Terms of Service
Welcome to the International Cruise Victim Lawyer Association® (ICVLA), also known as “Best Cruise Lawyers®.” We invite you to navigate our website, ICVLA.com, and utilize our services. This article’s purpose is to detail the Terms and Conditions governing the utilization of our online platform, and we encourage a thorough review before proceeding. Your continued use of our services reflects your understanding and acceptance of the stipulations set forth below.
Please Note: The use of our Websites and related services indicates complete agreement, without exception, to these Terms and Conditions. From time to time, we reserve the right to make necessary revisions or updates, which will be in effect immediately upon posting on our platform. Continuing to use our webspaces following such modifications demonstrates acknowledgment and agreement to any changes made.
ICVLA Website Information and Use Disclaimers:
Condensed Terms of Use and Liability Disclaimers for ICVLA’s Website
The International Cruise Victim Lawyer Association (ICVLA)®, also known as “Best Cruise Lawyers®,” is the entity that operates the website ICVLA.com (hereafter referred to as “our Websites”). By using our Websites and all associated services, you unconditionally agree to adhere to the following Terms and Conditions. Best Cruise Lawyers® retains the right to revise these Terms and Conditions at its sole discretion. If any alterations are made, your continued use of our Websites will represent your acceptance and adherence to these changes.
Disclaimers: ICVLA® has made considerable efforts in compiling the databases you find on our Websites. However, ICVLA® does not guarantee that the presented information is comprehensive or accurate. We take no responsibility and disclaim all liability for any loss or damage incurred by any individual due to errors or omissions in this information, whether they result from negligence, accident, or any other reason. Furthermore, by providing biographical pages of lawyers, experts, and service providers on our Websites, Best Cruise Lawyers® is not implying any claim about the availability or commitment of these professionals to assist in any matter.
The information and services offered on our Websites are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We extend no warranties – neither explicit nor implied, and do not endorse any information or service provided through our Websites or the Internet in general. The listing of a lawyer, expert, or service provider in Best Cruise Lawyers® in no way assures that they will secure any specific or superior result in a legal or professional matter compared to practitioners not listed in Best Cruise Lawyers®.
Under no circumstances will Best Cruise Lawyers® be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages that result from your use or inability to use the services or any part thereof, or your reliance on or use of information or services provided on or through our Websites. Furthermore, we do not guarantee that our services will be uninterrupted or error-free, or that the information, software, or other material available on our Websites is free of viruses or harmful components.
The information on the Best Cruise Lawyers® website is meant solely for informational purposes and should not serve as a substitute for legal advice. Any actions taken or decisions made based on the website content should be informed by professional advice from an appropriately licensed attorney, based on the specific facts and circumstances in question. The website’s content should not be relied upon as a reflection of the most recent legal developments, settlements, or verdicts. Best Cruise Lawyers® explicitly rejects any liability related to decisions made or actions taken in response to the contents of our Websites.
WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTION, Best Cruise Lawyers® WILL NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY TYPE RESULTING FROM THE USE OF OUR WEBSITES, OR FROM ANY INFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES OR USER CONTENT OF ANY KIND RELATED TO THE USE OF THE WEBSITE, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN A WRITTEN AGREEMENT. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, Best Cruise Lawyers RENOUNCES ALL WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS RELATED TO OUR WEBSITES AND ITS CONTENT, WHETHER DIRECTLY STATED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE.
As part of the terms and conditions of using our Websites and related services, you agree to protect, hold harmless and indemnify Best Cruise Lawyers, its employees, directors, officers, agents, vendors and suppliers from any claims, expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses), damages, suits, losses, investigations or inquiries and liabilities (“Claim”) that arise from or are related to your use of our Websites and any User Content you submit. This includes any Claims that would be seen as a breach by you of these Terms and Conditions, if confirmed.
Report of Legal Discipline
As a respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, we make it a point to ensure a listing in our publication does not only signify legal expertise, but also the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. We implore that any disciplinary actions against our listed attorneys be reported promptly for review. Kimberly Welsh, our Research Analyst Manager, can be reached at kwelsh@bestlawyers.com for notification of legal discipline.
