Miami Cruise Ship Accident Attorney Informs Cruise Ship Passengers About Violations Of Reasonable Care

Deciding to go on a cruise is usually a simple decision. Whether you are someone looking to escape a miserable winter, or are simply in need of some time to relax and pamper yourself, you usually expect the experience to be one that is dictated by ease, and you also expect to not have to worry about your safety.

This is true—some of the time. Under the rules of maritime law,cruise ship company operators owe passengers a duty of "reasonable care". Reasonable care differs depending on the situation at hand. Reasonable care applies to a number of circumstances including reasonable access to and from the ship, and adequate security measures. However, these measures are sometimes wanting, leaving you, the passenger, at risk for injury and accident. Violations of this legal standard can include failing to repair a dangerous condition on the vessel such as a faulty staircase, which could easily result in a slip and fall. Another violation of "reasonable care" is failing to provide adequate warnings, or the selection of cruise ship endorsed activities that could result in danger or negligence on the part of the operator.

Officers and Crew members are responsible for maintaining a safe environment for cruise ship passengers. Any crew member, from the captain to the housekeeping staff, can be considered negligent if an action or inaction caused harm to a passenger or other crew member. If this happens, and injury or accident is a result, then the cruise ship company is liable for their negligence.

Common cruise ship accidents range from slip and falls on gangways, on stairwells, in passageways, or due to foreign substances on decks or dance floors. Some passengers become quite sick from eating tainted food, or while on dangerous shore excursions. Violating the legal standard of reasonable care includes the failure to warn, failing to make safe, having dangerous surfaces,and other vessel malfunctions. Inadequately trained crew members can also lead to personal injuries and harm to passengers.

If you or a family member has experienced a violation of reasonable care while on board a cruise ship, or while engaged in a cruise ship sponsored or recommended activity while ashore at a port of call, it is important that you contact a skilled cruise ship injury attorney with experience dealing in matters relating to admiralty and maritime law. Call Miami Attorney Robert Gross at 305-793-5526.