Injured in a Cruise Ship Slip & Fall Accident?
Passengers who are injured in a cruise ship slip and fall accident often want to know if the cruise line could be held responsible. Cruise operators owe all passengers and guests aboard their ships the legal duty to exercise reasonable care under the circumstances. In other words, the cruise companies have the duty to act in such a way as to avoid causing personal injury.
This duty includes warning passengers of dangerous conditions that are not openly apparent and obvious such as clear liquid or suntan oil that may have been spilled on the deck.
In situations where the cruise lines do not have a hand in creating the dangerous condition, such as instances involving other passengers dropping a glass of water, an injured plaintiff must prove that the cruise operator had actual or constructive notice of the dangerous condition and had the opportunity to warn.
Independent of the duty to warn, cruise lines also owe their passengers and guests the legal duty of outfitting their ships with walking surfaces that possess adequate anti-skid properties with an appropriate slip resistance in both wet and dry conditions. The duty to provide flooring with adequate slip resistance carries throughout the entire cruise ship to any area where passengers and guests are invited and expected to traverse. Such areas include interior and exterior decks, atriums, elevators, restaurants, spa areas, gift shops, theaters and gangways.
