How Much Can I Claim If I Am Involved In A Cruise Ship Accident?
By Cat Way. Last Updated 7th June 2023. Cruise ship accident claims are a suitable course of action if you have suffered an injury or loss due to the default of a third party. A cruise ship holiday should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but only for the correct reasons. Accidents at sea are not uncommon, from slips and trips to severe incidents such as the Costa Concordia disaster, and if you find yourself injured in a cruise ship accident you may be entitled to compensation.
Cruise ship accident claims
Passengers of cruise ships and liners are protected against such accidents by regulations laid out in the Athens Convention, which is designed to ensure the safety of anybody attempting to enjoy a memorable and relaxing holiday. If you have suffered the consequences of an accident on a cruise ship for which somebody else was at fault, contact us.
Cruise ship accident compensation and injury settlements are among the many services that our experienced solicitors can offer, and we will always offer free consultations. With our many years of expertise and experience, we can ensure that you will receive the appropriate advice pertaining to your personal injury claim, and the restitution that you are entitled to.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch today:
- Call 0800 073 8804
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Select a Section:
- What To Do If You Are Involved In A Cruise Ship Accident
- How to Begin a Cruise Ship Accident Injury Claim
- I Work on a Cruise Ship – Can I Claim After an Accident?
- Cruise Ship Injury Claims for Slips, Trips and Falls
- Compensation Payouts For A Cruise Ship Accident
- No Win No Fee Cruise Accident Claims
What To Do If You Are Involved In A Cruise Ship Accident
It is pivotal that any kind of accident or personal injury is reported and recorded immediately, including incidents that occur at sea – or even while climbing aboard or disembarking a liner.
Imagine that you were involved in a cruise ship accident today. How would you react? There are a few steps you could take to give any future cruise ship accident claims you make the best chances of success.
Firstly, you should check if anybody else witnessed the incident, whether they were travelling companions or strangers. If so, confirm with these individuals that they agree the mishap was not your fault, and that they are prepared to make a statement to this effect.
Does the cruise ship in question have CCTV that was active in the area? If so, request a copy of the footage.
If you were the victim of a slip or trip that caused personal injury, especially if was due to circumstances that you could not avoid, note the location of the incident and take photographs of everything around you (including the consequences of your injury) using your camera, or even a smartphone. Be sure to report the accident to all relevant authority figures as soon as possible, too. This includes the senior staff of the cruise ship in question and if necessary make a call to the head office of the provider or even any legal authorities such as the police or medical services where appropriate.
You could also be eligible for compensation if you fall ill during a cruise with a condition such as food poisoning. As above, be sure to register and log every element of your condition as soon as the symptoms begin to manifest.
If you’d like to know more about how cruise ship accident claims can be made, our next section will be of use to you.
How to Begin a Cruise Ship Accident Injury Claim
As soon as you are able, make contact with us to begin the process of acting as your cruise ship injury lawyer. Part of our offering is providing free medical from a local medical centre, which is another reason why it is in your best interests to contact us as soon as you are able. We will speak with you over the telephone, or in-person if at all applicable, and ensure that we are in full possession of all the facts, our legal experts will discuss whether we are prepared to take on the case. In the majority of occasions, we will do so, and as previously intimated, this will be on a no-win-no-fee basis.
The sooner you contact us the greater your chances of success will be. Record everything connected to your injury or illness, and get in touch with us to discuss cruise ship accident claims and getting compensation for your injuries.
How Long Do I Have To Make Cruise Ship Accident Claims?
If you’re thinking about making a claim for a cruise ship accident, it’s important that you’re familiar with the time limits that could affect your eligibility for compensation.
In accordance with the Athens Convention, you will need to begin legal proceedings within 2 years of disembarking the ship. If your claim is related to seeking compensation for a cruise missing its port of call, this is also the case. Therefore, the earlier you make legal proceedings, the better chance you have of being within the relevant time limit for your case.
