Is There A Benefit To Using A Miami Law Firm For A Maritime Lawsuit?


If you have suffered an injury or some type of abuse when traveling on a cruise ship, you are probably considering a lawsuit. It may be your first inclination to look for a lawyer near home. However, you may want to consider hiring an attorney in South Florida.

The vast majority of cruise ships in the world register themselves under the Bahaman flag they have their headquarters in the United States. Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line all have their headquarters in the Sunshine State.

Whenever you sue a corporation, it helps to have an attorney in the state where the company is headquartered. If you hire a lawyer in your own state, you may have problems suing the company. A maritime lawyer in Florida will be able to serve the cruise line with a summons easily. A Miami maritime attorney is likely to have dealt with that particular cruise line before and may even be acquainted with decision-makers in the company.

What is maritime law?

Maritime or admiralty law applies to private businesses that operate on the sea. In some cases, it follows a code that is different from national laws. Maritime laws can also be applied to insurance claims. It establishes laws for business deals done on the high seas and for criminal activities like piracy.

In 1948 the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization was founded. Its job is to keep maritime conventions current. There are quite a few maritime conventions. These conventions are often enforced by local governments.

Maritime laws are quite complex. If you are thinking of filing a suit, it is important to hire a Miami Law Firm that specializes in cruise ship cases It will have attorneys who are well-versed in IMCO rules and the conventions that apply to each case.

Common Maritime Lawsuits

Seamen who are injured on the job will generally file a maritime lawsuit if they spent over 30% of their time working on a ship. The ship can be docked, but it does have to have the capability to travel on ocean water.

Injuries to passengers are actually fairly common on cruise ships. As with any personal injury lawsuit you can be compensated for hospital bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

There have been a number of lawsuits levied against cruise ship lines due to the Coronavirus. Hundreds of people who were on a cruise to Australia have joined a class-action suit against Princess charging that the company did not do enough to protect them from infected passengers.

What to Look for in a Lawyer

Not only should your attorney specialize in maritime law, but they should also have a sufficient amount of time to work on your case and they should have an excellent reputation with the public and with professional legal societies.

People take cruise ship adventures to escape reality for a few days or weeks. If you returned from your cruise with more problems than you left with, a lawsuit may be the only way to recover.

Authoritative Sources:
https://pixabay.com/photos/sea-beach-coast-travel-sky-summer-3339751/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/maritime-law.asp

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Posted - 01/25/2021