Cruising Conundrum? What To Do If You Are Hurt During Your Cruise
Heading out on a cruise? Don't let an incident or accident ruin your vacation; listen to what your cruise line advises regarding safety measures, particularly when it comes to port-of-call activities and hazards.
Nobody likes to think about it, but some things can go wrong when you head-out on your cruise:
- It can get rocky when off-shore, which presents the potential for a slip, fall, or injury. Decks can be slippery and when cruise cocktails are flowing, travelers could lose their footing when traversing the ship.
- With so many on-board activities and sports, an injury occasionally occurs. Sprains, strains, and even broken bones can happen when playing sports, like basketball, or when using water-slides on the ship.
- Pay attention to cruise-line warnings about things like moped rentals during time ashore. Many cruisers are injured due to their unfamiliarity with the terrain, traffic, and rules of the road in foreign destinations.
- Don't overlook the dangers of some onshore excursions; cruise lines issue warnings and waivers for risky activities, like scuba, four-wheeling, and rafting.
If you are injured or hurt during your cruise, take the following steps:
Head to the infirmary. Every cruise ship has its own infirmary, and it is typically located in the lower-levels of the vessel. Keep in mind that these services are not usually covered by any insurance plan and costs for treatment will be out of your own pocket; record and track what you are charged for services, as well as incidental fees for medicine, bandages, and even aspirin.
Take pictures. Take time to snap some pictures of the areas on the ship that may have caused your injury, such as a faulty door mechanism or insufficiently-marked cabin thresholds. Snap pictures of your injuries before treatment, if feasible.
File a liability claim. Before you get off the ship, make sure to fill out and file a liability claim form. You will need to request one from the on-board medical staff or guest services. Make sure to retain a copy for your own records; at the very least, snap a picture of the document with your smart-phone.
Contact an injury attorney. Contact a maritime or injury attorney as soon as you get back on dry-land. When the cruise line is liable for your injury, you could be eligible for compensation of your medical costs, emotional damages, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and future related-expenses.
If the worst does happen, know that you are in good-hands with the on-ship medical team. Mother Nature controls a lot of things, such as water and weather, but there are times when the liability falls to the cruise line. Talk with a maritime attorney about your rights and any compensation that you may be do when you are injured and the cruise ship is at fault. You can also click here for more info.