Cruises are popular travel destinations for Georgia residents, particularly during the summer. Cruises are uneventful and full of enjoyment most of the time, but sometimes the unexpected happens and someone is injured or becomes ill on the ship. Do you have the right to bring a lawsuit against a cruise line for injuries you or someone you love suffer on a cruise? Here’s what you need to know and how a Georgia personal injury attorney can help you.

Common Cruise Injuries

Cruise ships are unfortunately rife with ways to get hurt, especially when cruise ships run skeleton crews or fail to adequately train ship staff on safety and response measures. Injuries on cruises are generally pretty unpredictable, but there are some common incidents that tend to occur more often than others, such as:

• Death or brain injury from drowning, either in a pool on the ship or in natural waters
• Physical injuries due to malfunctioning equipment or dangerous structures without proper warning signage
• Foodborne illnesses like norovirus and hepatitis A caused by contaminated or undercooked food
• Head injuries and broken bones caused by slip and fall accidents
• Physical assault or sexual battery committed by another passenger
• Ship collisions or damage to the ship that causes sinking

Steps to Take After a Cruise Line Accident

If you were hurt in a cruise accident, it may be difficult to know what to do first. The most important thing to do is to obtain emergency medical care on the ship and to contact authorities to report the incident. Most cruise ships have physicians and nursing staff on board in the medical bay and can provide limited care in emergency situations.

Obtain copies of any medical records generated on the ship before you disembark if possible, because these can be extremely valuable to your case later on and they may be harder to get once you get off the ship.

When to Contact a Georgia Boating Accident Lawyer

What you do immediately after the accident and in the weeks and months beyond that can make a significant impact on the overall outcome in your case. You are more likely to receive a favorable verdict if you take action right away. It’s important that take steps to protect your rights and best interests by contacting a veteran Georgia boating accident lawyer. Call Appalachian Injury Law at (706) 515-1995 for a one-on-one consultation to discuss your case.