Cruise Ship Accident Lawyers

Rutter Mills - Cruise Ship Accident Lawyers

Cruise Ship Accident Attorneys

Maritime Injury

A cruise vacation is meant to be a time of relaxation and enjoyment, but accidents onboard can result in serious injuries and complex maritime legal claims that require experienced representation. Maritime law follows different rules and procedures than laws governing injuries on land. Whether you’ve suffered an injury due to unsafe conditions, negligence, or a crew member’s misconduct, our firm can help you prove your case and fight for the compensation you deserve for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

The Virginia cruise ship attorneys at Rutter Mills are dedicated to representing passengers and crew members who have been injured while at sea. With decades of experience in maritime law, we understand the unique challenges of cruise ship accident cases and the tactics cruise lines use to protect their interests.

If you or a loved one have been injured on a cruise ship, contact Rutter Mills today for a free consultation.

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What You Need to Know

Cruise ship accident cases are more challenging than typical personal injury claims. Accidents, assaults, and injuries at sea require specialized legal knowledge due to the unique complexities of maritime law. Here’s why hiring an experienced maritime lawyer is so important:

Maritime Law Is Different from State Law

Cruise ships operate under maritime law, which is distinct from U.S. state laws. Jurisdiction depends on where the injury occurred:

  • Docked or on Excursion: Injuries in a foreign country may require navigating that nation’s legal system.
  • International Waters: Typically governed by international maritime law.

The Role of Your Cruise Ticket

Your ticket isn’t just a pass to your vacation; it’s a contract with specific restrictions that often protect the cruise line. These include:

  • Venue Provisions: Specify where lawsuits can be filed.
  • Limitations: Potential barriers to filing a claim.

Our cruise ship accident lawyers carefully review your ticket to identify your rights and recommend legal action.

Rutter Mills - Cruise Ship Accident Attorneys

Challenges With Large Cruise Corporations

Cruise lines prioritize their bottom line and employ teams of attorneys to fight claims. At Rutter Mills, our attorneys are skilled negotiators who:

  • Understand the tactics cruise lines use to avoid liability.
  • Build strong cases to maximize compensation for our clients.

We meticulously collect and analyze evidence to build a compelling case. Maritime claims often have short filing timelines and our team works swiftly to meet these deadlines and protect your right to sue.

Types of Injuries and Accidents Cruise Ship Attorneys Can Advise On

According to the CDC, slips, trips, and falls account for up to 18% of cruise illnesses and injuries. Wet or slippery surfaces, high winds, and a lack of safety barriers all contribute to falls, which can cause painful sprains, strains, broken bones, and head injuries.

Nearly all large cruise ships have at least one swimming pool. Some also have hot tubs, water slides, wave pools, and even water parks. If these features are not properly maintained and supervised, guests can be injured in falls, diving accidents, and drownings.

Tender boats are smaller vessels that transport passengers from the ship to the shore. Accidents can happen when guests get on and off tenders or during the transfer process due to mechanical failures, unsafe operations, or operating in rough weather.

Off-ship adventures can be a lot of fun. Passengers may try everything from biking and hiking to snorkeling, horseback riding, and ziplining. Without proper safety measures, a day on the island may just land you in the emergency room.

Outbreaks of contagious illnesses are unfortunately all too common within the confines of cruise ships. Norovirus and other gastrointestinal illnesses, along with respiratory diseases like COVID-19, are among the most common medical complaints reported.

Cruise ships can experience all types of technical issues, putting passengers at risk. Engine failures, power outages, elevator and escalator malfunctions, sewage system problems, and fire hazards are just a few examples of what can go wrong on a 1,000-foot cruise ship.

Every year in the U.S., the FBI receives reports of physical violence, including sexual assault, on cruise ships. And according to authorities, allegations of these incidents are on the rise. And because over two in three sexual assaults go unreported, the actual number may be even higher.

In rare situations, passengers can fall overboard, possibly due to inadequate security measures and/or over-service of alcohol. If staff do not respond promptly, rescue chances decrease with each passing moment.

Rutter Mills Cruise Ship Accidents
Rutter Mills Injury Attorneys

Proving Liability After Your Cruise Ship Injury

How We Can Help

Cruise lines are legally obligated to take “reasonable care” to protect those on board from harm. That reasonable care includes training staff, maintaining and inspecting the ship, providing medical assistance, and practicing proper food safety. If they fail to meet these obligations, they can be held liable for injuries and illnesses that result from their negligence.

Cruise ship injury attorneys at Rutter Mills prove carelessness and negligence using evidence that may include:

  • Incident reports
  • Photos/videos
  • Medical records
  • Witness statements

If a cruise ship injury has impacted your ability to work, we also obtain documentation verifying your income loss. When in doubt, we tell clients to save any information related to the accident. Share it with us as soon as possible so we can determine if it’s relevant to your claim.

Possible Compensation for Cruise Accidents and Injuries

A civil claim starts with a consultation with a cruise ship injury lawyer at Rutter Mills. During this meeting, we discuss your accident and review the evidence. Once we understand the facts, we can work to obtain additional documentation from other sources.

Next, we estimate the value of your claim. This is a sum of money calculated to reflect your economic damages, such as medical bills and lost wages, and your noneconomic damages, such as pain, suffering, mental anguish, and the loss of the ability to perform daily tasks.

