Injuries to Children On Cruise Ships Are Often Caused By Inadequate Equipment

Children aren’t as cautious or aware of their environment as adults; so they’re much more likely to become injured during the journey on a cruise ship. The cruise ship company needs to provide a safe environment for the children to play safely. At Charlip Law Group, LC we have found that many cases of injury to children’s on cruises are caused by lack of proper equipment, unsafe equipment, and/ or poor supervision by the staff.

Increased risk to children

The new cruise ships are all part floating amusement parks and part hotels. The increased size of ships and increased activities are all major attractions to families traveling with children. However, with the increase in activities and the unmaintained area has come a corresponding and significant increase in risk to passengers. A family cruise is no longer about just exploring the seas as the large ships have rock climbing walls, swimming pools, water slides, amusement rides, and other interactive activities. These forms of entertainment can be quite risky, especially for children who don’t know how to be careful. This can be compounded by the fact that cruise lines don’t always ensure all of these installations and entertainment platforms can always be safe when variable conditions are always a factor. Weather and sea conditions, a child’s skill, fear, recklessness and attention to staff are all variables that can lead to injuries.

How do children get injured?

Children can get injured in a number of ways on a cruise ship. In some cases, these incidences are unavoidable but in others, the cruise ship company can be held liable. Here are some common causes:

•   Injuries due to poorly maintained facilities – Injuries sustained due to poorly maintained facilities like swimming pools, structurally-weak slides, and other such installations are quite common. The fault lies in cost-cutting during the installation process and lack of proper maintenance. If children sustain injuries in these circumstances, the cruise ship management can be held responsible.
  • March 2013 incident when a 4-year-old nearly drowned in a pool aboard the Disney Fantasy and suffered a brain injury, resulting in a multimillion-dollar settlement and lifeguards on all Disney ships. – Chicago Tribune

•   Injuries during cruise ship organized activities – Cruise ship management often organizes activities and games to keep children engaged and happy. These activities should be well-organized and well-supervised. If the children are injured during the activity, the cruise ship company can be held liable for any distress caused. By organizing children’s activity, they assure parents that the activity is safe for children so injuries are their fault.

Comparative Negligence is Often a Factors in Children’s Injuries on A Cruise Ship

Most parents would not send their children alone unsupervised into an amusement park, however, those same parents willingly allow their children to roam freely on a cruise ship without supervision. For that reason, cruise ship injuries to children often invoice significant comparative negligence on the part of the parents. Nevertheless, injuries and even fatalities can happen to a child right in a parent’s presence in the blink of an eye.

On Oct. 14, 2017, Zion Smith, 8 years old, fell to her death from a second story interior deck, moments before disembarking the Carnival Glory. – Chicago Tribune

An experienced cruise ship injury lawyer will examine your potential case carefully and determine who has liability.  They collect evidence and then prepare their argument based on facts and available evidence. Our lawyers will always offer objective and honest advise on your case.

If you want to know more or need some advice on children’s injuries on cruise ships, don’t hesitate to contact us at Charlip Law Group, LC at 888-815-1418 or use this contact us form to get in touch with us.