Cruiseship Accidents

Cruise ship companies have a duty to keep their passengers reasonably safe. When a cruise ship company fails to do so because, for example, of a wet deck on which a passenger may slip, the company may be liable.

Cruise ship companies have ticket/passenger contracts passengers sign that limit the time in which one must file a claim and require that any lawsuit against the cruise ship company must be brought in a specific jurisdiction (e.g., Holland America Line requires personal injury cases to be brought in the Western District of Washington in Seattle) and with notice. As dictated by their passage contracts, passengers of Holland America Line cruises must file a notice of claim within six months of the incident and a claim must be filed within a year of the incident.