Cruise ship excursions are, essentially, day trips off the ship. Often, the cruise lines have a deal with a third-party vendor who is in charge of taking passengers to and/or from the ship and the excursion. As you can imagine, the cruise lines have all the power here.

Although many excursions differ according to the location of the cruise, following are the most common types of excursions our cruise ship injury attorneys see:

· Activity-based tours, including things like hiking, biking, zip lining, sailing, horseback riding, snorkeling, and more.

· Sightseeing tours, which are more bus-based and guide tourists along highlights of the local area.

Some excursions are full day; some are half day. Some are guided; some are independent.

Cruise companies advertise to their passengers that their tour operator partners offer safe and secure adventures. A cruise company may say that its “excursion partners comply with the highest safety standards in the industry.” But despite these reassurances, the tour operators may conduct the excursions in extremely dangerous manners. Injured cruise passengers may find they have signed away many of their rights in their passenger ticket contracts.

However, those who have been injured during a cruise excursion, there are legal theories which can significantly increase the chances of winning in court. These cases require skilled legal representation, and the attorneys at the Juan Cordero Lawyers Law Firm can help. Call 305.525.8957. Hablamos Español. Our staff is fluent in German, Italian, French, Swiss German. Open 24hrs a day

Any number of accidents and injuries can happen during a cruise ship excursion, whether it’s a high-adventure excursion off-shore or a simple beach walk on a nearby island. Our attorneys often represent clients who have suffered injuries resulting from:

• Tender accidents. A tender boat is used when a cruise ship is too big      to dock at a port of call. Many locations are simply too shallow or small      to allow a ship to access a port, so cruises use a tender to ferry      passengers back and forth to off-ship excursions. However, when tenders      are overloaded or operated improperly, passengers can suffer injuries,      including drowning.
• Dock accidents. Both cruise ships and tenders have to dock so      passengers can embark and disembark for off-ship excursions. Ship and      excursion personnel must enforce proper safety procedures to ensure nobody      suffers dock injuries, which can include anything from slip and falls,      broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, drownings, or fatal injuries.
• Negligent security. The cruise ship, whether you are on board or taking      part in a cruise excursion, is responsible for your and your family’s      safety. This means they should not be putting you in any known dangerous      situations, and must prevent you from experiencing preventable harm or      losses from things like physical violence, sexual assault, or      robbery/theft.
• Car accidents. After docking for an on-shore excursion, passengers      typically need transportation to their next activity. This could include      cars, bicycles, buses, or mopeds – whatever mode of transportation, if a      negligent motorist causes an accident, cruise ship passengers can get hurt      or killed.
• Defective equipment. When on a cruise ship excursion, passengers have the      right to trust that any equipment or rentals they use is tested,      maintained, and safe. Broken or malfunctioning equipment can cause      preventable accidents and tragedies, and cruise ships should be held      responsible.

The team at the Juan Cordero Lawyers Law Firm can open an investigation into your accident to find out who or what was ultimately responsible, and hold them accountable for your losses.

After an injury and losses resulting from an accident during a cruise ship shore excursion, you may be eligible for financial compensation. These damages are meant to help recover the costs of your medical expenses, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. However, these types of cases are always complex and best handled with the help of an experienced attorney.

Where do you file a lawsuit against a cruise line. 

Cruise ship accident and assault claims on Carnival Cruise Lines must be filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami-Dade County. Carnival is one of the most popular cruise lines, and you’ve likely seen the commercials that promise a relaxing, fun vacation for the whole family. However, accidents onboard such as head injury, slip and falls, broken bones, back injury, loss of limb, sexual assault, assault, and other injuries occur on all cruise lines. Carnival also owns other cruise ships including Costa, Princess, Seabourn, Cunard, and Holland America Line.

The Carnival ticket contract is slightly different than the others and involves:

• Full details in writing      delivered within 185 days of the injury or death
• Lawsuit must be filed within      one year of the event
• Claim must be served to the      appropriate Carnival department within 120 days of filing the lawsuit.

Unless those time restrictions are met, you can’t sue for liability for any personal injuries, form of assault, or wrongful death. That’s why it’s essential to contact our Cruise Ship Accident Attorneys in Miami so we can work to make sure you get the full amount of compensation you’re due and to seek justice on behalf of victims.

