When a parent leaves his or her child at a camp onboard a cruise ship, it is expected that your child will be safe. However, that was not the case when a mother left her young teenage daughter at the camp aboard a Carnival Cruise ship. She picked up an injured child who received substandard care.

Accident vs Cruise Ship Negligence

Some accidents are just that, accidental, and no one is to blame. However, there are some accidents that happen due to the negligence of the cruise line or its agents, employees and/or crew. When a passenger has suffered an injury due to the negligence of the cruise line, the cruise line becomes liable for the passenger’s injury and can be held accountable for the passenger’s medical bills, pain, and suffering, lost wages from missed work, future earning capacity and even future medical treatment.
After an unfortunate accident on a cruise, make sure that you or a loved one takes a photo of the area.

Cruise Ship Camp Injury

Sometimes accidents happen. However, when a cruise ship camp injury occurs, it is important to receive proper medical care. The medical staff only wrapped the child’s finger. However, when the family arrived back home, an orthopedic surgeon x-rayed the girl’s finger. The x-ray showed a diagonal crack. Then, it was placed in a cast for 4 to 6 weeks. However, the teen still feels pain with the finger, and it is permanently crooked.

Duty of Care

Pursuant to general maritime law, The Supreme Court in Kermarec v. Compagnie Generale Transatlantique, 358 U.S. 625 (1959), held that shipowners owe a duty to exercise reasonable care for the safety of its passengers. Cruise lines must exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. These accidents can happen anywhere on the ship, from your initial steps onto the ship during embarkation, and even leaving the ship once you return to the port.
Accidents can occur near the pool, dining rooms, bathrooms, public walkways, and any other areas where passengers have access. (Cruise lines may even be held negligent if a passenger slips and falls during a shore excursion).
Often times, passengers don’t know how to bring a lawsuit after they have been injured on a cruise. Cruise lines can mandate that claims are brought within one year of the accident. This time frame is rather short. As a complex litigation injury firm, we press upon our clients that they need to immediately speak with an attorney to discuss their slip and fall case.