Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer and Cruise Injury Attorneys in Miami

A cruise ship accident lawyer can help passengers who were hurt on a cruise, and families who lost a loved one, pursue a claim against the cruise line for injuries caused by negligence, such as slip and falls, assaults, or poor medical care. Strict ticket deadlines apply, so call 800-337-7755 for a free consultation.

If you were hurt on a cruise, a cruise ship accident lawyer can help you understand your rights before strict ticket deadlines run out. A serious injury or the loss of a loved one aboard a cruise ship can turn a dream vacation into a nightmare. Because cruise ships operate under federal maritime law, a claim against a cruise line works very differently from a standard land-based personal injury claim, and the rules are often much stricter.

If you were injured on a cruise ship, you are likely up against rigid deadlines hidden in the fine print of your ticket contract. The cruise ship injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Jason Turchin have represented hundreds of clients in passenger injury claims against major cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Celebrity. Call 800-337-7755 for a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney fee up front.

What Should You Do After a Cruise Ship Accident?

The steps you take on board can affect your claim later. If you are able, try to do the following:

1. Report the accident to the ship’s guest services or security before you leave the ship, and ask for a copy of the incident report.
2. Get medical care in the ship’s medical center, and ask for copies of your medical records and any bills.
3. Take photos and video of the area where you were hurt, including wet floors, missing warning signs, broken equipment, or poor lighting.
4. Write down the names, cabin numbers, and phone numbers of anyone who saw what happened.
5. Keep your ticket contract, boarding pass, receipts, and any emails from the cruise line.
6. Be careful about what you sign or post on social media, and talk to a cruise ship injury lawyer before you give a recorded statement.

Cruise lines control the ship, the crew, and the security cameras, so evidence can be hard to get once you are home. Contacting a lawyer early can help preserve it.

How Long Do I Have to Sue a Cruise Line for an Injury?

Unlike a standard Florida car accident claim, which generally has a two year deadline, federal maritime law allows cruise lines to shorten the time you have to bring a claim through the Passenger Ticket Contract. For almost all major cruise lines, you face two strict deadlines:

• The 6-Month Notice of Claim: You generally must provide the cruise line with formal, written notice of your injury claim within 180 to 185 days (approximately 6 months) of the incident.
• The 1-Year Lawsuit Deadline: You generally must file your lawsuit in the court named in the ticket contract within one year from the date of the injury. Your specific ticket controls, so the exact wording matters.

Failing to meet these deadlines will likely result in your case being permanently dismissed, which is why speaking with a cruise ship injury attorney quickly is often critical. Learn more about the 1-year deadline to file a cruise injury lawsuit in Miami.

Where Do I File a Lawsuit Against Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or Norwegian?

You generally cannot simply sue a cruise line in your hometown. Most major cruise tickets contain a strict Forum Selection Clause. This legal provision requires that, regardless of where you live or where the ship was sailing when you were hurt, you file your lawsuit in a specific jurisdiction.

Because Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian (NCL), and Celebrity Cruises are headquartered in Florida, their contracts often require that all passenger injury and wrongful death lawsuits be filed exclusively in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, located in Miami. That is why many injured passengers look for a Miami cruise ship injury attorney, even when they live far from Florida.

How a Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Can Help

Cruise lines have legal teams that defend passenger claims every day. A cruise ship accident lawyer can help level the field by:

1. Reviewing your ticket contract to find the notice and lawsuit deadlines that apply to you.
2. Sending a written notice of claim to the cruise line on time.
3. Requesting that the cruise line preserve video footage, maintenance logs, and incident reports.
4. Gathering medical records from the ship and from your doctors at home.
5. Filing your lawsuit in the correct court, which is often the federal court in Miami.
6. Negotiating with the cruise line and taking the case to court if it does not resolve.

What Compensation Can Injured Cruise Passengers Seek?

Depending on the facts, an injured passenger may be able to seek money for medical bills, future medical care, lost income, pain and suffering, and out of pocket costs such as travel home after the injury. Families who lost a loved one may have a wrongful death claim. Federal maritime law, including the Death on the High Seas Act in some cases, can limit what families may recover, so it is important to get advice about your specific situation.