Legal Specialization
Lawyers are designated in various specialties based on peer recommendations and not their own proclamations. A lawyer’s listing in a certain specialty should not be construed as a self-affirmation. For lawyers to claim specialties, certification is required in many states and provinces, and many specialties recognized in Best Cruise Lawyers do not have certification programs. For those interested in the specialty certifications of a lawyer, please consult with the lawyer directly or with the appropriate state or provincial board.
Specializations of Experts
Upon accessing our Websites, you may notice the list of experts. Their presence is based on the respective recommendations from lawyers or their respective firms. Hence, it is important to note that the expert’s listing in a particular field does not necessarily constitute a self-endorsement. Certification is required by many states and provinces for experts to profess their expertize. Also, several fields of expertise recognized via Best Cruise Lawyers might not have official certification programs. If you have a keen interest in knowing about an expert’s certifications, we advise you to either reach out to the expert directly or contact the appropriate state or provincial board.
Expert Services
The list of services providers on our Websites is also based on the recommendations from lawyers or their firms. Therefore, the listing of a service provider does not infer self-claim. It’s worth mentioning that many states and provinces mandate that service providers hold certifications to declare their specialties. Additionally, many services recognized in Best Cruise Lawyers may not have official certification protocols. If you wish to gain insights into a service provider’s specialty certifications, you can check directly with the service provider or the appropriate state or provincial board.
Intellectual Property Ownership
The term “Intellectual Property Rights” refers to all registered or unregistered rights, which have jurisdiction globally, regarding patents, inventions, trade secrets, confidential or proprietary information, data and collections of data, copyrights, software and other works of authorship, domain names, trademarks, trade names, service names, slogans, logos and other designations. All database information and materials on our Websites are the property of International Cruise Victim Lawyer Association (ICVLA), except where otherwise indicated. ICVLA owns all Intellectual Property Rights related to The Best Cruise Lawyers in America®, Best Cruise Lawyers®, Best Cruise Lawyers Ones to Watch® in America, Best Law Firms®, and other related entities. These rights are protected by U.S. and international laws surrounding copyrights, trademarks, patents, and other rights. You are required to get our prior written consent for using or reproducing Best Cruise Lawyers’ Intellectual Property Rights.
Usage Terms of Our Websites
Our websites can only be legally used under these Terms and Conditions. Misusing our website, such as overburdening, damaging or impairing it or disrupting other users activities goes against these terms. Also, using any software, tool or device to monitor or record any material from our Websites or intruding on the smooth operation of our Website systems is strictly prohibited. It is also forbidden to post User Content that violate the Intellectual Property Rights of others or are illegal, immoral or defamatory.
Information Usage Limitations
Any utilization of the data, databases, emblems, service stamps, brand names or trade dress on our Websites, whether direct or indirect, and regardless whether fees are charged for the said information on our Websites, is strictly prohibited. This applies unless express written permission is obtained from Best Cruise Lawyers, and the usage adheres to the guidelines stipulated by the International Cruise Victim Lawyer Association (ICVLA).
User-Generated Content
As long as such content accords with these Terms and Conditions, Best Cruise Lawyers permits you to contribute content to your Best Cruise Lawyers profile, referred to as “User Content”. Please note that Best Cruise Lawyers neither sponsors, endorses, nor advocates any user-contributed product reviews, ideas, or advice. You avow that any User Content that you contribute to your Best Cruise Lawyers profile will not only be accurate but also will not contravene, nor enable the contravention of any applicable laws, rules, or regulations by Best Cruise Lawyers. It will not violate any third party’s copyright, trademark, privacy, or publicity rights or other Intellectual Property Rights and will refrain from any action harmful to any individual or entity. Further stipulations include the avoidance of threatening language and the prohibition of malware, political campaigning, commercial solicitation, chain letters, mass mailings, pornography, illegal materials, or any form of “spam”. Lastly, it is expected that you have not been remunerated nor granted any consideration by a third party for the User Content submitted by you.
