The Terms and Conditions contract will impact your ability to file a claim
If you were injured on a cruise, it is important that you read the terms and conditions of your ticket of passage because it contains provisions inserted by the cruise lines which affect your legal rights.
These terms and conditions will impact your ability to file an injury claim!
For instance, many of the major cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, to name a few, require that any passenger who files suit against them do so in Miami, Florida.
So, even if you are from Alaska, Ohio, Texas or New York – and are injured on one of these ships while it is cruising the Mediterranean – if you sue, you have to do it in Miami.
The cruise lines do this to make it more convenient for them and less convenient for their passengers. That is why you need an experienced Miami maritime lawyer to protect your rights.
Terms and Conditions sets deadlines for lawsuit claims too
Equally important is a time deadline to sue which the cruise lines legally impose. The statute of limitations on negligence cases in Florida is 4 years, but that dose not apply to passengers inured on cruises.
If you were injured on a cruise, you are required to file a lawsuit within 1 year of the date of the accident or you lose all of your rights.
Not only that, you have to serve notice on the cruise line within 6 months of the date of the accident that you intend to make a claim. If you were injured, you need act quickly to protect your rights.
You would be surprised how many people, even skilled and experienced lawyers, are not aware of these special provisions. We get calls all the time from passengers with valid cases whom we cannot help because they waited too long. They didn’t read their ticket or consult an experienced lawyer until it was too late.
Please don’t let that happen to you. Contact a cruise line injury attorney as soon as possible if you believe you have a potential claim against a cruise line.
About Waks & Barnett, P.A.
Based in Miami, Waks & Barnett attorneys work with clients in Florida, throughout the United States and around the world. The firm’s attorneys practice in the areas of personal injury and wrongful death, with a specialization in admiralty and maritime cases – especially those involving cruise ships. Call 1-800-905-2891 for a free consultation.