If you’re unsure of where your case’s time limit is up to, please get in touch for a free consultation with one of our specialist advisors. They’ll ask you a few questions about the incident you wish to claim for and give you an idea of whether you could be entitled to compensation for it. What’s more, they can even connect you to our panel of personal injury lawyers to handle your case on a No Win No Fee basis.
I Work On A Cruise Ship – Can I Claim After An Accident?
Of course, and most of the same advice as above applies in this case – record and report everything. However, you will be advised to pursue your claim against an Accident at Work format as opposed to dealing with a cruise ship lawyer, especially if you were abroad at the time, as the legalities surrounding these circumstances could differ from those that apply to passengers.
Rest assured, however, any solicitor will take these incidents extremely seriously. Whether your injury was the result of a slip or fall on a small ship or something as severe as the docking accident that afflicted the world’s largest luxury liner, Harmony of the Seas, and saw a crewman killed, you will be treated with the utmost respect and importance by our team of legal professionals.
To discuss your cruise ship accident claims with our team of specialists, please get in touch today.
Cruise Ship Injury Claims For Slips, Trips And Falls
Slips, trips and falls account for the vast majority of personal injury claims made against professional bodies, especially when they result in broken bones. Such an accident on a cruise
will not only ruin what should be a magical holiday but could also have a knock-on effect in terms of being forced to miss work upon a return to land, as well as the emotional and psychological impact that can be caused by such a mishap. Cruise ship accident claims can help relieve the financial impact that an injury like this can have.
If you experience a slip, trip or fall on a cruise ship that could have been avoided, and can provide some proof that any injury was the result of the incident and it was caused by inaction or negligence from the cruise liner operators, then this may constitute a breach of duty of care. Contact us to begin the process of a claim with us today.
Slip, Trip And Fall Statistics
One of the common reasons behind cruise ship accident claims are simple slips, trips and falls. As outlined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there are various factors that could contribute to a slip and trip. For instance, the HSE states that there are three common factors that often result in a slip or trip, which includes the following:
- Walkways
- Housekeeping
- Design and maintenance.
In order to combat these incidents from occurring, there are measures that can be taken to create a safer environment. For instance, a business could carry out:
- Routine inspections.
- Risk assessments.
- Providing members of staff with training.
Compensation Payouts For A Cruise Ship Accident
The portion of your settlement that’s calculated to account for the pain and suffering caused by a cruise ship accident is known as general damages. This amount can vary depending on factors such as the extent and length of your recovery, along with how severe your injuries are. Typically, injuries that severely affect your health and life tend to be worth more in general damages than injuries that heal completely and in a comparatively shorter amount of time.
Legal professionals are responsible for working out the value of your compensation for an accident on a cruise ship. When they are arriving at a sum seemed appropriate for your general damages, they use resources such as a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Below, we’ve included some example general damages figures. They have been taken from the latest edition of the JCG, which was last updated in 2022.
As you can see, each injury is not assigned a set fee, but rather a range of figures that can be used as guidelines. You can see how the publication is laid out by viewing the information below. However, you’ll need to get in touch with us directly in order for us to accurately evaluate your own claim. Or you can head to our online compensation calculator for a more general evaluation.