Why Do New York Cruise Passengers Need a Miami Lawyer?

Many cruise lines bury their Forum Selection Clause in the fine print of the Cruise Ticket Contract. Even if your cruise left from New York, the ticket contract may require the lawsuit to be filed in Miami. That means you may need a lawyer who can file and handle your case in the federal court in Miami. Read more on our New York cruise injury lawyer page.

Carnival Cruise Passenger Forum Selection Clause

Carnival Cruise Line’s passenger contract generally contains a Forum Selection Clause. Here is a sample:

“It is agreed by and between the Guest and Carnival that all disputes and matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this Contract or the Guest’s cruise, including travel to and from the Vessel, shall be litigated, if at all, before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami, or as to those lawsuits to which the Federal Courts of the United States lack subject matter jurisdiction, before a court located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, U.S.A. to the exclusion of the Courts of any other county, state or country. Guest hereby consents to such exclusive jurisdiction and waives any jurisdictional, venue or other objection that may be available.”

As you can see, the provision can be very specific and have requirements which, if not met, could void your entire claim. This is one reason why it can be extremely important to hire a Miami cruise injury lawyer to help if you were hurt on a cruise. Read more about cruise passenger injury claims against Carnival. If your cruise left from Port Canaveral, see our page on a Carnival cruise ship injury at Port Canaveral.

What Are the Most Common Cruise Ship Accidents and Injuries?

Cruise lines owe their passengers a legal duty of “reasonable care under the circumstances.” When they fail to maintain a safe environment, preventable accidents can occur. Our cruise ship accident attorneys can handle a wide variety of maritime negligence claims, including:

• Slip and Falls: Injuries caused by chronically wet Lido decks, spilled food at buffets, or slippery substances left on stairs without warning signs.
• Trip and Falls: Accidents resulting from inadequately marked raised thresholds (coamings) in cabin doorways or loose carpeting.
• Elevator and Sliding Glass Doors: We’ve handled many claims involving passengers getting crushed by the sliding glass door or from an elevator door because of faulty sensors or negligent maintenance.
• Gangway and Tender Boat Accidents: Injuries occurring while embarking or disembarking the ship, or while being transported to shore on small tender vessels.
• Negligent Security: Claims involving physical assaults or passengers who are sexually assaulted by crew members or other guests.
• Shore Excursion Injuries: Accidents during cruise-sponsored zip-lining, snorkeling, or bus tours.

Learn more about the top causes of injuries on a cruise ship. If you were hurt on a specific ship, you can also read about legal help for passengers hurt on the Norwegian Viva and the Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas.

Can You Sue a Cruise Line for Poor Medical Care on the Ship?

If you were hurt or became ill and the ship’s medical staff failed to treat you properly, you may have a claim. For many years, cruise lines argued they were not responsible for the mistakes of shipboard doctors. A federal appeals court decision, Franza v. Royal Caribbean Cruises, changed that in some cases. Talk with a cruise injury attorney about whether a medical care claim applies to you.

Examples of Cruise Ship Injury Cases We Have Handled

Our cruise ship injury attorneys have handled hundreds of cruise passenger injury claims and lawsuits. Below are some types of cases we have handled. Every case is different, and past cases do not guarantee a similar outcome.

• Glass in food or drinks: We have represented passengers who were injured after swallowing glass that was blended into their frozen drinks. This type of negligence is preventable. It often occurs when a careless bartender uses a glass to scoop ice. If that glass breaks in the ice bucket, it can look like regular ice. When that glass gets blended into a drink, injuries can be significant.
• Slip and fall: Our cruise lawyers have handled many claims on behalf of passengers injured when they slipped and fell on liquid in and around the pool area and restaurants. Many cruise lines use a manufactured deck which is supposed to offer better traction at sea. However, passengers often walk around dripping water combined with sunblock, which can create a slick layer over the deck. If the deck is not adequately or frequently cleaned, it can create a slippery environment where passengers can get hurt.
• Sliding glass door injuries: Passengers often encounter sliding glass doors on cruise ships. If the door sensors do not work properly, they can fail to detect a passenger walking through. When a sliding glass door slams on a passenger, the impact could cause a fractured hip or broken arm, or even cause the passenger to fall.

