I had the honor of testifying before Congress about crimes which occur on cruise ships and about claims against the cruise lines. On March 27, 2007, I appeared as an invited witness before the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. That Subcommittee is chaired by Cong. Elijah Cummings (D.Md.). I testified on a panel with a cruise ship rape victim; with Ken Carver, the President of International Cruise Victims (ICV) (Ken lost his own daughter who was last seen on a cruise ship); and with Dr. Ross Klein, the creator of www.cruisejunkie.com who also is a professor of sociology and research analyst.

I testified about the peculiarities of bringing a claim against the cruise lines. This includes claims for sexual assault and rape, slip and falls, trip and falls, and other injuries. These claims include claims on behalf of passengers and crewmembers. These also include claims brought against Carnival Cruise Lines (a trade or fictitious name used by Carnival Corporation a holding company which owns more than 10 cruise lines and is based on Miami), Norwegian Cruise Lines (a fictitious name used by an offshore company named NCL (Bahamas) Ltd. but which also is based in Miami), and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (owned by a corporation by the name of Royal Caribbean International which is also based in Miami).

My paper for the Subcommittee explains the various claims brought against the cruise lines and the ways in which the cruise lines attempt to avoid responsibility for those claims.

Our panel was preceded by a statement made by Cong. Shays of Connecticut, who was instumental in starting the ball rolling about a year ago on hearings after the George Smith honeymooner disappearance case. (I was interviewed on cable TV over 25 times in connection with that case). Then the Asst. head of the FBI and a Rear Admiral Justice of the Coast Guard testified.

Then we testified. The bottom line is that the cruise lines remain arrogant toward any passenger who “causes trouble” by (how dare them) being sick or injured onboard ship. The irony is that the attitude continues even if the sickness or injury was caused by the negligence of the cruise line itself.

The cruise lines on the day of the hearing announced a voluntary agreement to report crimes which occur onboard. The agreement was worked out BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WITH THE GOVERNMENT THE DAY BEFORE THE HEARINGS. The agreement is inadequate (voluntary compliance with no means of enforcement), is about 30 years too late, and does not go nearly far enough. Dr. Klein recited the cruise lines’ history of blatently violating their agreements.

I testified about the way in which the cruise lines have total control over the witnesses, the accident scene (which is onboard the ship), and the evidence. They make you sue them in Miami or some other place depending on what is recited in the ticket. They also specify a one year staute of limitations.

That means that no matter where you live, and no matter where your accident was, you have to file a claim against the cruise lines in the city specified in the ticket. If the cruise line you were on was Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines, or Carnival Cruise Lines, the city is Miami. The good news is that I practice in Miami and have been a maritime lawyer here for 27 years. Also, we represent you (the seriously injured passenger or crewmember) on a contingency basis; if we do not collect, you do not pay). CALL US TOLL FREE AT 1.800.215.7117.

My paper submitted to congress is on my website at: www.hickeylawfirm.com. Go to “IN THE NEWS” and click on the link to the paper. If you have any questions about the paper or about a case, call us TOLL FREE: 1.800.212.7117. ALL CONSULTATIONS ARE FREE.

THANKS.
John H. (Jack) Hickey
1.800.215.7117
E: newcase@hickeylawfirm.com

My name is Jack Hickey. I used to represent cruise lines – now I fight them for you, the victims of cruise ship sexual assaults.