Fort Lauderdale Crewmember & Seamen Injury Attorney
Crewmembers working on cruise ships also have rights and protections if they are injured during the course of their duties onboard a cruise ship. Maritime and admiralty laws, such as the Jones Act, offer specific damages for injured crewmembers, but these laws are complex and can be difficult to litigate with a cruise ship line. You need experienced Fort Lauderdale cruise ship injury attorneys by your side, and at Boone & Davis our lawyers are here to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Crewmember & Seamen Protections
If a cruise ship makes port in the United States, it becomes subject to the maritime and admiralty laws of our country. Most crewmembers that work onboard cruise ships are considered seamen for the purposes of U.S. law, and as such have certain rights and benefits if hurt while on duty. This even applies if the injury occurred off of the ship, so long as the reason for being off board was in service of the ship.
Under most maritime and admiralty laws involving injury, seamen hurt in the course of their duties are entitled to maintenance and cure, which covers daily living expenses such as food and lodging in addition to prompt and adequate medical care, regardless of who was at fault for the accident. Laws such as the Jones Act are here to provide protection to you as seamen and our law firm is here to enforce those rights if you are hurt on the job.
The Jones Act
The Jones Act provides additional rights and protections to crewmembers on a cruise ship beyond the typical compensation for maintenance and cure. Under this law, seamen are entitled to additional compensation for injuries if they can prove that the cruise ship was negligent or that the ship is unseaworthy in any way. A cruise line can be held liable for its crewmember’s injuries if it can be proven that even the slightest level of negligence caused the accident.
A cruise company can also be held responsible for its crewmembers’ injuries if it can be shown that the ship, or part of the ship, is unseaworthy. This means that it is not fit for the purpose it was intended, and the ship must be a safe place for the seamen onboard to work and live. Examples of an unseaworthy vessel include an inadequate crew, defective ship equipment, slippery decks, worn ladders or stairs, lack of proper safety gear, and promoting unsafe work practices. If the unseaworthiness of the cruise ship contributed to a crewmember’s injuries, the Jones Act entitles the victim to additional compensation.
Talk to an Attorney to Learn More
If you were working on a cruise ship and got injured on the job, you may have a valid claim for compensation under the Jones Act or other maritime and admiralty law. To learn more about your legal options and to schedule a free consultation of your case, call or contact the cruise ship injury attorneys at Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale today.