| Type of Injury | Severity | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralysis | Quadriplegia | £324,600 to £403,990 | The typical case of quadriplegia attracting an award in the mid-range of this bracket is appropriate for cases in which the injured person is not in physical pain, has full awareness of their disability, has an expectation of life of 25 years or more, has retained powers of speech, sight and hearing but needs help with bodily functions. |
| Paralysis | Shorter durations | £49,340 | In cases where death occurs for unrelated reasons within a short period of the accident a lower sum will be awarded. However some front-loading is appropriate |
| Brain Damage | Very Severe Brain Damage | £282,010 to £403,990 | The peak payment will only apply in the event of substantial impact on an individuals senses and an inability to function at the same physical level as before the incident. In case where permanent vegetation or fatality rapidly follows the incident, and the injured party is not aware of their injuries, any payment will be revolve solely around loss of faculties and will not reach the top echelons. |
| Brain Damage | Moderate Brain Damage | £150,110 to £219,070 | Very serious disability, which leaves the injured party unable to function independently and reliant on professional care, constitutes moderate brain damage. These life-changing problems could be either physical or mental in nature. |
| Brain Damage | Less Severe | £15,320 to £43,060 | The sum of compensation awarded will be affected by the following considerations: |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Severe | £59,860 to £100,670 | To qualify as severe PTSD, the individual must be prevented from functioning at the same level as before the incident, including work. |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Moderately Severe | £23,150 to £59,860 | In these cases recovery will be complete and any continuing effects will not be grossly disabling. |
| Neck Injuries | Severe | In the region of £148,330 | Injuries causing breaks, fractures, a dislocation or notable damage to internal tissue/tendons that lead to prolonged medical problems and any substantial disability of an enduring nature. |
| Neck Injuries | Minor | Up to £7,890 | Complete recuperation within 1-2 years, or aggravation of existing injuries in the same period. |
| Back Injuries | Severe | £91,090 to £160,980 | Upper payments will require certain factors to qualify for such a level, particularly relating to orthopaedic injury, whether that be to the back or spinal cord. This may include, but is not limited to, permanent and irreversible damage to the roots of the nerves that leads to a loss of physical sensation, a reduction in capability of physical movement, diminished control and function of the bladder or bowel, reproductive difficulties and visually unappealing scarification. |
| Back Injuries | Moderate | £27,760 to £38,780 | A full and complete return to previous health within three months. |
| Fracture of Clavicle | Severe | £5,150 to £12,240 | Breaks or fractures that result in long-term mobility problems, arthritis or unsteadiness on the legs that could lead to surgery such as a hip replacement. |
| Arm Injury | Severe | £90,160 to £130,930 | A full and permanent recovery. |
| Wrist Injuries | Severe | £47,620 to £59,860 | Injury resulting in significant permanent disability, but where some useful movement remains. |
| Wrist Injuries | Minor | £3,530 to £4,740 | An uncomplicated Colles’ fracture. |
| Leg Injuries | Severe | £90,250 to £135,920 | Severe, complex breaks, fractures or injuries to any bone or tissue that results in unsteadiness, the need for sustained medical attention, a long period of non-weight-bearing, the near certainty that arthritis will ensue; extensive scarring. |
| Leg Injuries | Moderate | £27,760 to £39,200 | Simple Fractures to Tibia or Fibula or Soft Tissue Injuries. |
No Win No Fee Cruise Accident Claims
If you’ve been injured in a cruise ship accident or a cruise ship crash, one of our solicitors could be able to help you with your claim. They may offer to represent you under a kind of No Win No Fee arrangement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
When you work with a solicitor under a CFA, you won’t be asked to pay any upfront or ongoing fees for their services. Additionally, you won’t have to pay them for the work they have done on your claim if it fails.
If your claim does succeed, your solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation award. This success fee is a small percentage with a legal cap.
To learn more about claims for cruise ship accidents, or to find out if you could be eligible to work with one of our solicitors, contact our team today. Our advisors can offer you a free consultation, through which they can offer advice, answer questions, and potentially connect you with one of our solicitors.
Call Now For Free Advice And To Start a Claim
If you have been injured in any kind of accident involving a cruise ship, there is nothing to lose and plenty to gain by calling us now and investigating the possibility of legal action. Remember, the sooner you start the process after the incident, the greater your claim’s chances of success will be.
- Call 0800 073 8804
- Complete a contact form
- Use the live chat on this page
Alternatively, you can fill in our online form and request a callback, which will see one of our experts contact you at a time convenient to yourself, or even use the live chat facility found on our website.
Helpful Links
If you have suffered an accident on holiday find out how much you can claim by contacting us today for free legal advice.
Have you had an accident in a restaurant? Maybe you have been burned by a hot drink or food, Find out if you can make a compensation claim today.
If you have suffered a burn injury due to a hot drink contact us today for free legal advice.
Thank you for taking the time to read our cruise ship accident claims guide.
