Every year more than 8 million people enter and leave ports in South Florida on cruise ships. Most cruise line terms and conditions, which are contained in the small print on your cruise tickets, specify that anyone making a claim against the cruise line must do so in specific jurisdictions, and those jurisdictions are usually in southern Florida. It’s You Against the Clock Another very important part of your cruise ticket terms and conditions is the statute of limitations for making a claim against the cruise line. Typically, cruise passengers have only one year from the date of an accident on a cruise ship in which to pursue a claim against the cruise line. Trying to negotiate directly with a cruise line usually only results in using up most or all of this one-year period. After that, you’re out of luck. It’s far better to contact a cruise line accident attorney as soon as possible after a cruise ship accident. Complexities in Cruise Lawsuits Suits against cruise lines may involve state, federal, foreign, and maritime statutes, making these cases very complex. Hiring an experienced cruise line accident attorney is your best decision when you have suffered an injury onboard a ship or on a land excursion that is part of your cruise. The Right Experience is Critical Dealing with cruise lines requires a very specific set of skills, and even the most talented attorneys without specific cruise lawsuit experience may have difficulty. If you get hurt on a cruise, whether due to a slip and fall accident, an assault, food-borne illness, or other injury, obtaining fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering requires the help of a cruise attorney
who has successfully dealt with cruise lines before. When You’re Hurt in a Cruise Accident Document any cruise ship injury as thoroughly as possible, request a copy of your onboard medical file, and get in touch with a cruise accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident. Time is critical, and pursuing compensation from a cruise line requires skill and experience that only a cruise accident attorney provides.