What better way to spend a few weeks in winter than by taking a cruise? While so many people across the country are trying to stay warm, you could be enjoying a second tropical summer. Unfortunately, many people who book passage on one of these luxury liners suffer falls or accidents. In fact, in recent years cruise ship injury can’t have been far from mind. With incidents involving the ship named Triumph, which was owned by Carnival Corporation, and the Costa Concordia disaster off the coast of Italy, it’s no wonder that people might be wary of boarding one of these hulking ships.
If you’re planning to take a cruise in the near future and want to protect yourself from cruise ship injury, keep this post in the back of your mind. Hopefully, you won’t have to use this information, but here are a few common situations in which the cruise ship could be held responsible for your suffering.
Slipping on the Deck
Sometimes, people just fall. But don’t just assume that because you fell and sustained an injury that it couldn’t have been prevented. When you’re on board a cruise ship, it’s the cruise liner’s responsibility to keep walkways reasonably safe. What does that mean? Well, take the type of surface you slipped on as an example. Does the material get excessively slippery when wet? If so, you might be able to prove that the cruise line was negligent when they decided to use that material.
Falling Down the Stairs
If you got your injury by falling down the stairs on a cruise ship, there are a few ways you can tell if the cause was negligence. Ask yourself these questions:
- Were the steps too shallow?
- Did you notice a difference in height between the steps?
- Were there handrails?
- If there were handrails, were they broken or poorly designed?
- Was there water or a slippery substance on the stairs where you fell?
Once you answer these questions for yourself, think about why those answers might implicate the cruise line owner.
Tripping over a Threshold
Thresholds are a necessity at certain places on a ship to keep the ship watertight. However, just because a cruise ship has to have a threshold in a specific doorway doesn’t mean the company is not responsible if you trip. If you sustain a cruise ship injury by tripping over a threshold, be sure to document where the threshold is located. Were there any warning signs posted? If not, you might have a case against the cruise line.
Think You Might Have a Cruise Ship Injury Case?
If you’ve experienced any of the above or have questions about your cruise ship injury, the best way to find out if you have a solid case is by hiring an attorney with experience handling injury cases. With their knowledge of the law, you won’t have to guess whether your case is worth pursuing.
Want to talk about your case? Get in touch with RRBH Law today.