People sometimes get injured on cruise ships, yachts, ferries and other vessels. These maritime accidents can lead to significant conflict. The injured party, or the family of someone who passed away in a fatal maritime accident, may decide to sue the cruise line or the company that owns and operates the ferry to seek compensation for those injuries. They may also decide to sue specific people who were involved, such as the captain of the ship.
Often, what these injured parties claim is that there was negligence that allowed the injuries to occur. But one potential thing to consider at a time like this is whether or not alcohol was involved.
Alcohol use statistics
In many settings, alcohol use is quite common and needs to be taken seriously. For example, some studies note that the average person has 33 drinks if they go on a weeklong cruise. This averages out to just under five drinks every single day. Moreover, since this is an average, there are some people who don’t drink at all or perhaps only have one or two drinks—and there are others who may have far more than five drinks.
Additionally, reports claim that alcohol is at least a factor in the vast majority of cases where someone falls overboard. One study claims that alcohol plays a role in 60% of these incidents.
In other words, although the cruise ship or the ferry line may be accused of negligence, is that actually what happened? Or did the staff of the cruise ship do everything they could to create a safe environment where no one would be injured, but excessive alcohol use led to those injuries anyway? This could cast light on the element of negligence in a civil case, and it’s important for those involved to understand exactly what legal steps to take.