Taking a cruise is meant to be a dream vacation, but unfortunately, an accident aboard a cruise ship can ruin your adventure. If you’re injured while aboard a cruise vessel, contact Taylor King Law. Our Arkansas injury lawyers will help you explore your options.
Hire a cruise ship accident attorney today.
We’ve been representing Arkansans for nearly 30 years, a local team that ensures you’re treated fairly.
Call us today at 870.246.0505 for a free consultation; we’ll discuss your cruise ship incident, answer questions, and discuss the legal aspects of a cruise ship lawsuit.
What to Know About Cruise Ship Accidents
Unlike plane crashes, there’s no single governmental agency that investigates and documents cruise ship accidents. Cruise ship safety is governed by the International Maritime Organization, the United States Coast Guard, and the cruise ship company itself. Without a consistent database, it can be difficult to gather comprehensive information about cruise accidents.
According to the maritime injury, there were 448 major cruise ship accidents reported between 2005 and 2014. Alarmingly, the majority of cruise ship accidents have occurred in the past ten years, despite improved technology. That averages to a reported 45 accidents each year.
Between 2005 and 2014, a yearly average of 19.3 overboard incidents occurred. Between 1995 and 2014, the 3 largest cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian) reported 114 overboard accidents.
Fatal Cruise Ship Accidents
According to PR Newswire, 623 people reportedly died on a cruise ship between 2000 and 2019. Of the 623 fatalities, eighty-seven percent took place while the ship was at sea. The three leading causes of death on cruise ships were cardiac incidents, accidental falls overboard, and intentional jumps overboard.
Common Cruise Injuries
The most common injuries on cruise ships are slip and falls, and trips. In extreme cases, drowning. Additionally, the spread of disease aboard cruise ships is a possible cause of injury. There have been thirteen reports of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks in the first half of 2023. That’s the highest yearly total since 2012.
An average of 50 new crime cases aboard cruise ships are investigated by the FBI each year. In 2017 and into 2018, roughly 100 serious crimes were reported over a 15-month period. There were 72 incidents of sexual assault reported during that same time span.
Sexual assault is the leading cause of crime aboard cruise ships. Additional crimes, as indicated by transportation.gov, include theft, assault, kidnapping, missing person, homicide, suspicious death, and firing or tampering with the vessel.
Leading Causes of Cruise Ship Accidents
Fire
There were a reported 139 fires onboard cruises between 1990 and 2013. Cruise ship fires often happen in concurrence with other incidents such as collisions or groundings.
Virus
Whether due to improper sanitation or contaminated food and water, a virus aboard a cruise ship can easily become an outbreak. Norovirus, commonly associated with cruises, is a contagious gastrointestinal disease.
Operator Negligence
During the 2012 running aground of the Costa Concordia, the captain of the vessel was found to be civilly and criminally liable for the deaths of 33 people. Investigations indicated that the captain’s negligence resulted in the incident.
Running Aground, Collisions, and Sinking
Between 2010 and 2013, only fifteen ships sank. And between 2005 and 2014, there were a reported 79 cruise ship collisions. Such incidents, like that of the Costa Concordia running aground off the coast of Italy, often make headline news.
Loss of Power
Mechanical malfunctions, such as a loss of power, can result in a ship being adrift at sea. In 2013, an engine fire aboard a Carnival cruise resulted in a loss of power, leading to unsanitary conditions aboard.
Crime
Few crimes are actually reported to the FBI, and even fewer are resolved. In many cases, the injuries resulting from a crime are due to the negligence of the cruise line or an individual aboard the cruise ship.
Protecting Your Personal Injury Rights
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On Your Side – By Your Side
Nationally recognized and locally awarded, the attorneys at Taylor King Law have the experience to ensure you’re fully compensated for your pain and suffering. Our personal injury attorneys will be on your side every step of the way.
Call or visit any of our seven locations across Arkansas and into Texas.
Initial consultation with an attorney is both FREE and CONFIDENTIAL.
We don’t charge anything to answer your questions; and because we work on a contingency basis, you won’t owe us anything until after we settle your case.