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Cruise ships introduce
interesting and challenging legal
issues for the unwary when it
comes to personal injury. Tickets
for a cruise will impose forum
clauses that place restrictions
on where an injury action can be
brought. That means a plaintiff
submits to the jurisdiction of the
state where the cruise ship
maintains its corporate offices
(not to be confused with flag
registry, which is where the
vessel itself is registered). Many
cruise ship lines have their
offices in Florida, which is where
the lawsuit would need to be
brought. I am able to handle such
cases through arrangements I
have with local counsel in
Florida. Additionally, the tickets
impose much shorter statutes of
limitation than those used in the
general maritime law of the
United States. A cruise ship
ticket can stipulate a one year
statute of limitations as opposed
to the three year general
maritime law statute for
negligence. A ticket may further
impose that notice of claim be
made within a short time period
(sometimes six months).
interesting and challenging legal
issues for the unwary when it
comes to personal injury. Tickets
for a cruise will impose forum
clauses that place restrictions
on where an injury action can be
brought. That means a plaintiff
submits to the jurisdiction of the
state where the cruise ship
maintains its corporate offices
(not to be confused with flag
registry, which is where the
vessel itself is registered). Many
cruise ship lines have their
offices in Florida, which is where
the lawsuit would need to be
brought. I am able to handle such
cases through arrangements I
have with local counsel in
Florida. Additionally, the tickets
impose much shorter statutes of
limitation than those used in the
general maritime law of the
United States. A cruise ship
ticket can stipulate a one year
statute of limitations as opposed
to the three year general
maritime law statute for
negligence. A ticket may further
impose that notice of claim be
made within a short time period
(sometimes six months).
As most cruise ships are not registered in the United States, they have foreign officers and
crews. Many cruise ships sail under the flags of the Bahamas, Liberia, Panama, and other
nations that offer more attractive registry terms than the United States. As such, foreign
flag cruise lines enjoy tax advantages over U.S. flag lines as well as labor advantages, and
legal advantages such as non-existence of Jones Act coverage for officers and crew.
While those elements of foreign registry may not hold interest for the typical passenger,
passengers should be aware that doctors on cruise ships might not be licensed in the
United States. This is not to suggest that a foreign doctor is not the equal in competency or
compassion to his or her U.S. counterpart. However, this issue could become relevant in a
medical malpractice action. Another aspect of using foreign crews is that following a case
involving rape or sexual assault, the victimized passenger may find the perpetrator long
gone, back home in different continent, far from the jurisdictional reach of U.S. courts.
The vast majority of cruise travelers enjoy a high quality vacation for their money, but as
with anything, injuries can happen. Injuries can result from slips and falls, fires, being
struck by objects falling from a higher deck, being struck by golf balls, food poisoning,
assault by crew members or other passengers, and others. If you’ve been injured on a
cruise ship and would like to learn more about your rights, call me. The consultation is free
and confidential.
crews. Many cruise ships sail under the flags of the Bahamas, Liberia, Panama, and other
nations that offer more attractive registry terms than the United States. As such, foreign
flag cruise lines enjoy tax advantages over U.S. flag lines as well as labor advantages, and
legal advantages such as non-existence of Jones Act coverage for officers and crew.
While those elements of foreign registry may not hold interest for the typical passenger,
passengers should be aware that doctors on cruise ships might not be licensed in the
United States. This is not to suggest that a foreign doctor is not the equal in competency or
compassion to his or her U.S. counterpart. However, this issue could become relevant in a
medical malpractice action. Another aspect of using foreign crews is that following a case
involving rape or sexual assault, the victimized passenger may find the perpetrator long
gone, back home in different continent, far from the jurisdictional reach of U.S. courts.
The vast majority of cruise travelers enjoy a high quality vacation for their money, but as
with anything, injuries can happen. Injuries can result from slips and falls, fires, being
struck by objects falling from a higher deck, being struck by golf balls, food poisoning,
assault by crew members or other passengers, and others. If you’ve been injured on a
cruise ship and would like to learn more about your rights, call me. The consultation is free
and confidential.
| Cruise Ship Accidents - Injuries on Cruise Ships - Cruise Passenger Rights Injured on a Cruise Ship - Legal Questions for Cruise Ship Passengers - Maritime Law and the Cruise Ship Injury |
Would you know what to do if you were involved in a
cruise ship accident? Click What To Do If You Are
Involved in a Cruise Ship Accident . Read this legal
information which answers many frequently asked
questions about cruise ship accidents...and you'll know
what to do if you're injured on a cruise ship.
cruise ship accident? Click What To Do If You Are
Involved in a Cruise Ship Accident . Read this legal
information which answers many frequently asked
questions about cruise ship accidents...and you'll know
what to do if you're injured on a cruise ship.
Click Cruise Ship Law to
be taken to the page that
outlines the different ways
for passengers to become
injured in a cruise ship
accident. The cruise ship
can sink. There can be an
outbreak of food poisoning.
The ship can encounter
extreme weather that it had
the opportunity to avoid. A
passenger can slip and fall
on the a deck, indoors or
outdoors (below decks or
above decks), or a
passenger can fall on a
staircase.
be taken to the page that
outlines the different ways
for passengers to become
injured in a cruise ship
accident. The cruise ship
can sink. There can be an
outbreak of food poisoning.
The ship can encounter
extreme weather that it had
the opportunity to avoid. A
passenger can slip and fall
on the a deck, indoors or
outdoors (below decks or
above decks), or a
passenger can fall on a
staircase.
U.S. Coast Guard Districts
First District
Office: Boston, MA
Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut,
parts of New York and New
Jersey
Contact Information
408 Atlantic Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts
02110-3350
Phone: (800) 368-5647
-----------------------------------
Fifth District
Office: Portsmouth, VA
North Carolina, Virginia,
District of Columbia,
Maryland, Delaware, parts of
Pennsylvania and New
Jersey
Contact Information
431 Crawford Street
Portsmouth, Virginia
23704-5004
Phone: (757) 398- 6486
-----------------------------------
Seventh District
Office: Miami, FL
South Carolina, Florida, part
of Georgia, the Panama Canal
Zone, Puerto Rico, U.S. Naval
Reservations in the West
Indies and north coast of
South America.
Contact Information
909 SE 1st Avenue
Miami, Florida 33131-3050
Phone: (305) 415-6730
----------------------------------
Eighth District
Office: New Orleans, LA
North Dakota, South Dakota,
Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa,
Colorado, Kansas, Missouri,
Kentucky, West Virginia,
Tennessee, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, New Mexico,
Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, and parts of
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Florida, Georgia and Gulf of
Mexico
Contact Information
500 Pydras Street
New Orleans, Louisiana
70130-3310
Phone: (504) 589-6277
-----------------------------------
Ninth District
Office: Cleveland, OH
Michigan, and parts of New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Minnesota
Contact Information
1240 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH 44199-2060
Phone: (216) 902-6073
First District
Office: Boston, MA
Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut,
parts of New York and New
Jersey
Contact Information
408 Atlantic Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts
02110-3350
Phone: (800) 368-5647
-----------------------------------
Fifth District
Office: Portsmouth, VA
North Carolina, Virginia,
District of Columbia,
Maryland, Delaware, parts of
Pennsylvania and New
Jersey
Contact Information
431 Crawford Street
Portsmouth, Virginia
23704-5004
Phone: (757) 398- 6486
-----------------------------------
Seventh District
Office: Miami, FL
South Carolina, Florida, part
of Georgia, the Panama Canal
Zone, Puerto Rico, U.S. Naval
Reservations in the West
Indies and north coast of
South America.
Contact Information
909 SE 1st Avenue
Miami, Florida 33131-3050
Phone: (305) 415-6730
----------------------------------
Eighth District
Office: New Orleans, LA
North Dakota, South Dakota,
Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa,
Colorado, Kansas, Missouri,
Kentucky, West Virginia,
Tennessee, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, New Mexico,
Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, and parts of
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Florida, Georgia and Gulf of
Mexico
Contact Information
500 Pydras Street
New Orleans, Louisiana
70130-3310
Phone: (504) 589-6277
-----------------------------------
Ninth District
Office: Cleveland, OH
Michigan, and parts of New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin,
Minnesota
Contact Information
1240 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, OH 44199-2060
Phone: (216) 902-6073
Eleventh District
District office: Alameda,
California
Covers Arizona, Utah,
Nevada, California
Contact Information
Coast Guard Island Building
50-3
Alameda, CA 94501-5100
Phone: (510) 437-2970
----------------------------------
Thirteenth District
District office: Seattle,
Washington
Covers Washington, Oregon,
Idaho, and Montana and parts
of contiguous Pacific Ocean
areas.
Contact Information
915 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98174-1067
Phone: (206) 220-7280
-------------------------------------
Fourteenth District
District office: Honolulu, Hawaii
Covers Hawaii and certain
U.S. island possessions in the
Pacific.
Contact Information:
300 Ala Moana Boulevard
9-236
Honolulu, HI 96850-4982
Phone: (808) 541-2316 Day
(808) 842-2600 Night
-------------------------------------
Seventeenth District
District office: Juneau, Alaska
Covers Alaska and parts of
the Pacific and Arctic Ocean.
Contact Information:
P.O. Box 25517
Juneau, AK 99802-5517
Phone: (907) 463-2269 Day
(907) 463-2004 Night
District office: Alameda,
California
Covers Arizona, Utah,
Nevada, California
Contact Information
Coast Guard Island Building
50-3
Alameda, CA 94501-5100
Phone: (510) 437-2970
----------------------------------
Thirteenth District
District office: Seattle,
Washington
Covers Washington, Oregon,
Idaho, and Montana and parts
of contiguous Pacific Ocean
areas.
Contact Information
915 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98174-1067
Phone: (206) 220-7280
-------------------------------------
Fourteenth District
District office: Honolulu, Hawaii
Covers Hawaii and certain
U.S. island possessions in the
Pacific.
Contact Information:
300 Ala Moana Boulevard
9-236
Honolulu, HI 96850-4982
Phone: (808) 541-2316 Day
(808) 842-2600 Night
-------------------------------------
Seventeenth District
District office: Juneau, Alaska
Covers Alaska and parts of
the Pacific and Arctic Ocean.
Contact Information:
P.O. Box 25517
Juneau, AK 99802-5517
Phone: (907) 463-2269 Day
(907) 463-2004 Night
Telephone:
E-mail:
Street
Address:
Mailing
Address:
Website:
© February 2005 by Tim Akpinar
All Rights Reserved
The contents of this website may not be copied or transmitted without the prior written
consent of Tim Akpinar
(718) 224-9824
t.akpinar@verizon.net
250-02 Northern Blvd - Suite 200
Little Neck, New York 11363
P.O. Box 620766
Little Neck, New York 11362
www.mycounsel.us
t.akpinar@verizon.net
250-02 Northern Blvd - Suite 200
Little Neck, New York 11363
P.O. Box 620766
Little Neck, New York 11362
www.mycounsel.us