You spend your work days at sea, keeping cruise ship passengers safe, comfortable, and happy. You also deserve to be safe on the cruise ship and to make a full and fair recovery if you are hurt. If you are a cruise ship employee, then there are some things that you should know about the risks you face, the types of injuries that you may suffer, and how you can protect your rights if you are injured.
How Cruise Ship Workers Get Hurt
Cruise ship workers may be injured in many different ways. For example, you may be hurt because:
- You or another employee are tired from working long, hard hours
- There is defective or improperly maintained equipment
- There is inadequate staffing which results in you having to do unsafe and unassisted heavy lifting
- There is an assault, sexual assault, or sexual harassment from other crew members or passengers
- There is improper staff training
- There are slippery decks or floors, and there are no warning signs, railings, or reasonable efforts to fix the danger and prevent slip and falls
- Of bad weather
- Of unsafe food storage or preparation
- Of the failure to have appropriate or working safety equipment on board the boat
These things can result in many different kinds of accidents and devastating injuries.
Cruise Ship Employee Injuries
Whether you are hurt because of one of the factors described above, or in another way, you may suffer a serious injury such as a:
- Broken bone
- Back or spinal cord injury
- Brain or head injury
- Burn
- Repetitive stress injury
- Food-borne illness
It is important to get prompt medical attention on board your ship—and at the next port or back home, if necessary—so that your injuries can be correctly diagnosed and treated.
Protect Your Legal Recovery After a Cruise Ship Accident Injury
If you’ve been hurt during your work aboard a cruise ship, then you deserve to make a fair recovery for your injuries.
Many cruise ship workers—even those involved in entertainment, restaurant, or hotel aspects of the ship—are seamen. You are considered a seaman if you are assigned to a cruise ship that operates in navigable waters, you perform any work that is related to the cruise ship’s purpose, and you spend a significant portion of your working time on the cruise ship.
As a seaman, you qualify for the protections of the Jones Act, and you may recover the following types of damages for your work-related injuries:
Maintenance
While you are working on a cruise ship, you typically have your room and board covered. While you are recovering, you may suddenly be responsible for housing, food, and daily living costs. Your financial recovery may include compensation for these expenses.
Cure
All of your reasonable and necessary healthcare costs should be covered until you have reached the point of maximum medical improvement.
You may also be entitled to additional damages pursuant to other maritime laws. Our experienced cruise ship injury lawyers will investigate all aspects of your accident, injury, and recovery, and we will fight hard to get you the full and fair recovery that you deserve.
Don’t trust your boss, the cruise line, or even your doctors to give you accurate and reliable advice about protecting your financial recovery. In the hours and days following your recovery, we encourage you not to sign any papers or to provide any recorded statements about the accident or your injuries. Instead, we encourage you to get prompt medical attention, write down everything you remember about your accident, keep a diary about how your injuries impact your life, and schedule a free consultation with an experienced maritime injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Have You Been Injured on a Cruise?
Your time to file a claim is limited by law. If you have been injured on a cruise it's important to speak with an experienced maritime injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 800.362.9329 to schedule your free consultation.
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