Injured in a ferry accident in California? Contact the top California ferry accident lawyer to seek justice and compensation.
A ferry ride across San Francisco Bay, the Catalina Channel, or San Diego Harbor should be routine. When a hard docking throws passengers to the deck, a slick stairway gives way under a commuter, or a crew member is hurt working the vessel, the law that governs what happens next is nothing like an ordinary injury case. Ferry claims are decided under federal admiralty rules, state tort law, and shortened government filing procedures, and the operator’s insurance team begins building its defense within hours.
The Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor has represented injured maritime workers and passengers for five decades from our office at the Port of Long Beach. Maritime injury law is the focus of our practice, and we have recovered tens of millions for clients hurt on the water.
Contact us today at (310) 514-1200 for a free consultation and discover how our ferry accident attorneys in California can help you seek the compensation and justice you deserve. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
Why Hire a California Ferry Accident Lawyer?
Ferry accident claims sit at a legal crossroads where federal admiralty law, California state law, and government claims procedures all intersect, and that combination trips up general personal injury attorneys every time. The rules governing injured crew members, the separate filing requirements for public carriers, and the notice deadlines buried in passenger tickets all demand a lawyer who handles admiralty cases exclusively.
The Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor focuses on maritime and admiralty law. Charles D. Naylor was named Best Lawyers® Admiralty & Maritime Law ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Los Angeles, and our firm has obtained significant jury verdicts and settlements for injured maritime workers. We know how ferry operators and their insurers work, because we have been fighting them for five decades.
Call our ferry injury hotline at (310) 514-1200 for a free case review.
Who We Represent in California Ferry Accidents
We represent anyone harmed on a California ferry, whether they were commuting as a passenger or working the vessel as crew. Our clients include:
- Passengers, foot commuters, and vehicle operators aboard auto ferries
- Ferry deckhands, mates, and engineers are covered by the Jones Act.
- Dock and terminal workers protected under the LHWCA (Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act)
- Families pursuing wrongful death claims after a fatal incident
What Should You Do After a Ferry Accident?
What you do in the hours following a ferry injury directly shapes the strength of your claim.
Get Medical Care the Same Day
See a doctor immediately, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline frequently masks serious conditions. Concussions, herniated discs, and internal injuries can surface hours or days after the incident, and a medical record from the day of the accident anchors every element of your case.
Report the Injury Before You Leave the Terminal
Tell the captain or crew about your injury before you disembark and confirm that an official incident report is created. If the U.S. Coast Guard responds to the scene, record their case number before you go.
Photograph the Scene and Collect Witness Information
Photograph the hazard that caused your injury, such as a wet deck, a broken stair, or a defective gangway, and gather names and phone numbers from any passengers or crew who witnessed what happened.
Refuse Recorded Statements and Do Not Sign Documents
The ferry operator’s insurance adjuster will contact you quickly, often within days, and ask for a recorded statement. Decline. These statements are tools designed to limit your recovery, and nothing should be signed before you speak with a maritime attorney.
What Causes Ferry Accidents?
Most ferry accidents are the direct result of specific, identifiable failures, not chance. We investigate every case to find exactly what went wrong and who is legally accountable.
Operator Error and Unseaworthy Vessel Conditions
A captain operating at excessive speed, piloting under the influence (BUI), or executing a hard docking can throw passengers to the deck with violent force. A vessel is also legally “unseaworthy” when its structure, equipment, or systems are not reasonably fit for their intended use, and that alone creates liability for the owner, independent of any other act of negligence.
Crew Failures and Overcrowding
Federal law requires ferries to carry a properly trained and sufficient crew for the demands of their route. Understaffing, gaps in crew training, and overcrowded vessels are preventable operator failures that consistently produce life-altering harm.
Congested California Waterways and Low Visibility
California’s working waterways, including San Francisco Bay, the Port of Los Angeles, and San Diego Harbor, demand strict compliance with federal navigation rules. Failing to use radar in fog, post proper lookouts, or slow down in congested channels are actionable breaches we encounter regularly.
