Introduction

Over the last few years the Club has seen the number and value of passenger injury claims rising steadily. The most alarming aspect of this is the rise in litigation resulting from relatively minor incidents. The actions of both Members and their crews come under very close scrutiny if an incident occurs and the plaintiff will do their utmost to place the blame squarely at the door of the Member.

The most alarming aspect is the rise in litigation resulting from relatively minor incidents.

Communities worldwide are tending to become more litigious, encouraged in many areas of the world by the legal system. As a direct result owners of property or the operators of transport, whether it be land, sea or airborne, are forced to pay more attention to issues of safety. In many parts of the world the rise of what has been described as 'victim culture' has led to individuals accepting less responsibility for the consequences of their own actions. It is not so many years ago that a person tripping over a door sill on a vessel would have accepted that they should have been more careful and looked where they were going. These days, sadly, they are likely to claim that the shipowner should have drawn their attention to the sill and perhaps even have stationed a crew member by the door to assist them in stepping over it.

It is not so many years ago that a person tripping over a door sill on a vessel would have accepted that they should have been more careful.

It is now more important than ever before that owners and operators of passenger vessels develop and implement proper procedures to minimise the risk of injury and guide their staff in dealing with the consequences of an accident occurring on board.