Did You Suffer Damages Why You Were on a Gangway on a Cruise?
A gateway is an area that manages passengers in getting on and off the cruise ship. Thus, because this is an area where many passengers can be boarding and getting off at the same time, the cruise ship must ensure that is kept regularly inspected and safe as it complies with the regulations and rules of port regulations, international law, and maritime laws. If gangways are not regularly maintained as they should be, an innocent passenger and even employee of the cruise line can fall a victim of an accident.
A gangway is meant for the safe passage of individuals on and off the aquatic vessel. As much as it is used, it can also become a great safety hazard when for those who use it. There are various factors that can influence a gangway at the moment of use such as the weather conditions, the number of people on the gangway, the inclination, the supervision present, or whether the gangway is even or not.
Regardless of why the accident takes place, Miami cruise ship accident lawyers at Percy Martinez Law Firm will hold the cruise line responsible for their negligent actions or their lack of action that caused your injuries.
Gangway accidents can be catastrophic, and can even cause the death of a passenger by falling into the water and drowning. Because every aspect of a cruise ship is important, the cruise line needs to make sure that the one area that is often overcrowded maintains safe and properly maintained.
Problems That May Come with Gangway Accidents
These claims can be hard. Most insurance companies that represent cruise line companies use the tactics of making it seem like it was your own fault that you got injured. That you were one the who was neglectful. They try to put you as the one who could have avoided your injury if you paid more attention to what you were doing. They do not want the cruise line companies to take any fault in the matter, although, most of the time it is the cruise lines negligence that caused the injuries.
Another defense they use is stating how they could have not known about the cause of the injury. An example would be someone who was hurt from slipping on the gateway due to a spill of any kind. These insurance companies will say that it would have been impossible for anyone of their crew to have seen the spill because it was something that just took place. That if they would have known there was a spill, they would have immediately cleaned it up.
Insurance companies are very sneaky, and will never want to let you win. This is why you require a personal injury attorney that is skilled with maritime laws in Miami with a great comprehension of the operation of ships, negligence and recklessness, and insurance company tactics. Taking chances may be devastating to your case. You need to contact one of our personnel today. We know how to proceed with gangway claims.
Main Causes for Gangway Accidents
An accident on the gangway of a cruise ship can occur for various reasons. Here are some of the main causes for gangway accidents:
- The angle of the gangway being too inclined or declined
- Adequate tread not being present
- Lack of anti-slip resistant mats
- Surfaces that are dangerous
- Presence of slippery surfaces
- Lack of supervision or supervision that is negligent
- Too many people boarding and disembarking at the same time
- Hazards in the way
- Lack of assistance for patients to board and disembark
A cruise line needs to regularly inspect their gangways and ensure that those in charge of maintaining it, are doing their jobs. An accident on a gangway can be fatal, and when an accident is derived because of the cruise line’s negligence, the injured party can seek legal counsel to file a lawsuit against the cruise line company.
Real Life Cases Involving a Gateway Accident
A crew member was caught between the gangway and rail while trying to assist in lifting the gangway in a small cargo vessel. The cargo had experienced bad weather that led to damages to the gangway. After the weather cleared, they decided to bring the gateway on board to inspect it. This crew members upper body was crushed and he was immediately taken to the hospital. This led to an investigation. Some things to learn from this case:
- The crewman put himself in a menacing situation
- The risks involved for performing this type of work was not fully analyzed
- More than likely, the gangway was not properly secured
- The cargo ship lacked adequate steps in handling the situation
A 53-year old ship master died after falling from a gangway that was tipped on its side. He drowned despite trying to be saved. He lost his balance on the gangway; he had a .291% alcohol blood level because he had just gotten back from a going away party. Many safety concerns arose from this event. Some things to learn from this case:
- The ship master should have been more careful with consuming so much alcohol
- The ropes were too slack, which caused the ship masters weight to make the gangway tip over
- The hand ropes were not regularly maintained
These are just some stories that led to severe injuries and death involving a gangway. Crew members and passengers need to be aware of what can happen to them. Crew members need to have the sufficient training in recognizing any problems that can happen on a gangway.
Gangways Need to Be Secure For all Passengers
Cruise lines have a duty towards their employees and passengers, and the main one is keeping them safe. When the actions or inactions of a cruise line cause an accident which results in an injury of a passenger, the cruise line will more than likely be liable for the resulting damages. The expert lawyers for cruise ship accidents in Miami from Percy Martinez Law Firm will provide their professional advice and years of experience in every one of their cases. They never stop until they have sought justice for their clients, that includes you.