Sailing the vast blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean is a favorite past-time of many vacationers. Millions of ticket holders board ships each year to enjoy rest and recreation on the open seas. In Florida, as well as in other popular sailing areas, cruise ship accidents sometimes occur but are not always widely publicized.
Though the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, Florida waters can also be dangerous for boaters. Whether sailing on a private vessel or riding as a passenger on a major cruise line, a person who is injured in a boating accident can file a legal claim when another party is believed responsible. Such situations can be complicated because, in certain circumstances, a claim is governed by maritime law and not state law.
Anyone who is physically injured in a boating accident will want to discuss the issue with an experienced attorney in order to seek guidance about how best to proceed if it is determined that there are grounds for a lawsuit. In addition, the circumstances surrounding a vacation accident are often complex; many times, it is difficult to determine exactly how an accident occurred. One man who was recently traveling on a cruise ship with his mother was discovered to have fallen overboard.
It remains unclear whether the man jumped to his own death or fell by accident. Reportedly, there are a number of suicides each year, but such cruise ship accidents are not typically publicized. Officials say they fear that too much media attention will prompt copycat accidents. If a family member suffers the untimely death of a loved one on a cruise ship and believes that another party’s negligence is responsible for the accident, a claim can be filed through the civil justice system to seek recovery for all losses.
Source: USA Today, “Coast Guard: Handful of people jump from cruise ships“, Trevor Hughes, March 7, 2016