Carnival Cruise Lines has many ships under its umbrella including:

• Carnival Breeze
• Carnival Celebration (sets sail      in 2022)
• Carnival Conquest
• Carnival Dream
• Carnival Elation
• Carnival Freedom
• Carnival Glory
• Carnival Horizon
• Carnival Jubilee (sets sail in      2023)
• Carnival Legend
• Carnival Liberty
• Carnival Magic
• Carnival Miracle
• Carnival Panorama
• Carnival Paradise
• Carnival Pride
• Carnival Radiance (formerly      known as Carnival Victory)
• Carnival Sensation
• Carnival Spirit
• Carnival Splendor
• Carnival Sunrise
• Carnival Sunshine (formerly      known as Carnival Triumph)
• Carnival Valor
• Carnival Vista
• Mardi Gras

Celebrity Cruise Lines, identifiable by the “X” in the logo, offers trips to multiple destinations on 14 different vessels. Boasting luxury accommodations, including a Michelin-star chef, Celebrity Cruise Lines maintains an arbitration clause in their cruise contract that will need to be reviewed prior to taking any legal action.

Cruise ship accident claims against Celebrity Cruise Lines must be filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami-Dade County (cruise ticket contract)

Celebrity Cruise Line ships include:

• Celebrity Apex
• Celebrity Beyond
• Celebrity Constellation
• Celebrity Eclipse
• Celebrity Edge
• Celebrity Equinox
• Celebrity Flora
• Celebrity Infinity
• Celebrity Millennium
• Celebrity Reflection
• Celebrity Silhouette
• Celebrity Solstice
• Celebrity Summit
• Celebrity Xpedition
• Celebrity Xploration

Founded in 1966 and incorporated in Bermuda, Norwegian Cruise Lines (“Norwegian” for short) is the third-largest cruise line in the world. Maintaining a fleet of 17 vessels, Norwegian offers cruises to major ports in America, Europe, Africa, and throughout the world.

Norwegian Cruise Lines is headquartered in Miami, Florida, Lawsuits against the company must be filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami-Dade County (Ticket Contract)

Ships in the Norwegian fleet include:

• Norwegian Bliss
• Norwegian Breakaway
• Norwegian Dawn
• Norwegian Encore
• Norwegian Epic
• Norwegian Escape
• Norwegian Gem
• Norwegian Getaway
• Norwegian Jade
• Norwegian Jewel
• Norwegian Joy
• Norwegian Pearl
• Norwegian Prima
• Norwegian Sky
• Norwegian Spirit
• Norwegian Star
• Norwegian Sun
• Pride of America

Founded in 1968, Royal Caribbean International, formerly Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, is the second largest cruise line by passenger counts and the largest cruise line by revenue. Just a sampling of its many U.S. and international ports includes Alaska, Asia, and Australia.

Royal Caribbean International is based in Miami, Florida. Lawsuits against Royal Caribbean International must be filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami-Dade County (Cruise Ticket Contract)

Including four of the largest passenger ships in the world, Royal Caribbean International’s fleet includes the following ships:

• Adventure of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Enchantment of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Grandeur of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Radiance of the Seas
• Rhapsody of the Seas
• Serenade of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas

Contact Juan Cordero Lawyers today to get started  with your Cruise Line Injury Claim Tel. 305.525.8957

If you or a family member were injured on a cruise ship shore excursion accident, The Juan Cordero Lawyers Law Firm is here to help. With over 23 years of experience, our legal team understands how to hold cruise ship lines accountable when they attempt to shirk responsibility when their negligence causes injury. We have the resources and the knowledge to get results.

Schedule a meeting with one of our lawyers today by calling 305-525-8957 or filling out our contact  . Our initial consultations are free, and every case is taken on a contingency basis

There is a time limit for everything in life. And that includes when you have to bring a claim against a cruise line. Cruise passengers who are adults and are injured have 1 year from the date of the injury.

But for injuries to certain people or for a death, the time limit can be up to 3 years. There is a Federal statute which applies to this. That statute is 46 USC Sec. 30508(b)(2) and (d). The statute says that if a minor child or someone who is incompetent is injured, or for the family of someone who dies from the negligence of the cruise line, the time limit is extended up to 3 years. So for a minor child or incompetent person who is injured or for the family of a passenger who dies, the answer is a little more complicated. In those cases, the time clock does not start to run until “the date a legal representative is appointed for the minor, incompetent, or decedent’s estate or 3 years after the injury or death” whichever comes first. The time limit in the cruise passenger ticket is almost always 1 year. But the one year does not start to run until that legal representative is appointed by a court.

This time limit of up to 3 years would apply to a case of sexual assault of a minor child. If someone sexually assaulted a minor child on a cruise, the time for bringing a claim may not now be gone even though most cruise ships have not sailed with passengers in over a year.

When in doubt, call the maritime attorneys who specialize in this specialized area, Juan Cordero Lawyers Law firm. Call us now. 

We are fluent in English Spanish German Italian French Swiss German

Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common causes of injury on cruise ships. The cruise lines have a duty to exercise reasonable care, and cruise passengers expect that the ship's premises and amenities will be appropriately maintained for their safe use. However, wet, slippery decks, a limited number of lifeguards, and several other risk factors make cruise ships uniquely prone to slip and fall accidents.

