After almost two years, life seems to be opening up despite the Coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic. Summer is on its way, and cruise ships are back! According to CBS News Miami, after losing billions of dollars and thousands of workers, cruises are finally up and running again, and Florida’s Port Miami and Port Everglades are busier than ever.
Which means that now is a good time to think about staying safe while on a cruise ship.
Because accident claims on cruise ships are not run-of-the-mill personal injury claims, if you are injured on a cruise ship, consult an experienced cruise ship personal injury attorney.
Accidents Happen
Of course, accidents on board a cruise ship or on land can happen in many ways.
However, cruise ship injuries tend to be more frequent because the unique characteristics of a ship contribute to the occurrence of certain types of injuries. For example, the rocking and rolling of the ship, or faulty ship design, or, frankly, having one too many drinks—all of these factors and more, can lead to an accident onboard ship.
While you may not expect to be injured while on a cruise, keep in mind that your safety onboard ship is never guaranteed. Thus, it is important to be aware of the potential for accidents and the various ways in which accidents generally occur on cruise ships.
Here are 3 of the most common accidents passengers suffer on a cruise ship:
- Slips and Falls
This one should come as no surprise. The most common cruise ship injury stems from a slip and fall.
Ships, as much as they may appear to be floating hotels, are moving, rolling, lurching vehicles. In addition to constant and unpredictable movement, cruise ships present a number of trip hazards to passengers. Among these (not limited to) are luggage in the hallways, slippery floors and pool areas, defective stairs, narrow stairways, and hidden changes in elevation throughout the ship.
- Food Poisoning, Viruses, and Infections
The close quarters on cruise ships make them a breeding ground for all kinds of viruses and bacteria.
There have been incidents of hundreds of passengers contracting a highly contagious gastrointestinal virus on board. In addition, cruise ships are known for incidents of norovirus—a very contagious virus that can be contracted by contact with an infected person, or by touching contaminated surfaces, or from contaminated food or water.
Food poisoning is another common occurrence frequently caused by unsanitary conditions, the improper handling of food, or refrigeration malfunctions.
- Accidents Occurring During Excursions
Cruise ships provide passengers with a variety of onshore excursion activities to make the trip more exciting and enjoyable. While this may be a great thing, many of these excursions include high-risk activities like such as zip-lining, parasailing, and rock-climbing.
Equipment is not always well maintained, and many of these activities are inherently dangerous.
No one wants their vacation to end in tragedy. But accidents do happen. And when they do, especially if the injury occurs on a cruise ship, the best thing you can do is to consult with our experienced Florida personal injury cruise ship lawyers.
Cruise Ship Personal Injury Attorneys in North Central Florida.
John Fagan and his legal team are dedicated to helping those who are injured or disabled. Contact us here or simply call our firm at: 777-JOHN. We serve clients throughout Florida. Our main office is in Orange Park, but we have consulting offices in Palatka, Middleburg, Keystone, Starke, Gainesville, and Ocala.
