Charles R. Lipcon is the firm's founding attorney and has been handling injury, cruise line sexual assault and wrongful death claims for over 40 years.
Jason R. Margulies is an experienced maritime lawyer and an active trial attorney handling personal injury, cruise line sexual assault and wrongful death claims.
Ricardo V. Alsina is an active trial attorney, handling personal injury, cruise line sexual assault and wrongful death claims.
Mr. Winkleman is an active trial and appellate attorney handling all personal injury, cruise line sexual assault and wrongful death claims, as well as complex business disputes.
Cruise ship vacations are supposed to be some of the most exciting and relaxing types of getaways for both single travelers and families. Unfortunately, what many people don’t know is that cruise ships are also a breeding ground for criminal activity, including theft and assault. While travelers may not think twice about their safety onboard, the dark reality is that there are often crimes that go on behind the scenes and not very many of them are brought to the public eye.
Although one might naturally think that the most common type of cruise ship accident is a cruise ship disappearance, such as going overboard or getting lost while at a foreign port, the number one crime onboard cruise vessels is sexual assault. “Unsafe on the High Seas,” a guide to safer cruising by cruise ship rape lawyer Charles Lipcon, of Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A., explains that of the 206 crimes that were reported aboard cruise ships between 2003 and 2006, an astounding 86 percent were sexual crimes, including sexual assault and cruise ship rape. During that same time period, 31 million passengers embarked on cruise ship vacations, and while only 206 crimes were reported, you can be sure that a lot more than that truly occurred.
The most recently reported instance of cruise ship rape took place onboard the Carnival Cruise Line ship Sensation, which docks in Port Canaveral, Florida. A 15-year-old girl was the victim of a gang rape by 31-year-old Casey Dickerson and four teenage boys in August. Dickerson was indicted by a federal grand jury for the crime in September, but denies having committed any form of rape or assault on the minor. The boys admitted to having forcible sex with the girl, but due to the fact that they are underage, their names have not been released, nor have they been indicted as of yet.
Although relatively swift action was taken against Dickerson, countless other cruise ship rape victims never obtain the justice they deserve. Janet Kelly, of Cottonwood, Arizona, had gone on a four day cruise in 2000 with some neighbors to get away and clear her mind after the death of her 18-year-old daughter and husband. On the last night of her cruise it is reported that the ship’s bartender spiked her drink with drugs and raped her. Despite reported evidence that showed Kelly was sexually assaulted aboard the cruise ship, it reportedly took several months before her assailant was even interviewed by the FBI. Meanwhile, he continued to work onboard the vessel, free to harm another passenger; until he ended up being fired from that particular cruise ship, only to be hired by another.
The latest issue involving cruise ship rapes concerns a loophole in the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010. Although the law requires cruise lines to report rape incidents and other major crimes, it also stipulates that crimes must not be reported to the general public until the FBI finishes investigating them. Sometimes those investigations go on for years – all the while, leaving the general public in the dark. Failing to report a cruise rape or to conduct a prompt investigation can not only lead the assailant to remain free the entire time the case is being reviewed, but gives them a chance to disappear and avoid charges.
The cruise ship rape lawyers at the Lipcon law firm know too well how many crimes on the high seas go unreported each year, especially cruise ship rape crimes. However, our attorneys also know that when the safety of a cruise passenger is compromised, cruise lines may be held directly responsible and can be found liable for the crimes. Although no amount of monetary compensation can mollify the situation, victims of rape onboard a cruise vessel may be entitled to compensation for their pain and suffering; including money damages and medical care.
At Lipcon, we work diligently to help cruise rape victims obtain justice for what has transpired. Our attorneys have over 80 years of combined experience in successfully representing victims of similar incidents and will help you obtain the compensation you deserve. If you or someone you know was the victim of sexual assault onboard a cruise ship, contact a cruise ship rape lawyer from our law firm immediately to file a case and protect your rights as a victim.