CRUISE SHIP LAWYER HOUSTON
PRACTICE AREAS
Houston Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Handling Claims Across Texas
Our Houston cruise ship lawyer team helps injured passengers, crew members, and families pursue claims across Texas and beyond. Our law firm handles cases involving departures from the Port of Galveston as well as injuries that happen at sea, on board, or at a port of call. These claims can be complicated, but our Houston cruise ship accident lawyers know how to navigate the legal challenges.
We have extensive experience in a number of unique Texas personal injury cases, including cruise ship injuries, deaths, and sexual assaults. If you or someone you know suffered an accident or injury on a cruise ship, we’re here for you.
To schedule a free consultation, contact a Houston cruise ship injury lawyer by calling 713-622-7271 or using the contact link below.
Houston to Galveston Cruise Port
The Port of Galveston serves as one of the busiest cruise ports in the United States.
Major cruise lines sailing from Galveston include:
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Royal Caribbean International
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Disney Cruise Line
- Holland America Line
- Celebrity Cruises
We handle both passenger injuries and cruise crew injuries in Houston, TX.
Common Cases Our Houston Cruise Ship Accident Attorney Team Handles
Cruise ship injury claims off the Galveston port often involve vessels operated by these major cruise companies. Our Houston cruise ship accident lawyers are skilled in complex maritime injury litigation. The most common cruise ship injury claims we handle include:
- Slip and falls
- Sexual Assault and Crimes on Board
- Food Poisoning and Virus Outbreaks
- Medical Malpractice By Ship Doctors
- Falling Overboard
- Gangway and Boarding Accidents
- Shore Excursion Injuries
- Fires and Mechanical Failures
We have pursued cases against many of the world’s largest cruise operators. It’s important to understand that injuries occurring on cruise ships are typically governed by federal maritime law, not Texas law.
Cruise ticket contracts often contain strict notice requirements, short filing deadlines, and forum-selection clauses. Many cases must be filed in specific federal courts, often in Florida.
Because maritime claims involve a unique body of federal law, victims need Houston cruise lawyers with the skill and financial resources to take these companies on.
Falls on Cruise Ships
Wet decks, uneven flooring, loose carpeting, and poorly maintained stairways can cause serious slip and fall injuries aboard cruise ships. Cruise lines may be liable if they fail to correct dangerous conditions or warn passengers about known hazards. If you were injured in a fall during a cruise, an attorney can help determine whether negligence played a role.
Sexual Assault and Crimes on Cruise Ships
Because there are so many different sorts of crimes that may – and have – occurred on the high seas, pressing charges for crimes on cruise ships is a complicated matter.
The most prevalent kind of crime aboard cruise ships is sexual assault. However, other crimes such as robbery, physical assault, and murder have all happened both onboard and onshore.
Food Poisoning and Virus Outbreaks on Cruise Ships
Seasickness isn’t the only way people get sick on cruises. Unfortunately, with so many people coming from so many different places, cruise ships turn into petri dishes for illness and bacteria.
This is especially true when the cruise line fails to keep high sanitary standards. The Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is a program through the CDC that aims to maintain a safe and healthy cruise ship industry. These inspections, conducted through the VSP, ensure that crewmembers and passengers have a safe experience on their trips.
Cruise lines must take extra precautions to ensure that their passengers don’t sustain any life-threatening injuries while on the cruise ship.
Medical Malpractice by Ship Doctors
Don’t assume the onboard doctor really knows how to treat cruise injury victims, just because of a uniform and their position in the ship’s hospital.
Medical malpractice claims on a cruise ship will be flimsy, at best.
If you have a diagnosed medical condition, check how high the standards are for the cruising company. Some companies have higher standards than others.
For example, let’s say you have a heart condition. If one company allows psychiatrists to be their ship doctors, you probably shouldn’t travel with them. An experienced cruise ship accident lawyer will be able to help you with medical claims where a cruise line’s medical care was lacking, under certain circumstances.
Falling Overboard
Overboard accidents can result from inadequate railings, poor surveillance, unsafe conditions, or delayed emergency responses. These incidents often lead to catastrophic injuries or wrongful death claims. Families affected by an overboard accident should speak with a cruise ship attorney as soon as possible.
Gangway and Boarding Accidents
Passengers may be injured while boarding or exiting a ship due to unstable gangways, slippery surfaces, or unsafe terminal conditions. Cruise lines and port operators may be liable if they failed to maintain safe boarding areas. These accidents frequently result in fractures, head injuries, and other serious harm.
Shore Excursion Accidents
Shore excursions such as snorkeling, ziplining, and ATV tours can lead to serious injuries when operators fail to follow proper safety procedures. In some situations, the cruise line may share liability for unsafe excursion providers it promoted or partnered with. An attorney can help identify all potentially responsible parties.
Cruise Ship Fires
A cruise ship fire might seem strange, as the entire vessel is surrounded by water.
However, this is a very real possibility. In fact, it happened back in 2013. A fire in one of the engine rooms left over 3,500 people stranded in the Gulf of Mexico. They had very little food and were forced to endure highly unsanitary conditions. After the incident, the company involved offered a measly refund, cruise credit, and $500 as compensation for the victims’ suffering. Many passengers filed fire injury lawsuits against the cruise ship company, after their terrible suffering and endangerment.
Deadlines for Filing a Cruise Ship Accident Claim
Cruise ship injury claims are different from Texas injury cases. Most cruise lines include strict deadlines and legal requirements in their passenger ticket contracts. Missing those deadlines can permanently bar your claim.
180-Day Written Notice Requirement For Passenger Injuries
Many cruise contracts require injured passengers to provide written notice of their claim within 180 days. This requirement is authorized under federal maritime law § 30508.
Deadline for Suing a Cruise Line
Cruise ship lawsuits typically must be filed within one year. The deadline should be written in small print on your passenger ticket. Here are two examples:
If you’ve missed your deadline, however, you may be able to prove that the contract-based limits period was unfair and unenforceable, or that you qualify for an exception, depending on the circumstances. Only an experienced Houston cruise ship accident lawyer will be able to help you determine if your injury case falls into this category.
Where to File a Cruise Accident Lawsuit
Most passenger ticket contracts require lawsuits to be filed in a specific court, regardless of where the port was or where the passenger lives. Most major cruise lines require personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits to be filed in Miami, Florida.
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the enforceability of these provisions in maritime cases
Contact our Houston cruise ship accident attorneys today to discuss your case and determine your legal options.
Passenger Claims vs. Crew Member Claims
Cruise ship injury claims are handled differently depending on whether the injured person was a passenger or a crew member. Federal maritime law applies in both situations, but the legal standards and available remedies can vary significantly.
Cruise Ship Passenger Injuries
Cruise lines owe passengers a duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions aboard the ship. Passenger injury claims are similar to premises liability cases on land, but they are governed by maritime law rather than standard state personal injury law. To recover compensation, an injured passenger typically must prove the cruise line knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to address it or warn passengers. Common passenger claims involve slip and falls, negligent security, unsafe excursions, and medical negligence aboard the vessel.
Cruise Staff Injuries
Crew members and other maritime workers are considered “seamen” under federal law. This means they may be protected under the Jones Act.
Crew members don’t receive traditional workers’ compensation benefits. However, the Jones Act allows injured crew members to sue employers for negligence and seek compensation for unsafe working conditions, poor training, or not providing safe equipment. Our Houston cruise ship accident lawyers can also help employees bring claims based on an unseaworthy vessel under general maritime law.
What To Do After a Houston or Galveston Cruise Ship Accident
Cruise ship injuries and accidents can happen in any number of ways. Thus, many clients ask us what to do after an accident on a cruise ship.
Our answers always depend on their specific situation, as well as the surrounding circumstances.
However, there are a number of common important steps to take:
- File and obtain a copy of the crime report or accident report.
- Document the accident as much as possible. This includes taking pictures, obtaining witness information, and the names of crew members you report the incident to.
- Immediately seek medical attention aboard the ship.
- Contact your cruise ship accident lawyer as soon as possible.
If you’ve been hurt in a cruise ship accident, you should contact a Houston cruise ship injury attorney at Reich & Binstock right away.
We will devote the time necessary to give your case the particular attention it deserves, and we will advise you on your legal rights and the statute of limitations that apply to your case.
How Cruise Ship Injury Claims Differ from Land-Based Cases
- Maritime law governs, not Texas state law
- Cruise ticket is a binding contract that can limit your rights
- Flag of the vessel determines which country’s laws apply
- Ship doctors are often contractors — medical malpractice claims are complex
- Cruise lines are well-funded and will work quickly to protect themselves
How Can a Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Help Me?
Due to the advantages that businesses in the cruise ship sector enjoy, such as the following, cruise ship injury lawsuits might be challenging:
- Non-disclosure rules that seek to keep the names of individuals who are injured, go missing, or die from their injuries from being released.
- The most prevalent argument is that US courts do not have jurisdiction over what happens in foreign seas.
- When dealing with wounded crew members and guests, cruise lines frequently allege a lack of responsibility in order to give accident victims the impression that their claim is invalid.
A Houston cruise ship accident lawyer with Reich & Binstock will understand all these tactics and more. Our track record speaks for itself, as we’ve overcome numerous obstacles in our quest for justice for our clients. We fight tooth and nail to ensure that our clients receive the compensation they deserve after a cruise ship injury.
Contact A Houston Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer For a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury while aboard a cruise ship or even on an off-ship excursion, contact a Houston cruise ship accident lawyer at Reich & Binstock. Our Houston personal injury attorneys have the experience and the know-how to handle even the most complex cruise ship personal injury claims. Please fill out our simple contact form or call us at 713-622-7271 for a free consultation.
There is never a fee unless we recover on your behalf.
Additionally, clients are not obligated to pay expenses if a recovery is not made.