The slip and fall attorneys at The Juan Cordero Lawyers Law Firm have decades of experience holding cruise ships accountable. Firm founder Juan Cordero is a  Civil Trial and Admiralty and Maritime lawyer. We understand the complexities of these cases, are well-versed in laws specific to cruise ship liability, and have the resources and tenacity to help our clients get the justice they deserve. Schedule a consultation with us today to find out how we can assist you with your case.

The majority of slip and fall accidents on cruise ships occur on the Lido or Pool Deck. Many modern cruise ship decks have resin flooring manufactured by any one of three or four companies. This resin material is less prone to cracking and separating when the steel deck underneath expands or contracts. However, a small amount of water can make this resin material slick and dangerous.

Besides the dangers of poorly maintained Lido Decks, slip and fall accidents also occur because of:

• Inadequate lighting
• Failure to repair or replace      stair railings
• Failure to repair worn-down      non-skid deck surfaces
• Cruise ship swaying and      movements

Gangways and tender boats are also common locations for slip and fall accidents. Some injuries may also be caused by design and construction defects on the ship.

The cruise ship attorneys at The Juan Cordero Lawyers Law Firm can investigate to determine how and why your accident and injuries occurred.

Slip and fall is the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and that’s no different when you’re at sea. In fact, slip and falls may be even MORE likely on a ship because of the rough waters, the wet floors, and other factors unique to cruises. Along with TBIs, slips, trips and falls can lead to:

• Neck and back trauma
• Spinal cord injury
• Nerve damage
• Compound fractures
• Head trauma
• Knee and hip trauma
• Blurry vision
• Sprains and strains

While less common, a slip and all could also be fatal 

Slip and fall accidents are the most common type of accident aboard cruise ships – and while some of these result in little more than bruised pride, many result in serious or even catastrophic injury.

Slip and fall is the leading cause of traumatic brain injury in the United States, accounting for nearly half of all TBI cases across all age groups. Falls on a cruise ship are also a common cause of:

• Neck and spinal cord injury
• Back injury
• Broken bones
• Knee injuries
• Internal bleeding

While less common, slip and fall accidents may also result in death.

There may be several causes of slip and fall accidents on a cruise ship. Some of the most common are slippery deck surfaces, both negligent and improperly timed maintenance, general wear and tear, inadequate lighting, and the swaying and rocking of the ship itself.

A majority of these accidents occur on the Lido or Pool Deck, where resin flooring often becomes slick and dangerous. Failure to maintain these areas places cruise ship passengers at great risk for serious injury and may make the cruise line responsible for any damages that ensue.

When you sustain an injury aboard a cruise ship, it is important that you take swift action. Reporting the injury to the ship’s security and seeking immediate attention in the infirmary are both important in helping to establish your claim. Be sure to obtain copies of the incident and medical reports right away.

As soon as possible, you will want to consult with a cruise ship attorney. Talking to an attorney helps to ensure that all issues are dealt with properly and you are not accepting less than you are due.

The attorneys at the Juan Cordero Lawyers Law Firm have decades of experience holding cruise ships accountable. We understand the complexities of these cases, are well-versed in laws specific to cruise ship liability, and have the resources and tenacity to help our clients get the justice they deserve. If you have sustained an injury on a cruise ship, please use the contact form on this page or call our Miami office at 305-525-8957 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your options and your rights.

Slip and fall accidents are the most common type of accident aboard cruise ships – and while some of these result in little more than bruised pride, many result in serious or even catastrophic injury.

Slip and fall is the leading cause of traumatic brain injury in the United States, accounting for nearly half of all TBI cases across all age groups. Falls on a cruise ship are also a common cause of:

• Neck and spinal cord injury
• Back injury
• Broken bones
• Knee injuries
• Internal bleeding

While less common, slip and fall accidents may also result in death.

There may be several causes of slip and fall accidents on a cruise ship. Some of the most common are slippery deck surfaces, both negligent and improperly timed maintenance, general wear and tear, inadequate lighting, and the swaying and rocking of the ship itself.

A majority of these accidents occur on the Lido or Pool Deck, where resin flooring often becomes slick and dangerous. Failure to maintain these areas places cruise ship passengers at great risk for serious injury and may make the cruise line responsible for any damages that ensue.

When you sustain an injury aboard a cruise ship, it is important that you take swift action. Reporting the injury to the ship’s security and seeking immediate attention in the infirmary are both important in helping to establish your claim. Be sure to obtain copies of the incident and medical reports right away.

As soon as possible, you will want to consult with a cruise ship attorney. Talking to an attorney helps to ensure that all issues are dealt with properly and you are not accepting less than you are due.

