Rape, sexual assaults, and other sex crimes on cruise ships happen far too often. With the rapid expansion of the cruise ship industry the number of rape and sexual assaults on cruises rise every year. Once passengers cross the gangway and board a vessel they do not realize they are giving up many basic legal protections provided under state law. Applicable laws and rules also differ greatly than land based tort claims. The time you have to file a legal claim for a ship rape or assault is much shorter and is a common mistake most sexual crime victims don't realize until it's too late. Under general maritime law, cruise ship companies are legally responsible if they fail to provide reasonable safety and security measures and that failure caused or contributed to a rape or sexual assault. This legal standard can be difficult prove or delineate and is why cruise ship rape and sexual assault victims need the assistance from specialized cruise lawyers. Cruise lines are also strictly liable for the intentional, wrongful, and criminal acts of their employees such as rape or sexual assault. However, cruise line companies like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Disney, Norwegian, and many others manage their vessel operations in ways to make it difficult to obtain gather important evidence and obtain witness information.
Why Hire Us if You Were the Victim of a Rape or Sexual Assault on a CruiseFor more than 50 years, Gerson and Schwartz PA has been at the forefront of representing crime victims such as rape and sexual assault. With the rapid expansion of the cruise ship industry over the last 20 years, our law firm has used our knowledge and expertise to help passengers and crew members that have also been victimized. Our cruise ship rape lawyers have represented numerous passengers and crew members in nearly every imaginable scenario. Incidents range from cabin stewards entering staterooms unauthorized, over service of alcohol, rape and sexual assaults on minors, to passengers forcing open cabin doors. Crew member on passenger rapes and even crew members raped by other ship employees. Gerson and Schwartz, PA cruise line attorneys specialize in cruise rape and sexual assaults and other violent crimes. Our firm has also litigated sexually motivated crimes against every major cruise line operator. We know what to do. For more information about how we can help you contact us immediately by calling (877) 475-2905 or email us at info@gslawusa.com.
More About Cruise Ship Rape and Sexual AssaultUntil recently, cruise lines were able to avoid having to cooperate with federal authorities even local police when a serious crime would occur on their vessels. Though difficult to understand how or why part of this is because cruise lines operate in the navigable waters and therefore are not subject to the same state law protections most of us enjoy on land. Until recently these cruise line operators like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian were not even required to let the police board their vessels to conduct an police investigation. Therefore, until recently many crimes like rape and sexual assault on cruise ships would go unreported. These tactics had the practical effect of making it difficult to investigate an incident, pursue a claim and obtain basic information when a crime occurs on a vessel. The bottom line is that if you were the victim of a rape or sexual assault you need experienced legal help. Contact a cruise ship rape or sexual assault attorney today for a free consultation. Call toll free at (877) 475-2905 or email us at info@gslawusa.com.
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Common legal theories our Florida cruise ship rape attorneys use to establish legal liability include:
In 2010 President Barak Obama signed into legislation a federal statute called the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010. Our attorneys along with the other crime victims advocate groups lobbied members of Congress to enact these important cruise ship safety measures. Now, federal law requires cruise ship operators to report all sexual assaults, rapes, and other violent crimes and imposes other safety and security requirements on their vessels. Some additional measures include providing video surveillance, room key access logs, storing and maintaining the video, and even keeping a rape kit along with supply of anti-viral medications to help prevent the transmission of a sexually transmitted diseases. Additionally, cruise lines are required to file reports of all rape and sexual assault to the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and with the Department of Homeland Security. Cruise lines are also required to maintain and report all sex crimes on a quarterly basis. These statistics are available to the general public. However, the details about the incidents are not very specific.
Florida Cruise Ship Lawyers Assisting Victims of Rape, Sexual Assault, and Violent CrimeYet, even with these new safety measures one cannot overlook the need to contact a knowledgeable and experienced Florida Cruise Ship Rape Attorneys. Our attorneys help clients from across the nation and are familiar with the tactics cruise lines use in order to avoid legal responsibility for crime victims at sea. Gerson & Schwartz, PA is at the forefront of assisting cruise ship passenger and including cruise ship crime victims throughout the United States. Our law firm also continues to be active on a national basis supporting cruise ship crime victims. We continue to lobby the international cruise community for stricter laws, rules, and regulations in order to protect passengers and even crew members. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a rape, sexual assault, or other violent crime on a cruise ship then contact a cruise rape attorney in Florida for a free consultation. All cases will be discussed with an attorney directly. For more information on how we can help call (877) 475-2905, or email us more info about your case at info@gslawusa.com.