Fort Lauderdale / Florida / United States
What should you look for in a cruise ship accident law firm? We believe that any good personal injury firm will offer you both the compassion and professionalism you need during this difficult time in your life. The members of your legal team should also communicate well with each other and with you, so that you understand what’s happening with your case every step of the way. You should be able to easily contact the firm when you need legal counsel or have questions about specific aspects of your case, and they should be able to provide you with clear answers and sound advice. And, of course, the lawyers at the firm need to be well-versed in the intricacies of maritime law and cruise ship accident cases so that they can provide you with the best possible chance of winning your case and getting the compensation that you deserve. The Law Office of Andrew Winston prides itself on striving to meet or exceed all those qualifications. Our talented team members are passionate about serving clients who have suffered cruise ship injuries and all our partners – as well as Of Counsel Mark J. Leeds – are qualified to practice maritime law in Florida. In fact, we collectively have more than 70 years experience handling cruise ship injury cases just like yours. We know that cruise lines have a duty of care to both their passengers and crew, and if they fail to live up to that standard, they need to be held accountable. We have experience in cases against popular cruise lines like: Carnival Disney Royal Caribbean Princess Cruises Holland America Norwegian MSC We, also, handle many other types of cases, and you can obtain more information about our practice by contact the Law Office of Andrew Winston What kind of injuries can you suffer on a cruise? Essentially all the same injuries you can suffer on land, but with added risks because passengers and crew members are exposed to risk factors that they would not face at home. Accidents that have occurred on cruises include: Slip and falls. Wet decks and tripping hazards in high-traffic areas can cause passengers to fall and injure themselves. The narrow staircases on some cruise ships can also pose a risk, and those who fall may suffer brain trauma, a back or neck injury, spinal cord injury, broken bones, or internal bleeding. Shore excursion accidents. Cruise lines often claim that there are inherent risks to shore excursions and that passengers must assume responsibility for accidents, but there are situations where the cruise line itself may be at fault. If crew members fail to inspect equipment, follow activity regulations, or warn passengers about the potential risks of cruise-sponsored shore excursions, like ziplining or parasailing, the cruise line may be liable for any accident that occurs. Medical negligence. The medical attention you receive on a cruise ship is not going to be the same you receive in a hospital, and some cruise lines don’t even require that their doctors be licensed to practice medicine in the United States. Furthermore, cruise line infirmaries often lack the staff and resources to give all sick or injured passengers the attention they need.It’s all too easy for a harried ship doctor to misdiagnose a problem, which can lead to serious complications for you. Norovirus. This virus that causes gastrointestinal distress spreads easily from person-to-person, can survive outside of a host for three weeks or more, and is increasingly becoming a problem for cruise ships. Norovirus outbreaks in early 2014 infected hundreds of people aboard at least three different ships, forcing the ships to return to port early after sick passengers overwhelmed the infirmary and made each ship an unsanitary environment.
