Clearwater Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer

Were you or a loved one recently injured aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Clearwater, Florida? You may be entitled to hold the cruise line responsible for damages to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and even pain and suffering. A Clearwater cruise ship accident lawyer at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help. 

Since 1996, our lawyers have recovered more than $100 million in compensation for injured clients across central Florida. We’ll vigorously pursue every dollar you deserve. Our practice areas include Clearwater nursing home abuse cases, sexual assault, medical malpractice, Clearwater premises liability, boating accidents, and more.

To get started with the legal process, all you have to do is call our law offices in Clearwater, Florida, and schedule a free consultation at (727) 787-2500.

How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Cruise Ship Accident in Clearwater

How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Cruise Ship Accident in Clearwater

Cruise ship passengers rarely consider the possibility of getting hurt before boarding the ship. After all, you’re there to relax and have a good time. What could go wrong?

Unfortunately, when accidents do happen, passengers are often surprised at how quickly they’re required to act to preserve their legal rights. You may only have a matter of months to initiate legal action. Further, you may have to file a personal injury claim where the cruise ship is located, often in Florida–even if you live in another state or country.

An experienced Clearwater personal injury lawyer at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can assist you with your cruise ship accident claim. 

Hiring us means you’ll have a lawyer who will:

  • Determine which state, federal, or maritime laws apply in your case
  • Investigate to prove causation
  • Handle all procedural and legal aspects of your claim
  • Hire experts and specialists to support your case
  • Negotiate to recover the maximum possible compensation

Our Clearwater, FL injury lawyers have more than 75 years of experience between us. Best of all? We work on a contingency basis, so you can get the quality legal advice you deserve without the up-front costs. If you’re interested in learning more, call to schedule a free case review in Clearwater, FL, today.

How Common Are Cruise Ship Accidents in Clearwater?

People often think that cruise ship accidents are rare events. While a ship sinking or running aground may be rare, hundreds of passengers and crew members are injured aboard cruise ships each year. 

In one three-year period, 663 passengers were injured aboard large cruise ships. Over 12% of those injuries were considered serious–meaning that the victim was hospitalized onshore or was not expected to recover within two weeks.

Slips, trips, and falls accounted for 44.8% of the injuries onboard and nearly 70% of injuries during onshore excursions.

Passengers and crew are also at risk of criminal activity. The U.S. Department of Transportation found that over 100 people were sexually assaulted aboard cruise ships in 2019 alone.

What is My Clearwater Cruise Ship Accident Case Worth?

The specific facts of your injury are key to determining how much your personal injury case is worth. 

Factors that tend to be most important in making that determination include:

  • The severity and nature of your injuries
  • The duration and type of medical treatment you’ll require
  • The impact the injury will have on your earning potential–both now and in the future
  • Whether liability has been clearly established
  • Whether you share any blame for the accident
  • The impact of the injury on your daily activities
  • The pain and trauma you were forced to endure

Cruise ship accidents are bad for publicity. Insurance companies are often quick to offer a settlement. However, by accepting quickly, you could be taking much less than you deserve.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Cruise Ship Accident Victims?

Victims of cruise ship accidents are entitled to compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages under Florida personal injury laws.

Examples of Economic Damages

Economic damages provide compensation for financial expenses related to the injury. 

They might include compensation for:

Economic damages are generally established by providing receipts and other documentation about past expenses. You’re also entitled to compensation for future costs. Medical experts and other specialists can provide insight into available future economic damages in particularly complex cases.

Examples of Non-Economic Damages

You didn’t expect to get hurt on your vacation. If your injuries were particularly severe, the emotional and mental trauma of the ordeal can be almost as damaging as your physical pain.

Non-economic damages are designed to compensate for these intangible losses and include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Disfigurement and scarring
  • PTSD
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium

These types of damages are harder to value. Our lawyers have been representing clients for more than two decades. We’ll use every ounce of that experience to fight for the full compensation you deserve.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Cruise Ship Accident in Florida?

