What are the legal issues on liability if they get hurt on a cruise ship?

Question

What are the legal issues on liability if they get hurt on a cruise ship?

Answer 1

The deck of the ship is considered part of the country whose flag it's flying, and is subject to that country's laws.

Which is one reason why these ships don't fly with US or a Western European country's flag.

Answer 2

Cruise lines are very much concerned about passengers getting hurt onboard their ships. They are often sued for large amounts of money by passengers whom felt on a staircase, tripped over a doorstep etc. Each and every one incident is taken very serious by the cruise lines and each incident is investigated by the security officer onboard the ship and reported to the Captain and the head office.

In the U.S. there are law firms specialized in cruise ship accidents. Check with one of those if you need more information.

Answer 3

An elderly friend of mine was hurt when the tender she was getting on suddenly lurched and caused her to fall as she was getting on it.  The cruise line offered her $50 off her next cruise.  Big deal!  She has had to have 2 surgeries on her knee and it still causes her daily pain.

And it would be very inconvenient, expensive and time-consuming to try to sue them because they are not governed by US laws.

Answer 4

The very best thing one can do is to purchase travel insurance so this is not a concern or problem. Liability, if you can prove it being the responsibility of the ship, would have to be filed at the location of the Cruise lines home office and will be under their jurisdiction. Any liabilities against someone in another country will also have to be filed in that country and liable is very difficult to prove.

Answer 5

Not much recourse.

One couple we met told us their uncle had fallen and broke his hip. He was taken off the ship in Panama and sent to the hospital there. He had one operation in Panama and a second in LA to fix the first one all in one week.

There is very little you can do against a cruise line. There is no real legal jurisdiction as our friends found out.

You take your chances.

Get extra insurance, it is well worth it.