Do I Need a Lawyer in Miami to Sue Carnival or Royal Caribbean? Your National Legal Guide
Understanding Whether You Need a Miami Lawyer to Sue Carnival or Royal Caribbean
When someone is injured aboard a cruise ship owned by Carnival Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, one of the first questions they ask is:
“Do I need a lawyer in Miami to sue Carnival or Royal Caribbean?”
In most cases, yes — you need a Miami-based maritime lawyer, even if you live in another state. This isn’t a marketing ploy or an exaggeration. First and foremost, Florida is the state where Carnival and Royal Caribbean are headquartered and they each wrote into their ticket contracts that any lawsuits for personal injury must be filed in Florida. Lawyers from other states cannot legally practice in Florida. You also want a lawyer in the jurisdiction and familiar with the Courts and the cruise line tactics. It is a contractual and legal requirement imposed by the cruise lines Carnival and Royal Caribbean that actually designate Miami, Florida as the mandatory forum for the majority of passenger lawsuits. This means claims must be filed in United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, regardless of where the passenger lives.
At Perkins Law Offices, we handle these cases nationwide, helping injured passengers from any U.S. state navigate the strict and complex requirements that cruise lines use to limit claims. This page explains exactly why Miami jurisdiction matters, what your rights are, and why choosing the right lawyer can determine the outcome of your case.
Why Miami Jurisdiction Matters in Cruise Line Lawsuits
Both Carnival and Royal Caribbean insert forum-selection clauses in their passenger ticket contracts. These clauses are enforceable under federal law and have repeatedly been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court and multiple federal appellate courts. It’s actually beneficial that United States general maritime law and the Florida courts are available for most passenger who are injured during a cruise voyage that touches a U.S. port. It is important to point out that Royal Caribbean and Carnival do not have identical cruise ticket contract terms and conditions. We will discuss those differences but generally when it comes to cruises touching a U.S. port and involving U.S. passengers, the main terms are the same.
What this means for you
If you were injured in International Waters, Alaska, Spain, California, Bahamas, Belize, Haiti, New York, Texas, or anywhere else, your lawsuit belongs in Miami.
Filing in the wrong state will get your case dismissed, costing you valuable time inside the already strict one-year filing deadline.
Cruise ship injury cases involve maritime law, not typical state negligence statutes. Maritime standards for duty, breach, causation, notice, and damages require a lawyer who practices federal maritime litigation regularly.
This is why injured passengers across the entire United States call Perkins Law Offices in Miami — we are able to handle national cases efficiently, precisely because Miami is the center of cruise litigation. Perkins Personal Injury Lawyers is nationally recognized as a top maritime law firm in part due to location in Florida where the cruise lines are based and because of lead trial lawyer Alex Perkins who has been handling cruise cases for 25 years.
Why a Miami Maritime Lawyer Gives You an Immediate Advantage
Cruise lines do not evaluate these claims like auto insurers. Their defense teams rely heavily on:
Maritime statutes and case law,
Contractual limitations,
Venue restrictions, and
Aggressive early investigation teams.
To counter that, you need a lawyer who litigates against Carnival and Royal Caribbean regularly and knows how they operate.
Key benefits of hiring a Miami-based lawyer
1. National clients accepted — no need to travel.
Perkins Law Offices represents clients across the U.S. using secure digital intake and remote communication. You do NOT need to fly to Miami unless your testimony is required at trial or other mandatory in person proceeding which is unusual.
2. Immediate access to federal court in the Southern District of Florida.
Our office is local to the courthouse where most cruise injury cases are filed. This speeds up filings, hearings, and motions.
3. Familiarity with cruise ship safety standards.
We understand how to prove:
Failure to maintain safe walking surfaces
Failure to warn of known hazards
- Staircase falls
Crew negligence
Defective equipment
Inadequate security
- Intentional acts by crew
Medical malpractice aboard ship
- SOLAS
4. Experience with surveillance preservation.
Cruise lines often “lose” or delete camera footage unless demanded early. We send immediate preservation letters.
