Cruise ship injury claims
Miami Cruise Ship Injury Lawyer
If you were hurt on a cruise ship or shore excursion, call my office for a free case review. We’ll go over what happened and check your full ticket contract for notice deadlines and where a lawsuit may need to be filed, even if you already reported the injury on board.
If I take your case, I’ll work quickly to request any ship video and incident reports, document your injuries, and investigate who may be responsible. If you were hurt on an excursion, I’ll look at who sold it, who ran it, and what the booking records show.
Case reviews are available in English and Spanish.
What should I save after an injury on a cruise?
Get needed medical care and keep the records. If it is safe, report the event and ask how to obtain the incident report. Save:
- The full ticket terms, booking confirmation and itinerary.
- Photos or video of the area, equipment and any warnings.
- Witness names and contact details.
- Onboard medical records, bills and incident papers.
- Messages with the cruise line, booking company or tour provider.
Note the date, time and exact place. Video may be erased and witnesses may leave the ship. A prompt, focused request can help identify records before they are lost.
What deadlines may be in my cruise ship ticket contract?
Do not rely on the usual Florida injury deadline. Federal law and valid ticket terms can create different rules.
Some passenger contracts may require written notice within months and suit within one year. That is not the rule for every vessel or claim. Vessel type, route, contract terms and legal exceptions matter. Some small passenger vessels have different legal minimum periods.
An onboard report or a claim number may not satisfy a formal notice clause. Have the complete contract checked promptly. The injury deadline guide explains why reporting a claim and filing a lawsuit are separate steps.
Does the case have to be filed in Miami?
The ticket may name a Miami court, another court or a different place. A court-selection clause can be enforceable, but its wording and legal effect must be checked. The chosen court must also have power to hear the claim.
Where you live or where the ship sailed does not answer the question by itself. The firm reviews the ticket and court requirements before choosing where to file.
What kinds of cruise injury claims can be reviewed?
The claim may concern:
- A fall on a deck, stair, walkway or gangway.
- Unsafe doors, elevators, pool areas or activity equipment.
- An injury while boarding, leaving the ship or using a tender.
- A shore excursion, tour vehicle or water activity.
- An assault or an alleged failure of security.
- A severe injury or death that requires a separate maritime analysis.
Can I sue a cruise line if I was injured onboard?
You may have a claim if the cruise line’s negligence caused your injury. If you slipped on a wet deck, prior incident reports, video and crew records may help show whether the cruise line knew or should have known about the hazard. Keep your ticket contract and ask for a copy of the incident report or its reference number.
What if I was injured on a cruise shore excursion run by another company?
Keep the tour description, booking records and all terms. The cruise line, tour operator, transport company or equipment provider may have different roles.
If you booked the excursion through the cruise line, save the app listing or the confirmation from the excursions desk. If you booked directly, save the tour operator’s receipt or confirmation. Keep the voucher and note which company checked you in. If you received medical care in port, ask the clinic for a copy of your visit records before you leave.
The review asks who sold the activity, what was said about it and who controlled the work. It also considers the location and the relationship between the companies. Booking through the cruise line does not, by itself, answer who is legally responsible. The boating injury page addresses watercraft and rental issues.
What are my options after a physical or sexual assault on a cruise?
The survivor's immediate safety and medical needs come first. The survivor is not to blame for another person's assault.
When the survivor chooses and circumstances permit, reporting to ship security and appropriate law enforcement may help preserve evidence. Clothing, messages, witness details and video may matter. Keep a record of how the ship's staff responded.
The civil claim may raise other issues if the accused was a crew member rather than a guest. The firm can explain legal options privately, without pressure to decide at once whether to sue. Do not send sensitive details or records through the general contact form.
Are passenger and crew claims the same?
No. A crew member may have employment-related maritime rights and contract terms that differ from a passenger's. Job duties, status, vessel and location can affect the analysis. A passenger ticket should not be used as the starting rule for every crew claim.
How is the effect of the injury documented?
Medical records, work records and evidence of daily limits help show the harm. A supported claim may address treatment, future care, lost income and other losses allowed by the governing law. Serious injuries may need expert review. See the catastrophic injury page.
Have the ticket and next steps reviewed
Request a free case review or call (305) 793-8687. Free consultations. No fees or costs if there is no recovery, under the signed fee agreement.
The firm may handle a matter directly, with co-counsel or through referral. Sending the form does not, by itself, mean the firm has accepted your case. Confirm acceptance and which deadlines the firm will handle. The contingency fee terms must be in writing.
Legal sources
Passenger contract time limits, 46 U.S.C. § 30526; maritime injury limitation, § 30106; Carroll v. Carnival, on unsafe conditions; Carnival v. Shute, on court-selection clauses. These sources address different issues and do not replace review of your ticket and facts.