Costa Concordia Shipwreck Reminds Travelers of Cruise Ship Dangers

Miami and the rest of the South Florida area is a Mecca for the cruise ship industry. Every year hundreds of thousands of passengers embark on dozens of cruise ships departing from the Port of Miami or Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades. And although, the coastline of Giglio, Italy is more than an ocean away from South Florida, the potential dangers are just as real on this side of the Atlantic.

The allegations that the captain of the Costa Concordia abandoned ship, that an unpredictable course change caused the ship to run aground, and that the crew's panic created a dangerous delay in passenger evacuation, have already drawn comparisons to the Titanic tragedy of a century ago. With this in mind, it's important for passengers and crew members to be aware that accidents aboard cruise vessels occur with much greater frequency than is reported on the news. As a Miami personal injury attorney who exclusively represents clients who have been injured aboard maritime vessels, I'm acutely aware of the dangers of luxury ocean travel.

Gangway injuries, accidents resulting from defective marine equipment, injuries sustained while boarding and disembarking tenders, injuries resulting from sudden course changes, and unsecured items are just a few of the all too common types of accidents that occur on cruise ships. Passengers of cruise ships often make the assumption that the large cruise lines, their safety inspectors, and their lawyers have eliminated every possible danger. However, as was the case with the Costa Concordia, it's unlikely that cruise ships will ever reach the level of safety that's perceived by the cruise industry's customers.

In the days following this international tragedy, as the facts of the case are revealed, it's important for potential cruise ship passengers to proceed with the knowledge that there is a certain amount of risk and unpredictability involved in sea travel. Maritime law attorneys recommend that before you purchase your ticket, you familiarize yourself with the terms of the cruise ship ticket. While not all of the language placed in these contracts by the cruise ship operators is necessarily enforceable, some terms are enforceable and if ignored can wipe out the injured parties right to proceed upon their claim. Most important to an injured person is to understand that venue selection clauses and clauses that limit the time that an injured passenger can bring his/her claim are enforceable in many if not most instances. In most instances a cruise ship passenger needs to file his/her claim within one year of the date of the injury.

If you have already been injured on a cruise ship or a family member has lost their life in an accident at sea, you should contact a reputable, professional maritime law attorney to talk about your case at the earliest opportunity.