Cruises are gaining in popularity. Every year more people chose this as their mode of vacation travel. Statista said 32 million people cruises last year. It isn’t just seniors but Millennials as well. The highest growth in books are people ages 30 to 39. In the past two years, this demographic booked 20 percent more cruises. Yet, this doesn’t mean cruises are safe.
About Cruise Injuries
Cruise ships bring a number of potential safety hazards inherent to a marine environment. This includes corrosion from salt water, sea spray, and water tracked into high traffic areas from pool areas. Spilled drinks, wet or foreign substances, food in restaurants, loose flooring to water tracked in by guests using the swimming pools, even dim lighting in stairwells and hallways are all common causes of slip and falls.
Cruise Ship Dangers
Recent events confirm that cruises harbor diseases, have high sexual assault rates, frequent poisonings, and possibilities of going overboard. Since 2000, over 300 people went overboard on a cruise. Just last year, a crew member on Celebrity Reflections when overboard. Yet, no one searched for them until the next morning. Sexual assaults are on the rise, too. From September to this year, there were 60 sexual assaults, according to the Department of Transportation.
This is just the surface of cruise ship dangers. In January 2019, a highly contagious norovirus caused a stomach flew that spread to 561 passengers and 31 crew members. This should have been a dangerous warning sign since these floating paradises do not protect people from medical issues.
Medical Dangers
Medical facilities on cruise ships are not the same as on land. There are many limitations. Doctors on cruise ships aren’t usually specialists. Many doctors on a cruise ship are not even emergency room qualified. Plus, their facilities are greatly limited. For example, when Carnival cruise ships are at sea, clinic service hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. On port days, the hours are 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4-6 p.m., according to the cruise line’s website. These doctors may not even speak English.
If a loved one is injured, it is important to be your own investigator and take pictures at the scene. Acquire a video if you can. Plus, get a copy of your medical records. Be aware that cruise lines will specifically ask what the passenger could have done to prevent the accident. Leave that part of the form blank, so a cruise cannot blame you for the accident. If you have any questions. are all, our team of experts are standing by.
We Can Help Cruise Ship Victims
At The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, our lawyers have decades of experience helping injured people get justice and full compensation for injuries caused by negligence. Given that lawsuits against cruise ships are in a venue favorable to the cruise lines, it is incredibly important to have an experienced attorney with ample resources to prosecute your claim. The Michel Brady Lynch Firm regularly takes on the largest corporations in the world with a track record of proven success and results. Contact The Michael Brady Lynch Firm today, and our attorneys will review your case for free and help you protect your rights. For your complimentary consultation, call our office now.