Sliding Glass Door Accidents and Injuries on a Cruise Ship
Cruise ships not only need to make sure that all of their equipment looks safe visibly, but also that it is safe for any passengers and crew members to operate. Guests and employees can endure substantial amounts of harms on a day to day basis that can derive from carelessness from the cruise line company, those who manufactured the equipment, the installer of it, or the worker who was supposed to make sure it was well kept. Their main duty is to have safe traveling conditions for everyone on board. If this duty is not attained, then the person who suffered an injury, can fight for their rights and file a claim.
Mechanical failures like sliding doors can have very grave consequences, such as a sliding door. Cruise ships normally have numerous sliding doors in operation on their ship. People go through them on a regular basis which may be leading to the pool area, bars, entertainment areas, restaurants, and many other places. So, if this is a common mechanical equipment being used by everyone on the ship, why don’t they focus more on maintaining it safe? They are supposed to have a safe premise.
Proving Your Case
Trying to prove a case where you were injured by sliding door due to someone’s careless acts can be difficult. This is because the cruise line company can blame you by stating that you carelessly walked into the door because you weren’t paying attention and were eager to get to where you were going. To counter these accusations, your attorney would have to see if the cruise line has had previous complaints about the sliding doors malfunctioning, or people being harmed by them. By having this information, it shows that this was not the first time that it had happened, and that the cruise line was aware of the issue and did nothing to fix it. Now, they become liable.
If you have obtained injuries by sliding doors during your trip on a cruise ship due to unsafe surroundings, it is vital that you look for legal assistance of a sliding door accident attorney expert. Accident received on a cruise ships have a statute of limitations, meaning you have a specific time frame when you can file a claim. Don’t let it be too late before you get what is owed to you.
A Case Involving an Automatic Door Accident
Did you know that someone received $21.5 million dollars after getting hit by a sliding door on his head while on board a Holland America Cruise ship? This happened in 2011. He suffered from minor brain injuries that led him to have small seizures and be prone to vertigo. He received such a large amount of compensation not only because of the damages, but also because of Holland America’s cruise ship negligence.
The cruise line was quick to say that he sustained those injuries because he walked into the sliding door. Cruise lines use these tactics to try and get away from any liability. This man’s attorney formed an investigation and found out that there had been 16 previous incidents in which passengers were hurt by that sliding door. This was a great point for their case. Seeing that so many other incidents had happened, it shows that they lacked the initiative to fix the issue, which was that of the doors motion sensor having the problem of the sliding open much faster than usual.
With cruise ship accidents, victims tend to be awarded large sums of money. Typically, in the hundreds of thousands, but with extensive injuries, it can amount to the millions as it did in this case.
Why Do Sliding Doors cause Accidents?
Sliding doors creating an accident can be attributed to many variables. Some of those variable include, but are not limited to the following:
- Poor maintenance of the sliding door
- Not attaining safety standards for the door
- Improper usage of the door
- Improper installation of the door
- Defective equipment
- Improperly manufactured
- Poor sensor detection
- Not inspected on a regular basis
Often times, the sensors have difficulty in detecting slower moving people like the elderly, children, or people with a disability, which is why older people and children are more prone to suffer an accident involving an automatic sliding door.
Avoid being Struck by A Sliding Door
Always be vigilant when going through a sliding door. If you see a door malfunctioning, do not go through it, instead report it to security. You can avoid being hurt by it, or having someone else get hurt by it. Always be aware of your surroundings. Injuries caused by sliding doors can be life-threatening and that is not a predicament you would want to be in. If you do end up in this predicament, remember, you have rights and should contact a legal practitioner immediately.
The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers states that if a door is properly installed, has been kept up-to-date with inspections, and is maintained on a regular basis, then there is no reason why a door should close on someone. This is why those that are more susceptible in getting hurt by a sliding door, like the elderly and children, should be very careful in suffering at the hands of someone’s lack of care.
Automatic Door Professionals
Being struck by an automatic door while out on sea can create you many problems, and even lead to disabilities. Places like cruise ships shouldn’t be falling behind in inspections or maintenance for their mechanical equipment because it is something that is regularly used by the passengers and crew members.
Once you or a loved one has been injured by their inattention, immediately contact a legal adviser. In our office, we provide top notch assistance for those victims. Remember that under the maritime laws, there is a statute of limitations. Do not wait any longer. Contact us at (305)529-0001.
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