Holiday Horror: Slip and Fall Accidents!

The worst thing that can happen on vacation is a slip or trip and fall accident. When it happens on board a cruise ship, that’s even more complicated as there are several medical, legal and insurance issues involved.

Apart from the sheer frustration and depression of becoming immobilized while on a long-planned break, injured victims also experience enormous physical, financial and emotional consequences.

These accidents are more common than we think on board cruise-ships and other sea-faring vessels. Slippery decks, narrow stairs, rolling movements of the ship, pool-side accidents, inadequate lighting, lack of warning signs or missing hand-rails etc can be the causes of serious accidents.

Additionally, cruise-ships are often the favored holiday modes for senior citizens. Falls can result in permanent immobility which often proves fatal for this age group.

The owners of the cruise-ship have a responsibility to ensure that passengers and guests are kept safe. Most accidents are caused by someone’s fault or negligence.

The injured are entitled to seek compensation to cover:

• Loss of income/earning-capacity
• Medical and rehabilitation expenses
• Pain and suffering

Additionally, they can also seek compensation for the expenses involved in employing a care-giver or attendant, modifications to home/work-place, loss of quality of life, etc if they are eligible to do so.

Monetary compensation can be sought from the at-fault party. An experienced

Cruise Ship Slip and Fall Accidents: Cambridge Personal Injury Lawyers Can Advise You

can assist you with the process of approaching the insurance company of the at-fault party and/or filing a personal injury suit against them.

Causes of Cruise-ship Slip And Fall Accidents 

The main reason why so many falls occur on cruise-ships is because the ship itself is not on solid ground and is subject to the rise and fall of waves, rolling motions of the ship, weather conditions etc. Maintaining balance even on calm waters can be challenging even for experienced sea travelers. Sudden changes in the ship’s stability and tilt can cause unwary passengers and crew to lose their balance and fall.

Common causes include:

• Rolling or tilting of ship
• Bad weather conditions
• Loose or improperly secured cargo and furniture
• Poor lighting
• Lack of reflective tape or markings
• Crowded stairwells and steps
• Slippery decks and poolsides
• Falling overboard after slipping on unstable surface or due to missing/broken hand-rails
• Freshly-polished/mopped floors
• Damaged/unanchored carpeting
• Cleaning products/equipment left unattended
• Food trays or luggage left in corridors
• Food and drink spillage in restaurant or bar areas
• Defective gym equipment

Apart from these accidents on board the cruise-ship, the management is also responsible for accidents that occur on tender vessels that ferry passengers to and fro, or while passengers go on shore for excursions conducted by the cruise line, as well as injuries sustained in such accidents inside their cabins and in gangways. 

Seeking Compensation

Information regarding liability is available at the rear portion of the ticket issued by the cruise-ship management/owner. Negligence  has to be proved in such cases and this means that compelling evidence of it must be provided along with your claim. Cambridge personal injury lawyers with specific experience and expertise in handling such cases can give the right information and assistance.