The sole responsibility for the User Content you submit is borne by you, and all liability for any User Content submitted by you is disclaimed by Best Cruise Lawyers. You agree to hold us harmless from all claims and liabilities resulting from your User Content. It’s worth noting that we reserve the right (though not obligated) to undertake any or all of the following, at our discretion: (i) monitor User Content; (ii) modify, remove, or refuse to post or permit the posting of any User Content; and/or (iii) disclose any User Content, and the circumstances surrounding their transmission, to any third party in an effort to (a) operate our Websites; (b) to safeguard Best Cruise Lawyers and its employees, officers, directors, affiliates, agents, representatives, licensors, suppliers, and service providers (collectively, known as the “Best Cruise Lawyers Entities”), and the users and visitors of our Websites; (c) to comply with legal obligations or governmental requests; (d) to implement these Terms and Conditions; or (e) for any other reason or purpose.
In appreciation of your use of the Best Cruise Lawyers’ services, you subsequently grant to Best Cruise Lawyers an enduring, non-revocable, global right and license, inclusive of the right to sublicense, to leverage, reproduce, distribute, display, modify, and create derivative works of, any User Content that you have submitted (as well as any Intellectual Property Rights therein and thereto) for any law-abiding purpose.
You affirm and warrant that you possess the necessary rights to upload your User Content on our Websites, granting us the licenses specified within this section, and ensuring that your User Content, including your act of posting it on our Websites, adheres to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Moreover, you unequivocally relinquish any “moral rights” or other authorship or integrity related rights pertaining to User Content under any valid law or legal perspective.
User Content is also contributed by third-party visitors to our Websites. Be aware that visitors to our Website may publish statements, comments, or other User Content that could be fallacious, misleading, or deceitful. The International Cruise Victim Lawyer Association (ICVLA), also known as Best Cruise Lawyers, its affiliates, partners, and providers, do not endorse or take responsibility for any opinions, advice, information, or declarations made by third parties. Best Cruise Lawyers and its affiliates are not accountable for any information or materials provided through our Websites (including mistakes, omissions in postings, links, or embedded images) or any outcomes derived from using such information or materials. In no event will Best Cruise Lawyers be responsible or liable for any loss or damage incurred by your dependence on such information or materials. The opinions shared by third parties solely represent the views of the respective contributors and might not reflect the views of Best Cruise Lawyers.
Delivery and Refund PoliciesAll purchases are final. We only provide refunds under special circumstances, or in the event of an error on our part. Deliveries are conducted through FedEx Ground, with an expected domestic delivery timeframe of 3-5 business days. Please note that deliveries to international destinations may take longer. Deliveries to P.O. Boxes are not available. For inquiries, please reach out to us at cpo@icvla.org.
Advertising Terms and ConditionsAll print and digital advertising are accepted subject to the approval of the International Cruise Victim Lawyer Association (ICVLA), also referred to as the ‘Publisher’. The Publisher has the right to reject advertisements that, in its sole discretion, do not align with the publication’s standards or breach the policies, conditions of this contract, or the Publisher’s copyright and goodwill interests.
The Publisher does not offer a placement guarantee for any advertisement, unless the Advertiser agrees to bear the additional cost mentioned in the corresponding rate card. Requests for guaranteed placement will not bind the Publisher until it can confirm the availability of the requested space. Placement requests for fractional advertising units are considered but are subject to Publisher’s discretion and cannot be guaranteed. If a positioning request cannot be accommodated as requested, the Advertiser will be informed prior to publication. Furthermore, no placement guarantees that seek to control another advertiser’s copy placement will be accepted.
Please be aware that no conditions, printed or otherwise, displayed on the insertion order, invoice order, or copy instructions that clash with our publisher’s policies stated here will be applicable. We do not recognize or practice verbal agreements.
In the event of an insertion order cancellation, you will lose the right to standard industry “position protection.” The publisher’s responsibility to the Advertiser (which includes Advertiser’s agents, advertising clients, representatives, employees etc.) for any mistakes will not go beyond the cost of publishing the troubled advertisement. It’s important to note that the cost of publishing is influenced by factors like the size of the advertising unit, publication print run, distribution quantity and overall production costs.
