This week the world watched as hundreds of marine engineers and divers attempted to right the capsized remains of Carnival’s Costa Concordia off the coast of Giglio Island, Italy. Costa Cruises is actually owned and operated by Carnival Cruise line and maintains its headquarters in Genoa, Italy. Currently, Costa has 15 ships in its fleet and docks in ports round the world including Miami, Dubai and the Cayman Islands.
The Concordia has been slowly rusting away; since it ran ashore in January 2012, tragically killing 32 people. This week’s salvage operation was captured on live television and on the internet. As a cruise ship passenger injury lawyer, it was painful to watch the decaying remains of this once magnificent cruise ship slowly emerge from the sea.
This type of complex marine salvage has never been attempted before because experts had to balance the share size of the vessel, 951 feet with avoiding the destruction of the delicate marine sanctuary of Giglio Island.
The Corriere della Sera, has called the shipwreck “a monument to human stupidity” and a “humiliation” for Italy, since the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, has been charged with manslaughter. He trial is scheduled for later this fall. Several members of the Concordia’s crew have have already pleaded guilty to various reduced charges.
Our cruise ship incident attorneys are currently representing victims of the Costa Concordia disaster as well as passengers who have been injured on board cruise ships around the world. We have cases pending now in the United States Federal Court for the Southern District of Florida against Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Carnival for cases ranging from slip, trip and falls to sexual assaults injuries.
If you or a family member have been hurt on a cruise ship there are three things that are very important to know:
1. Virtually every cruise line in the world requires that the law suit be filed within one year of the incident.
2. Most case must be filed here in Miami, regardless of where the accident occurred or the passenger lives. It does not even matter if the ship eve docked in Miami-suit must be filed here.
3. Most cruise lines also require that a written notification be submitted within six months of the incident as a “prerequisite” to filing a law suit
4. Cruise lines tend to “destroy” the valuable surveillance tape of accidents that can be crucial evidence used in proving how and why the incident occurred, unless they are put “on notice” to preserve the footage. Often these surveillance tapes are the only means of proving fault and can make the difference between winning and losing a personal injury claim onboard a cruise ship.
For these reasons, and many more we recommend that you consult with an experienced cruise ship lawyer immediately to preserve your claim and legal rights. Our office provide free initial legal consultations to anyone who believe they have been hurt due to the carelessness of a cruise line.
I have over 22 year of experience in Suing Cruise Lines, and I am happy to help. Please email me, Spencer Aronfeld or call our office today, Toll Free 1-866-597-4529.
