Florida has several sea ports which host a number of cruise lines, making the Florida shoreline a key US destination for cruise ship departures and arrivals. While cruise ships can offer fabulous vacation opportunities, both on board the giant floating hotel villages and off the ship at various ports of call, there are also unfortunate occurrences of injuries, illnesses, accidents, and even crimes.
Even though the types of illnesses and injuries one can sustain on a cruise ship may be the same as those on dry land, the laws governing cruise ship accidents and injuries are not always the same. Many cruise ships originate in other countries, spend most of their time outside their country of origin, and split this time between the open sea and other countries. Often it is unclear who has jurisdiction and it can depend on where the accident took place. This is why it is of crucial importance that you contact a lawyer who has a deep familiarity and understanding of cruise ship law.
US Cruise ship law often requires that any lawsuit or claim brought about as a result of a cruise ship incident be filed in the state of original port, which in many cases is Florida. Florida based and licensed attorney group Leesfield & Partners has a long history of successful cruise ship claims.
You should consult a cruise ship attorney at Leesfield & Partners immediately if you believe you have a claim. You may have a claim if you have been assaulted by a crew member or another passenger on the ship, if you slipped and fell on a wet floor, fell overboard, were left at a port of call, or if you contracted a serious illness. Either way, you need to file your claim quickly and cleanly using an experienced cruise ship lawyer like those at Leesfield & Partners.