Of all the possible accidents that can occur on a cruise ship, a cruise ship tilt is considered one of the most unpredictable. A cruise ship tilt occurs when the ship leans heavily to either the port or the starboard. The most recent cruise ship to tilt at sea was the Norwegian Escape.
The offshore incident occurred Sunday night as a strong weather front moved across the eastern seaboard of the U.S., generating a string of tornadoes across Alabama and Georgia. The Norwegian cruise ship had departed from New York hours earlier that same day. The wind gusts that night registered at about 155 mph, similar to the force of a Category 3 hurricane – at sea!
One passenger was tossed out of the shower in her eighth-floor cabin. Several other passengers reported injuries as a result of the cruise ship tilt and were treated by the ship’s medical staff.
On social media, passengers aboard the Norwegian Escape posted images of tables, chairs and clothing racks falling over. Video footage showed passengers screaming, glass could be heard shattering and furniture was seen sliding across the floor.
During the tilt, the ship called three “Code Alpha’s,” which is code for a medical emergency. Several passengers and crew members were injured, the cruise line said Tuesday without giving specific numbers or detailing the nature of their injuries. A dozen ambulances were seen at the port when the ship arrived at Port Canaveral, on Tuesday morning.
Cruise ship tilts are not uncommon at sea. However, the severity of them can vary. Our firm recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of injured passengers onboard the Carnival Sunshine. The widely publicized cruise ship tilt that occurred on October 28, 2018 after the ship left Port Canaveral, not only caused widespread panic onboard – but resulted in serious injuries to some of its passengers.
During a cruise ship tilt, passengers can be injured, although the severity of the injuries depends on how serious the tilt was and where the passenger was injured. Some of the more common injuries during a cruise ship tilt include bruises, cuts and scrapes, and broken bones. Many times, when the tilt occurs, the sudden shift will cause a passenger to trip, fall, hit another object on the ship or even have an object, such as a chair, television or other piece of equipment in a cabin, fall on the passenger. Passengers have even suffered concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI’s) after being struck by something on the head during the sudden shift that occurred during a tilt. One of the more serious injuries that can happen during a tilt is the passenger falling overboard.
INJURED ON A CRUISE SHIP DUE TO A CRUISE SHIP TILT? SPEAK TO A CRUISE SHIP INJURY LAWYER IN MIAMI WHO IS EXPERIENCED IN HANDLING CRUISE SHIP TILT CASES: 1-866-597-4529.
If you or a loved one has been injured on a cruise due to a cruise ship tilt while at sea, it is important that you speak with a cruise ship tilt accident lawyer who specializes in personal injury claims against cruise lines. Most cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, MSC, Disney, Holland America, Princess, Costa, Regents Seven Seas and Oceania require that claims against them be pursued in a very specific place under very strict deadlines. Failure to comply with each individual cruise lines deadlines can result in a complete loss of any and all legal rights.
Aronfeld Trial Lawyers is a personal injury firm located in Miami, Florida since 1991. We have fought hard to hold cruise lines accountable when they put their profits ahead of passenger safety. We are available 24/7 and encourage you to contact us even if you are still on your cruise. The sooner we can begin our investigation and preservation of key evidence, such as the CCTV footage of your trip and fall, slip and fall, assault or other type of injury the more likely we will be able to understand and prove how the incident occurred. Remember, the cruise lines have the most aggressive and well-funded defense lawyers in the world- protecting their profits. You need an experienced legal advocate in your corner who will fight to obtain the compensation you deserve for lost wages, medical expenses, transportation reimbursement and pain and suffering. Call us today and speak with a cruise ship claims lawyer about your potential claim- toll free 1-866-597-4529, 305-441-0440, or by email. We are ready to help.
