Miami Lawyer for Injured Disney Cruise Ship Worker

The laws and rules around crew member injuries can be complex. When you are badly hurt while working aboard a Disney cruise ship, you should speak with a Miami crew member injury attorney as soon as possible. Contact Wolfson & Leon today at 305-285-1115 for a free and confidential review of your case.

Working on a Disney cruise draws people interested in a family-friendly workplace where you can meet new people and see places. Disney cruises visit exciting destinations in the Mediterranean, Mexican Riveria, Northern Europe, and the Caribbean. While crew members enjoy such benefits as free food and lodging, working on a cruise ship is not without its hazards. The constant need to serve guests and keep the ship running requires crew members to work long hours with minimal time off. Mechanical failures, heavy luggage and equipment, and slick walking surfaces can result in cruise ship worker injuries.

Disney Cruise Lines require workers to sign an employment contract. Most crew members work between four and six months aboard the ship. Cruise ship workers eat in a separate dining room for staff. While lodging is free, the quarters are smaller than a guest room. Crew members stay with one or more roommates.

Cruise ship workers may be injured as they go about their day. They may hurt their back while moving luggage or slip on an outside deck. Their injuries may often be nothing more than a scrape or a bruise.

However, the conditions on board could lead to more severe injuries. A crew member could be severely burned or electrocuted if working on faulty or malfunctioning equipment. Heavy doors that close unexpectedly could break bones or cause severe internal damage. A fall from a deck or down a flight of stairs may result in severe head injuries. Restaurant staff could slip on a wet kitchen floor or be burned while cooking.

Crew members who are hurt while working aboard a Disney cruise ship should seek medical care immediately, especially if their injuries are serious. Cruise ship workers should also:

• Report the accident to their supervisor
• Get the name and numbers of any passengers or other workers who witnessed the accident
• Write down any relevant information you can remember, such as what you were, where you were going, and what caused the accident.
• Take pictures and videos of the accident spot, anything that may have caused or contributed to the accident, and your injuries.
• Avoid returning to work before you have fully recovered.
• Get copies of any reports or charts completed documenting your accident, injuries, or treatment.

To be hired, cruise ship workers sign an employment contract. The terms of their agreement may include steps they must take to report accidents and injuries and seek medical help. You must follow these steps closely. Make sure you follow all instructions the doctor and medical staff give.

Unlike workplace accidents on land, crew members cannot file a worker's compensation claim when hurt on the job. Instead, cruise ship workers can find financial relief under maritime law.

Under the Jones Act, cruise ship workers may be eligible to recover damages to pay for their medical care and lost income. Under the Act, a crew member must

• Meet the definition of a “seaman,”
• Demonstrate that their employer was negligent
• Show that negligence caused the injury

In addition to economic losses, an injured crew member may be awarded non-economic costs, such as mental anguish, loss of companionship, and pain and suffering.

An injured crew member may also be eligible for damages under the Doctrine of Unseaworthiness. If the ship’s owner operates their vessel in a way that could cause injury, the ship may be found to be unseaworthy.

Seaworthiness is relative to what a crew member does. An understaffed ship may be considered unseaworthy if a worker is forced to move heavy equipment without help.

Unlike the Jones Act, an injured cruise ship worker does not have to prove employer negligence under this doctrine.

When your family life is affected by a severe crew member injury aboard a Disney cruise ship, you should speak with a lawyer focused on maritime law and cruise ship injuries. Navigating through the complexities of maritime law and employment contracts requires legal help to ensure that your family recovers the damages they are entitled to.

Wolfson & Leon has defended the rights of people severely injured in cruise ship and other accidents for nearly 60 years. We will review the legal merits of your case at no cost and let you know what legal remedies may be possible for your family. You can find out more when you speak with a Miami cruise ship accident attorney at Wolfson & Leon by calling 305-285-1115.