The attorneys at Juan Cordero Lawyers Law Firm have decades of experience holding cruise ships accountable. We understand the complexities of these cases, are well-versed in laws specific to cruise ship liability, and have the resources and tenacity to help our clients get the justice they deserve. If you have sustained an injury on a cruise ship, please use the contact form on this page or call our Miami office at 305-525-8957 or 772.227.0577 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your options and your rights.

Cruise lines are expected and required to provide medical care to passengers. This is due in part to the average age of cruise ship passengers being 50 and older and that most “cruisers” are U.S. citizens and expect medical care to be at the same standard as their country of origin. Cruise ships are isolated, limiting your medical care options to the only onboard medical personnel and infirmary.

However, under Maritime Law, a cruise ship is obligated to re-route its course in order to provide medical care to a sick or injured crew member or passenger if the ship is unable to provide the proper standard of care onboard. When a cruise line fails in this duty of care and you or a loved one suffer further injury or harm, talk to the medical malpractice attorneys at Juan Cordero Lawyers Law Firm. Founder Juan Cordero is a Civil Trial and Admiralty and Maritime lawyerl. Our decades of experience with cruise line injuries and accidents make us the right choice for your claim.

Cruise ships sail to countries and island nations with limited and sometimes substandard medical care. Advertising that a cruise ship has a competent medical facility, and then failing to provide the standard of care that patients expect is an egregious form of negligence and fraud. With rare exceptions, the majority of the medical staff is not licensed in the United States, and provided only with basic equipment.

When a passenger becomes sick or injured, a cruise ship’s medical staff is often not equipped to treat the patient's condition — either because of inadequate training or lack of the tools necessary to make a proper diagnosis. Despite advertising that the ship has a medical facility onboard, cruise lines often provide insufficient care and then deny responsibility for medical malpractice.

Some of the most common examples of onboard medical malpractice include:

• Misdiagnosis of illness or      injury
• Failure to treat      life-threatening conditions including heart attack or stroke with urgency,      leading to brain injury or damage, disability, even death
• Prescription for the wrong      medication(s)
• Failing to refer the sick or      injured passenger to seek treatment at a port with standard or first-class      medical facilities
• Failure to provide appropriate      follow-up instructions

Our injury attorneys can launch an investigation to determine how and why medical negligence occurred  Call 305.525.8957 or 772.227.0577 24hrs a day Se habla Español our staff is fluent in German French Italian and  Swiss German

While it’s not fun to think about, the reality is that accidents and injuries can and do occur on cruise ships. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, between 2005 and 2011, over 100 million passengers traveled on cruise ships. Since 2005, there have been over 400 major cruise ship accidents reported. Sixteen people were reported killed in cruise ship accidents between 2005 and 2011, and over 300 people have fallen overboard. Unfortunately, even luxury cruise ships like Azamara ships have the potential for numerous types of accidents and injuries to occur.

Cruise ship passengers may fall victim to slip and falls or trip and falls due to hazards on ship walkways and dangerous conditions like wet decks. Guests may fall overboard or drown in ship pools. Rapes and sexual assaults frequently occur on cruise ships, as

The number one crime reported on cruise ships is sexual assault, yet victims seldom obtain justice for their pain and suffering. Despite the fact that the event may take place at sea, and in some cases, in a foreign legal jurisdiction, it is safe to say that, from a legal standpoint, a sexual assault on a cruise ship is a crime. Ocean liners have a responsibility under maritime law not only to provide a reasonably safe shipboard environment for all guests and crew members, but they are also required to report serious crimes to the FBI, especially sexual crimes. But despite the laws that are in effect, few companies actually follow them. 

In an effort to increase transparency regarding cruise ship crimes, Congress adopted the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 (CVSSA), which requires companies to report crimes to the FBI as soon as they occur as well as requires all alleged crimes to be publicly reported by the Coast Guard. Yet, the public still wasn’t getting an accurate account of these incidents because it only 

As a passenger on a cruise ship, you have rights and it is critically important that you immediately speak to an experienced attorney to protect those rights. If you are a U.S. citizen, then the FBI has jurisdiction and they should be immediately notified of the assault. The additional rights of a victim have stemmed from Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS), the Passenger Bill of Rights, and the “Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act” of 2010 that President Barack Obama signed into law, which compels all cruise line companies to report sexual assaults—whereas they had previously been able to avoid disclosing certain cases because of international law specifications. Because there are a number of various laws at issue, this is why it is imperative to consult an experienced maritime attorney to protect you.

It is important that you have an attorney who can help you unravel the complexities of local laws, maritime law, passenger rights, and more. Working with a maritime attorney is the best way to ensure that your legal representation is competent and experienced with the specifics of this situation, which can be significantly different from a sexual assault that takes place on land.

