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Maritime/Cruise Ship Accidents

Maritime or cruise ship accidents are different than private boating accidents because they often occur in open waters (more than three miles from a coastal territory) and are most often regulated by federal officials (as opposed to state-regulated boating accidents).

Maritime accidents commonly occur on pleasure liners or cruise ships, which means that premise liability, foreign maritime law and irregular insurance conditions may apply. In this case, liability may vary according to the terms and conditions that a passenger agrees to upon boarding the ship. For accidents which take place outside of the ship, liability conditions may vary. In most cases, cruise lines are not responsible for your well-being during off-shore excursions, unless you remain on company-owned property. However, when you are being transported onto and off of a cruise liner, cruise ship companies are most often liable for your boarding and de-boarding safety.

Because maritime accidents are extremely complex and involve many variant factors, it is necessary to contact a lawyer who is experienced with maritime and cruise accidents.

• First, your lawyers must determine if a federal court or a state-level court will handle your case, or if the case may be governed by foreign maritime law (in some instances where a journey is originated at a foreign port or the ship is operating under a foreign flag). Because this assessment may affect your statute of limitations (the length you have to file a claim), then it is vital that you retain a maritime accident attorney as soon as possible following your accident.
• Second, your lawyers will determine if there is a foundational set of data that proves negligence occurred and that it was directly responsible for the personal injury or wrongful death. This may involve a thorough review of the exact terms and conditions of your nautical travel.
• Then it is up to your lawyer to work with you to come up with a remunerative amount that is considered "fair" for your amount of suffering and loss, so that you may be able to settle out of court.
• Last, you should be sure to enlist the aid of lawyers who are sensitive to the needs of you and your family, who will be sure you understand every step of the process and help you make important legal decisions along the way.

The South Florida personal injury attorneys at Gross & Telisman who work with a team of lawyers are highly experienced in all aspects of maritime law. For a complimentary and confidential conversation about your prospective maritime lawsuit or cruise ship accident claim, please Contact Us.

Please see also: boating accidents, drowning accidents.