Our publisher bears no responsibility and liability for any errors in any advertisement that has been approved by the Advertiser for final print. Similarly, the publisher waives the responsibility and any liability for any mistakes happening in an Advertisement published without the written approval of the Advertiser. Verbal endorsements are neither recognized nor binding.
The publisher declines any responsibility and liability for the quality of print reproduction for advertisements whose copy (artwork, text, photographs) is provided by the Advertiser. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the publisher will accept all copy provided by the Advertiser “as-is.” Advertisers are advised to work in conjunction with the publication’s advertising coordinator if they are uncertain of the suitable print standards for quality reproduction. They can also request in writing any alterations that should be made to images or copy. These additional changes may incur an extra charge, depending on the type of Advertising unit purchased, and will be billed separately. A copy of production charges may be obtained upon request.
The publisher isn’t liable beyond a refund of any amount deposited by the Advertiser with the Publisher in anticipation of an advertisement’s publication if for any reason it becomes necessary to cancel or postpone the production of a planned issue or publication. Furthermore, the publisher is absolved from liability for damages resulting from publishing delays for whatever reason or any non-delivery caused by circumstances out of the control of the Publisher affecting the production or delivery of the publication.
Advertisers have the option to cancel an insertion order at zero expense as long as our publisher receives the cancellation prior to the Space Closing date for that issue(s). However, if an Advertiser cancels an insertion order after the advertising space closing date has passed, they will still be billed for the ad at the full relevant rate in effect at the time of publication.
In the event that Ad Materials are not received by the materials deadline, the advertiser will be billed for space. Our publisher will generate ad materials for the Advertiser and submit for approval. If this approval is not obtained, the ad materials will be printed as they are and payment will be due from the Advertiser.
Advertisers are entirely responsible for compliance with any lawyer advertising regulations or rules in the relevant jurisdiction(s) of the publication. International Cruise Victim Lawyer Association (ICVLA) does not assume responsibility for filing any ads with any bar association or other association or any related fees. An advertiser will not be entitled to any credit, offset, or refund for any ad rejected by any bar association or another relevant authority.
Our publisher will bill the party mentioned on an insertion order for monies owed by the Advertiser to the Publisher, but in case of non-payment, the Publisher has the right to hold both the end Advertiser and its advertising agency jointly and severally liable for monies which are due and payable to the Publisher.
Advertiser and advertising agency are expected to safeguard the Publisher from any and all liabilities related to content and/or unauthorized usage arising from advertisements printed by Publisher at Advertiser’s request.
Any party desiring to use Best Cruise Lawyers trademarks, service marks, intellectual property and/or trade names must obtain appropriate written authorization in their ads. High-resolution logos referring to Best Cruise Lawyers may attract additional charges.
Violating These Terms and Conditions
We reserve the right to probe any violation of these Terms and Conditions. If necessary, we may provide law enforcement with details you provide to us concerning your interaction with our sites to support any investigation or prosecution of you or another party. We may undertake legal action we feel is appropriate. If we find that you have violated these Terms and Conditions or applicable laws, rules, or regulations, or for any other reason or for no reason we may cancel your account, delete all your User Content, and prevent your use of our Websites and associated services anytime without notifying you. If that happens, you may no longer access our Websites and associated services. However, you are still bound by these Terms and Conditions, and we have the right to reject any claims of liability against you or any third party for the termination of your access to our Websites and associated services or any related details and to refuse to make our Websites and related services or any related details available to you.
Enforcing These Terms and Conditions
BY ACCESSING AND USING OUR WEBSITES, YOU AGREE YOUR ACCESS AND USE OF THE SITE IS SUBJECT TO THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, ACCOMPANIED BY ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, AS GOVERNED AND INTERPRETED ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. All matters arising from these Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, without considering Georgia’s choice-of-law principles. For any legal action arising from or linked to these Terms and Conditions, you confer exclusive rights for the case to the Los Angeles, CA Superior Court and concede to its jurisdiction.