Examples of Cruise Ship Injuries

Maritime injuries can occur on any vessel, including cruise ships. When a crew member is

injured on a cruise ship, his or her injury is covered under the Jones Act, a federal law that protects injured seamen and allows them to recover damages from negligent employers. When a passenger is injured on a cruise ship, his or her injury falls under general maritime law.

The cruise ship industry in Louisiana is growing, and so is the potential for cruise ship injuries. Here are some examples of situations that can injure passengers and crew members while taking a cruise or working onboard a cruise ship:

1. A Carnival Cruise Lines passenger claims that the cruise ship company failed to warn him and his fellow passengers about a hole in the ground at a port. The passenger tore his MCL — in addition to other physical injuries — and brought a lawsuit against the company.

2. A Celebrity Cruise Lines passenger dislocated her right shoulder and injured her knee when she tripped over a ramp. She is suing the cruise ship company, alleging that the ramp was an unsafe and hazardous condition.

3. A musician performing for Royal Caribbean Cruises was injured when his bunk bed broke. The musician sustained injuries to his right leg and right knee and claimed that the cruise ship company’s negligence created an unsafe work environment that caused his injuries.

4. Cruise ships, like any vessel, may experience bad weather conditions and rough seas, which can lead to injury. A Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines passenger complained that the cruise ship company should have cancelled his trip due to weather. The seas were rough because of Tropical Storm Hermine. The same ship had been damaged in a prior storm, and multiple passengers were injured.

5. A Celebrity Cruise Lines ship crashed into a dock in Alaska, causing millions of dollars in damage. Officials said that bad weather pushed the moored ship into the dock. Luckily no one was injured, but that is the kind of incident that could cause an injury. Another cruise ship crashed into a San Diego pier. That accident did result in injuries.

6. An Oceania Cruise Lines passenger sued the cruise ship company after a sliding door struck her and knocked her into a table, injuring her head. She claimed that the door was dangerous and that the company should have warned passengers about it.

7. A Celebrity Cruise Lines passenger alleged that the cruise ship company failed to provide her with a properly working wheelchair. She claimed that she sustained leg injuries from the defective chair and that the company was responsible for providing a safe wheelchair.

These are only a few examples of dangerous cruise ship situations. Anytime a cruise ship company acts negligently, there is a potential for injury.

Contact Us Today

The Patrick Yancey Law Firm is here to help if you are injured on a cruise ship, whether as a crew member or a passenger. We will help you receive the compensation that you deserve.