Cruise Ship Injuries

LAKE SUCCESS, NY, September 14, 2012

Taking a cruise ship vacation remains a hugely popular option for many thousands of people every year. Cruise ships depart regularly from New York, taking passengers to fun and faraway destinations such as Canada or the Caribbean. The appeal of a cruise ship holiday lies mainly in the various stops along the way, making for great sight-seeing opportunities, as well as the on-deck activities that take place all through the day and night. Many happy passengers report that the food was great, the staff members were helpful and that all in all, they had a ball.

For some passengers however, the holiday doesn't go at all as they had hoped it would. Often through no fault of their own, they find themselves sustaining a personal injury or injuries.

Common causes of cruise ship injuries include;

- Slip and fall accidents. These can be caused by wet deck or other floor surface that was not attended to properly by staff. Also failure to secure furniture and other fixtures or provide adequate signage to warn passengers of risks or dangers can result in injury.
- Food poisoning. This can be caused by improper food handling procedures.
- Crimes such as common assault or sexual assault.
- Theft of personal property and/or loss or damage of personal property

Where it can be established that your injuries have resulted from the negligent, reckless or criminal conduct of the cruise line or any of its employees, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Therefore if you suffer a personal injury while aboard a cruise ship it is essential that you contact a cruise ship injury specialist attorney as soon as possible.

What difficulties can arise during a cruise ship claim?

Events that take place while you are on a cruise ship can be complicated. This is because ships at sea are governed by a different, complex set of laws, as are the members of staff aboard the ship and you; the passenger. The laws of the United States as well any International Maritime and Admiralty statutes will be applicable. Therefore it is essential that the personal injury lawyer that you engage to handle your claim thoroughly understand these laws and the way they interact with each other.

Other difficulties include:

- As a passenger, you have entered an explicit contract with the cruise line. The text on the ticket you purchased will contain the terms of the contract. Naturally, these terms will have been created by the cruise line to minimize its liability should you suffer any injury.
- Statutory or contractual time limitations may affect your claim. Therefore the quicker you contact your cruise ship injury attorney, the better.

At Cohen & Jaffe we have successfully handled hundreds of cruise ship personal injury claims. If you have been injured during a cruise ship holiday, we are here to help you get the compensation you are entitled to. Contact us without delay for a free initial consultation to assess your case and give you the earliest possible advice.

Website: http://www.cohenjaffe.com