The tragic sinking of the luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia was all over the news. The facts relate that only hours after it embarked on a seven-day Mediterranean cruise, it sunk.

But it will go down as a part of avoidable history. And this is because none of this had to happen. So if the captain had done his job as a common carrier, the passenger’s deaths, and injuries would have been preventable.

On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia, a cruise ship operated by Costa Crociere, ran aground off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy. Passengers received no warning when a large gash appeared in the hull of the ship. But even later, after giving warnings, the crew didn’t appropriately evacuate the passengers. The ship was carrying over 4,000 passengers and crew members at the time of the accident.

The ship struck a rock formation and capsized, resulting in 32 deaths and numerous injuries. The captain of the ship, Francesco Schettino, was arrested and charged with multiple crimes, including manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship.

The incident received widespread media coverage and led to scrutiny of safety measures on cruise ships. The salvage and removal of the Costa Concordia took over two years to complete and was one of the largest salvage operations in maritime history.

In the aftermath of the disaster, numerous lawsuits were filed against Costa Crociere and its parent company, Carnival Corporation. Victims and their families sought compensation for their losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional distress.

If you or a loved one were affected by the Costa Concordia disaster, it’s important to contact a maritime lawyer with experience in cruise ship accidents. A lawyer can help you understand your legal options and work to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Costa Concordia Cruise Ship Injury?

Not evacuating the ship right away led to confusion, injuries, and even passenger deaths for several reasons. The captain failed to gear actions toward protecting the passengers.

Also, the passengers had not had their emergency exit class. So the crew was not even prepared for an emergency evacuation of the ship. Did you or a loved one in your family suffer a loss in the Costa Concordia sinking?

If so, the cruise ship attorneys at Ehline Law Firm can provide fantastic representation. Only then can you recover the full compensation due. Our experience representing cruise ship accident victims means you get to focus on recovering.

After all, physical and emotional ailments are no walk in the park. So let us worry about the legal and financial aspects.

 Is The Time Limited to File a Claim?

The law limits the time an injured victim or a family member can sue. Passage contracts can shorten the time to as little as six months to file a claim. Filing your claim within the allotted time avoids forfeiting your rights. Failing this, you lose.

Because of this, Ehline Law Firm urges the victims and families of the Costa Concordia cruise ship accident to get help. In any event, do so before time runs out. There are many victims of this disaster. Ehline Law Firm urges the families to join in the class-action lawsuit.

What Must You Understand About a Class Action Lawsuit?

 When an incident occurs with multiple victims, the number could reach hundreds or even thousands of plaintiffs. All these parties could join against the defendants. Most of all, this allows the justice system to work reasonably and efficiently for the plaintiffs and the defendants.

How Do You Determine Responsibility in the Costa Concordia Calamity?

One of the steps the personal injury attorney will take is to investigate the facts of the debacle to determine the party or parties responsible for paying. And this is because they must pay for the accident that resulted in injuries or wrongful death. There can be varying degrees of responsibility.

The duty remains with the victim’s attorney to ascertain varying accountability, with the percentage of your fault becoming your case’s fulcrum.

Otherwise, assigning payment of damages becomes obscured. And damages must be foreseeable, certain, and unavoidable.

The Costa Concordia/Costa Cruise Lines, Inc. blamed the captain, Francisco Schettino, 100%. In essence, they are seeking to avoid legal liability. But the doctrine of respondeat superior makes the master liable for the actions of his servants.

Also, since the ship lines are a common carrier, their escape will unlikely succeed.

This is because they owe a heightened duty of care to the passengers. But the fact remains, the captain failed to follow the charted electronic course. In other words, he ignored the dangers of scuttling his ship.

And he did all this just so his passengers could salute the Island of Giglio, Italy. Michael Ehline thinks a thorough investigation will find the captain was mostly to blame.

But Ehline went on to say:

“The Costa Cruise Lines, Inc. and their parent company will also share some blame.”

How Do You Contact Cruise Casualty Attorneys?

The injured victims and families must speak with qualified and experienced advocates. You only need to pick up the phone to speak to a premier lawyer for your case. Call Ehline Law Firm at (213) 596-9642.