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Cruise lines are experienced at minimizing injury claims. Your ticket contains contractual deadlines as short as one year, and mandatory forum selection clauses requiring litigation in a specific court. L&F Brown understands maritime law and fights cruise lines on their terms.
Attorney of the Year — California Lawyers Association No fee until we winNearly every cruise ticket contains a forum selection clause requiring lawsuits to be filed in a specific court (often Miami or Seattle). It also imposes contractual notice requirements (typically 6 months) and a shortened limitation period (often 1 year). Missing either deadline can bar your claim.
Cruise ship injuries on navigable waters are governed by federal maritime law, not California state law. Maritime negligence requires proving the cruise line knew or should have known of the dangerous condition that caused your injury.
Crew members who are injured on a cruise ship have special protections under the Jones Act (46 U.S.C. §30104), which provides seaman status and a negligence cause of action against the shipowner. Jones Act claims are separate from passenger claims.
Unlike California premises liability, maritime slip-and-fall cases require proof that the cruise line had actual or constructive notice of the dangerous condition. Prior incident reports, maintenance logs, and guest feedback records are critical evidence.
From wet decks and shore excursions to medical negligence and onboard assaults, cruise lines owe passengers a duty of reasonable care throughout the voyage.
Wet, uneven, or improperly maintained deck surfaces are among the most common sources of serious cruise ship injuries.
Injuries during cruise-sponsored shore excursions, the cruise line may be liable even when the excursion operator is a third party.
Shipboard medical facilities and doctors owe a duty of care. Delayed diagnosis, improper treatment, and failure to evacuate can give rise to claims.
Norovirus and other illness outbreaks on cruise ships can cause serious harm, particularly to elderly and immunocompromised passengers.
Cruise lines have a duty to protect passengers from foreseeable criminal acts by crew and other passengers.
Inadequate supervision, slippery surfaces around pools, and defective recreation equipment injuries.
Cruise ship claims involve contractual traps that can bar your case permanently if you miss them. Act immediately after returning.
Ask for an official incident report and keep a copy. This is your earliest documentary evidence.
Document the exact location and condition that caused your injury before it is cleaned up or changed.
Get names and contact information for other passengers or crew who witnessed the incident.
Your ticket contains notice deadlines and a forum selection clause. Missing either can end your case before it starts.
Contractual notice deadlines as short as 6 months mean there is no time to wait. We act quickly to preserve your rights under maritime law.
Injured on a Cruise?
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Cruise lines print a 20-page contract in small type on your ticket, and they enforce every word of it. Knowing those clauses, knowing maritime law, and knowing what prior incident records to demand is how you actually win these cases.
Not only was Arya easy to communicate with, incredibly intelligent with how he planned to achieve the goals, but he was also very warm and caring. I really enjoyed working with Arya. Warm, ethical, and intelligent is a great combo!
I cannot recommend L&F Brown highly enough. From the start of my case they were professional, talked me through the process and genuinely cared about my situation and concerns. My case went far longer than any of us expected, and I was ready to just accept the first settlement, but Arya and Curt fought to get me what I was entitled to. All in all, they went above and beyond at every step and I felt supported throughout my experience with them.
My husband was involved in a car accident back in February, and now that everything has been resolved, I just wanted to say how grateful we are for this amazing team. Everyone was incredibly kind, organized, and easy to communicate with. They always kept us updated, answered every question we had, and made sure we understood what was happening every step of the way. Having someone we could trust took so much stress off our shoulders during an already difficult time.
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Maritime law permits recovery for the full range of economic and non-economic losses from cruise ship injuries.
Shipboard medical care, emergency evacuation, and ongoing treatment after returning home.
Income lost during recovery from cruise-related injuries.
Physical pain and emotional distress from on-ship injuries, including psychological harm from assaults.
Emergency transportation, accommodation, and rebooking costs caused by the injury.
Compensation for lasting physical limitations from serious falls or other cruise ship injuries.
Available in maritime cases involving recklessness or intentional misconduct by the carrier or crew.
