Houston Injured Cruise Ship Passenger Attorney
Have you been injured on a cruise ship or during a shore excursion? Cruise ship injury cases in Houston, TX, involve complex maritime laws with short deadlines to seek compensation.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers has over 45 years of combined experience representing injury victims in cruise ship and maritime cases. Contact Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Houston injured cruise ship passenger attorney.
We have the resources, experience, and dedication necessary to see your case through. Call today at (713) 500-5000.
Table of Contents
How Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help if You Were Injured on a Cruise Ship
When you suffer an injury on a cruise, you face a complicated legal process to pursue the compensation you deserve. Cruise ship companies are often registered in foreign countries and subject to maritime law. The cruise company can—and will—limit the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit and even choose the forum for hearing the case.
Time is of the essence; you deserve a Houston personal injury attorney experienced with handling cruise and maritime cases.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers puts more than 45 years of combined legal experience to work on your case. Founding attorney Brian White is a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer and has helped his clients win millions in life-changing compensation.
Choose our law firm to represent you in your Houston, Texas cruise injury case, and we will:
- Provide dependable legal advice and guidance
- Handle all communications and paperwork to ensure every deadline is met
- Investigate your accident to gather evidence that supports your claim
- Work with specialists as needed to establish liability and your damages
- Negotiate on your behalf to seek a fair settlement offer
- Present your case before a jury if a fair settlement is not reached
You do not need to take on the cruise line alone. Call our law firm today for a free consultation with a Houston cruise ship injury lawyer ready to help you.
How Common Are Cruise Ship Accidents in Houston?
The city of Houston invested more than $108 million to create a cruise terminal at the Port of Houston. However, it stopped being an active cruise port in 2016 after Norwegian and Princess cruise lines ended their associations with the port. Today, the Port of Galveston is the nearest active cruise port and is used by Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Disney Cruise Lines.
Cruise ship accidents are more common than many believe, although they are rarely reported. Operational mishaps like collisions, fires, and sinking alone kill about 60 people every year on cruise ships.
One of the most common issues on cruise ships is food poisoning. Between 2008 and 2014, almost 130,000 cruise ship passengers contracted a gastrointestinal illness, including norovirus.
Crime can also occur on a cruise ship. In 2016, there were 92 reported crimes on cruise ships, including 62 reported sexual assaults.
A study was conducted of a single cruise ship carrying an average of 700 passengers per trip over three years. The study found there were 663 injuries reported, and 12% were serious. About 65% of injuries were suffered on the ship, and 31% occurred ashore.
We Represent Clients in All Types of Houston Cruise Ship Accidents
Cruise ship accidents can happen in many ways.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers represents passengers who have been injured in accidents involving:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Ship sinking
- Ship collision
- Medical malpractice
- Shore excursion accidents
- Food poisoning
- Waterslide and pool accidents
- Assault or sexual assault by a crew member
- Ship fires
- Negligent operation
No matter what type of accident you suffered, Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers are prepared to help you seek the compensation you deserve.
What is My Cruise Ship Injury Case Worth?
All injury cases are unique. To estimate the value of your case, we must first calculate your economic losses. This includes not only current losses like medical bills but diminished earning capacity and future medical needs. Next, these losses are multiplied by a factor of 1.5 to 5 to estimate your non-economic losses.
The severity of your injuries and the impact they will have on your quality of life, health, and ability to work will all influence the value of your case.
The best way to find out how much your case may be worth is through a free consultation. Contact our Houston cruise ship injury attorneys today to discuss the potential value of your case and how we can help.
What Damages Can Injured Cruise Ship Passengers Recover?
If your case is successful, you may seek compensation for your economic damages and non-economic damages.
This may include:
- Current and future medical care
- Lost earnings
- Diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Scarring
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers will carefully value all the damages you sustained and pursue fair compensation.
We Will Fight for Compensation for All Your Cruise Ship Accident Injuries
Cruise ship accidents can result in all types of injuries, ranging from mild to fatal.
Our cruise ship injury lawyers in Houston represent victims who have sustained the following types of injuries:
- Traumatic amputation
- Brain injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Lacerations
- Crush injuries
- Burn injuries
- Internal injuries
- Illness
- Wrongful death
Contact Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers today to discuss your case and what we can do to help you.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Cruise Ship Accident in Texas?
After your accident, it’s important to take steps to protect your claim. If possible, take photos or video of the scene of your accident and injuries. Get contact information for any witnesses and report the incident to the cruise line.
To prove your case, you must show the cruise line was negligent. This requires proving:
- The cruise line owed you a duty of care.
- They breached the duty of care.
- This breach led to your injuries.
- You suffered damages.
Under maritime law, a cruise line operator can be considered negligent if they knew or should have known about the hazard that caused your accident and failed to fix it. In some cases, this may be as simple as showing they failed to comply with regulations. However, negligence and liability can be complicated in some types of cruise accidents.
If you are pursuing a medical malpractice claim, you must show the cruise ship physician provided substandard care. This almost always requires expert medical testimony.
In some cases, such as assault by a crew member, the cruise line can be held strictly liable under maritime law. This means you do not need to prove the cruise ship operator was negligent.
How Long Do I Have to File a Cruise Ship Injury Lawsuit in Texas?
Cruise ships are governed by maritime law. This means different rules apply to personal injury cases involving cruise ship companies, including a far shorter statute of limitations, notice requirements, and the cruise line’s choice of venue to hear the case.
The statute of limitations to file a personal injury case is usually three years under maritime law. Your cruise passenger ticket likely limits this to just one year. You may be required to give the cruise line official notice that you sustained an injury and intend to make a claim. This notice must usually be given within six months of your injury.
Given the short deadlines to pursue compensation, it’s crucial to consult with an experienced Houston injury attorney as soon as possible.
Contact a Houston Injured Cruise Ship Passenger Attorney for a Free Consultation
Cruise lines make it difficult for injured passengers to recover compensation, but Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help.
Contact our law firm today for a free consultation with a Houston injured cruise ship passenger attorney. We are prepared to quickly build your case against the cruise line.
