Cruise Ship Wrongful Death Lawyer

Your Legal Partner After a Wrongful Death On Board

Attorney Thomas Scolaro has over 25 years of experience representing families who have lost loved ones due to negligence. As a dedicated wrongful death attorney, we provide compassionate legal guidance while fighting for the justice and compensation your family deserves.

Delivering Justice for Families After a Cruise Ship Tragedy

25+ Years in Cruise Ship Wrongful Death Litigation

Losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence is devastating, but when a wrongful death occurs on a cruise ship, the legal complexities can be overwhelming. At Scolaro Law, we have litigated cruise ship wrongful death claims for 25+ years, providing compassionate representation backed by decades of maritime and personal injury litigation experience. If your family is facing this unimaginable loss, we are here to guide you through the legal process and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.

Key Laws That Impact Cruise Ship Wrongful Death Claims

Unlike traditional personal injury cases, cruise ship litigation is governed by a mix of federal, state, and international maritime laws, each of which can significantly impact the ability to seek justice and compensation. At Scolaro Law, our team is experienced in navigating these challenging legal landscapes to secure the maximum compensation for families who have lost loved ones at sea.

We Simplify the Legal Complexities and Fight for Your Justice

  • The Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA): DOSHA applies to deaths beyond 3 nautical miles from U.S. shores, limiting damages to financial losses and excluding compensation for emotional distress or pain and suffering.
  • General Maritime Law: These laws provide additional avenues for claims, particularly in cases involving negligence or vessel unseaworthiness.
  • Cruise Line Ticket Contracts: These often include restrictive clauses, such as strict time limits, forum selection, and choice of law clauses favoring the cruise industry.
  • Athens Convention: The Athens Convention governs passenger claims on international sea voyages, establishing liability limits and allowing recovery in negligence cases. Despite these challenges, Scolaro secured a $5.53 million settlement for a family that would have otherwise received less than $450,000.
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Common Causes of Wrongful Death on Cruise Ships

Tragic incidents on cruise ships may result from various forms of negligence. If a loved one has been the victim of one of the following, Scolaro Law provides legal representation to help you pursue justice and the compensation you deserve.

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Top Cruise Ship Injury Attorney With Over $500 Million Won in Verdicts and Settlements

Highlight Cases

Through these landmark results, Tom Scolaro has pioneered the legal field addressing cruise lines’ failure to evacuate. Over the years, he has achieved more than a dozen 7-figure recoveries for victims and their families affected by cruise lines that failed to evacuate passengers or crew members when their conditions demanded it.

View All Case Results

Failure to Evacuate

$4 Million

Secured for the family of a passenger who died due to medical negligence onboard after cruise medical staff failed to evacuate her off the ship.

Drowning

Confidential Settlement

Achieved in a case involving the fatal drowning of our client during a snorkeling excursion.

Electrocution

$10 Million

An 11-year-old girl was fatally electrocuted while playing miniature golf with her family. She reached into a water pond to retrieve her golf ball and was shocked by electrified water caused by the operator’s failure to maintain the mini golf course in a safe condition

Carbon Monoxide

$11.75 Million

Tom Scolaro secured a settlement for a surviving wife who lost her husband due to lethal exposure to carbon monoxide.
$1,750,000 Settlement – Medical Malpractice: Our client suffered a heart attack during a cruise but was not evacuated for urgent medical care, resulting in his death the next day. The cruise line denied wrongdoing, claiming proper procedures were followed. Thomas Scolaro sued, arguing that the medical staff’s actions caused emotional distress to the victim’s family.

Jet ski Collision

$2.8 Million

Tom Scolaro secured a settlement for a surviving wife who lost her husband due to lethal exposure to carbon monoxide.
During a guided jet ski tour, a speeding jet ski operator rear-ended our client, who failed to avoid the collision. The tour operator was liable for inadequate training, warnings, and supervision.

snorkeling

$1.7 Million

A young child tragically lost his life while snorkeling when a boat operated by an untrained 6th grader ran over him.

Legal Representation for All Types of Cruise Ship Injuries

Cruise Lines we Sue

We’ve taken on some of the biggest cruise lines to fight for justice. No matter their size or influence, we stand firm to secure the fair outcomes our clients deserve.

  • Carnival Cruise Line
  • Celebrity Cruises
  • Royal Caribbean
  • MSC Cruises
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Oceania Cruises
  • Norwegian Cruise Line
  • Princess Cruises
  • Viking Cruises
  • Holland America Line
  • Seabourn Cruise Line
  • Regent Seven Seas Cruises
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Give Us A Call

(305) 424-2300

Understanding Your Legal Rights On Board a Cruise Ship

Common Defense Tactics Used by Cruise Lines When Sued

Defending these complex cases demands an attorney like Tom Scolaro, who understands the intricacies of general maritime law, the tactics cruise lines use to avoid liability, and the strategies necessary to counter them.

  • Blaming the Victim – Cruise lines often argue that the deceased was responsible for their own injury, whether by intoxication, reckless behavior, or ignoring safety warnings.
  • Forum Selection Clauses – Many cruise tickets contain fine print requiring lawsuits to be filed in specific jurisdictions, often locations favorable to the cruise line.
  • Shortened Statutes of Limitations – Cruise contracts typically impose a one-year deadline for filing lawsuits and a six-month notice requirement—much shorter than standard personal injury claims.
  • Denial of Negligence – Cruise lines may claim that the death was an unavoidable accident or the result of an external factor beyond their control.
  • Arbitration Agreements – In crew member cases, cruise lines impose that wrongful death claims be arbitrated, preventing families from taking their cases to court. Scolaro has litigated and won at arbitration, including a $3,335,000 arbitration award.
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How Scolaro Law Counters These Tactics

Cruise lines do everything they can to avoid responsibility for wrongful death claims. They have high-powered in-house legal teams and outside counsel designed to minimize liability and discourage lawsuits. At Scolaro Law, we know their strategies and how to counter them.

