Miami Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer

Were you or a loved one injured aboard a cruise ship off Miami, Florida? You may be entitled to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. An experienced Miami cruise ship accident lawyer at Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers can help with the complex state, federal, and maritime laws that may apply.

Since we opened our doors in 2007, we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of accident victims across South Florida. We’re ready to fight for you.

Are you interested in learning more about our track record of success? Call us at (305) 937-0191 or contact our law offices in Miami, Florida, to schedule a free consultation today.

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How Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Cruise Ship Accident in Miami

Cruise ships are essentially floating cities. While everything you need is at your fingertips, there are also countless ways to get hurt. The cruise line knows this and has taken steps to limit its own liability.

You deserve a Miami personal injury lawyer who understands the law as well as they do. At Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 100 years of experience between us. We’ve been recognized with a perfect-10 Avvo rating.

Our lawyers will use our experience to:

Conduct a comprehensive, independent investigation into your accident
Evaluate the laws that apply in your specific case
Hire experts, specialists, and others who can strengthen your claim
Negotiate with the insurance companies to maximize your settlement
Fight to protect your rights at trial if the insurance company won’t play fair

Our legal team includes double-board certified trial lawyers. Call today if you’re ready to learn what our award-winning Miami personal injury attorneys can do for you. We’d be happy to schedule a free initial consultation so that you can learn more about our practice.

How Common Are Cruise Ship Accidents in Miami?

Worldwide, about 30 million passengers boarded cruise ships in 2019—none of those passengers expected to leave the ship injured or sick. Still, ship safety is a big issue for cruise passengers and crew members in the United States.

Approximately 450 major cruise ship accidents have been reported since 2005. In a three-year period, 15 accidents involved sinking ships. A handful involved running aground.

In reality, most cruise ship accidents don’t make TV headlines. Thousands of cruise ship passengers are injured every year because of slip and falls, food poisoning, and other accidents aboard the ship.

Our Lawyers Handle Cases Against All Major Cruise Lines

We represent clients in cases against all major cruise companies, including:

Carnival Cruise Lines
Disney Cruise Lines
Royal Caribbean
Norwegian Cruise Line
Celebrity Cruises
Explorer of the Seas
Princess Cruise Lines
Holland America Cruises

When you board a cruise, you agree to certain terms and conditions. Those terms are contained in your cruise ticket contract. If you’re injured, you’ll have to understand the cruise line’s conditions–or risk losing your right to compensation.

Our Miami cruise ship accident attorneys at Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers have been handling cases like yours for decades. We can help protect your rights every step of the way. To learn more, give us a quick call today.

What is My Miami Cruise Ship Accident Case Worth?

The value of a personal injury claim can depend on many different factors, including:

The severity of your injury
The cost of medical treatment
Your recovery time
Lost income and expenses
How the injury will impact your life
Whether liability is clearly established

The circumstances surrounding your injury will be key to putting a dollar value on your personal injury case.

Were you injured aboard a cruise? Our lawyers in Miami can help you fight for fair compensation. Give us a call today to learn more.

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

Most injured parties can be reimbursed for their financial losses, also known as “economic damages.”

Economic damages typically include:

Medical expenses, including hospitalization, doctor’s visits, and future medical care
Lost wages and income
Reduced earning potential
Physical therapy
Rehabilitation
Property damage
Any other out-of-pocket expenses

You may also deserve compensation for non-economic damages. Non-economic damages are your subjective, personal losses.

They can vary from case to case, but tend to include:

Pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Diminished quality of life
Disfigurement
Scarring
Anxiety and depression
PTSD
Loss of consortium

The insurance company will try to tell you what your losses are worth. You shouldn’t take their word for it; the insurance company isn’t looking out for your best interests.

Our lawyers will carefully evaluate your claim with one goal in mind: protecting your legal right to fair compensation.

