Passenger From Royal Caribbean Cruise Seeks Redress for Slip-And-Fall Injuries

The Port of Seattle, Washington is home to many cruise ship docks. Passengers board these large vessels expecting to relax and be pampered. Even when guests and crew members exercise caution while working or on vacation, accidents happen. A recent report described a 63-year old woman's unfortunate accident on a Royal Caribbean International cruise. In her suit, the woman claims she fell over a piece of temporary decking and injured her leg and suffered bruising and swelling. The woman has filed suit under maritime law seeking damages for her injuries and possibly her inability to work.

It is important to know what to do when an injury occurs during a cruise ship vacation, regardless of what cruise line you booked. All cruise lines require you to sign a contract prior to boarding, and these contracts limit the amount of time you have to 1) file notice of the claim and 2) formally file the lawsuit in a proper court of law. Often notice must be given to the cruise company within six months and lawsuits must be filed within a year. The location of the place of filing the lawsuit must also be considered, because ticket contracts often limit the location to the state where the corporate headquarters are located. Claims against Holland America must be filed in Seattle, Washington, and claims against Carnival Cruise Line must be filed in Florida.

The United States Supreme Court has previously upheld the limitation of forum clauses printed with or on the back of passenger tickets in Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc. v. Shute. The injured woman in that case had physical and financial limitations that made it extremely difficult to file and travel to another state across the country to seek remedies for her injuries. While the Court determined that limiting the forum was acceptable, it warned that ticket contracts could not be used to completely shield companies from liability.

The national cruise ship lawyers at Merriam Webb can help you with claims against any cruise line located in the United States. For a free consultation please call 1-877.800.1007.

Morris v. Princess Cruises, Inc. is the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals case that outlines the elements of a maritime personal injury case. Cruise ship companies owe a duty of reasonable care under the circumstances to their passengers and crew members. Failure to uphold the duty can result in liability to the passengers and workers. If an injury occurs because of this failure, the injured passenger or worker can seek damages for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

The Washington cruise ship passenger injury attorneys Gordon Webb and John Merriam can help you obtain the money you need to become financial and physically whole again. As experienced litigators, they know that immediate investigation and action is necessary to maximize damages. Our attorneys can assist in making a claim directly to the cruise ship company, rather than an insurance company, as you would expect in an auto accident case. If you have suffered an injury on a cruise line, regardless of where you sailed or the headquarter are located, call our office today for a free, confidential consultation.