Whether you are a crew member and have a wage dispute or you’re were guests on board a cruise ship where you became ill with food poisoning or slipped or fell due to a no fault of your own, a maritime attorney is the person to look for to help you manage a claim against the cruise company.
What many people don’t realize when seeking someone to help them manage their claim and receive compensation due to cruise ship negligence is that experience really does matter. You want to choose a law firm that has years of knowledge and experience in maritime law.
Maritime law is exceptionally complex and requires a specific approach to how the claim is filed and managed. Cruise companies have set procedures and failing to follow their approach can result in the claim being thrown out and the person not receiving any compensation on their claim.
It is important you choose a maritime attorney that has a number of successful claims against cruise companies behind them; they understand the process which needs to be followed to ensure their clients achieve the best possible results. Of course not all claims have a positive outcome and they can take months to finalize, but with an experienced team behind you, your chances of success of greatly improved.
When looking for an attorney to manage your case, start by going online and looking in your local area. Ensure you focus on firms that have experience in maritime law, your local attorney firm may not focus on this sector of the law and therefore isn’t the best choice for you moving forward. Check that the company has been operating in the maritime industry for years and can provide you with the knowledge and experience you need to push your claim forward and help you achieve the compensation you deserve.
Choose at least three law firms, this will help you review and compare them to find the one you feel is the best match based on your particular claim. Most maritime attorney’s will have experience with any sector of the maritime law from wage disputes to personal injury claims, medical malpractice on board a cruise ship to wrongful death, harassment charges and more.
Do your researches before you contact any of the law firms to determine their experience and go through their track record. The law firm should be completely transparent and willing to provide you with information on all their passed cases, including those they didn’t win. This enables you to ensure that they have worked on cases which are similar to yours with good results.
Read through their current and past client reviews. Don’t rely on the law firm’s website, rather focus on online forums and independent review sites, where you can find honest customer feedback to help you choose the maritime attorney you feel is the best choice to help you win your claim and achieve success.
When meeting with the maritime attorney for the first time, they should take the time to go through the process with you, ensuring you understand the steps that have to be taken moving forward. This is a complex process that requires a lot of documentation, deadlines and negotiations.
The attorney shouldn’t push you into making a decision or force you to go ahead with your claim. In fact, they should provide you with all the information you need to make your own informed decision on whether to proceed based on their honesty and their prediction of your success on winning the case.