Crewmembers have equally significant rights that can be enforced and protected when a tragedy such as rape or sexual assault occurs.  As a crewmember on a cruise ship, you are entitled to certain rights under the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act. The Jones Actprovides U.S. seamen with rights beyond those that are afforded by international maritime law.  The Jones Act provides a negligence cause of action against the employer and this includes claims arising from intentional torts such as rape, battery, false imprisonment and sexual assault.  

Furthermore, under the Jones Act, a cruise ship crew member who qualifies as a seaman (an employee who spends more than 30 percent of their time in the service of a vessel on navigable waters) is entitled to what is known as maintenance and cure while they are recovering from illnesses or injuries sustained during their employment. Regardless of the cause or reason for the injury, a crew member is entitled to benefits that will pay for their necessary household expenses and medical expenses until a doctor has determined that the patient has recovered as much as is medically possible.  This right includes treatment for any and all injuries sustained as a result of rape or sexual assault, including psychological or psychiatric care.

Many crewmember injury claims now involve the use or arbitration clauses that call for the application of foreign law.  We are deeply experienced in handling international crewmember arbitrations including those which fall under foreign law.  Fortunately, no matter what law applies, in our experience that law will provide for significant rights in situations like these.

As of August 2013, four of the major cruise lines began publishing the statistics of serious crimes reported on their ships; Royal Caribbean, Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Lines and Norwegian Cruise Lines now make their crime statistics available online to the public. The reports include statistics on the number of passengers who report being raped on a ship, as well as other sexual assaults dating back to 2010.

The reporting information represents more than 80 percent of the market share of the industry. The data includes statistics from passengers and crew members who reported being assaulted or raped on cruises as well as victims of statutory rape incidents. While this action is a step in the right direction, Senate leadership acknowledged that there are still “serious gaps” in bringing to light the full story of these occurrences. .

Countries like the Bahamas, Panama, and Liberia compete for cruise ships to register with them because it means incoming revenue. In an effort to look most appealing, these countries loosely regulate what happens onboard the cruise ships. They often turn a blind eye to crimes and the rape culture that happens at sea in an effort to get more business.

One problem on board is excessive alcohol consumption. Cruise ships are taking steps toward safer alcohol consumption on board by introducing various programs. The use of alcohol on cruise ships can get out of hand. Now that most cruise lines offer unlimited drink packages, the overuse of alcohol will only get worse. Other than cruise ship security staff, there are no independent authorities to enforce rules about underage drinking. The bartenders and waiters work mostly for tips, so they want passengers to buy as many drinks as possible. Many sexual assaults and other crimes are alcohol involved. It is a good idea to make sure that you and your children know proper drinking guidelines, including no drinking for minors. Nonetheless, a significant majority of rapes and sexual assaults involve alcohol, the overservice of alcohol, and service of alcohol to minors.

The truth remains that sexual assault is the number one crime aboard cruise ships. Sadly, a significant percentage of the victims or rape and sexual assault are minors. Part of the problem is that when vacationers book their holiday at sea aboard a luxury liner, being sexually assaulted or raped is the furthest thing from their mind. This makes them even more vulnerable to the perpetrators who commit these crimes on the high seas because they are unaware of the hidden epidemic of rapes and sexual assault occurring onboard ships

In the event that a crewmember sexually assaults a passenger on a cruise ship, the cruise line is strictly liable for the crime and thus can generally be held wholly accountable. The cruise line is responsible for keeping all passengers safe from harm, meaning that they are absolutely responsible for the acts carried out by their employees.

When a sexual assault involving two passengers takes place, there are additional legal requirements necessary in order to holds the cruise line responsible. In other words, it is not a situation of strict liability like a crewmember on passenger rape, instead, the victim must prove negligence on the cruise line. For instance, we will need to prove that the cruise line either caused or contributed to the dangerous situation, for example by over-serving alcohol or by serving alcohol to a minor. Another avenue to liability is by arguing the cruise line’s failure to warn of the known dangers of rapes and sexual assault at sea. This failure to warn theory was advanced for years by many cruise line lawyers and in July of 2019, a landmark appellate decision that requires every cruise line to warn passengers about the risk of rapes and sexual assaults on their vessels.

Once we have established fault and liability for the assault that you were the victim of, the next step is to determine how we will move forward in seeking compensation and recovering damages for your suffering. Simply put, we will seek to compensate the victim financially for what has been done to them. There are many different things that we consider while building this part of our case, and we will then work aggressively to seek a successful resolution with the cruise lines.

In light of the fact that we have successfully represented more than numerous victims of cruise ship rapes and sexual assaults, the cruise lines know that we mean business.

