Vacations are an exciting time for everyone. It is a due pause from the norm and a perfect time to take a foot off the pedal. While we have diverse vacation choices to pick from, cruise ship sailing seems to be a safe bet for a lot of people, especially with older adults. Whether it is your first time or you frequent cruiser, you are bound to have a great time.
Cruise ships are known for their luxury amenities, exciting activities, and amazing cuisine. However, as exciting as the experience can be, things can quickly become terrible after a cruise ship injury. Hence, it’s essential to prepare ahead for its possibility.
Cruise ship accidents are often ghastly. Thankfully, some measures can be set up to help make the situation convenient for all involved. You will learn more about these measures as we go further in this piece. You could also visit https://www.aronfeld.com/practice-areas/cruise-ship-injuries/ for reliable legal representation.
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Dos of Dealing with Cruise Ship Injuries
Treat Your Injuries Immediately
The initial step to take when you’ve been involved in a cruise ship accident is to seek prompt treatment. Every cruise ship has nurses and at least a doctor who can attend to your medical needs. If an injury is not severe, there are usually first aid boxes with prescription medication for treatment. If the injury is major, you will be taken to the medical center, where treatment will be administered for some days. In rare and extreme cases, some patients will be removed from the cruise ship.
Whether your injury is mild or severe, always ensure you get the right treatment. This will help to avoid complications like an infection. In addition, you should get a medical report from the medical staff documenting the details of your injury.
Report Your Accident and Injury
When there’s an injury or accident on a cruise, the cruise line is expected to report the case to the international maritime organization. This is because, for every cruise line, there are safety management systems that include the investigation of accidents and the reporting section. If you’ve been injured on a cruise, ensure you report to the right channel for adequate investigation. You’ll also be required to fill out an accident report form for proper documentation.
Be Attentive to the Investigation
When you or a loved one have been involved in a cruise accident, never assume that the cruise line staff are conducting investigations in your favor. While they may appear to care about you, you must be very attentive to their investigations and ensure they’re not just trying to get information from you. Most times, they assume you’ll sue them; hence they try as much as possible to get information to defend themselves if the case gets to the court. While you shouldn’t deceive them, you should ensure they don’t misinterpret you.
Keep it Short and Simple
When you’re asked to write your statement, ensure you don’t overdo it. Rather, make it short and simple. The only compulsory information you have to provide to the cruise ship is your government identification and contact information. Other than that, ensure you only state the obvious, which is the fact that you had an accident on the cruise and you’re hurt. The rest of the statement should be made only when you have your experienced cruise injury lawyer.
Don’ts of Dealing with Cruise Ship Injuries
Don’t Admit Fault
When you’ve been injured, you may be confused as to what to say or do at that point. You may be tempted to see things from the cruise line’s point of view. However, this may hinder your chance of getting legal justice if the case eventually gets to the court. Hence, never admit the accident or injury was your fault and avoid any form of apology.
Don’t Post On Social Media
When you get involved in a cruise ship accident, the first thing that comes to mind is to post it on your social media handles and inform your online friends. While this may seem harmless, the insurance company may eventually use it against you, especially if you posted pictures of you enjoying yourself after the accident. Telling your family online that you’re okay can also be used against you. Whatever you say or do, ensure it’s not on social media.
When you’re dealing with cruise ship injuries, having an experienced cruise ship attorney is a must. This will not only save you time and unnecessary stress, but it will also help to ensure you get the deserved legal justice. While you hope for a hitch-free experience on a cruise ship, readily available information will help you know what to do when and if it happens.
