If you or a loved one has been injured while aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Tampa, FL, it’s important to understand your rights. Negligent cruise lines and other responsible parties may be responsible for your damages. An experienced Tampa cruise ship accident lawyer at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Between us, our lawyers have over 119 years of experience handling personal injury matters. We’ve helped countless injured clients in the Tampa Bay area get the fair compensation they need.
You can learn more about your legal rights and options today, contact or call our law offices in Tampa, Florida at (813) 223-6200, to schedule a free consultation today.
How Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Cruise Ship Accident in Tampa
You didn’t expect to get hurt. If you’re injured on a cruise ship, you need compensation quickly to cover your medical bills and other expenses. Unfortunately, the insurance company isn’t looking out for your best interests. They’ll probably try to challenge your claim and make it difficult to recover the compensation you deserve.
Our Tampa personal injury attorneys at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers are here to stand up for you.
When you hire us, you’ll have an experienced lawyer in your corner to:
- Coordinate an investigation into your accident
- Evaluate the evidence to determine who was liable for your injuries
- Determine which laws apply in your case
- Accurately assess your case value
- Hire experts when their testimony can strengthen your case
- Handle all paperwork and make sure you meet the relevant deadlines
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for a fair settlement
The personal injury system can be difficult to navigate on your own. To learn more about how an experienced Tampa personal injury lawyer can tip the scales in your favor, give us a call today.
How Common Are Cruise Ship Accidents in Tampa?
Disastrous cruise ship sinkings and groundings are relatively rare. In fact, only 448 major cruise ship accidents have been reported since 2005. These types of accidents can cause widespread damage and disastrous injuries when they occur.
However, not all cruise ship accidents and injuries involve outright disasters. One study found that 663 injuries were reported to major cruise lines over a three-year period. 44.8% of all injuries aboard a cruise ship involved slip and fall accidents. About 31% of all reported injuries happened while passengers were on shore excursions.
Assault and sexual assault are also a problem on cruise ships. In the first six months of 2022 alone, the U.S. Department of Transportation found that 43 people were injured due to intentional violence aboard the ship.
What Is My Tampa Cruise Ship Accident Case Worth?
Every case is judged based on its specific facts and circumstances. If the insurance company is trying to downplay the extent of your injuries, our lawyers can help you understand the true value of your personal injury claim.
Some of the factors that will play a role in establishing your case value include:
- The nature and severity of the injuries you’ve sustained
- The cost of your medical treatment and other out-of-pocket expenses
- Whether you’ll lose wages while you recover
- How the injury will impact your future ability to work
- Whether you’ll suffer a long-term or permanent disability
- Your emotional and physical suffering
- Whether liability is clear
Millions of people board cruise ships every year. If you were injured aboard a major cruise ship, you should understand that the cruise line knows how to defend itself against allegations of negligence. They have teams of insurance adjusters and defense lawyers who will work hard to convince you that your case is worth less than it really is.
You deserve an experienced lawyer who can help you understand what you really deserve. To learn more about how our Tampa cruise ship accident attorneys can help, call Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case review today.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Cruise Ship Accident Victims?
Under Florida personal injury laws, compensatory damages are grouped into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
You’re entitled to seek compensation for all past and future financial costs that are associated with the accident and injury, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages, income, and employment benefits
- Reduced future earning potential
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Nursing care
- In-home assistance
- Counseling
- Property damage
You’re also entitled to seek compensation for the pain, inconvenience, and other non-financial losses associated with an injury, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Chronic pain
- Physical disfigurement
- Scarring
- Anxiety
- Severe depression
- Loss of consortium
Our lawyers in Tampa can help you document the damages you’ve suffered because of the injury.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Cruise Ship Accident in Florida?
Unlike other states, you won’t lose your right to compensation even if you were mostly responsible for the accident. Florida has pure comparative fault laws. You can recover compensation if someone else was even slightly liable. However, your damages will be reduced in proportion to your share of fault.
It’s the insurance adjuster’s job to pay accident victims as little as possible. Because of that, you should expect them to try to find a way to blame you for the accident. Remember, those allegations aren’t always justified. An experienced attorney can protect you from these and other insurance tactics.
We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Cruise Ship Accident Injuries
The types of injuries sustained in cruise ship accidents will vary depending on the nature of the accident.
Our lawyers represent passengers and crew who have sustained:
- Broken hips
- Fractures
- Wrist and ankle injuries
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries
- Nerve injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Lacerations
- Amputations
- Paralysis
There’s always the possibility that your injuries could be catastrophic or even fatal. If your loved one’s injuries were fatal, our lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for wrongful death.
What Causes Most Cruise Ship Accidents in Tampa, Florida?
Slips, trips, and falls are the most common type of cruise ship accidents.
Some of the most common causes of cruise ship slips and falls include:
- Slick or slippery floors and walkways
- Puddles or spills that haven’t been properly cleaned
- Crumbling pavement
- Missing guardrails
- Unsecured rugs or carpets
- Uneven pavement and potholes
- Debris, garbage, and other obstacles
- Loose cables or wires
- Inadequate lighting
- Missing stair treads or damaged stairs
On the other hand, there are countless ways to get hurt while on a cruise. Our lawyers in Tampa often handle cases involving:
- Food poisoning
- Drownings
- Swimming pool accidents
- Recreational accidents
- Amusement park accidents
- Assault and sexual assault caused by negligent security
- Negligent hiring practices, including failure to properly train and supervise ship crew members
- Bed bugs and unsanitary conditions
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice within the cruise ship’s infirmary
- Fires and explosions
- Virus transmission
- Falls overboard
- Car accidents while on an onshore excursion
- Equipment malfunctions
- Running aground
- Collisions with other objects or vessels
Multiple parties may share blame for these types of accidents. That makes it important to take legal action quickly. To learn more about your legal options, call our law firm in Tampa to schedule a free consultation today.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Cruise Ship Accident in Florida?
Cruise ship accident cases are often complicated because various laws apply to cruise ships. State, maritime laws, and United States federal laws may govern the case. Injured workers may even have rights under the Jones Act. In the end, however, most cases are based on simple negligence.
Someone is negligent when they:
- Owe you a legal duty of care
- Breach that duty
- Cause an accident where the victim suffers damages
Cruise lines are businesses. Premises liability laws require all businesses in the state of Florida to maintain their premises in safe conditions.
Cruise lines have a duty to:
- Fix any dangerous conditions aboard the ship in a reasonable amount of time
- Provide adequate warning about the hazard before it can be repaired
- Regularly inspect the ship to identify any unsafe conditions
- Provide adequate security to prevent reasonably foreseeable violence
Do you need help proving your personal injury case? Call our lawyers for a free case evaluation today.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Cruise Ship Accident in Florida?
The Florida statute of limitations gives victims four years to file a personal injury lawsuit in state court.
In reality, you’ll probably have much less time to act. When you board a cruise, you agree to that cruise line’s terms and conditions. Princess Cruises, for example, only gives victims six months to notify the company about their injuries.
Contact a Tampa Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Were you injured aboard a cruise? Contact a Tampa cruise ship accident lawyer at Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers, for a free initial consultation today. You won’t pay attorneys’ fees unless we win, so there’s no risk to you.