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What To Do If You Are Injured on a Cruise

With the COVID-19 pandemic receding, travelers are cruising once again. In 2021, more than 13.9 million passengers traveled the world on a cruise, up +96% from the previous year, during the pandemic[1]. With many cruise ships the size of small cities, it’s not surprising, that passengers may become injured or ill due to someone else’s negligence or malice. Of course, everyone books their cruise with the intent of experiencing a memorable, relaxing vacation, but a cruise can become the site of an assault, excursion injury, gangway injury, food poisoning, slip/trip and fall, tender boat injury, blunt force injury in choppy waters, a poolside injury or drowning. If this happens to you, the steps you take afterwards can impact your ability to recover damages later on.

Seek medical care.

Visit the ship’s health center right away to be seen by the on-board healthcare provider. As when visiting any healthcare provider, follow their advice and take any medications that they prescribe.

Report your injury to the authorities.

If you are injured or assaulted on the ship, tender boat, gangway, or a cruise line-run excursion, report your injury to the ship’s management. When you visit the health center, the receptionist may ask you to fill out a form about your injuries there. If not, request one from a crew member. Additionally, if you are assaulted on an expedition, report the crime to the local authorities as well. Make sure to keep a copy of the report for yourself.

Write down witness information.

Take down the names, phone numbers and email addresses for any witnesses. If anyone recorded the incident on their phone or took photos of it, secure a copy of those as well.

Don’t post on social media.

Avoid posting anything about your trip online, even if you think your account is private. This includes avoiding posting about the injury itself or the trip in general. Anything you post can be used against you later.

Don’t waive your rights.

In many cases, when you sign to book your cruise tickets, you are signing a liability waiver that limits your rights to seek compensation for damages. Other times, you may still be able to sue, but strict time limits exist. Additionally, after your injury, the crew may ask you to sign a liability waiver or offer you a token amount of compensation to sign a waiver. Don’t accept it. If you have already signed a waiver, your attorney will need to review it to understand the legal options that you have. In some cases, it may be possible to nullify the waiver.

If you are injured on a cruise, contact ECanter Lawyers as soon as you can. The sooner you call, the sooner we can review the data and determine the next steps to help you recover damages for your injuries.

ECanter Lawyers

When you are dealing with the chaos and pain of accidents and personal injuries, the last thing you need is technical, confusing legal language.  ECanter Lawyers breaks down the complexities and provides clear, informative answers so that you understand your legal options. 

For a quarter of a century, ECanter Lawyers has remained committed to honest, straightforward answers.  Named one of AVVO’s Clients’ Choice, ECanter Lawyers has helped clients receive multi-million-dollar verdicts, and millions of dollars in settlements.  ECanter Lawyers specializes in personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, premises and product liability, and healthcare law.

With offices conveniently located throughout South Florida and 24/7 services, ECanter Lawyers personal injury law firm offers you the personalized attention that you need in order to maximize your compensation. 

ECanter Lawyers

561-447-4500

Boca Raton | West Palm Beach | Coral Springs | Ft. Lauderdale | Miami 

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[1] Cruise Market Watch. Market Share | Cruise Market Watch. Accessed October 8, 2022.