Cruise Ship Excursion Accident Attorneys
Skilled help after cruise tour and shore activity accident and injuries
Cruise lines advertise shore excursions as safe activities for passengers. When you sign up for a tour or activity that is promoted, advertised, organized, and sanctioned by the cruise line, you trust that all possible precautions will be taken to protect you from injury or harm whether you are on or off the ship.
Cruise ship shore excursion accident cases can involve a number of different at-fault parties. Unfortunately, holding these parties accountable is often a complicated process. The cruise line may claim that the excursion operator is an "independent contractor" over whom they have no control. The tour operator may argue that the courts in the United States have no jurisdiction over them or that the courts here are not the proper forum. The cruise ship injury attorneys at Hickey Law Firm can help sort out these issues and help hold the right parties responsible.
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What are cruise ship excursions and accidents?
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.
Examples of cruise ship excursions
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, ziplining, 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 Hickey Law Firm can help.
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What are examples of cruise ship excursion injuries?
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 Hickey 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.
How much time do I have to bring a claim against a cruise line?
Most injured adults only have one year to file a claim against a cruise line, but there are exceptions. Under federal statute 46 USC Sec. 30508, claims involving wrongful death, as well as those involving sexual assault of minors or adults who are legally “incompetent,” may have three years to file a claim.
You want to file within the statute of limitations to ensure your claim will not be barred. Hickey Law Firm can help.
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Am I entitled to compensation after a cruise ship excursion injury?
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.
Medical expenses after an excursion injury especially can be costly, as you may require treatment in a different country. You may suffer complications from sub-par or delayed medical care. Further, depending on the extent of your injuries, you may need a medivac or other emergency transport to a trauma center. Serious or disabling injuries can keep you out of work for months or permanently. Without the attorneys at Hickey Law Firm on your side, you may miss out on the proper amount of compensation you deserve for your injuries. There are specific regulations when it comes to how and where you file a lawsuit against a cruise line, so contact us today to get started.
Experienced cruise ship excursion accident attorneys working for you
If you or a family member were injured on a cruise ship shore excursion accident, Hickey Law Firm is here to help. With over 40 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 305-371-8000 or filling out our contact form. Our initial consultations are free, and every case is taken on a contingency basis.