Keep in mind that cruise ship accidents can be settled out of court through negotiation with the defendant’s legal team. Settling can benefit both parties by saving time, stress, and money. However, if we cannot reach a full and fair settlement, our maritime lawyers are fully prepared to go to court.

Experienced Cruise Ship Lawyers

Were you injured at Norfolk Cruise Terminal or out at sea during what should have been a fun and relaxing vacation? Please know that you are not alone, and help is available. Contact the cruise ship accident attorneys at Rutter Mills to schedule a no-cost case consultation. We have offices in Norfolk, Newport, and Virginia Beach to assist clients across Virginia.

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Years Winning Maritime Cases

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Convenient Offices in Hampton Roads

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Team Members Ready to Help

At Rutter Mills,
every case is a serious case-because it's your case.

Rutter Mills Law Firm

Personal Injury

We are here for you in your time of need, providing compassionate guidance and aggressive advocacy in a wide range of personal injury matters. Our top-rated attorneys will fight the insurance companies and get you back on your feet.

Personal Injury Lawyers
Personal-Injury-Lawyers

Car Accidents

We’re here to listen. A member of our team will meet with you, focusing on not only what happened, but also what you are going through and how it’s impacted your life. Then we’ll tell you what options are available to you to get on the road to recovery.

Car Accident Lawyers
Car Accident Lawyers

Maritime/Jones Act Law

Personal injuries that happen when you’re working – or playing – on the water aren’t governed by “the law of the land.” They are subject to maritime laws under the Jones Act– also known as admiralty law.

Maritime Lawyers
Maritime Lawyers

Motorcycle Accidents

We’re here to listen. A member of our team will meet with you, focusing on listening to not only what happened, but also what you are going through and how it’s impacted your life.

Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Truck Accidents

Truck accidents are often serious. We are here to listen to your story so we can guide you to healing. Our team has represented some of the largest truck accident cases in Virginia. Call us and see how we can help you today.

Truck Accident Lawyers
Truck Accident Lawyers

Workers Compensation

If you’ve been injured on the job, workers’ compensation insurance may entitle you to critical assistance like medical treatment, lost wages, and more. But insurance companies will put up an aggressive fight to resist paying you the compensation you need and deserve. Rutter Mills can help get you the money you deserve.

Workers Compensation Lawyers
Workers Comp Lawyer
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Real People. True Stories.

TESTIMONIALS

I knew I needed Rutter Mills.

Fighting For What's Right

Getting Justice

On his way home from work at the shipyard, Dan was involved in an accident. He tried to file a claim on his own, but the insurance company wouldn’t give him the money he needed to put his life back on track. Dan knew he needed to call Rutter Mills.

We’re going to immediately call Rutter Mills. That’s the people I trust with my baby girl.

Who Do You Trust With Your Family?

After a car accident, Jamaree’s first call was to her mom. She was shaken up and scared. Mom told her “We’re calling Rutter Mills. Her next was to Rutter Mills. Her Rutter Mills car accident team helped her get compensation “above & beyond” what she was expecting.

They actually won my case 3 times!

Larena's Win

After her car accident, Larena asked her father, a local stevedore, for his advice on who to call. He recommended Rutter Mills. Her team of car accident experts at Rutter Mills fought back when the insurance companies tried to deny her the money she needed to recuperate from her injuries. We took her case to trial – and won. When the insurance company filed their appeals, we beat them again – two more times! Larena got the money she needed and the justice she deserved.

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Watch Jamaree's 30 second video
Watch Larena's 30 second story
TESTIMONIALS How We Helped

GOOGLE REVIEW

Don’t just take our word for it, see what our clients are saying about Rutter Mills.

Daniel M

Adam Lotkin, Max Baker, and the team behind them are amazing people. They did a great job with communicating and explaining each step of the process and they do the absolute best in ensuring their clients are taken care of. For my case in specific, we expected to wait 2 year to settle l, but through the team’s hard work and a little luck, it was settled in less than a year. I would not hesitate to come back to them if I ever needed to.

Chris I.

I can't praise Rutter Mills law firm enough Catherine Foster is not only a great paralegal handling my lawsuit with my lawyer Dan Dallia I truly consider her like family.So many times I was depressed and in pain and she would talk me through it encouraging me to be strong.She is also going through a lot like myself and completely understands and is able to show compassion a fully healthy healthy person couldn't.The discovery she provided me amazed me,and was so thorough very professional.I consider her my friend for life!

Christin B.

I wish I had called Rutter Mills from the beginning. I tried to deal with the insurance company myself, big mistake. Adam Lotkin and his paralegal Ruth Simmons were amazing. They walked me through the process and got me a settlement almost ten times the offer from the insurance company. Trust Rutter Mills, you won't be disappointed!

Anna R

Thank you to my Attorney - Eric Porcaro and paralegal Kamilah White for doing such a stellar job on my case! It was a real pleasure working with this team!

Sergio C

Adam Lotkin, my attorney, was straight forward and solid. He did what he said he would do. He kept reassuring me I was in good hands, and in the end, he proved, I was. When my case was finished, they treated me fairly and worked quickly to pay out my settlement. When going up against large insurance companies, Rutter Mills proved, your law firm does matter. Thank you all again, for taking a difficult time in my life and making it bearable.

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