  • Proving Negligence – We work with the best maritime and medical experts to establish that the cruise line failed its duty of care.
  • Challenging Unfair Contract Terms – Our legal team has successfully defeated restrictive clauses that unfairly limit victims’ rights.
  • Filing on Time & in the Right Jurisdiction – We ensure that your case complies with all deadlines and legal requirements, avoiding procedural dismissals.
  • Litigation-Ready Strategy – While many firms settle, we thoroughly prepare to take your case to trial if necessary.
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Your Partner in Navigating Cruise Ship Litigation

Why Choose Scolaro Law for Your Cruise Ship Death Lawsuit

At Scolaro Law, we constantly litigate against cruise lines, and our team also brings results for our clients during their most difficult times. With over 100 years of experience, Tom Scolaro has recovered over $500 million for injured clients and grieving families. We have taken on every major cruise line and won, ensuring families receive the justice they deserve.

Extensive Experience

Tom Scolaro has litigated 150+ cruise ship and maritime cases over his 25+ year career. Whether dealing with negligence, unsafe conditions, or lack of proper safety measures, Tom has successfully represented clients in holding cruise lines accountable for their actions.

Knowledge of Maritime Law

 Maritime law is complex, and Scolaro Law’s prolific experience litigating against cruise lines makes us uniquely equipped to represent the families of passengers or crew members who have lost their lives during a cruise.

Reputation & Aggressive Advocacy

Scolaro Law is a trial-ready law firm that fights for its clients. Tom’s steadfast commitment to his clients and his outstanding litigation skills have earned him a distinguished reputation among trial lawyers. He has been recognized as one of America’s top attorneys by renowned publications throughout his career.

Personalized Legal Representation 

We understand that losing a loved one is deeply personal. We provide one-on-one attention to every case, ensuring you receive legal excellence and compassionate support. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay our firm unless we win your case.

What Our Clients Are Saying

“My family and I are extremely blessed to have had Tom and his team represent us during the most difficult time of our lives.”

Tom’s tireless work ethic was evident, revealed to us through constant communication and updates throughout the lengthy process. Tom handled our case as I would have handled it, if I had his legal expertise, with relentless determination, ferociousness, professionalism and integrity. That being said, his kindness, compassion and transparent genuine dedication to me and my family showed in every interaction. For whomever is reading this, and is considering being represented by him and his team, I will leave you with this, making this decision can and will alter the trajectory of your life. It has for me and my family, I wish you well, choose wisely.

Fran

What Our Clients Are Saying

“Highly Talented, Honest, Compassionate Lawyer”

My wife suffered a serious injury when we were visiting Miami. We hired an injury lawyer who failed to get us a satisfactory settlement after many months. We transferred our case to Tom and his team. Tom, Renaud and the rest of the team care deeply about their clients and go far beyond the client/attorney relationship. Our experience with Tom and Renaud was very satisfactory from the first moment we consulted with Tom. Tom and Renaud always responded quickly and effectively to all our questions. They did a brilliant work investigating and researching evidence, interviewing witnesses, and preparing for mediation. Tom hired a professional photographer to produce a short documentary video to highlight the amount of pain and suffering which my wife and every member of our family have suffered due to the injury. This video in addition to the many talents of Tom have ensured the satisfactory settlement which we got. Tom helped us to achieve a very satisfactory settlement, which was more than double what our first attorney managed to negotiate. The amount of investigation and research which Tom and Renaud put in our case was unbelievable. The way and strategy that Tom used to negotiated with the insurance company was amazing. Tom is an honest, compassionate, and extremely talented attorney, and above all he is a great negotiator. I would highly recommend him, and his amazing team, to anyone who needs a personal injury lawyer. 

O.R.

What Our Clients Are Saying

“I would highly recommend Scolaro Law to anyone that needs someone on their side.”

Tom and his whole team were great. My suit took a long time, and they explained and guided me through every step. They were patient and kind, and made sure it was as easy for me as they possibly could. They didn’t just care about how much of a settlement they could get; they cared about the bottom dollar for Me. They didn’t just work the case; they understood it. Their knowledge of the legal system, what works and what doesn’t, is hard to find. I would highly recommend Scolaro Law to anyone that needs someone on their side.

Maria

What Our Clients Are Saying

“It was truly a pleasure to work with all the team of Scolaro Law.”

From our very first consultation, Thomas Scolaro was knowledgeable, compassionate, and genuinely invested in my case. Tom and his legal assistant Barbie took the time to explain every step of the legal process, ensuring I fully understood my options and potential outcomes. They were always prompt in responding to any questions or concerns I had, making me feel supported and well-informed throughout. Thomas’s expertise and dedication truly showed in the handling of my case. He fought tirelessly to achieve the best possible result, and thanks to hard work of all Scolaro law team, the outcome exceeded my expectations. It was clear that the team not only knew the law inside and out but also genuinely cared about my well-being. If you’re looking for a professional, compassionate, and highly skilled attorney, I wholeheartedly recommend Thomas Scolaro and I am grateful to have had him by my side.

Nataliia

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When you choose Scolaro Law, you choose a firm that will fight relentlessly for your rights. We are dedicated to standing up for injured crew members at every stage of the legal process.

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