Princess Cruises accidents happen when passengers or crew members suffer injuries due to negligence, unsafe conditions, or inadequate safety measures aboard Princess cruise ships.
When Princess Cruises fails to maintain safe conditions or provide reasonable care, injured passengers and crew members have legal rights to seek compensation under maritime law.
These cruise ship accidents, injuries and illness can include slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice by ship doctors, injuries during shore excursions, assaults, food poisoning outbreaks, and accidents involving tender boats or gangways.
The laws governing cruise ships handle accidents differently from typical personal injury cases on land. Princess cruise tickets contain specific legal clauses that dictate where you must file lawsuits, impose strict deadlines for taking action, and limit your legal options.
Understanding these maritime rules is crucial because missing key deadlines or failing to preserve evidence can permanently bar your right to compensation, regardless of how severe your injuries may be.
Follow us into cruise ship accidents and the immediate steps you must take after a Princess cruise accident, your legal rights under maritime law, the evidence needed to build a strong case, and how to navigate Princess’s contractual requirements to secure fair compensation.
What Should I Do Immediately After a Princess Cruises Accident
After a Princess Cruise accident, you need to act fast to protect your health and legal rights. The first hours after an incident determine whether you can build a strong case later.
An incident report is the official ship document that records passenger accidents. You must get a copy before leaving the ship. Ship security and guest services are your primary contacts for reporting any incidents that may have occurred.
Following these essential things to do if you are injured on a cruise ship can protect your legal rights:
Report to ship security or guest services:
Find any crew member immediately and ask them to file a Passenger Injury Report. Demand your own copy before you disembark.
Get medical care at the ship’s medical center:
Visit the onboard clinic even for minor injuries. Request printed copies of all medical records, diagnoses, medications, and test results.
Document everything with photos:
Take pictures and videos of the accident scene from multiple angles. Capture any hazards like wet floors, broken railings, or poor lighting. Photograph your injuries and damaged clothing too.
Collect witness information:
Get names, phone numbers, emails, and stateroom numbers from anyone who saw your accident. Their statements can make or break your case.
Refuse recorded statements:
Princess representatives may ask you to give a recorded statement about what happened. Politely say no until you talk to a lawyer.
Save all cruise documentation:
Keep your cruise card, receipts, daily schedules, and any emails with the cruise line.
How Do I Report, Get Care, and Document the Accident
To report your injury, go straight to the Guest Services desk in the central atrium, usually on Deck 5 or 7. Any crew member can also contact ship security for you. The ship’s medical center works like a small hospital with basic equipment and staff.
Be specific about all your symptoms when you see the ship’s doctor. This creates an official medical record of your condition right after the accident.
Email photos and videos to yourself and a family member while still on the ship. This creates a time-stamped record that proves when you took the evidence.
How Do I Preserve CCTV, Incident Reports, and Medical Records
Cruise ships regularly overwrite their CCTV footage, so it’s important to act quickly to preserve any video evidence. A California maritime lawyer must send Princess Cruises a “spoliation letter” immediately to preserve this evidence.
A spoliation letter is a legal notice that demands the cruise line save specific evidence like video footage, maintenance logs, and your medical files.
Request copies of your medical records and incident report in writing before you leave the ship. If staff won’t give them to you, write down the name of the person you spoke with and the date.
Can I Sue Princess Cruises and Who Is Liable
You can sue Princess Cruises if your injury happened because of their negligence. Cruise lines must provide “reasonable care” to keep passengers safe from foreseeable dangers. This means they have to maintain safe conditions and warn you about known hazards.
Princess isn’t always the only party you can sue. Other companies may also be responsible, such as shore excursion operators, medical providers, or the actual vessel owner.
Common examples of Princess negligence include:
Failure to warn: Not posting wet floor signs or marking uneven surfaces
Poor maintenance: Broken handrails, loose carpeting, or malfunctioning doors
Inadequate security: Insufficient security leading to assaults or crimes
Medical malpractice: Ship doctors providing substandard care
Negligent hiring: Employing crew without proper background checks
What If I Was Hurt on a Shore Excursion or Tender Transfer
Princess can still be liable even if you got hurt during a shore excursion they sold you. This falls under “apparent agency,” which means Princess is responsible when you reasonably believe they controlled the activity.
If Princess marketed and sold the excursion, they could be held liable for the tour operator’s negligence.
Tender boats are smaller vessels that ferry passengers between the ship and shore when the main ship can’t dock. Princess is responsible for accidents on these tenders, too.