Part of the thinking process is visual conception, and visual aids reinforce key points and eliminate the need for the audience or jury to imagine the scene. Pictures and diagrams are concrete and leave no room for imagination, which makes them a valuable tool in the courtroom. The following are a few ways our lawyers use visual aids.

Court exhibits help to strengthen arguments, ingraining certain points in the minds of the jurors more effectively than presenting them verbally. These aids also help cruise ship rape lawyers explain complex ideas in a manageable way, as maritime concepts are unfamiliar to most people who do not work in the industry.

A photograph or diagram provides perspective and depth and gives the jury a sense of environment. Understanding how these elements affect the case is key to delivering a fair verdict, which is why our attorneys use cutting-edge visual aids in the courtroom.

Visual aids also bring credibility to important ideas. The age-old maxim that “a picture is worth a thousand words” holds true in the courtroom. It allows a fact-finder to visualize a situation and draw conclusions based on the facts more accurately. For a cruise ship rape attorney trying to explain the layout of a cabin or attempting to prove that it was negligent to operate a large vessel in a confined area, visual aids are often the best method to convey the facts

In order to calculate the compensation that you truly deserve, we will need to look at this situation like any other civil case and consider both the economic and non-economic impacts of your injuries.

You may also be able to seek damages from the perpetrator, as well. In order to make sense of the options in your particular case, contact us as soon as possible so that we can begin to work through the details of the situation. It is extremely important that you consult with a maritime lawyer before agreeing to any sort of settlement, either with the cruise line or the individual perpetrator. While it may make sense to settle the case without a lawsuit, you deserve to have your settlement negotiated in order to get you the money that you deserve, NOT just what the cruise line hopes to spend 

· Carnival Cruise Lines

· Cunard Cruise Line

· Disney Cruise Line

· Norwegian Cruise Line

· Princess Cruise Lines

· Celebrity Cruises

· Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

· Seaborne Cruise Line

· Silversea Cruise

· Holland America Cruises

The Plaintiff, while a passenger aboard the Defendant’s ship, was sexually assaulted by a crew member employed by the Defendant. After dinner service, the Plaintiff was having a drink with the maître d when he sexually assaulted her. As a result of the attack, she was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

Here are a few tips to remember:

For some cruisers, the fact that they are riding the waters with hundreds of other excited vacationers might give them a false sense of camaraderie while enjoying their own little “floating city.” But individuals should act in the same manner they would if they were visiting an unfamiliar town. Safety along with enjoyment, should always be at the forefront of travelers’ minds.

Following a few common-sense rules suggested by our cruise ship rape lawyers can significantly reduce your risk and increase both your safety and enjoyment on your vacation.

1. Always be sure to lock your door. Monitor your room keys and keep track of them at all times.

2. Do not open your door to anyone unexpected, including a ship crewmember.

3. Know where your children are at all times. Do not let them roam unsupervised or unattended. This makes them vulnerable.

4. Know where the people you are traveling with are and arrange certain “check-in” times with each other.

5. Let your traveling companions know if and when you’ll be meeting someone else aboard the ship. 

6. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption. These vessels often offer many bars and alcohol services onboard. Alcohol clouds judgment and the ability to accurately recollect. Enjoy libations responsibly.

Although this may be the last thing on your mind if you’re a victim, it is of the utmost importance to report the incident as soon as possible. Victims should notify cruise security, as well as the FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard. The cruise line may offer to notify the FBI and Coast Guard for you. However, you do not have to rely upon them and should feel confident knowing that you have every right to notify the authorities yourself. You can reach FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. at 202-324-3000. The emergency numbers for the U.S. Coast Guard are:

· Atlantic Area Command Center (for Great Lakes, Gulf and East Coasts) – (757) 398-6390

· Pacific Area Command Center (for the Hawaiian, Alaskan and Pacific Coasts) – (510) 437-3700

We understand that, for many passengers, speaking about the incident may be an emotionally triggering experience. However, in order to create the strongest legal case in your defense, it is important to ensure that you have notified the necessary parties as soon as possible.

Another key element of the reporting process is to preserve the evidence. This means that you should visit the cruise’s infirmary for a medical exam, so that the medical professional can document any physical signs of harm before you change clothes or take a shower.

Victims should also photograph the scene of the crime and take notes about the incidents, as they occurred, directly before the attack. As time passes, it is not uncommon for individuals to forget or fail to recall certain things that took place on the day of the incident, but jotting down notes can be beneficial when discussing the sexual assault or rape with an attorney who will be handling the case. 

We understand that documentation may be challenging, depending on your level of clarity in the wake of the attack. To help make the documentation process simple, our firm has created the Cruise Ship Lawyer App, which makes it convenient to keep all of your photos and notes in one place. It also makes it easier than ever to contact us, no matter where you are in the world.

