Cruise Ship Injuries: Legal Options for New Orleans Passengers

New Orleans cruise ship injury cases involve numerous legal elements including maritime law, jurisdiction issues, and potentially multiple parties at fault. Unfortunately, cruise ships injuries and negligence are not uncommon. To say the least, the vacation’s over! At Egenberg Trial Lawyers, our New Orleans personal injury lawyers have handled numerous cruise ship injuries and accidents, so if you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Common Cruise Ship Injuries

Cruise ship passengers encounter a range of injuries due to on-board negligence, inadequate safety measures, or even accidents caused by other passengers. As New Orleans personal injury lawyers, here are some common cruise ship injuries we see:

Slip and Falls

Slip and fall accidents are also one of the most common injuries that passengers experience on cruise ships. Wet decks, poorly maintained surfaces, or obstacles in walkways cause passengers to trip and injure themselves.

Drowning and Pool Injuries

Improper supervision, overcrowding, and lack of safety measures around swimming pools can lead to drownings or accidents for both adults and children.

Pneumonia and Related Illnesses

Outbreaks of pneumonia-like illnesses, such as Legionnaires’ disease or norovirus, occur on cruise ships due to poor sanitation procedures and/or contaminated water sources. The coronavirus is also a common infection going around on cruise ships.

Sexual Assault

According to the Washington Post, sexual assault is the most common crime reported on cruise ships…and those reports are on the rise.

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning is far too common on cruise ships due to their heavily-trafficked, on-going buffets and often inadequate food safety precautions. Contaminated food or improper handling results in passengers falling seriously ill, which at home is one thing, but when it ruins a pricey vacation is another issue entirely.

Fires

Few things are scarier than a fire breaking out when you know the fire department is nowhere around. Fires on board cruise ships cause a great deal of panic, injuries, and fatalities. Even with the legally-mandated fire prevention systems and protocols in place, cruise ship fires still happen and still cause havoc.

Gangway Accidents

Gangways are the ramps or foot bridges used to connect a cruise ship to the port. Accidents do happen during embarkation or disembarkation if the gangway is slippery, not properly secured, or wobbly.

Poor Docking

Improper docking, or “parking,” of the cruise ship causes accidents during embarkation and/or disembarkation. Passengers may suffer injuries if the ship is not properly secured or aligned with the port.

Going Overboard

In some unfortunate cases, passengers do fall overboard because of inadequate safety barriers, negligence, or intentional acts.

Common Forms of Negligence on New Orleans Cruise Ships

Cruise ship companies have a duty to ensure the safety and well-being of their passengers. Negligence on their parts leads to terrible accidents and debilitating injuries. As New Orleans personal injury lawyers, here are some common examples of cruise ship negligence we see:

Negligent Security

Cruise ships have a responsibility to provide adequate security to passengers to prevent crimes and ensure their safety. Failure to implement proper security measures results in theft, assault, and other crimes.

Inadequate Lighting

Inadequate lighting is common in certain areas of cruise ships, and this increases the risk of accidents and injuries. A lot of passenger slip and fall injuries occur in poorly lit areas.

Broken or Wobbly Railings

Loose and poorly maintained stairway railings on cruise ships pose a significant risk to passengers. Cruise ship companies that fail to promptly repair unsafe railings on their vessels can be held liable for any resulting accidents and injuries.

Inadequate Supervision and Training of Cruise Ship Staff

Cruise ship crew members play a vital role in passenger safety. Insufficient training and inadequate supervision lead to mistakes, accidents, and injuries.

Lack of Sanitation Leading to Disease Spreading

Due to the high volume of people contained in a small space, cruise ships must have robust sanitation procedures to prevent spreading diseases. Outbreaks of illnesses among passengers onboard are far too common.

Out-of-Order Equipment

Malfunctioning equipment on New Orleans cruise ships is another cause of accidents and injuries. Ships are big, but it is still the cruise ship company’s responsibility to keep every inch of it well-maintained. 

Navigation Mistakes, Capsizing, and Crashes

Navigational errors or negligence lead to catastrophic accidents even capsizing or crashing into other vessels. Passengers may suffer severe injuries or even loss of life in such incidents.

Medical Negligence

When passengers require medical attention on a cruise ship, the medical staff on board must provide proper care. Medical negligence and malpractice are common as the ships do not have full medical facilities on board and the medical staff present is limited. This has lead to the worsening of conditions or preventable complications for many passengers.

Unqualified Employees

There tends to be a lot of turn-over on cruise ships as crew members are often forced to share rooms dorm-style and commit to being at sea for as long as 6 to 9 months with minimal pay. Cruise ship companies have a duty to hire competent and qualified crew members. Hiring unqualified people is a negligent hiring practice and can result in accidents and injuries.

Poorly Communicated Hazards

Cruise ship companies must warn passengers of hazards or dangerous conditions on the ship. Failure to do so, such as insufficient warning signs or not closing off access to a hazardous area, can lead to accidents and injuries.

How to Get Justice After a Cruise Ship Accident

One option is to file a personal injury claim against the cruise line. This involves proving that the cruise line was negligent in maintaining a safe environment and that this negligence directly resulted in your injuries. Another option is to join a class action lawsuit if multiple passengers were injured in the same incident. By joining a class action lawsuit, you can collectively seek justice and compensation for your injuries. 

New Orleans Personal Injury Lawyer: Egenberg Trial Lawyers

Our diligent, hard-working team of New Orleans personal injury lawyers has extensive experience with cruise ship injury cases and fighting for the rights of our clients. You deserve the best legal representation possible. To set up a free consultation, contact our office now.