St. Petersburg Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer
Florida is one of the world’s most popular destinations for cruise ships. Millions of passengers come through the state’s ports every year to embark on cruises to the Caribbean and other destinations. But cruise ships can also be dangerous if they are not properly run and maintained. And it is the passengers who are often at risk by such negligence.
If you have been injured while taking a cruise, there are certain legal issues you need to be aware of when seeking compensation for your losses. A qualified St. Petersburg cruise ship accident lawyer can provide invaluable guidance, assistance, and representation in this area. Attorney Frank D. Butler has three decades of experience in maritime law, and he has helped many cruise ship accident victims and their families in successfully seeking damages.
Negligence and Cruise Ship Accidents
Cruise ship operators are not “strictly liable” for all accidents that occur aboard their vessels. But a cruise ship owner or operator can be held responsible for their own negligence or the negligence of their employees. In this context, negligence means that a reasonably careful operator would have known about–and corrected–a safety hazard that caused the passenger’s injury (or at the very least warned the passengers about such a hazard).
Here are just a few common examples of how negligence can lead to a cruise ship accident include:
- A rusted or cracked railing breaks, causing a passenger to fall overboard.
- A pool of water on the deck is not properly marked with a “Caution! Wet Floor!” sign and a passenger slips and falls.
- A passenger suffers a medical emergency while on board a cruise ship and the medical staff fails to properly diagnose or treat them.
- A passenger is injured while being transported off the ship in a tender boat.
- A passenger is hurt while participating in an off-shore excursion organized by the cruise line, such as while riding in a tour bus.
- A crew member is injured in the course of working on a cruise ship due to a co-worker’s negligence.
Every cruise ship accident is different and will involve a unique set of facts and circumstances. That is why you should always work with a cruise ship accident attorney who knows how to properly investigate such cases. There are many times when multiple parties may be at-fault. Additionally, passengers must also be prepared to defend themselves against a cruise ship operator’s attempts to shift blame for the accident.
Contact Attorney Frank D. Butler Today
As with any personal injury claim, cruise ship accident victims have the right to seek a variety of damages, including compensation for their medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. But unlike most personal injury cases rooted in state law, cruise ship accident lawsuits often need to follow special rules. For example, the fine print in your cruise ship ticket may limit your time to sue a cruise line to just one year from the date of your accident.
So if you need to speak with a skilled St. Petersburg cruise ship accident attorney without delay, call the offices of Frank D. Butler, P.A., at 888-BOAT-LAW to schedule a consultation.