Do You Accept Cruise Injury Case Referrals From Other Attorneys?

Yes. Because the vast majority of cruise lawsuits must be filed in Miami federal court, out-of-state attorneys frequently cannot litigate these claims without local counsel. We regularly enter into co-counsel arrangements with law firms nationwide to take over the handling of cruise passenger injury claims in the Southern District of Florida, and we proudly pay co-counsel participation fees in accordance with Florida Bar rules.

How Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc. v. Shute Changed the Forum Selection Clause

In 1991, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc. v. Shute, 499 U.S. 585 (1991). The Supreme Court held: (1) Carnival Cruise Lines’ forum selection clause in the cruise line’s passage contract ticket, requiring litigation of all disputes in Florida, was reasonable and enforceable, and (2) the forum selection clause did not violate any statute which prohibits a vessel owner from inserting in any contract a provision depriving a claimant of trial by a court of competent jurisdiction for loss of life or personal injury resulting from negligence.

In practice, this means a cruise line can generally require you to file your lawsuit in Florida, even if you live in another state. Whether your case can be heard by a jury depends on how and where it is filed, which is one more reason to speak with a cruise ship accident attorney early.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cruise Ship Accident Claims

How much does a cruise ship accident lawyer cost?

We handle cruise injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fee up front. Our fee is a percentage of any recovery, and the terms are explained in writing before you hire us. Fees and costs are waived if there is no recovery. The first consultation is free.

Can I sue a cruise line if I live outside Florida?

Yes, in many cases. Most major cruise lines require passengers to file in the federal court in Miami no matter where they live or where the cruise sailed. You may need a lawyer who can handle your case in that court.

Can I sue the cruise line if I was hurt on a shore excursion?

It depends on the facts and your ticket contract. Many excursions are run by outside companies, but if the excursion was sold or promoted by the cruise line, the cruise line may still share responsibility in some situations. A lawyer can review how the excursion was booked and who ran it.

What if my cruise ship accident happened in international waters?

Claims by cruise passengers are generally governed by federal maritime law, even when the ship was at sea or in a foreign port. Your ticket contract usually still controls the deadlines and where you must file.

Do I need to report my injury before leaving the ship?

It is strongly recommended. Reporting the accident to guest services or security creates a record, and the ship’s medical center can document your injuries. Ask for copies of both the incident report and your medical records.

Client Reviews

“Mr. Turchin and his firm were always professional and responded to my questions and concerns immediately, and seemed genuine with my concerns.” Lewis H.

“Wonderful people – Wonderful representation. Always warm, understanding and friendly.” D. C.

“Francine was so helpful and a pleasure to work with. I don’t know where I would be regarding all of this if it wasn’t for her!” J.E.

Why Choose the Law Offices of Jason Turchin for Your Cruise Injury Claim

When you are up against a cruise line, the lawyer you choose matters. Attorney Jason Turchin is the founder and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Jason Turchin, a personal injury firm based in Weston, Florida. Our firm has represented hundreds of injured cruise passengers and works with attorneys across the country on cruise claims filed in the federal court in Miami. We handle personal injury cases in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., and throughout the U.S. with a network of co-counsels and local counsels, which can help passengers who sailed from ports far from home.

Our recognition includes:

• Avvo 10.0 Superb Rating
• AV Preeminent Peer Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence by Martindale-Hubbell in 2026
• Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Platinum Award in 2026
• A+ BBB rating annually from 2014 through 2026
• Super Lawyers list from 2020 through 2026

We offer free consultations and handle cruise injury cases on a contingency fee basis, with fees and costs waived if there is no recovery.

Talk to a Cruise Ship Accident Attorney Today

The deadlines in your cruise ticket contract can be much shorter than you expect, so it may help to act quickly. Whether you were hurt on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, or another cruise line, our cruise ship injury lawyers can review your ticket, explain your options, and help you take the next step.

• Free consultation: Learn about your rights at no cost.
• Available 24/7: Reach us any time, day or night.
• Serving multiple states: We serve Florida, NJ, NY, and Washington, DC.

Fill out the contact form or call us at 800-337-7755 to schedule your free consultation with a cruise ship accident lawyer.