You board a cruise to unwind, not to come home injured, sick, or grieving. When something goes wrong at sea, most people are caught off guard by how different the rules are from an ordinary injury case, and by how little time they have to act before their rights slip away. If a cruise left you or someone you love hurt, it's worth understanding where you stand sooner rather than later, and we can walk you through it.

Common Types of Cruise Ship Accidents

Injuries on and around cruise ships happen in many ways, including:

• Slip and fall accidents on wet decks, stairs, and pool areas
• Injuries during shore excursions arranged or endorsed by the cruise line
• Norovirus and other illness outbreaks
• Injuries from malfunctioning equipment
• Assaults and crimes against passengers or crew
• Medical negligence by shipboard staff, and overboard incidents

Why Cruise Ship Cases Are Different

Cruise ship claims are governed by maritime law, not ordinary state personal injury law. Your cruise ticket is actually a binding contract, and its fine print often shortens the time you have to notify the cruise line, shortens the time you have to file suit, and requires the case to be filed in a specific court, frequently federal court in Miami. Missing one of these deadlines can permanently bar an otherwise valid claim. To recover, you generally must show the cruise line knew or should have known about the dangerous condition, which makes preserving ship security footage, maintenance logs, and medical records essential.

Crew Member Injuries and the Jones Act

Cruise ship crew members injured on the job have their own rights under the Jones Act and general maritime law, which can provide broader protections than typical workers' compensation, including maintenance and cure for medical care and living expenses during recovery. These claims involve distinct legal standards and deadlines.

Why Choose Poses Boumel

Our Miami location matters here in a way it doesn't in most cases: it is where the cruise industry is headquartered and where many of these claims must be filed. Trial lawyers Todd Poses and Adam Boumel built the firm on the kind of fast, thorough preparation these deadline-driven maritime cases demand. Most notably, we won a $580,000 federal jury verdict in a cruise ship injury case. We move quickly to protect your claim and keep you involved at every step.

Contact the Cruise Ship Injury Attorneys at Poses Boumel Today

It costs nothing to talk to us. Poses Boumel represents injured people and families throughout Florida from our office in downtown Miami, and we serve clients in English and Spanish. Call 305-577-0200 during our listed office hours or leave a message any time, or reach us through the contact form on our website. Your consultation is free and confidential, with no obligation.