Cruise ship slip and falls can occur anywhere. On deck, by the pool, in a restaurant or on a gangway. They happen for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, cruise ship slip and falls are the most common injuries on a ship.
About Cruise Ship Slip and Falls
A cruise ship 
has the same type of slip and fall hazards that people encounter onshore or other land-based environments. But, they also have a number of potential other safety hazards that are inherent to a marine environment. This includes corrosion from salt water, sea spray, and water tracked into high traffic areas from pool areas. Spilled drinks, wet or foreign substances, food in restaurants, even dim lighting in stairwells and hallways are all common causes.
Cruise ship slips and falls can also be due to negligent design, negligent maintenance or due to dangerous surfaces as a result of the limited selection of deck and flooring materials for ships that appear to be wood and other surfaces used on land. Other cruise ship and maritime-related slip, trip and fall accidents specific to cruise ships may be due to foreign objects that are blown over due to the wind at sea or ship equipment that is not properly maintained or properly secured.
These accidents often times leave passengers with a wide range of injuries, from sprains to serious injuries such as broken bones, muscle tears, or head injuries.
Common Injuries in Cruise Slip and Falls
Cruise Ship Negligence
Some accidents are just that, accidental, and no one is to blame. However, there are some accidents that happen due to the negligence of the cruise line or its agents, employees and/or crew. When a passenger has suffered an injury due to the negligence of the cruise line, the cruise line becomes liable for the passenger’s injury and can be held accountable for the passenger’s medical bills, pain, and suffering, lost wages from missed work, future earning capacity and even future medical treatment.
After an unfortunate accident on a cruise, make sure that you or a loved one takes a photo of the area.
Duty of Care
Pursuant to general maritime law, The Supreme Court in Kermarec v. Compagnie Generale Transatlantique, 358 U.S. 625 (1959), held that shipowners owe a duty to exercise reasonable care for the safety of its passengers. Cruise lines must exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. These accidents can happen anywhere on the ship. It can be the initial steps onto the ship during embarkation or even returning to port.
Accidents can occur near the pool, dining rooms, bathrooms, public walkways, and any other areas where passengers have access. (Cruise lines may even be held negligent if a passenger slips and falls during a shore excursion).
Get Help After Cruise Ship Slip and Falls
Often times, passengers don’t know how to bring a lawsuit after they have been injured on a cruise. Cruise lines can mandate that claims are brought within one year of the accident. This time frame is rather short. You need to immediately speak with an attorney to discuss your slip and fall case. At The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, our lawyers have decades of experience helping injured people get justice. Also, we help with acquiring full compensation for negligent injuries. Given that lawsuits against cruise ships are in a venue favorable to the cruise lines, it is incredibly important to have an experienced attorney with ample resources to prosecute your claim.
The Michel Brady Lynch Firm regularly takes on the largest corporations in the world with a track record of proven success and results. Contact The Michael Brady Lynch Firm today, and our attorneys will review your case for free and help you protect your rights. For your complimentary consultation, call our office now.