With thousands of passengers on board, today’s cruise ships almost resemble floating cities. These are boats so big that they provide everything you could ever want, from sports and games to pools, bars, and nightclubs. Of course, with so much happening at sea, the potential for injury is also incredibly high—especially when you add unpredictable weather and swells and sudden movements of the boat.

Just some of the things that can happen on a cruise ship are:

• Slips, trips, and falls
• Food poisoning
• Injuries from on-board or on-shore activities
• Assault and sexual assault
• Drowning and accidental death

Although they might try to claim otherwise, cruise ship companies do have a duty of care to each and every passenger on board. In fact, since the U.S. has fairly strict laws surrounding maritime activities and those at sea, you’ve often got more protection on board a ship than you would at home.

On the other hand, maritime law is a complicated mix of old and new regulations that can seem very confusing to an outsider. Further complicating matters is the fact that the vast majority of cruise ship companies and their vessels are foreign-owned and -registered, so if you are injured at sea it can be difficult to know where to turn.

No matter what has happened, there are a few basic steps you should take to give your future case the best possible chance of succeeding. Read the following infographic to find out what you should do if you’re injured on a cruise ship, and call our expert team on for a free case evaluation and to get the compensation you deserve.