5. Experience with short deadlines.
You typically have 1 year to file suit and 6 months to provide notice of your injury. Passengers who contact us late risk losing their claim entirely.
Do I need a lawyer in Miami to sue Carnival or Royal Caribbean?
How Perkins Law Offices Handles National Cruise Ship Cases
Our firm handles clients in all 50 states, including passengers injured:
During excursions
In dining areas
On pool decks
In cabins
On gangways
During tenders
Due to crew negligence
Because of medical malpractice in ship infirmaries
We assist passengers injured on:
Carnival Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Celebrity Cruises
- Regent Seven Seas
Disney Cruise Line
- MSC Cruises
Princess Cruises
- Virgin Voyages
MSC
- Cunard
Our process is streamlined and national-client friendly
1. Free consultation anywhere in the U.S.
You meet with us by phone or video.
2. Digital paperwork — no travel required.
All forms can be completed remotely.
3. We obtain your medical records and ship documents.
4. We file your lawsuit in the correct Miami federal court.
5. We litigate aggressively until settlement or trial.
What Cruise Lines Don’t Want You to Know
1. They investigate immediately — you must too.
Carnival and Royal Caribbean document incidents aboard ship within minutes. They take statements, photos, and internal reports that passengers never see unless demanded in litigation.
2. They may blame YOU for your injury.
Cruise lines often claim passengers:
“Weren’t watching where they were going,”
“Were wearing slippery footwear,” or
“Did not report the injury immediately.”
We know how to counter these defenses.
3. They rarely offer fair compensation without a lawsuit.
Maritime claims adjusters are trained to deny or undervalue claims unless an experienced Miami maritime lawyer is involved.
Do I Really Need a Miami Lawyer if I Live in Another State?
Legally, practically, and strategically — yes.
The main keyword question — Do I need a lawyer in Miami to sue Carnival or Royal Caribbean? — exists because most people do NOT realize the cruise lines already chose Miami for you.
What matters most is not your ZIP code — it’s your lawyer’s courtroom.
Perkins Law Offices handles national claims every day. If you live in:
California
New York
Texas
Illinois
Pennsylvania
Arizona
Washington
Nevada
Georgia
Any state in the U.S.
…we can handle your case start to finish without you ever needing to travel in most circumstances.
Common Types of Cruise Ship Injury Cases We Handle
Slip and fall accidents on wet decks
Broken railings
- Hidden dangers
Gangway incidents
- Staircase falls
Food poisoning outbreaks leading to serious illness or hospitalization
Assaults or inadequate security
- Ceiling Collapse or other falling objects
Medical negligence in the ship’s infirmary
- Threshold falls
Elevator or escalator malfunctions
Shore excursion injuries
Burns, cuts, or lacerations
- Trip and falls
Drowning or near-drowning
- Hot decks burning feet
These cases require proving:
Duty (cruise line responsibility),
Breach (what safety rule they violated),
Causation (how that failure caused your injury),
Damages (medical bills, lost wages, pain, and future care).
This is the same legal framework used in major maritime injury verdicts nationwide.
FAQs Based on Real Google Search Data
1. Can I sue Carnival or Royal Caribbean if I live in another state?
Yes. You can sue from any state, but the lawsuit must be filed in Miami, Florida. Perkins Law Offices handles national cases for passengers across the U.S.
2. Do I need to travel to Miami to sue a cruise line?
Usually no. Most clients never travel. Cases are handled digitally unless a trial requires live testimony or medical exams.
3. How long do I have to sue Carnival or Royal Caribbean?
Most contracts require filing within 1 year of the injury and written notice within 6 months.
4. Can I sue if the ship’s medical staff was negligent?
Yes — medical malpractice aboard cruise ships is actionable under maritime law with specialized litigation.
5. How much is a cruise ship injury case worth?
Values depend on the severity of injuries, negligence, economic losses, and long-term impact. Settlements have ranged from tens of thousands to multimillion-dollars.