When facing a legal burden related to rape and sexual assault, it is important to have a skilled cruise ship rape and sexual assault lawyer on your side. Many individuals do not realize that the perpetrator of their crime can be held responsible for their actions. That is why we are here, to help provide closure for victims and hopefully prevent more of the same incidents from happening in the future.

The number one crime reported on cruise ships is sexual assault, yet victims seldom obtain justice for their pain and suffering. Despite the fact that the event may take place at sea, and in some cases, in a foreign legal jurisdiction, it is safe to say that, from a legal standpoint, a sexual assault on a cruise ship is a crime. Ocean liners have a responsibility under maritime law not only to provide a reasonably safe shipboard environment for all guests and crew members, but they are also required to report serious crimes to the FBI, especially sexual crimes. But despite the laws that are in effect, few companies actually follow them. 

In an effort to increase transparency regarding cruise ship crimes, Congress adopted the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 (CVSSA), which requires companies to report crimes to the FBI as soon as they occur as well as requires all alleged crimes to be publicly reported by the Coast Guard. Yet, the public still wasn’t getting an accurate account of these incidents because it only required actual crimes to be reported, not those that were “alleged.” As a result, much fewer crimes have been reported to the public than to the FBI over the years since the Act came into effect. In fact, out of the 959 crimes reported by cruise lines to the FBI since 2011, only 31 crimes were reported to the public.

In a disclosure made by only four of the major cruise lines, a total of 25 allegations of rape, statutory rape, and sexual assault were reported in the brief six-month period between January 1, 2013, and June 30, 2013. A recent Senate report on cruise ship crime supports the conclusion that these statistics are just a fragment of the epidemic frequency of these terrible crimes.

In previous years, the companies could avoid cooperating with the local police and federal authorities if a major crime took place on their ships. However, first-time cruisers and repeat vacationers alike should be aware that if they are raped or sexually assaulted by ship employees, the companies that are found guilty can and will be held strictly liable for the wrongful, intentional, and criminal actions of those employees.

As a passenger on a cruise ship, you have rights and it is critically important that you immediately speak to an experienced attorney to protect those rights. If you are a U.S. citizen, then the FBI has jurisdiction and they should be immediately notified of the assault. The additional rights of a victim have stemmed from Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS), the Passenger Bill of Rights, and the “Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act” of 2010 that President Barack Obama signed into law, which compels all cruise line companies to report sexual assaults—whereas they had previously been able to avoid disclosing certain cases because of international law specifications. Because there are a number of various laws at issue, this is why it is imperative to consult an experienced maritime attorney to protect you.

It is important that you have an attorney who can help you unravel the complexities of local laws, maritime law, passenger rights, and more. Working with a maritime attorney is the best way to ensure that your legal representation is competent and experienced with the specifics of this situation, which can be significantly different from a sexual assault that takes place on land.

Crewmembers have equally significant rights that can be enforced and protected when a tragedy such as rape or sexual assault occurs.  As a crewmember on a cruise ship, you are entitled to certain rights under the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act. The Jones Actprovides U.S. seamen with rights beyond those that are afforded by international maritime law.  The Jones Act provides a negligence cause of action against the employer and this includes claims arising from intentional torts such as rape, battery, false imprisonment and sexual assault.  

Furthermore, under the Jones Act, a cruise ship crew member who qualifies as a seaman (an employee who spends more than 30 percent of their time in the service of a vessel on navigable waters) is entitled to what is known as maintenance and cure while they are recovering from illnesses or injuries sustained during their employment. Regardless of the cause or reason for the injury, a crew member is entitled to benefits that will pay for their necessary household expenses and medical expenses until a doctor has determined that the patient has recovered as much as is medically possible.  This right includes treatment for any and all injuries sustained as a result of rape or sexual assault, including psychological or psychiatric care.

Many crewmember injury claims now involve the use or arbitration clauses that call for the application of foreign law.  We are deeply experienced in handling international crewmember arbitrations including those which fall under foreign law.  Fortunately, no matter what law applies, in our experience that law will provide for significant rights in situations like these.

As of August 2013, four of the major cruise lines began publishing the statistics of serious crimes reported on their ships; Royal Caribbean, Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Lines and Norwegian Cruise Lines now make their crime statistics available online to the public. The reports include statistics on the number of passengers who report being raped on a ship, as well as other sexual assaults dating back to 2010.

The reporting information represents more than 80 percent of the market share of the industry. The data includes statistics from passengers and crew members who reported being assaulted or raped on cruises as well as victims of statutory rape incidents. While this action is a step in the right direction, Senate leadership acknowledged that there are still “serious gaps” in bringing to light the full story of these occurrences.