Who Can Be Held Liable After a California Ferry Accident?
Liability in a ferry accident frequently extends beyond the vessel itself. Identifying every responsible party is critical to recovering the full value of your claim.
- The ferry operator: The company or government agency running the route bears primary responsibility for the vessel, its crew, and its seaworthiness.
- Port and terminal authorities: Hazardous docks, defective loading ramps, or poorly maintained gangways can make the terminal operator a defendant.
- Third-party contractors and manufacturers: Companies that performed faulty maintenance or produced defective safety equipment can each share liability.
Whether the operator is a private company like Catalina Express or a public agency like WETA changes your filing deadlines from the day of injury. Government operators trigger separate pre-lawsuit procedures with much shorter windows.
One pattern we consistently see in Southern California ferry cases is that passengers on the Catalina Express runs from Long Beach, San Pedro, and Dana Point are injured while boarding or getting off rather than mid-crossing. Gangways shift with the swell, decks are wet from spray, and crowds move quickly once the vessel docks. We focus early on the terminal and gangway conditions because the dock operator and the vessel operator are often different entities.
What Evidence Proves Fault in a Ferry Case?
Electronic vessel data can be overwritten within days of an incident. We act immediately to preserve it before it disappears.
Electronic Vessel Records and Official Investigations
The Automatic Identification System (AIS) records a vessel’s real-time speed and course. The Voyage Data Recorder (VDR), the maritime equivalent of an airplane’s “black box,” captures bridge audio, navigation data, and system alarms. We subpoena both before they can be deleted.
For serious incidents, the U.S. Coast Guard files an official marine casualty report called the CG-2692. We obtain that report and any National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation findings and use them as authoritative evidence of exactly what went wrong.
Ferry Accident Injuries We Handle
A sudden jolt during docking, a fall on a slick deck, or a collision in congested harbor traffic can produce injuries that follow you for life. We have represented clients suffering from:
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord damage and herniated discs
- Fractures from falls on wet decks and stairs
- Crush injuries during loading, unloading, and docking
- Drowning and near-drowning
- Burns from engine room fires
- Wrongful death
In one case we handled, a 52-year-old visitor on a Lake Arrowhead tour boat fell into an open hatch and fractured her ankle, which required surgery. We secured a $317,000 settlement on her behalf.
What Compensation Can Ferry Accident Victims Recover?
Every seriously injured ferry passenger can pursue compensation for past and future medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is a legally recognized category that includes documented physical pain, emotional distress, sleep disruption, and permanent changes to your quality of life. Families who have lost a loved one can seek wrongful death damages, funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship.
Crew members have additional protections under federal law that passengers do not:
- Maintenance and cure: A no-fault entitlement to a daily living allowance (maintenance) and full payment of reasonable medical costs (cure) until you reach maximum medical improvement, owed regardless of who caused the accident.
- Jones Act negligence: Federal law gives maritime workers the right to hold their employer directly liable in court for negligence in providing a safe work environment.
“This was my first major injury and also first dealings with an attorney in this sort of case. The firm was exceptionally professional, well informed and knowledgeable of injury cases. They built my trust from the first interview and proved to be the perfect firm for me to use. My attorney, Peter Forgie, is wonderful and kind, and an easy person to work with. My questions were answered and my concerns were treated as important. I was treated with respect. Thanks to all of you for your time and effort on my part. I really appreciate it!” – Darlene, Cruise Injury Client
Do Maritime or California Laws Apply to Your Ferry Case?
Usually both. Federal maritime law governs conduct on the water, while California law can apply to claims against public operators or hazards on the shoreside. Your legal framework depends on who you are at the time of injury.
| Who You Are | Governing Law | Primary Remedy |
| Ferry Passenger | General Maritime Law | Negligence Claim |
| Ferry Crew (Seaman) | Jones Act + General Maritime | Negligence, Unseaworthiness, Maintenance & Cure |
| Dock or Terminal Worker | LHWCA | Federal Workers’ Compensation |
| Family of Fatally Injured Victim | DOHSA | Wrongful Death Damages |
The Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) applies when a fatal accident occurs more than three nautical miles from shore, a threshold that can be crossed during the Catalina Channel crossing.
How Long Do You Have to File a Ferry Accident Claim?
Ferry accident deadlines arrive faster than most people realize, and missing one permanently ends your right to compensation.
Government Operators and the Six-Month Filing Deadline
If the ferry was operated by a public agency, such as WETA or the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, the California Government Claims Act requires a formal claim within six months of the incident before any lawsuit can proceed.
What we see in ferry claims against public operators is that the six-month government claim deadline often passes while injured commuters are still in treatment and waiting to hear back from the operator. Filing the claim does not require knowing the full value of your injuries. We file early to protect your rights while your treatment continues.
Private Ticket Notice Requirements
Some private ferry operators include notice clauses in their ticket terms that require written notice of a claim within a short timeframe after the incident. Courts enforce these provisions, and they are used to defeat valid cases every year.
Federal Maritime Statute of Limitations
Under federal maritime law, claimants generally have three years from the date of injury to file suit, but ticket notice clauses and government claim requirements can entirely override that time limit.
Deadlines are shorter than you think. Contact us today at (310) 514-1200.
California Ferry Routes We Handle
We represent injured passengers and crew on ferry routes throughout the state, including:
- San Francisco Bay Ferry (WETA)
- Golden Gate Ferry
- Catalina Express and Catalina Flyer
- Coronado Ferry (San Diego Bay)
- Alcatraz and Angel Island Ferries
- Balboa Island Ferry
How We Build Your Ferry Accident Case
When you retain us, we immediately send preservation letters to the ferry operator and terminal to freeze all electronic records before they are overwritten. Our team, which includes retained maritime safety experts, analyzes AIS and VDR data, reviews maintenance and crew logs, and identifies specific violations of federal Coast Guard regulations.
General personal injury attorneys do not know what a CG-2692 is, how to subpoena AIS records, or how to spot an unseaworthiness claim inside a passenger injury case. Fifty years of maritime practice means we do, and the results we have produced for our clients demonstrate it.
“Working with Mr. Charles Naylor and George Jones was reassuring and highly professional. I definitely would like to thank them for their efforts, as well as (my paralegal) Gladis Morales.” – F.G., Cruise Injury Client
Free Case Review
Every consultation is free. We work on a strict contingency basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we win.
For over 50 years, we have operated from the same address at 111 W. Ocean Blvd in Long Beach, at the crossroads of the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach. Maritime injury law is the focus of our practice.
Call (310) 514-1200 or visit us at 111 W. Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA. Talk to a maritime attorney now, pay nothing unless we win your case.
California Ferry Accident Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Sue a Public Ferry Operator Like WETA or Golden Gate Ferry?
Yes, but you must first file a formal government tort claim within six months under the California Government Claims Act before any lawsuit can proceed.
Is a Ferry Crew Member Entitled to Maintenance and Cure Even If Partly at Fault?
Yes. Maintenance and cure is a no-fault benefit under maritime law, paid regardless of how the accident occurred or who was responsible.
Does DOHSA Apply to Fatal Accidents on the Catalina Channel?
DOHSA applies to deaths that occur more than three nautical miles from shore, which can include portions of the crossing to Catalina Island.
What If I Did Not Report My Injury Before Leaving the Ferry?
Report it to the operator as soon as possible. Late reporting weakens your claim but does not necessarily end it, and you should speak with a maritime attorney before contacting the ferry company.
Can We Prove Fault Without My Own Photos or Video?
Yes. Through formal discovery, we can obtain CCTV footage from the vessel and terminal, AIS and VDR records, crew incident reports, and eyewitness testimony.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire the Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor?
There are no upfront costs. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
What If the Ferry Company Offers a Settlement Right Away?
Do not accept any settlement offer without speaking with a maritime attorney first, because early offers rarely account for future medical costs, long-term lost wages, or the full extent of your pain and suffering.
