Hitchcock Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer

A week on a ship with people catering to your every need often gives you a chance to feel rejuvenated. Unfortunately, just because you are on vacation does not make you immune from danger. Ship workers and passengers occasionally suffer debilitating injuries and even a loss of life.

If you or your loved one sustained an injury on board a cruise ship, you might have a lot of questions. A Hitchcock cruise ship accident lawyer could answer them and help you navigate the maritime law process in the hopes of obtaining what you deserve for compensation.

Injured Cruise Ship Employees and the Jones Act

When people think of workers who suffer injuries at sea, they usually think of commercial fishermen, dockworkers, and oil rig workers. Most likely, they do not think of cruise ship employees because they probably do not think of cruise ships as dangerous places to work. However, workers experience severe injuries on cruise ships every year. These employees work long hours in stressful situations.

When injured, ship workers cannot generally file to collect workers’ compensation benefits from their employer because maritime workers are not usually eligible to pursue traditional workers’ compensation benefits. Instead, they need to pursue claims under the Jones Act.

Who is Eligible?

Any employee who spends a significant portion of their work time on a vessel is eligible to pursue compensation under the Jones Act, including captains, housekeepers, chefs, engineers, and entertainers. This law covers employees of United States-based cruise ships. If the ship flies under a foreign flag, the protections of this Act might not apply.

What it Covers?

The Jones Act allows injured maritime employees, including cruise ship workers, to pursue civil claims against their employers. To be successful, they must show that their employer’s negligence contributed to their injury. For instance, a ship worker could show that the ship was not a safe place to work due to poor maintenance.

Skilled Hitchcock attorneys have extensive experience handling cruise ship injury claims and know how to get someone their fair compensation.

Injured Cruise Passengers

Cruise ship passengers are not eligible to file claims under workplace injury laws. They also are generally exempt from filing traditional personal injury claims in civil courts. When a passenger buys a ticket, they enter into a contract with the cruise ship. The back of the ticket should state where the injured passenger can file a claim and how long they have to file suit.

Most cases involve maritime law, which can be more complicated than traditional civil claims. To prevail, the passenger would need to establish that the cruise ship had a hazard that caused the passenger to suffer an injury. Unlike in most premises liability claims, the passenger probably also needs to show that someone in charge of the ship knew about the hazardous condition that led to the injury.

A dedicated attorney could help a cruise ship passenger in Hitchcock investigate where they could file suit and build a solid claim for compensation.

Work with a Hitchcock Cruise Ship Accident Attorney

Suffering any kind of injury is scary, but when you sustain an injury while at sea, it can make matters legally complicated. You might not have access to the emergency care you need and the target of a potential lawsuit might not be clear-cut.

Working with a legal team that understands the complexities of maritime law is critical. Get in touch with a seasoned Hitchcock cruise ship accident lawyer today to learn more about the various avenues of recovery.