Many cruises leave Texas from port in Galveston, taking Texans to the Caribbean or other places across the world. If you or a loved one was injured on a cruise that left from Texas, our Texas cruise ship injury attorneys might be able to help.
The Queenan Law Firm’s attorneys represent injury victims of accidents and illness on cruise ships. Our lawyers fight to get our clients the compensation they need for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We are not afraid of taking on even the largest cruise companies to get injured Texans the compensation they need. For a free legal consultation on your Texas cruise ship injury case, call our attorneys today at (817) 476-1797.
Causes of Cruise Injuries in Texas
Lawsuits against cruise ship companies for injuries are usually based on the same kinds of injuries and accidents you might suffer on land. Cruise lines are responsible for keeping conditions safe on their cruise ships, which means that slippery decks, broken handrails, electrocution hazards, fire hazards, and other dangers are unreasonable risks for passengers. Other injuries are caused by assault and sexual assault committed by cruise ship crewmembers or other passengers on the ship.
Other injuries are caused by the unique conditions on cruise ships. It is easy for illness to spread on a cruise ship, especially in severe cases of flu or coronavirus, and ships might need to institute quarantines, screen passengers, or cancel cruises to help protect passengers. Other injuries come from overboard injuries, drowning injuries, and injuries on boat, plane, and helicopter tours that leave from cruise ships. Other shore excursions involving snorkeling, surfing, rock climbing, or touring could also lead to injuries and accidents.
Since cruise ships are far away from land, injured passengers might be treated by cruise ship doctors and nurses. If the medical care you receive is inadequate or the doctors commit malpractice, your injuries could get worse. If you need to be evacuated to shore for further treatment, unreasonable delays in treatment could make it harder for you to make a full recovery. These kinds of issues often lead to worse injuries and increased damages.
Suing a Cruise Line in Texas for Injuries and Accidents
If you are from Texas and you were injured on a cruise ship, our attorneys might be able to help you file an injury lawsuit against the cruise line to get you compensation for the injuries you faced.
To win a lawsuit for injuries on a cruise ship, you usually must prove four elements of the case:
- The cruise line owed you a legal duty.
- The cruise line breached that duty.
- The breach of duty caused your injuries.
- The injuries include damages the court can compensate you for.
If the cruise line or one of their crewmembers was responsible for a negligent act or omission that led to your injuries, you can usually sue for those damages. The defense attorneys for the cruise line will often challenge each of these elements, seeking to prove that the duty did not exist, that the duty was indeed met, or that the injury would have occurred even if the duty was met.
Our attorney will present evidence of how your injury happened and what the cruise line should have done to prevent injuries. For instance, in cases where an injury victim was overserved by cruise line bartenders, then fell overboard because of a loose railing, our lawyers would point to the overserving and failure to maintain safe handrails as serious mistakes that contributed to the injury.
Issues of causation are often complex. Our lawyers will work to prove that the injuries would not have occurred if the ship and its crew took the reasonable steps they were supposed to take to keep you safe.
Damages for Cruise Ship Accidents in Texas Injury Lawsuits
Damages in a cruise ship injury case often fall into three major categories: lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. In addition to these damages, you can also claim any other damages that resulted from the accident.
Lost Wages
Lost wage damages cover the cost of any paychecks or wages you missed because of your injuries. If a cruise ship injury kept you from going back to work for a while, you might be entitled to claim any wages you missed during your recovery. If the accident caused permanent injuries or disabilities that affect your ability to make money going forward, you can often claim the difference between your old wages and your new wages as damages. These damages are often referred to as “lost earning capacity” and can even be projected into the future.
Medical Bills
Damages for medical bills can cover any care costs related to the accident or injury. This means that if you needed emergency medical evacuation, those transportation costs should be covered, as should the cost of treatment on the ship and treatment at a nearby hospital. If you need additional care when you get home to reverse the effects of negligent healthcare, these damages should also be covered. Moreover, damages for ongoing mental health counseling, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and home nursing needs should also be covered.
Pain and Suffering
Your testimony about the pain and discomfort you felt because of the injury can help you get additional damages. Moreover, the effects that the injury had on your life and your enjoyment of certain activities can also help prove damages the court can compensate you for. Although these damages might not include tangible, visible effects, you can still get compensation for many of these harms.
Call Our Texas Cruise Ship Accident and Injury Lawyers for a Free Case Consultation
The Texas cruise ship injury attorneys at Queenan Law Firm have decades of experience representing injury victims and fighting to get them compensation from the at-fault parties. If you or a loved one is from Texas and faced injuries on a cruise ship, call our lawyers today. We might be able to file injury lawsuits in Texas or in federal court to fight to get you the compensation you need for your injuries. Call us today at (817) 476-1797 to set up a free legal consultation on your cruise ship injury case.