What If Ship Medical Care Was Negligent
Ship doctors are usually independent contractors, but Princess can still be liable for their negligent care. You may have claims against both the doctor and Princess for medical malpractice.
Get an independent medical evaluation from your own doctor as soon as you get home. Keep a daily pain diary documenting your symptoms, pain levels, and how the injury affects your daily activities.
Where Do I File and What Are the Princess Ticket Deadlines
Your cruise ticket is a legal contract with critical information about your rights. The “forum selection clause” buried in the fine print tells you exactly which court you must use for lawsuits. Princess typically requires all injury lawsuits to be filed in Los Angeles federal court.
The deadlines are extremely strict. Missing them means you lose your right to sue forever, no matter how badly you were hurt.
| Claim Type | Notice Deadline | Lawsuit Deadline | Filing Location |
| Passenger Injury | 6 months | 1 year | Los Angeles, CA |
| Crew Injury (Jones Act) | None required | 3 years | Various |
| Wrongful Death | 6 months | 1 year | Los Angeles, CA |
What Evidence Should I Save to Build a Strong Princess Case
You need three types of evidence to win your case: evidence you control, records the ship controls, and third-party documents. Each type proves different parts of your claim.
Evidence you should gather includes:
Your evidence:
Photos, videos, clothing worn during the accident, receipts for injury-related expenses, witness contact information
Ship records:
CCTV footage, incident reports, maintenance logs, your onboard medical file
Outside records:
Medical reports from your doctors, port authority reports, expert evaluations of your future needs
Don’t post anything on social media after your accident. Princess’s legal team monitors injured passengers’ social media profiles looking for posts that contradict your injury claims.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Princess Accident
You can seek compensation for all losses caused by your injury. These damages fall into two categories: economic damages for financial losses and non-economic damages for physical and emotional harm.
Crew members have additional rights under “maintenance and cure,” which requires the employer to pay medical expenses and living costs until maximum recovery.
You can recover compensation for:
- Medical expenses, both past and future
- Lost wages and reduced earning ability
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Out-of-pocket costs for travel or medical equipment
- Loss of enjoyment of life
What If My Loved One Died or Went Overboard
Navigating the legal aftermath of a loved one’s death at sea can be an unimaginable burden. Fatal accidents beyond three nautical miles from shore, including falling overboard incidents, fall under the the Death on the High Seas Act.
This federal law allows families to sue for “pecuniary damages,” which are limited to financial losses, such as lost income and funeral expenses. DOHSA generally doesn’t allow recovery for the deceased’s pain and suffering.
A cruise ship overboard lawyer coordinates with the Coast Guard and other authorities while protecting your family’s privacy and legal rights.
Why Choose Our Long Beach Maritime Lawyers for Princess Cruises Claims in California
Our firm’s cruise ship injury attorney team has extensive experience in maritime law, which provides us with a thorough understanding of how cruise lines defend injury claims. Our Long Beach location offers a strategic advantage because we regularly practice in Los Angeles courts, where Princess requires lawsuits to be filed.
We act immediately to preserve time-sensitive evidence and have secured multi-million dollar results for our clients.
Key advantages we offer:
Local court experience:
Decades of practice in Central District of California federal court
24/7 availability:
Our cruise injury hotline ensures immediate action on your case
No upfront costs:
You pay nothing unless we win your case
Complete support:
We handle everything from medical referrals to complex legal procedures
How Long Does a Princess Cruise Injury Case Take?
The timeline for resolving a Princess cruise injury case varies depending on the specifics of each situation. While many cases are settled through negotiation, the process can take time. If Princess Cruises refuses to offer fair compensation, your case may proceed to trial.
A cruise ship accident can leave you with mounting medical bills, lost income, and a great deal of uncertainty about the future.
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor are prepared to help you navigate the complex maritime laws that govern these cases.
By contacting a lawyer immediately, you can protect your rights and ensure that critical evidence is preserved before strict legal deadlines expire.
A Princess cruise accident can leave you facing medical bills, lost income, and uncertainty about your future. The complex maritime laws governing these cases differ from typical personal injury law on land, and they include strict deadlines that can bar your right to compensation if missed.
Don’t navigate this process alone. The cruise ship accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor are well-versed in these complex laws and are prepared to fight on your behalf. We’ll act immediately to protect your rights, preserve critical evidence, and handle all communications with the cruise line and its insurance adjusters.
Contact us for a free case review to ensure your rights are protected and that critical evidence is preserved before strict deadlines expire.
