Q: Hello I work on cruise ship. I fell down on the stair and injured my back. Because the stair was in a bad condition.

A: It’s possible you could have grounds for a lawsuit. How the matter is handled could depend on the flag under which the cruise ship was registered, the type of crewing agreement you work under, and whether there are provisions in that agreement as to arbitration or other forums.

Report the accident to your supervisor, the ship’s safety officer, or one of the ship’s other officers - the deck officer on watch at the time of the accident if you are able to locate her or him. An accident report should be made and filed with the ship’s safety officer, or other officer/representative handling such reports.

Keep records of the shipboard medical attention you receive. If ship’s medical personnel determine that you cannot work, or that you can only work in a restricted capacity, inform your supervisor. If you have photos of the stairs and the condition of the non-skid coatings, those would be helpful. If there are witnesses to the accident, note the names. If you are able to locate the crew members who brought the safety issue to the attention of the ship’s safety officer, note their names.

If you are thinking about suing for your injuries, an attorney could examine the facts and circumstances of your accident and advise you as to the manner in which you could proceed. An attorney could also advise you of deadlines, notice of claim requirements, and statutes of limitations you would need to act within to preserve your legal rights.

Tim Akpinar