What to Do When Injured on a Cruise Ship?
Whether you are joining the ship as a crew or taking a cruise as a passenger, you should keep in mind that cruising might not always be a pleasant experience.
Working on a cruise ship has allowed me to witness numerous unfortunate (even tragic) situations that happen onboard a cruise ship, such as guests having cardiac attacks, getting injured on shore excursions, or slipping and falling at the places where there was no “Watch out” sign.
When it comes to the crew members, there are many events that can ruin your cruise ship work experience because, unfortunately, you can easily become a victim of discrimination, sexual assault, accidents caused by poor working conditions, and more.
Cruising is an amazing experience however I think everyone should be fully prepared for both pleasant and unpleasant events that might occur during your stay onboard.
What to Do When Injured on a Cruise Ship?
To begin with, you should be informed in advance on the steps and procedures to take in case of any injuries, incidents or accidents, and where to find adequate support and help.
These are some of the most common events that might happen while traveling on a cruise ship:
- Disappearances
- Cruise line crimes
- Cruise passenger S.O.S.
- Drownings
- Overboard accidents
- Sexual harassment and rapes
- Fire on a cruise ship
- Injuries (slip and fall, gangway injuries, shore excursions accidents, injuries aboard tender boats, etc.)
1. Obtain a Copy of an Accident Report
First and foremost, when cruise ship accidents happen, make sure you file and obtain a copy of an accident report or a report of a crime.
The report needs to be done and is normally filled out by the Security department/Medical department/Cruise Ship Management and other responsible cruise line representatives if the accident happens onboard.
If it happens outside of the ship, make sure you get the (copy of) report made by authorized subjects such as Police, Medical representatives, or Tour Operator report in case this happens during the shore excursion.
2. Document Your Accident
The next step would be to document your accident by collecting as much as information including taking photos of the accident scene, getting contact information from any potential witnesses, and recording the names of the crew members or anyone to whom you reported the accident.
3. Get the Medical Assistance
You should immediately seek help from the Medical Team onboard and get medical assistance.
4. Contact a Cruise Ship Lawyer
Lastly and most importantly, contact an experienced cruise ship lawyer as soon as possible.
Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A
Maritime law is a very specialized area of legal practice and in these cases, you need to make sure you hire a cruise ship injury lawyer experienced in dealing with all sorts of cruise ship accidents.
The maritime lawyers from Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. excel at what they do – with over 50 years of experience and thousands of satisfied clients, they have been successfully helping cruise passengers and crew members worldwide.
At Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A, you will be provided with a free consultation and advice on the immediate steps you need to take in order to protect yourself and your rights.
To Conclude
Protecting your health and rights when you are traveling or working on a cruise ship should be your top priority, and hiring a top-notch cruise ship attorney guarantees a successful outcome of any unfortunate event.
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