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

The cruise line, ship’s captain, or a crew member may be responsible for your injuries. Other times, another passenger may be responsible. However, it’s also possible that your actions contributed to the accident or made your injuries worse.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek compensation. Florida’s modified comparative fault laws allow injury victims to seek compensation if their share of fault is 50% or less. If you were partly responsible, you can still recover a portion of your damages if another party was more responsible. But if your share of fault exceeds 50%, you’ll be barred from recovering money for your injuries.

Don’t accept the insurance company’s allegations. Instead, call an experienced lawyer. Insurance carriers often blame the victim solely to minimize or eliminate their own financial liability. If that’s the case, our lawyers will find out and locate the evidence to prove it.

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

Our Miami cruise ship injury attorneys at Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers will help you recover the maximum compensation possible for your injuries.

Common cruise ship accident injuries include:

Broken bones
Burns
Soft tissue damage
Nerve injuries
Concussions and other brain injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Head and neck injuries
Back injuries
Organ damage
Amputations
Paralysis
Catastrophic injuries

Did you lose a loved one in a fatal cruise ship accident? Our lawyers can help you pursue damages for wrongful death.

What Causes Most Cruise Ship Accidents in Miami, Florida?

Slip and fall accidents are the most common type of accident that occurs aboard a cruise ship. According to studies, 44.8% of all passenger injuries that occur onboard involve slips, trips, and falls.

Slip and falls commonly occur because of:

Slippery surfaces
Uneven surfaces
Missing or uneven mats or carpeting
Missing guardrails
Damaged staircases
Debris and obstacles in hallways
Inadequate lighting and power outages
Inadequate traction on wet and slippery surfaces
Failure to properly inspect and maintain the vessel
Failure to warn passengers about dangerous conditions onboard

However, slip and falls aren’t the only way to get hurt on board a cruise. At Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of ship accident claims in Miami-Dade County, including accidents involving:

Swimming pool accidents and drowning
Fires and explosions
Food poisoning
Bed bugs
Falls overboard
Assault
Sexual assault
Recreation and amusement park accidents
Medical malpractice
Accidents that occur during onshore excursions
Negligent security
Negligent hiring practices
Running aground
Collisions with other vessels

If you were injured, call our lawyers in Miami to get the legal advice you deserve today.

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

The cruise ship company is required to provide a safe environment for passengers and crew members. The cruise ship must be maintained in seaworthy condition. General maritime laws and the Jones Act give crew members a right to recover damages based on unseaworthiness.

Injured passengers usually have to prove someone was negligent to recover damages. “Negligence” is a legal concept.

Someone is negligent if:

A legal duty of care exists
The party breaches the duty of care
The breach causes an accident
Someone suffers damages

As the victim, you’re responsible for finding evidence to support your case. Under Florida premises liability laws, ship owners have specific duties.

Those include a duty to:

Regularly inspect the ship to locate hidden dangers
Fix any known hazards
Provide adequate warning about unsafe conditions
Provide adequate security to prevent criminal activity and violence
Properly screen, train, and supervise crew members

Do you need help proving that a cruise line was responsible for your injuries? Call Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation today.

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

Florida’s statute of limitations gives most accident victims two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. That assumes the accident occurred on dry land.

The state’s law historically gave you four years to file an injury lawsuit. However, it was updated on March 24, 2023. If your Miami cruise ship accident occurred after that date, your negligence claim must be filed within two years.

Different rules may apply in cruise ship accident cases, especially if the case is brought in federal court.

The cruise line’s terms and conditions may specify a different deadline. Often, that deadline gives victims only a few months to take legal action. For example, passengers injured aboard certain Princess Cruise ships may have only six months to provide notice of the injury.

Contact an experienced attorney for help calculating your deadline.

Contact a Miami Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Were you or a family member injured on a cruise? Call a Miami cruise ship accident lawyer at Shaked Law Personal Injury Lawyers today. We’d be happy to schedule a free consultation and discuss your case in detail.

Our personal injury law firm in Miami, FL also provides: