1-800-BOATLAW

Boat Passengers

As a maritime passenger, whether you are on a cruise ship, excursion boat, dinner cruiser, pleasure yacht, ferry or any other type of aquatic transportation, you are due a high duty of care. It is the maritime company’s responsibility to keep you safe (within reasonable means) while you are on board and in some cases, even when you are off ship.

The vessel owner’s failure to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances is considered negligence, and if you suffer injury due to such negligence you are eligible to pursue compensation under maritime law. An experienced maritime injury lawyer will be able to sort through the details of your case and help you determine what civil avenues could maximize your injury compensation.

Boat Passenger Injury Attorneys for Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and California

If you have been injured as a passenger aboard any vessel due to a maritime company’s negligence, you have a right to pursue maximum compensation for your suffering. The experienced maritime injury attorneys of BoatLaw, LLP will pursue your damages with determination and strategy that can only be achieved through decades of combined experience handling cases like yours. With offices in Seattle, Bellingham, Portland, and San Francisco, the team at BoatLaw, LLP helps clients all along the west coast.

For a free consultation on what we can do for your maritime passenger injury case, call 1 (800) 262-8529 today.


Maritime Passenger Injury Information Center


Back to top

Causes of Ship Passenger Injury

Passenger vessels, especially the larger ones like cruise ships and ferries, are full of opportunities for passenger injury if the owner or operator is negligent in providing preventative safety measures. If the operator knew or should have known about the risk on the passenger vessel and failed to take any corrective measures, they are liable for injuries suffered by passengers. Some common accidents due to negligence that cause injury to passengers on vessels include:

  • Slip and fall
  • Trip and fall
  • Fires
  • Inadequate security
  • Sexual assault
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Failure to warn
  • Failure to follow health standards, especially with food
  • Failure to follow safety procedures and inspections
  • Medical malpractice
  • Spa negligence
  • Hurricane-related accidents
  • Ship grounding

Depending on your case, the operator is also likely liable for any property damage that occurred. An experienced maritime injury attorney at BoatLaw, LLP will be able to look through your case, identify any operator negligence that contributed to your injury, and help you attain the compensation you deserve.


Back to top

Common Vessel Passenger Injuries

The variety of passenger vessels on the water promotes many injury possibilities. However, there are injuries that are more common than others on passenger vessels, no matter the type, including:

  • Head injury
  • Back injury
  • Neck injury
  • Shoulder injury
  • Broken bones and fractures
  • Brain injury – including concussions
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Food poisoning
  • Burns

Back to top

Recoverable Damages from Maritime Passenger Injuries in Washington, Oregon, California, or Alaska

The damages you may recover as a maritime passenger often depends on the type of vessel on which you were traveling, especially when it comes to cruise ships and other ticketed ventures. Common carriers use these tickets as contracts that limit your right to bring a lawsuit and recover damages. For instance, generally, the statute of limitations on maritime injury claims for passengers is three years. If you are a passenger on a cruise liner, though, this may be restricted to as little as six months.

This makes filing suit difficult. The time restriction confines investigation into the incident, the analysis of negligence involved, and consideration of applicable maritime laws in your passenger injury case. A maritime injury lawyer can expedite the process and work within the deadlines of your case to fight for maximum compensation. Some of the damages you may be able to recover as an injured passenger include:

  • Value of any property damage
  • Ticket cost
  • Medical expenses
  • Future medical expenses
  • Rehabilitation
  • Lost wages
  • Disability
  • Disfigurement
  • Pain and suffering

Back to top

BoatLaw, LLP | Maritime Injury Lawyers for Boat Passengers

Maritime companies that operate ferries, cruises, excursions, and other vessels are only worried about maximizing profits when it comes to your injury as a passenger. Navigating the rules and conditions they have put in place, in addition to traditional maritime civil law, is a complicated process and it is important to hire an experienced maritime injury attorney to help guide your passenger injury claim.

If you have been injured aboard a ferry, cruise liner, excursion boat, dinner cruise, or other passenger vessel, contact the experienced maritime injury attorneys of BoatLaw, LLP. We serve Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska and are ready to begin fighting for maximum compensation in your case today. Your first consultation is free, so schedule yours now by calling 1 (800) 262-8529.


 

  • The Maritime Law Association of The United States
    The Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA) was founded in 1899. Its formation was prompted by the organization, some three years earlier, of the International Maritime Committee.
  • Washington State Bar Association
    The Washington State Bar Association operates under the delegated authority of the Washington Supreme Court to license the state's nearly 40,000 lawyers and other legal professionals.
  • Oregon State Bar
    The Oregon State Bar is a government agency in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1890 as the private Oregon Bar Association, it became a public entity in 1935 that regulates the legal profession.
  • Alaska Bar Association
    The Alaska Bar Association is a mandatory bar association responsible to the Alaska Supreme Court for the admission and discipline process of attorneys for the State of Alaska.