What Evidence is Needed for a Cruise Ship Injury Lawsuit?
Passengers need strong evidence to win cruise ship injury lawsuits and get compensation for all medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. Passengers also typically need help getting the necessary evidence for cruise ship injury lawsuits, and can rely on our attorneys for the assistance they require.
Medical records are some of the most important evidence in any injury lawsuit. Relevant records, include any regarding diagnosis, treatment plans, prescriptions, and doctors’ notes, are necessary. While you don’t need photo evidence for your lawsuit, having it is very helpful, so prioritize taking photos after an injury. Additionally, please notify the cruise ship staff immediately about the incident to facilitate the creation of a report that our lawyers can obtain and utilize. We always need proof of damages to recover them, which comes in the form of bills, income statements, and testimony.
To get our Miami cruise ship injury lawyers’ help with your case, call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind at (305) 204-5369.
What Medical Evidence Do You Need for a Cruise Ship Injury Lawsuit?
Medical evidence is vital, and we can collect and organize records on your behalf.
Initial Treatment Records
First, we need medical records regarding any treatment you received while still on board the cruise ship. The cruise should have a sufficient medical facility and resources to treat minor to moderate injuries, from contusions to fractures. We can request these records on your behalf and use them to prove you were injured on the cruise ship.
Ongoing Treatment Records
We also require all records related to any subsequent medical treatment. Please let us know whether you visited a foreign hospital and where you received treatment upon returning home. Subsequent medical records can confirm your actual diagnosis, which may require more resources and tests than what is possible at a cruise ship medical facility.
We can collect records of hospital stays, diagnostic test results, physicians’ notes, surgical reports, prescriptions, and any other relevant medical documentation.
Do You Need Photo and Video Evidence for a Cruise Ship Injury Lawsuit?
Having photo and video evidence improves your chances of filing a successful cruise ship injury lawsuit. While you should do your best to take pictures of an accident location, don’t panic if you can’t take many photos to document the scene.
We may end up getting surveillance footage that proves what happened. Cruise ships are generally required to have security cameras on board to ensure passenger safety and deter crime. The sooner you contact us about a cruise ship injury, the sooner we can contact the vessel owner and get video footage. We often use lawsuits to compel defendants to send video footage and ensure it’s not deleted.
Not having ample photo or video evidence doesn’t mean you can’t get compensation, however, so still see if you have a case, as our lawyers may use a combination of other evidence to prove cruise ship liability.
Do You Need to Report a Cruise Ship Injury to File a Lawsuit?
Passengers should always report accidents and injuries to the cruise ship’s personnel. Filing a written report documents an incident, and our attorneys can help get copies of any reports generated after your cruise ship injury.
You can request a copy of the report immediately after you tell staff about the accident. If you don’t obtain the report before leaving the cruise for further treatment, we can request it on your behalf later.
Not only will the report describe the accident and your apparent injuries, but it may also indicate whether or not eyewitnesses were present, and if so, what their information is. Even if the report provides only minimal information about eyewitnesses, we may still identify them and conduct interviews.
What Evidence Do You Need to Prove Damages from Cruise Ship Injuries?
When suing for any compensation, you must prove that you have incurred damages, and our cruise ship injury lawyers can get the evidence you need to do so.
Bills
Plaintiffs need bills to prove many economic damages, such as medical expenses and transportation costs. Allow us to organize the necessary documentation on your behalf and calculate your total medical damages, including upcoming care costs.
Income Records
Income records support our calculations for lost wages. Tax returns, paychecks, and employer information demonstrate your pre-injury earnings, and we can explain why you are no longer able to perform at that same earning capacity due to the injury.
Testimony
Testimony is the best evidence to prove your non-economic damages. You understand your pain and suffering better than anyone else, and can take the opportunity to testify about your intangible damages at trial. We’ll make sure you feel ready to talk about your reduced quality of life, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder on the stand before a jury.
Do Plaintiffs Need Eyewitness Statements for Cruise Ship Injury Lawsuits?
While plaintiffs can potentially win cruise ship injury lawsuits without eyewitness statements, having this testimony is hugely beneficial. Eyewitnesses can describe what they saw firsthand, which can convince the jury that the cruise ship is liable.
If you are physically able and see eyewitnesses nearby after a fall onto a lower deck or in another cruise ship accident, feel free to ask for their contact information. The cruise might make it harder for you to find them in the future if you don’t do this at the scene, though our lawyers can often find witnesses for victims.
Quickly interviewing eyewitnesses is key. Major accidents can be traumatic for witnesses as well, and they may forget details over time. Let us prioritize finding witnesses and interviewing them so we can use their statements as evidence in your cruise ship injury lawsuit.
Reach Out About Your Cruise Ship Injury Case Today
Call the cruise ship injury lawyers of Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind for a free case evaluation at (305) 204-5369.
