Florida Cruise Ship Wrongful Death Lawyer

Did your loved one die due to negligence while on a cruise? If so, a Florida cruise ship wrongful death lawyer from Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers can help you build a case against the cruise line. Our team regularly manages cruise ship injury cases and understands the applicable laws.

Our Florida cruise ship accident lawyer knows how to manage these complex cases and secure fair compensation for our clients. Our attorneys have helped injured Floridians since 1995. Contact us today for a free consultation with our team. 

What Damages Are Recoverable in a Florida Cruise Ship Wrongful Death Case?

The types of damages recoverable in a cruise ship fatal injury case could depend on the applicable laws. Often, the small print on a cruise ticket determines the forum for the case because federal maritime laws might apply instead of Florida’s.

Some of the possible recoverable damages in these cases include: 

• Current and future lost income provided by the deceased
• Loss of services performed by the deceased
• Loss of support, companionship, guidance, and other intangible benefits
• Medical and funeral expenses
• Loss of benefits and inheritance

How Our Attorneys Approach FL Cruise Ship Accident Cases

At Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers, we focus on families. We view every case we handle as our family fighting for your family. Our founding partners, husband and wife Jason and Debi Chalik, take a hands-on approach and manage every case we represent.

We will come to your family to discuss your options and explain how we will pursue justice based on your loved one’s death.

When choosing our team, you can expect personal attention and regular, honest communication with your lawyer. Our Florida personal injury lawyers pride themselves on accessibility and believe it is critical in developing strong attorney-client relationships and robust cases.

Our Winning Strategies Show in Proven Results

Since founding the firm in 2003, our team has secured several seven-figure payouts for clients. You can learn more by viewing our recent case results, including the following wrongful death payouts:

• $1 million for a traffic accident fatality
• $500,000 for a fatal recreational accident

We also recently recovered $100,000 for a client who suffered slip and fall injuries on a cruise ship. 

When you work with a personal injury lawyer from our team, we will not ask you to pay anything upfront. We work based on a contingency fee. We only get paid if we recover money for our clients. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more.

How Do Florida Cruise Ship Wrongful Death Accident Cases Work?

When you ask our Florida cruise ship wrongful death attorney to manage your case, we must determine what happened to your loved one, who was responsible, and how much their death affected your family.

A successful claim requires knowing how to navigate the applicable laws, having the resources to investigate the accident, and building a compelling case for fair compensation. 

Some ways passengers can suffer fatal injuries on a cruise ship include: 

• Drowning in pools or the ocean during a beach excursion
• Falling overboard
• Violent crimes
• Slip and fall accidents
• Fires 
• Mechanical failures
• Negligent security or inadequate staff supervision
• Defective equipment or safety gear
• Poor medical advice or care

You may be able to sue the cruise line for your loved one’s wrongful death. Still, you will need compelling evidence to show it acted negligently, such as by failing to maintain safe premises, improperly training staff, or not taking steps to thwart a preventable incident onboard.

For example, a Florida slip and fall accident lawyer could show that cruise staff failed to clean up a spill that led to a fatal fall. 

Beyond the laws that apply in a typical wrongful death case, there might be additional concerns when a fatal accident or incident occurs at sea. Your attorney will know how to deal with these complexities and handle the case. 

Maritime Law Often Applies in Cruise Ship Accident Cases

Cruise ship cases generally fall under maritime law, which has rules and deadlines different from those of typical wrongful death claims. However, the fine print on your cruise ticket often includes clauses about where you can file a lawsuit and when.

The rules outlined here could supersede U.S. maritime or Florida wrongful death laws. This can get even more complicated if the cruise line registers the ship in another country. 

How Quickly Do I Need to Talk to a Florida Cruise Ship Wrongful Death Attorney?

Generally, Florida Statutes § 95.11 sets the deadline for a wrongful death case in Florida. However, this deadline might not apply to cruise ship accidents. Instead, the statute of limitations for filing a claim could be outlined in the details on the back of your ticket.

That fine print could include key items of note for your case, including where you can file suit and any choice-of-law provisions determining which laws apply in your case.

It also usually includes a brief period to file a notice of claim—sometimes as little as six months from the accident date, so you should act quickly.

We often work with the personal representative of the estate to build a claim and file a lawsuit on behalf of the surviving family members. Thus, contact us as soon as possible after your loved one’s death to ensure you retain the right to sue the cruise line if necessary. 

Talk to Our Cruise Ship Accident Team About Your Loved One’s Death

At Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers, we will assess your case for free during a consultation with our team. We are here to help you get justice.

You can learn how a Florida cruise ship wrongful death lawyer from our team will pursue compensation and accountability for your family. Contact us today to get started.