Trip and Fall Accidents on Cruise Ships

Navigating onboard a ship can be difficult for a person unfamiliar with them. Maritime safety sometimes requires raised thresholds to control the flow of water or for pressure doors, and if you do not know they are there, they can be dangerous tripping hazards. Deck chairs, beer cans, game equipment, and other hazards can also be strewn across your path and can cause a dangerous trip and fall accident.

If you have suffered a serious injury as a result of a shipboard trip and fall hazard, you may be able to receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and noneconomic damages. The cruise ship injury attorneys of The Cochran Firm South Florida know how best to pursue compensation for your injuries and are prepared to fight for you. Please contact us today for a free case evaluation.

Negligence Leads to Trip and Fall Accidents

During your first few hours on board a cruise ship, you are likely more careful with your footing, but once you have gained your "sea legs," you assume it is safe to walk normally on board a cruise ship. And it should be. However, negligent cruise lines and their personnel can put you at risk for cruise ship injury through:

• Failure to mark tripping hazards
• Failure to provide adequate lighting around possible hazards
• Failure to recognize and repair loose carpet or flooring
• Failure to remove debris from walkways

When this occurs, you may trip and fall due to an unseen hazard. Your fall can result in serious injuries, especially if it occurs during rough seas. Other hazards may result in slip and fall accidents that can be equally dangerous.

Compensation for Cruise Ship Injuries

If you suffered serious injuries as a result of a trip and fall accident, you may be able to receive compensation for:

• Past, present and future medical bills
• Lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity or permanent disability
• Pain and suffering
• Diminished quality of life

However, getting that compensation requires overcoming the barriers that cruise lines put in your way.

A condition of your ticket is that the cruise line gets to select the court where you file your lawsuit. Most often that is right here in Miami. In addition, you may have less time to file your injury lawsuit than other types of personal injury lawsuits. You may have only a year to file your lawsuit and only six months to officially report your injury to the cruise line. In order to protect your rights, you have to act quickly.

Why Choose The Cochran Firm for Your Cruise Ship Injury Lawsuit

There are many firms that claim to be able to handle your cruise ship injury lawsuit, but few of them have our level of experience with all types of cruise ship injury cases, including trip and fall accidents. Even fewer have the level of resources that we can bring to bear in your case, and none of them have The Cochran Firm's reputation for helping clients overcome seemingly impossible odds to achieve success.

Our reputation brings cruise lines to the table with an initial offer that respects our determination to take your case as far as you want to get the compensation you deserve. This makes it less likely you will have to go trial to get your compensation, but we will never balk at a trial if that's what it takes to get a favorable outcome for your trial.

We invite you to learn more about The Cochran Firm South Florida's Miami cruise ship injury attorneys and how we can help you. Please contact us today for a free initial consultation.