Hurt and need legal help? YES! You can call from the cruise…
We’ve been asked this question before, “should I have called a lawyer while I was still on the cruise ship?”
The answer to that is, “if you could have, then yes, you should have.”
People are hurt on cruise ships each and every day. It’s just the reality of having over 20 million passengers traveling each year. Most often, these accidents and injuries are simple “just accidents” and no one is at fault – not a crew member, not the cruise line and not the passenger.
However, sometimes a passengers is injured and it is the fault of the crew or cruise line
Perhaps the crew was negligent in cleaning up spilled coffee in a dining area and someone tripped. Perhaps a hand rail on a staircase has not been attended to even after it was brought to the attention of the cruise staff.
When an accident does happen, passengers may need legal help in addition to getting medical help. Certainly, seeking medical treatment immediately is the first course of action.
But having an attorney talk you through the “next steps” is often very important as well – especially is an injury claim is to be made against the cruise line. If you need to eventually file a lawsuit against the cruise line, the details of the incident will be extremely important. And as time passes, as we all know, details tend to fade.
Some suggestions you might hear from an attorney while you’re still on board
1) make sure the accident is documented and a report is filed
2) try to take pictures of the accident scene
3) try to get the names of everyone involved – crew members as well as passengers
4) ask if other passengers can give you their account of the accident
5) note the location, time and date of the event
6) be prepared to continue taking notes and getting copies of documents even after leaving the ship
7) get medical care and 2nd opinions as soon as possible after leaving the cruise ship
Having a lawyer to help can make all the difference
Most people who are hurt on a cruise ship won’t have the ability to contact a cruise ship injury lawyer. Either they won’t think to do so, they’ll be too focused on getting medical care (as they should be) or, they won’t be able to “get service” to make a call or send an email. But if it is possible to make contact with a lawyer, it is advisable. Law firms should offer free case help in this situation. They can quickly help your review the details of the accident and outline the “next steps” for you.
At Waks and Barnett, P.A. we want you to be safe. When that isn’t the case, please call us so we can help.
1-800-908-2891