Legal Question in Admiralty Law in Jamaica

Injury on a cruise

My grandmother fell on a cruise and broke her shoulder(she tripped on food in the dining room). The injury required her to be taken to Jamaica to be flown to the US for surgery. She died approximately 2 weeks later from a stroke. My family is now being told the cruise line cannot be sued because of Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA). My question is does this actually affect our ability to sue the cruise line and what recourse would you recommend? I tried reading the literature and found it to be too confusing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.


Asked on 11/19/08, 5:54 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Steven Meyer CPLS, P.A.

Re: Injury on a cruise

I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother. You really need to speak to an attorney who handles a lot of claims against the cruise lines, as does our firm. There is a negligence claim that can be filed against the cruise line, but the case must be filed in the location specified in the cruise ship ticket. For most cruise lines, the tickets require a lawsuit to be filed in Florida. Also, one generally must file a lawsuit within one year of the date of the injury. Depending on when your grandmother fell, it may be too late to pursue the claim. In any case, you should speak to an attorney who's knowledgeable in the area right away. We offer a free consultation and would be happy to speak with you about it.

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Answered on 11/19/08, 6:32 pm


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