Port of Miami Cruise Accident Attorney

Cruise lines are responsible for the safe boarding of their passengers.  Our cruise ship accident lawyers have investigated hundreds of cases of passengers that have been injured getting on and off cruise ships.  Modern cruise terminals are built to accommodate mega ships.  But often times passengers are required to ascend or descend steep, wet and slippery gangways. 

When a gangway is improperly positioned because because they are at too high an angle passengers, especially elderly or disabled people can easily slip, trip and fall.  Cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC and Virgin have a legal duty to make sure the gangway is installed correctly and properly maintained and  inspected.

 If a gangway becomes wet, it can be very slippery – especially when defending the gangway.  We have represented many passengers who have experienced slip and falls down the wet and slippery surfaces of gangways around the world.  Gangway accidents in ports like the Port of Miami can lead to serious injuries like broken legs, fractured arms, spine injuries, knee injuries, neck injuries and even traumatic brain injuries. 

Additionally, we have represented people who have been innocently involved in fights on gangways.  Oftentimes people go on cruises get drunk even before a cruise can begin.  They are in the party mood and can over do it.  We have represented people who were simply standing in line at the gangway when a fight broke out.  

Cruise lines have a responsibility to make sure the gangway is safe not just from being wet and slippery but also from dangers posed by other passengers who may be intoxicated. 

These new beautiful, sparkling mega terminals are also owned and operated by the cruise lines- and they need to be maintained correctly too.  They have to be properly cleaned, inspected and repaired.  If you trip and fall in a cruise ship terminal like the Port of Miami, you may be entitled to compensation from the cruise line if your accident was due to the cruise line not properly maintaining the terminal.

 These types of terminal accidents can occur when there are spills that the cruise line does not clean up correctly, or an employee is mopping the floor and fails to put out wet floor signs, cordon the area off or dry the wet floor properly.   

The cruise lines like Carnival also have to make sure that the parking facilities are safe.  This means that there has to be adequate lighting, security and maintenance in the parking lots where thousands of people park every week before leaving on cruise ships from Miami. 

 These kinds of slips and falls at cruise ship terminals can cause serious injuries that lead to surgery, time off from work, pain and suffering and of course your loss of vacation and missed cruise.

 One of the most surprising things that people who get hurt at cruise ship terminals around the world while on a cruise learn is that even though your accident at the Port of Miami occurred on land- the Federal Maritime Law will apply and your cruise ship passengers ticker terms will govern your rights to claim compensation for your injuries from a cruise line like Carnival, Virgin, MSC, RCCL or others. 

That means you only have one year to bring your lawsuit against the cruise line. And the case will have to be filed in Federal Court in Miami.  This is why you need to speak to the very best cruise injury lawyer in Miami to understand and protect your legal rights. 

You need a lawyer who understands the complicated relationship between cruise line liability for personal injuries and your rights to receive compensation for your lost wages, pain and suffering and medical expenses. 

Aronfeld Trial Lawyers has represented and protected the rights of cruise ship passengers injury cases from around the world since 1991.  Our firm is based in Miami represents those injured at all the major ports and terminals while on cruises.  We have handled cases from Galveston to Grand Cayman, from the Bahamas to Bermuda.