Were you recently injured on a cruise ship? If so, you may not be responsible. If your injuries were caused by the negligence of the cruise ship or it’s crew, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim and receive compensation.
Before filing a personal injury claim, it is wise to speak with an attorney to see how to move forward with your case. However, if you’d like to get started on your own, you can begin by sending a demand letter to the cruise ship’s insurance company.
Demand letters are formal requests for compensation. Well-written letters always include these five things:
- Your information,
- A detailed summary of the accident,
- A list of your injuries, bills, and lost wages,
- documentation that supports your claim (medical bills, receipts, etc.)
Demand letters follow a very specific format, so it is important that your letter is crafted carefully.
Cruise Ship Accident Demand Letter
To ensure your demand letter contains all necessary information, follow the template of the sample letter below.
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, and Zip Code]
[The Date]
[Name of the Claims Adjuster]
[Their Job Title]
Address of the Insurance Company]
[City, State, and Zip Code of the Insurance Company]
Re: Your Insured, [Name of the Defendant]
Claimant: [Your Full Legal Name]
Claim Number: (Only include this number if a claim number has already been assigned to you, and you have already been contacted about the matter.)
Date of Loss: [Date of Incident in which the Bus Accident Took Place]
Dear Mr./Mrs.[Name of Claims Adjuster],
In regards to our prior discussion on September 3, 2015, accept this letter as my formal request for compensation regarding the injuries sustained due to your insured, Seabourn Cruise Line.
I have required multiple doctor visits and weeks of therapy following this accident on my cruise. As previously mentioned, I was taking the stairs to my room in the lower deck when the stairway’s handle broke, causing me to slip and fall. Seabourn Cruise Line’s inability to maintain such a high-traffic stairwell and prevent my injury shows negligence, making them responsible for the accident.
Around 6 PM on July 29, 2015, I entered Stairway B2 on the deck level of our cruise ship to head to my room. On the second set of stairs, about halfway down, the handrail I was using to steady myself came unhinged from the bottom of the rail. In my attempt to steady myself, I tripped on the stairs and fell approximately five stairs down to the bottom. The fall caused a severe pain in my left knee and a strong ache where my head connected with the ground.
My husband, who found me moments later, carried me to our room and called the on-board doctor, Dr. Cheryl Hunter. Dr. Hunter diagnosed me with a concussion and a dislocated kneecap. After a great deal of pain, she managed to set my knee back in place and instructed us to see a doctor in the city when we arrived the following morning.
At 10 AM the next day (July 30) I was seen by Dr. Kerri Weiss at Northshore Physicians Group in Saugus, MA. There, I was prescribed [name the medication] for the pain, and was told to take two weeks to allow my leg and head to recover.
Here are attached my medical bills, which further outline the cost of my treatment.
- Dr. Cheryl Hunter: $54.00
- Dr. Kerri Weiss: $420.00
- Prescription Pain Medication: $187.00
- TOTAL: $661.00
During my two weeks of recovery, I was deprived of $2,700.00 of salary pay and lost a very important client at my position at Stoneham Bank. It is for these injuries, lost wages, and suffering that I am demanding compensation in the amount of $7,000.
I hope to receive a timely response in no later than 30 days from the date of this correspondence.
[Your Signature]
[Your Name – printed]
Note: when deciding upon an amount for compensation, go higher than the total of your medical bills and lost wages. This leaves wiggle room later on in the negotiation process and helps to ensure you will get fair compensation.
Seeking Advice from an Attorney
Filing a personal injury claim can be daunting, especially without legal assistance. Speaking with an attorney is as easy as it is rewarding, and can make all the difference in getting you the compensation you deserve.
If you are interested in filing a personal injury claim, speak with an attorney today.