Generally, yes. Florida’s modified comparative fault rules allow victims to recover a portion of their damages even if they’re partly to blame. However, you’re barred from a financial recovery if your share of fault exceeds 50%.

These shared fault rules reduce the victim’s settlement in proportion to their share of fault – or eliminate their eligibility for compensation if they share 51% or more of the blame.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Cruise Ship Accident Injuries

Injuries sustained while on a cruise can be quite serious. Sometimes, the severity of an injury can even be magnified by a lack of proper treatment onboard. 

At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ll fight for fair compensation for all of your cruise ship injuries, including:

Were you injured on a cruise based in Clearwater or St. Petersburg? Reach out to our law firm to schedule a free consultation today. We’ll sit down, listen to what happened, and offer insight into your legal options for recovering compensation.

What Causes Most Cruise Ship Accidents in Clearwater, Florida?

When accidents happen aboard a cruise ship, any number of factors can play a role. Slip and fall accidents are, by far, the most common type of injury-producing accident on cruise lines. 

Slip and falls aboard a cruise ship are often caused by:

  • Slick surfaces, accompanied by lack of adequate warning
  • Poor lighting
  • Uneven surfaces
  • Missing guardrails
  • Lack of proper floor mats or loose carpeting
  • Loose cables or wires
  • Lack of proper warning signs

At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of cruise ship accident claims, including those involving:

  • Food poisoning
  • Swimming pool accidents
  • Recreational accidents
  • Mechanical malfunctions
  • Viral infections from failure to maintain sanitary conditions
  • Improperly trained crew members
  • Sexual assault
  • Medical malpractice when you visited the ship’s infirmary
  • Fires 
  • Drownings 
  • Navigational errors
  • Falls overboard

Regardless of what caused your accident, you can count on our Clearwater cruise ship accident attorneys to fight for fair compensation. We’ll handle the complex details of your claim. That way, you’ll be free to focus on your recovery with peace of mind.

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Cruise Ship Accident in Florida? 

Cruise line companies owe passengers and crew a duty to keep the vessel reasonably safe. When they breach that duty and cause injuries, that’s a form of negligence. There are a number of different ways to prove negligence. 

The cruise line’s duty of care might include a duty to:

  • Provide adequate security to protect passengers and crew from violence
  • Identify and fix hazardous conditions in a timely manner
  • Regularly inspect the vessel to ensure all dangerous conditions are clearly marked until they can be fixed
  • Provide passengers with safe access to the vessel
  • Ensuring adequate security when passengers leave the vessel on cruise-sponsored shore excursions
  • Adequately screening, training, and supervising crew members and employees
  • Maintaining the ship in seaworthy condition

To prove the cruise line failed to live up to its obligations, you’ll need evidence to establish liability. There are a number of ways to get the evidence you need. Our trial lawyers at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can handle the details. 

Our team will locate:

  • Video surveillance footage
  • Past safety reports
  • Eyewitness testimony
  • Statements from employees and crew members
  • Medical records and accident reports
  • Expert witnesses to testify on your behalf if necessary

Are you interested in learning more about how our team can help prove your negligence claim? Give us a call today to schedule a free case evaluation.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Cruise Ship Accident in Florida?

Most boat accident victims have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit under Florida law (as of March 24, 2023 – prior to that date, victims typically had four years to take action).

Cruise ship accidents are handled differently. 

The cruise line itself has authority to specify its own timeline for taking legal action. Buried in the fine print of your cruise line ticket, you’ll find information about when and how to provide notice of any injuries on board. 

In some cases, you’ll have to provide notice to the cruise line within as little as 30 days after the injury–and commence legal action within six months. 

Contact a Clearwater Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Were you hurt aboard a cruise ship? Call a Clearwater cruise ship accident lawyer at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today. We’re ready to fight for the fair compensation you deserve.

Our Clearwater, FL personal injury law firm also provides: