
Every year, many people board cruise ships, excited for a much-needed vacation. In spite of the luxurious accommodations, tropical destinations, and exotic appeal, cruise ships can be a source of accidents and injury. On cruise ships, injuries and even deaths can be the result of overcrowding, bad weather conditions, unsafe ship conditions, and the failure of the ship’s crew to adequately prepare for disasters.
There are tons of articles in the media about cruise ship incidents. Recently, in June 2015, the cruise ship Saint Laurent crashed into a wall while entering a lock on the St. Lawrence Seaway New York. Nineteen passengers and three crew members suffered injuries.
Fires onboard, crashes with other ships, and severe weather are all among cruise ship nightmares. These nightmares strike cruise tourists and vacationers more often than many people know about.
Some of the most common cruise ship accidents and injuries include:
- Sexual or physical assault by a fellow passenger or a crew member
- Fires onboard
- Refusing to provide disability services and accommodations
- Slip and fall accidents
- Collisions
- Food poisoning from contaminated food and drinks
- Illness due to widespread gastrointestinal infections, such as the Norovirus
- Failure to provide appropriate medical services
- Unclean conditions
- Not being prepared for or monitoring severe weather
Injured parties with viable claims against a cruise line company can include both passengers and crew members. So, what do you do when your dream tropical vacation turns into a nightmare or if you are a crew member injured at sea? Follow these steps to get help if you or a loved one has been injured in a cruise ship accident or have suffered another vacation accident.