Countries like the Bahamas, Panama, and Liberia compete for cruise ships to register with them because it means incoming revenue. In an effort to look most appealing, these countries loosely regulate what happens onboard the cruise ships. They often turn a blind eye to crimes and the rape culture that happens at sea in an effort to get more business.

One problem on board is excessive alcohol consumption. Cruise ships are taking steps toward safer alcohol consumption on board by introducing various programs. The use of alcohol on cruise ships can get out of hand. Now that most cruise lines offer unlimited drink packages, the overuse of alcohol will only get worse. Other than cruise ship security staff, there are no independent authorities to enforce rules about underage drinking. The bartenders and waiters work mostly for tips, so they want passengers to buy as many drinks as possible. Many sexual assaults and other crimes are alcohol involved. It is a good idea to make sure that you and your children know proper drinking guidelines, including no drinking for minors. Nonetheless, a significant majority of rapes and sexual assaults involve alcohol, the overservice of alcohol, and service of alcohol to minors.

The truth remains that sexual assault is the number one crime aboard cruise ships. Sadly, a significant percentage of the victims or rape and sexual assault are minors. Part of the problem is that when vacationers book their holiday at sea aboard a luxury liner, being sexually assaulted or raped is the furthest thing from their mind. This makes them even more vulnerable to the perpetrators who commit these crimes on the high seas because they are unaware of the hidden epidemic of rapes and sexual assault occurring onboard ships.

In the event that a crewmember sexually assaults a passenger on a cruise ship, the cruise line is strictly liable for the crime and thus can generally be held wholly accountable. The cruise line is responsible for keeping all passengers safe from harm, meaning that they are absolutely responsible for the acts carried out by their employees.

When a sexual assault involving two passengers takes place, there are additional legal requirements necessary in order to holds the cruise line responsible. In other words, it is not a situation of strict liability like a crewmember on passenger rape, instead, the victim must prove negligence on the cruise line. For instance, we will need to prove that the cruise line either caused or contributed to the dangerous situation, for example by over-serving alcohol or by serving alcohol to a minor. Another avenue to liability is by arguing the cruise line’s failure to warn of the known dangers of rapes and sexual assault at sea. This failure to warn theory was advanced for years by LMAW and in July of 2019, we obtained a landmark appellate decision that requires every cruise line to warn passengers about the risk of rapes and sexual assaults on their vessels.

Once we have established fault and liability for the assault that you were the victim of, the next step is to determine how we will move forward in seeking compensation and recovering damages for your suffering. Simply put, we will seek to compensate the victim financially for what has been done to them. There are many different things that we consider while building this part of our case, and we will then work aggressively to seek a successful resolution with the cruise lines.

In light of the fact that we have successfully represented more than 100 victims of cruise ship rapes and sexual assaults, the cruise lines know that we mean business.

Part of the thinking process is visual conception, and visual aids reinforce key points and eliminate the need for the audience or jury to imagine the scene. Pictures and diagrams are concrete and leave no room for imagination, which makes them a valuable tool in the courtroom. The following are a few ways our lawyers use visual aids.

Court exhibits help to strengthen arguments, ingraining certain points in the minds of the jurors more effectively than presenting them verbally. These aids also help cruise ship rape lawyers explain complex ideas in a manageable way, as maritime concepts are unfamiliar to most people who do not work in the industry.

A photograph or diagram provides perspective and depth and gives the jury a sense of environment. Understanding how these elements affect the case is key to delivering a fair verdict, which is why our attorneys use cutting-edge visual aids in the courtroom.

Visual aids also bring credibility to important ideas. The age-old maxim that “a picture is worth a thousand words” holds true in the courtroom. It allows a fact-finder to visualize a situation and draw conclusions based on the facts more accurately. For a cruise ship rape attorney trying to explain the layout of a cabin or attempting to prove that it was negligent to operate a large vessel in a confined area, visual aids are often the best method to convey the facts.

In order to calculate the compensation that you truly deserve, we will need to look at this situation like any other civil case and consider both the economic and non-economic impacts of your injuries.

You may also be able to seek damages from the perpetrator, as well. In order to make sense of the options in your particular case, contact us as soon as possible so that we can begin to work through the details of the situation. It is extremely important that you consult with a maritime lawyer before agreeing to any sort of settlement, either with the cruise line or the individual perpetrator. While it may make sense to settle the case without a lawsuit, you deserve to have your settlement negotiated in order to get you the money that you deserve, NOT just what the cruise line hopes to spend.

We will help you through initial negotiations and establish the basis of your case before moving forward with anything. As mentioned before, we will need to understand all of the details and your available options before determining the most appropriate course of action to seek justice for your case.

To sue a cruise ship, we will need to go through all of the legal provisions and details pertaining to the company, your passenger ticket, and more. As an example, different cruise lines require you to file any case in a certain location such as Miami, Cape Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa