Cruise ships with roller coasters and aqua coasters are some of the most advanced ships in the fleet of big cruise companies. Many of these coasters, like the SkyRides coaster on the Carnival Vista ship and the AquaDuck on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy ships, are attractions that draw people to cruises. However, there is never a guarantee that roller coasters and water coasters are safe, including the coasters on cruise ships.
If you or a loved one was injured riding a roller coaster, water coaster, or similar amusement ride on a cruise ship, call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A. today. Our attorneys have decades of experience representing cruise ship injury lawyers and may be able to help you and your family get compensation for your injuries. To set up a free legal consultation with our cruise ship roller coaster and water coaster accident lawyers, call us today at (866) 386-1762.
Suing for Roller Coaster and Ride Injuries on Cruise Ships
Accidents can happen in many ways on a cruise ship. Ships with on-board attractions and rides carry a special risk of injury from these attractions. Roller coasters can have dangerous flaws or malfunctions that the cruise company might overlook or fail to repair. If ride inspections are not done regularly or inspectors fail to pay close attention, dangers and risks might be left unrepaired, and passengers might be at serious risk of injury. If you were injured on a roller coaster, a water coaster, or another amusement-park-style ride on a cruise ship, you may be entitled to sue the cruise company for your injuries.
To sue a cruise company for injuries on a ship, you must be able to prove that they were responsible for the injuries. This means proving that the cruise company and its staff owed you a legal duty, such as the duty to keep their rides reasonably safe for passengers. If they breach this duty, it could lead to catastrophic accidents or injuries on the ride. If you can prove that this breach of duty did indeed cause your injuries, you should be able to claim compensation for the injuries you suffered.
To get this compensation, you must also prove the value of the damages you faced. If you suffered no actual damages that the court can compensate you for, then there is little benefit to a lawsuit.
Our attorneys can help examine your case and investigate how the accident happened and what the cruise ship and the cruise line did wrong to allow your injury to occur. We can then file a lawsuit in the appropriate court. For injuries that happen at a port in the U.S., this might mean suing under the laws of the state where the ship was docked. For accidents abroad, this might mean suing under maritime law in the United States.
Damages for a Roller Coaster Accident on a Cruise Ship
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries in a roller coaster accident on a cruise ship, you might be entitled to substantial compensation for the injuries and losses you and your family suffered. Many roller coaster accidents are fatal, which can entitle the deceased’s family to damages for their loss.
In most injury cases, a victim will be entitled to claim damages for any economic or noneconomic harms they suffered because of the defendant’s negligence. This typically includes damages for medical expenses related to the injury, reimbursement for wages you lost if the injury kept you from returning to work, and compensation for the pain and suffering related to the accident. Some of these damages are simple enough to prove by producing paperwork, such as pay stubs that show what income you missed and medical bills that show what your treatment cost. Other damages, such as future projected damages for lost wages, are harder to prove and require the help of a financial expert or actuary to predict these costs. Damages like pain and suffering have no clear economic value, but they can still be compensated. Your testimony will be a big piece of the evidence that helps show the jury what your pain and suffering is worth.
The damages you can claim in a wrongful death or survivorship lawsuit vary from state to state. Most states allow you to claim the damages that the deceased would have been able to claim in a personal injury – such as the medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering discussed above – but you can usually also claim damages that you face yourself. This can include the intangible harm of losing a loved one, the value of lost household services from the deceased, lost spousal benefits, lost inheritances, lost companionship, grief counseling, and funeral and burial expenses.
When you file a lawsuit against a cruise ship for injuries, the cruise company may work to shut down your claim quickly. Early offers to settle may be made in the hope that you will accept payment and stop the case quickly. These offers are often too low to cover your needs in full, and later settlement offers may be too low as well. Talk to an injury attorney about what your case is worth before accepting any money for your injuries.
Call Our Cruise Ship Injury and Roller Coaster Accident Lawyers for a Free Legal Consultation
Roller coasters and other amusement rides on cruise ships are not especially common, so you should work with experienced injury lawyers that know how to handle these kinds of cases. If you or a loved one was injured on one of these rides, call our cruise ship injury lawyers today. We have handled hundreds of cruise ship injury cases dealing with many types of accidents and injuries aboard a ship, and we may be able to help you, too. Call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind today to discuss filing a cruise ship injury lawsuit for roller coaster accidents. Our phone number is (866) 386-1762.
