Cruise Ship Sexual Assault Attorneys in Miami
We Also Represent Clients Who Have Been Physically Assaulted on a Miami Cruise Ship
The last thing you might anticipate as a cruise ship passenger is to become a victim of a sexual or physical assault. Negligent security, lack of cruise ship employee background checks, and unsafe premises, however, can culminate in just this type of criminal activity onboard the ship. If a fellow cruise ship passenger or cruise line employee recently assaulted you while on a cruise, contact the Flanagan & Bodenheimer Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Law Firm, We can help you take the necessary steps toward financial compensation for your damages.
Schedule your initial consultation by calling (305) 638-4143 or completing our online form.
If you’re searching for a law firm with focused, intimate knowledge of maritime and cruise ship law, look no further. Our lawyers have won many settlements and verdicts for clients involved in cruise ship accidents and injuries of all kinds. You need strong, aggressive legal representation during a sexual/physical assault claim in Florida. Winning is the best way to stand up for your rights and achieve justice. Our lawyers can provide the exceptional representation you need in Miami.
Statistics of Sexual & Physical Assaults on Cruise Ships
Cruise ships are all-inclusive – they provide everything passengers need right on the ship. This enclosed environment, however, also comes with a serious risk of criminal activity. Since victims have limited opportunities to escape, criminals may take advantage of negligent security and seize the opportunity to commit an assault crime. Sadly, sexual and physical assaults onboard cruise ships are relatively common.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) receives about 50 criminal cases regarding sea vessels per year. About 71% of these cases involved cruise ships. Recently, however, more victims have come forward regarding sexual assault on cruise ships. Last year, the FBI received 76 sexual assault reports from commercial cruise lines – a 23% increase from the annual average. If you suffered an assault on your recent cruise vacation, you aren’t alone. Explore your survivor rights with our attorneys.
Who Is Liable?
The most common liable parties for a cruise ship sexual or physical assault case are the assailant and the cruise line. The assailant can face criminal and civil charges for assaulting the victim. It is the government’s job to file criminal charges, but your job as a victim to file a civil claim. You may not only have one possible defendant for your case, however; the cruise line can share liability if it negligently failed to prevent the incident.
A cruise line should reasonably be able to prevent sexual and physical assault onboard its vessels. It can do so through conducting employee background checks, properly training employees, providing adequate on-ship security measures, prohibiting employees from entering occupied passenger quarters, and other such measures. When an assault happens during a cruise, the cruise line may be directly or vicariously liable. A case review with a Miami attorney can help identify the liable parties in your assault claim.
Why Do You Need a Lawyer?
It’s important to hire a lawyer for a case as complex as a cruise ship assault. Injury claims involving cruise ships deal with maritime laws, which are entirely different from the laws that govern accidents on land. An experienced lawyer can elevate your chances of a successful claim, helping you identify the at-fault party and pursue full compensation. Our Miami attorneys will fight for you every step of the way, taking on major insurance companies during settlement negotiations or going to trial if necessary. We believe in protecting the rights of sexual and physical assault victims, no matter what it takes.
We can help you file your claim within the state’s statute of limitations. Learn more about your rights and legal options. Call (305) 638-4143 today.