happened before.
- Talk to witnesses.
- Review the ship’s policies.
Our goal is to make the legal process easier for you so you can focus on recovery. We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that you pay nothing up front to work with us. Instead, we take our fee from whatever result we get for you.
Injuries and Responsibility in Cruise Accidents
What makes accidents on a Ritz cruise ship unique are the types of injuries that can happen to you. Whether it’s slipping on a wet surface or suffering from heat-related issues under the sun, you may face various challenges:
- Cuts and bruises from falls and collisions
- Fractures or broken bones
- Head trauma or concussions
- Drowning and near-drowning incidents
- Heat exhaustion or fatigue
- Muscle strains or ligament tears
Legal Responsibility
Although Ritz cruise lines take precautions to reduce the risk of these injuries through safety protocols and maintenance, accidents can still happen. The circumstances surrounding your specific accident determine who is responsible, legally speaking.
Negligence can manifest in several ways on these ships, including:
- Insufficient warning of hazards
- Inadequate staff training
- Lack of clear safety guidelines
- Design flaws or maintenance issues
- Failure to address known risks
- Neglecting employee background checks
When negligence leads to injuries, you may need to file a formal injury claim against the responsible party to recover damages. Typically, this includes the cruise line itself, but it can also involve individual crew members, other passengers, equipment manufacturers, or even the ship’s builders.
What You Should Do After a Cruise Ship Accident
With liability established, you can start thinking about the actual legal process where you can recover damages. Before you get to that point, though, it’s important to know what to do right after the accident happens:
- Get help – Your health comes first. Even if you think your injury is small, see a doctor right away. Some injuries might not seem bad at first but could get worse if you don’t get help. Tell a crew member or find a first aid station there to get the help you need.
- Report the accident – This part is incredibly important. Let the people in charge at the ship know about the accident as soon as possible. This makes an official record and helps the crew and management know if there are any safety problems they need to fix. Explain exactly how the accident happened and where it happened. It’s important to be honest and clear so they can try to prevent it from happening again.
- Save evidence – Take pictures or videos of where the accident happened. Also, keep any papers or contact info from witnesses who saw what happened. This stuff could be really useful if you decide to take legal action.
- Keep track of your expenses – Getting hurt on a cruise ship can cost you money, like paying for doctor visits or missing work. Keep track of your losses and other damages, since this will form the basis of your claim.
Following these steps can help protect your rights and make it easier to ask for money to cover your costs. They might not work for every accident, but they’re smart things to do just in case. At that point, you can move on to the claims process itself.
Claims Process After a Cruise Accident
The actual claims process after a cruise accident isn’t all that different from any other accident. In general, you can either:
- File an insurance claim, or;
- File a personal injury lawsuit.
Both of these options will allow you to recover certain “damages.” This is simply the legal term for your injuries and other losses. These damages cover various aspects such as:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Costs for repairing or replacing damaged property
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Diminished companionship or quality of life
- Funeral expenses in the event of fatal injuries
- Punitive damages, which are rare but possible
It’s crucial to bear in mind that all injury claims in Florida, including those coming from cruise ship accidents, must be filed within a specific timeframe known as the “statute of limitations.” Presently, this deadline is set at two years from the date of the injury.
Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection Cruise Accident Victims Can Count on Cowen Edwards
If you got hurt in an accident while on a Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection cruise in Florida, don’t wait to get help from our dedicated Florida cruise line injury lawyers at Cowen Edwards. We know how challenging this situation can be. Dealing with big companies like Ritz Carlton might seem scary, but we have the know-how and experience to help you. We’ll make sure you get the support and guidance you need. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about your options.
