If you were a Passenger on a cruise ship and you were injured, your claims will generally be covered by “General Maritime Law.” Many passengers on cruise ships do not realize that their legal rights are severely restricted by their boarding passes or trip tickets. In most instances, you will have to bring your claim within a very short time frame or forever lose your right to make a claim. In some instances, your right to file suit will be limited to just months after the injury and you will also have to bring your legal claims in a court of the cruise ship operator’s jurisdiction of choice. You need to carefully review your ticket/boarding pass, which, most likely, will set forth, in detail, the procedures for bringing legal claims. For example, the New Jersey Court has held that, as per Federal maritime law, an owner of a sea-going vessel can establish a one-year statute of limitation in its passenger contract. “Generally, contract provisions limiting the time parties may bring suit have been held to be enforceable, if reasonable. Such provisions are accepted by the courts as long as they do not violate public policy.” (citation omitted). In the recent New Jersey case, Winograd v. Carnival Corporation, this holding was affirmed. In Winograd, the plaintiff and her friend disembarked from the ship when it arrived at La Romana, a port city in the Dominican Republic. While walking in the shopping district, the plaintiff and her friend were robbed by men with knives, who stole their passports, driver’s licenses, credit cards, and other personal effects. Nearly two years later, plaintiff filed suit in the Law Division, claiming that she suffered physical and emotional injury as a result of the robbery. The appellate panel affirmed the trial court’s dismissal of the plaintiff’s complaint based on the one-year statute of limitation set forth in the ticket contract. This is a perfect example of why it is important to talk to an attorney as soon as possible when you have suffered an injury on a cruise ship or anywhere for that matter. Lawsuits are time sensitive and, without proper counsel, you could miss the boat on your legal claim.

Determining a “value” for a cruise ship injury will depend on a host of factors. Some factors include, the nature and severity of your injuries, how or by what you were injured on the ship, whether you were a passenger or an employee of the cruise ship, the cost of medical treatment, whether the cruise ship employees were at fault for your injury and any out of pocket costs that you may have incurred as a result of the injury.

Yes. It’s as simple as that. Other attorneys who do not practice maritime law do not know of all the nuances that are involved when filing a maritime claim. Our firm has seen clients lose their right to sue because their original attorney filed suit either too late or in the wrong jurisdiction.

As enjoyable as a life at sea can be, one must also be prepared to face the potential dangers and great risks that accompany such a life. Accidents on ships and boats are unfortunately a hazard of working in the maritime industry and, sadly, all too common. If you have been recently injured in a work related incident at sea, you need an experienced maritime attorney you can trust to represent your case. Riviere Advocacy Group LLC has experienced admiralty lawyers that specialize in representing seaman who have been injured on the job. They will see to it that you receive the treatment and compensation you deserve. As most boat related injuries occur in areas that are not covered by New Jersey’s worker’s compensation laws, getting due coverage from your employer can and quickly turn into a legal battle. When such disputes arise, Riviere Advocacy Group LLC is there to help. We have a wealth of experience defending fisherman, barge-persons, dredgers, and cruise line employees. We will attempt to settle your case fast. Under the parameters set forth by the Jones Act, injured seamen may be entitled to a variety of benefits if their injuries stem from negligence, defective equipment or a variety of other sources. If your injury is the result of any fault of your employer or the vessel itself, Riviere Advocacy Group LLC will see to it that you receive the maximum benefits of the Jones Act, including maintenance, cure and unearned or lost wages.